THIS IS WHERE YOUR NEXT CHAPTER BEGINS RCDS
OUR MISSION
Rye Country Day School is a coeducational, college preparatory school dedicated to providing students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 with an excellent education using both traditional and innovative approaches. In a nurturing and supportive environment, we offer a challenging program that stimulates individuals to achieve their maximum potential through academic, athletic, creative, and social endeavors. We are actively committed to diversity. We expect and promote moral responsibility and strive to develop strength of character within a respectful school community. Our goal is to foster a lifelong passion for learning, understanding, and service in an ever-changing world.
A MESSAGE FROM THE
HEAD OF SCHOOL
At Rye Country Day School, community, excellence, and service combine to create a transformative educational experience. The lessons learned and the bonds formed at the School are lifelong. Rye Country Day students are engaged and supported; given a broad range of opportunities to discover, collaborate, and create; and encouraged to be their authentic selves and exemplars of good citizenship. Parents and guardians contribute enthusiastically to the life and energy of the School and act as essential partners in our shared work of raising fulfilled, curious students. Our alumni are ambassadors of RCDS excellence and service in the world, and they remain connected to the school and teachers who nurtured and inspired them. Faculty, staff, and administrators are at the heart of what we do, and, in RCDS, we have found the deep satisfaction of a career we love guiding young minds as they learn and grow.
RCDS is a dynamic learning environment that values character, knowledge, and skills as the foundation of good citizenship. Our strong tradition of excellence in teaching and learning grows from knowing and nurturing students as individuals to help them find their voice and pursue their passions. The School’s motto, Not for Self, but for Service, guides our community and engenders a lifelong commitment to contribute actively to the greater good.
Excellence happens at Rye Country Day because of a shared commitment to realizing our individual and collective potential within a diverse and inclusive community. RCDS is an ever-evolving institution that embraces new challenges and ideas to instill in our graduates a lifelong love of learning and dedication to service.
Welcome! Randall Dunn Head of School
OUR SCHOOL
Academics at RCDS are stimulating, challenging, inventive, exciting, and fun.
Small class sizes allow for personalized attention from a dedicated faculty to ensure that each student’s full potential is realized through constructive challenge and nurturing support. A Rye Country Day education helps students find passions and hone strengths as they develop into leaders with a lifelong love of learning and a commitment to active, engaged citizenship.
The School has three divisions, which are focused on the different cognitive and emotional needs of students as they progress from early childhood to pre-adulthood. As they progress through the divisions, students gradually and surely achieve ever-evolving levels of sophistication and fluency in subjects across the curriculum.
Sotirhos
LOWER SCHOOL
Pre-Kindergarten–Grade 4
The Lower School strives to instill within each child a balance between individual development and commitment to community. Our invigorating and supportive environment stimulates and promotes ethical, social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth in every student. In a program that recognizes each child’s unique timetable and needs, the measure of success is in the ongoing process rather than the finished product.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Grades 5-8
Mr. Quagliaroli
UPPER SCHOOL
Grades 9-12
The Upper School is a place where students discover, develop, and refine their interests in remarkable ways. By design, the student body is large enough that the School is able to provide a range of opportunities, but small enough that the only limiting factor for student participation is time. Students do not have to choose which of their passions to pursue; we encourage learners to try as much as possible, and to take full advantage of the opportunities of the School. L S
The Middle School addresses the distinctive needs of students during critical transition years. We appreciate and understand their joys, challenges, and developmental changes. We also recognize their vulnerability and learning differences in this remarkable period of growth. Our program provides the support and guidance that allow students to develop independent thinking, intellectual integrity, and physical, personal, and social maturity.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM NY AND CT REPRESENTED
R Respect & Responsibility
C Commitment to Personal & Academic Excellence
D Diversity within an inclusive Community
S Service
SIGNATURE PROGRAMS
By seeking ways to advance and embed our mission and values throughout the Rye Country Day curriculum and community, our signature programs continually answer the question: how can we make our school better?
SIGNATURE PROGRAMS
PUBLIC PURPOSE
Not for Self, but for Service
Through social impact partnerships and projects, our students become active and engaged participants in shaping a more equitable and just world.
Since 1869, Rye Country Day School’s motto, Not for Self, but for Service, has been integral to the culture of the School. We believe that meaningful and mutually beneficial partnerships emanate from a curriculum enhanced by community engagement. Our sustained commitment to making a positive impact on the community and contributing to the common good defines our public purpose.
PUBLIC PURPOSE
Not for Self, but for Service
By facilitating opportunities for community engagement and social impact for students in Pre-K through Grade 12, Rye Country Day’s Public Purpose initiative provides transformative educational experiences that prepare students to be responsible citizens with an ethic of service, empathy, and critical reflection. We are committed to social justice and a shared responsibility to participate in the community in a way that benefits the common good. Students and teachers approach our engagement and activism through a lens of cultivating authentic, sustainable, and reciprocal relationships with community partners.
THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM enables RCDS Upper School students to partner with a community organization to develop and implement innovative, sustainable projects that address the needs of the organization.
Sample of programs partnering with neighboring communities
• SET (Saturday Enrichment and Tutorial program)
• ACTION (Academic Summer Program)
• SCOPE (Student-Centered Outreach, Partnership, and Enrichment)
• SiSTEM (Students in STEM)
• Middle School Social Impact Projects
• Can-Do Food Drive
Sample of Partner Organizations
• Our New Way Garden
• The Carver Center
• Meals on Main Street
• Building One Community
• Edith G. Read Wildlife Sanctuary
• Community Resource Center
• The Sharing Shelf
• The ARC Westchester
SIGNATURE PROGRAMS
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
We are actively committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and fostering a strong sense of belonging.
At RCDS, we act deliberately to create and sustain a diverse community that values equity and inclusion. Diversity is the expression of human variety; each one of us is diverse in multiple ways and in a variety of contexts. Our community is diverse, enriching us with ideas and perspectives that allow students to grow and flourish as they safely explore their individual and group identities.
A strong sense of belonging is critical for learning. For students, this sense of belonging is derived from seeing themselves reflected in the people in their community and in the curriculum. It is also essential for students to be around people, ideas, and perspectives that differ from their own. The diversity of our community and our steadfast commitment to the sense of inclusion for each of its members are among our School’s greatest strengths. Rye Country Day is a place where students can bring their full selves to school, and it is a community that celebrates the individuals that comprise it.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Action
• UPLIFT students of color mentoring program – Lower, Middle, and Upper School.
• Students of Color (SoC) affinity group – Middle and Upper School.
• Girls and Boys Mentoring programs – Middle and Upper School.
• GSA (Gender/Sexuality Alliance) – Middle and Upper School.
• RAMP (Resilience in Alumni Mentor Partnerships) mentoring program for alumni and students of color.
• Annual Arts Festival and International Fair.
• DEI–driven curriculum development.
• RCC (RCDS Community Connections) committee for parents/guardians.
• Employee affinity groups.
• RCDS Teaching Fellows Program.
• Anti-racism and anti-bias training for employees, parents/guardians, and students.
• MOSAIC Middle School Diversity Conference with Fairchester schools.
• Saturday Summit on Social Justice with Fairchester schools.
• NAIS People of Color and Student Diversity Leadership Conferences.
RCDS Diversity at a Glance
• 50+ NY and CT school districts represented in the student body.
• 47% self-identified students of color.
• $7.4 million need-based financial aid budget.
• 15% of students receive financial aid.
• 12 staff members on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team
• Annual DEI professional development for employees.
SIGNATURE PROGRAMS
SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability at RCDS creates a climate of environmental awareness and helps students understand that they can effect positive and lasting change in the world by becoming lifelong stewards of our planet.
We seek to foster understanding of the world around us, to act in accord with our school motto, Not for Self, but for Service, and to promote moral responsibility as citizens of the planet. This occurs through identifying avenues within the curriculum and beyond that create educational opportunities for employees and students to teach and practice sustainability as they expand their understanding of the need for and purpose of responsible environmental practices.
Green Campus
• No idling policy
• LED lighting
• Electric vehicle charging stations
• Water bottle filling stations
• Single stream recycling
• 23 kW solar panel system on the Pinkham Building roof
• Organic landscaping
• Campus tree plan
• Campus-wide composting
• Pollinator Pathway member
• Sustainable furniture disposal
• Zero waste dining
• Monarch waystation
Sustainability in Action
• LS Sustainability Club
• Parent and Employee Sustainability Committees
• MS Green Team
• US Environmental Club
• US Garden Club
• Three divisional vegetable gardens
• Earth Day Fair
• Green Screen film events
• Sustainability themes across the curriculum
• Wildlife Conservation Club
• Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle Club
• Envirothon Team
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
• National Wildlife Federation’s EcoSchools Green Flag Certification
• Westchester County Earth Day Award
• United States Education Department’s Green Ribbon Schools Award
• Schoolyard Habitat Certification through the National Wildlife Federation
• Rye Sustainability Committee Leadership Award Recipients
• Westchester County Eco-Award
• Bedford 2030 Greenlight Awards
• Green Restaurant Certified Dining Hall
• Westchester County Regional Envirothon Winner - Soil and Land Use; Forestry
SIGNATURE PROGRAMS
STEAM
Collaborative learning experiences strengthen critical thinking, enable real-world problem solving, and spark imagination.
Rye Country Day’s commitment to STEAM enables the School to remain a forward-thinking institution that is poised to explore the breadth, depth, and interaction of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, unlocking the limitless potential of students as they pursue and integrate these disciplines. STEAM enables students to be courageous, innovative thinkers who are able to adapt to new technologies and frameworks to meet current and evolving challenges.
• Cohen Center for the Creative Arts, a 23,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility augmenting the School’s curricular offerings in the arts and STEAM for Middle and Upper School students. The Cohen Center features:
° The innovative design Makerspace.
° Digital art studios for photography and videography.
° Manual Arts Lab (Woodshop)
° Two large studios for ceramics, sculpture, painting, and drawing.
° Black Box Theater
• Upper School: Seven science labs and the Innovation Lab for high-level science, computer science, and math.
• Middle School: Computer lab and four science labs.
• Lower School: Computer lab, art room, and science room.
GRADES 5-12 INTERDISCIPLINARY MAKERSPACE PROJECTS
• The Young Physicists Tournament
• Women in Science Club and Enrichment program
• SiSTEM (Students in STEM) enrichment program for local students
• Integrated STEAM and maker units/clubs for Middle and Lower School students
• Research Symposium
• STEAM Fest
Interscholastic Robotics Teams
• Grades 3-6 Robotics
• Grades 7-8 Vex IQ
• Grades 9-12 Vex V5
Engineering and Interdepartmental Classes
• Engineering & Design (Middle & Upper School)
• Robotics (Middle & Upper School)
• Science Research (Upper School)
• STEM Research (Middle School)
• Computational Biology (Upper School)
• STEAM Master Class and Apprentice Program (Upper School)
• Integrated STEAM Units (Lower School)
SIGNATURE PROGRAMS
GLOBAL STUDIES
Through global experiences and learning, students develop a deep understanding of other perspectives and of themselves.
Rye Country Day School prepares students to participate actively and ethically as global citizens. Through the study of world languages and cultures, global travel programs, and opportunities to learn about the diverse backgrounds represented in the RCDS community, students develop an understanding of the world around them and their place within it.
RCDS is an active member of the Independent Schools Experiential Education Network (ISEEN) and has adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Global Goals.
The Global Studies program fosters a comprehensive understanding of world cultures, natural environments, and social and political systems. Our goal is to prepare students to make meaningful contributions to the broader community with a deep sense of respect and appreciation for diverse perspectives, cultures, people, and environments.
SAMPLE GLOBAL EXPERIENCES
El Paso, TX
GA & AL
Athens, Greece
Iceland
Sicily, Italy
Spain
Immigration & border issues
Civil rights history
Ideals of democracy
Environmental sustainability
Classical languages and cultures
Choir Tour
Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore Southeast Asian history & culture
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Our programs empower young people with the skills and tools needed to be emotionally aware, resilient, and mentally and physically healthy.
Students’ perception of self and well-being underpins how they learn, think, and relate to others. At Rye Country Day School, we empower young people with the skills and tools needed to be emotionally aware, resilient, and mentally and physically healthy. Our evolving Health and Wellness curriculum, informed by equitable and inclusive practices, teaches sustainable skills and strategies to effectively manage stress, anxiety, and depression and prioritize sleep hygiene, physical activity, social well-being, and healthy eating habits.
HEALTH & WELLNESS IN ACTION
PARTNERSHIP ACROSS THE COMMUNITY
At RCDS, Health and Wellness is a shared community priority. We work hand-in-hand with parents and guardians to support them in helping learners achieve balance and wellness both at school and at home. Dedicated teams of advisors, gradelevel deans, faculty, coaches, learning specialists, counselors, and health educators provide ongoing support and feedback to promote responsible decision-making and life choices.
• Responsive Classroom approach in the Lower School focuses on creating safe, joyful, and engaging learning spaces with an emphasis on helping students develop their skills in areas such as cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, self-control, perseverance, and learning strategies.
• Social and emotional learning lessons with the Lower School psychologist occur across grade levels and are centered around building empathy, emotion management, friendship skills, and problem-solving.
• In the Middle School, the Seek program continues to build social and emotional competencies by exploring these issues in the context of early adolescence.
• Middle School Study Skills program strengthens executive function skills needed to become efficient, effective, and independent learners.
• Upper School Advisory focuses on building community, and students practice mindfulness exercises and explore mental health, identity, finding a sense of purpose, stress management, and emotional regulation.
• Junior and senior Peer Leaders guide freshmen through their first year of high school and teach the Life Skills course.
• Upper School Sophomore Health course offers practical knowledge and skills to help students make thoughtful decisions and navigate real-life events.
• Upper School Junior Seminar covers strategies for managing stress and identifying support structures.
• Senior Transition Days equip students with the tools they will use after graduation, including self-care, independent growth, and financial literacy.
• Community partnerships with Heard in Rye and RyeACT.
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
Learning technology develops digital citizenship, resourcefulness, adaptability, and creativity.
Technology is a tool to solve problems, innovate, and push the limits of what is possible. Technology is ever-changing, so learning technology is about digital citizenship, developing resourcefulness, adaptability, and creativity.
RCDS students learn to be well-rounded users of technology who are comfortable with existing tools and capable of embracing those yet to be developed.
FACILITIES
• Innovation Lab, an engineering-focused lab, supporting curricular offerings in computational biology and engineering.
• Makerspace for Middle and Upper School students, serving as a hub of creativity and invention on campus and featuring a wide range of engineering and manufacturing equipment.
• Tech-ready classrooms equipped with Smartboards and audio/video hardware.
• Technology Resource Center.
• Middle School computer lab, featuring 3D printers and robotics equipment
• Lower School computer lab.
• Schoology learning management system.
• Electronic database resources in RCDS libraries.
Rye Country Day School is one of 30 schools from across the globe to be named a 2024 Founding School of RAIL, or Responsible AI in Learning. The RAIL founding schools are the first in the world to earn an endorsement in artificial intelligence (AI) literacy, safety, and ethics from the Middle States Association, a worldwide leader in accreditation and school improvement.
ISTE STANDARDS
RCDS upholds the International Society of Technology Education Standards, seven interconnected bands of technology goals that circumscribe the student experience. Our commitment is to educate digital citizens who embrace technology today and in the future by being...
1. Empowered Learners
2. Digital Citizens
3. Knowledge Constructors
4. Innovative Designers
5. Computational Thinkers
6. Creative Communicators
7. Global Collaborators
Educational Technology in Action
• K-12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum
• 1:1 Device learning for students in K through Grade 12
• Expansive suite of digital tools for engaged learning
• Makerspace Apprentice Program
• Coding for a Cause Course
Common Sense School
RCDS is recognized by the safe tech and media nonprofit Common Sense Media as a Common Sense School for its commitment to creating a culture of digital citizenship and teaching.
ARTS
Creativity is nurtured through an extensive arts program that is woven into the fabric of student life.
With the guidance of dedicated, expert teachers, students explore passions and hone creative expression skills. The School’s state-of-the-art facilities provide expansive learning and practice opportunities across the arts, from music to drama and dance and the visual arts.
FACILITIES
The Cohen Center for the Creative Arts featuring:
• Digital art studios for photography and videography.
• Two large studios for ceramics, sculpture, painting, and drawing.
• The innovative design Makerspace.
• The experimental Black Box Theater with seating for 160.
The Edward B. Dunn Performing Arts Center featuring:
• A professional theater with seating for 480.
• A dance studio with a sprung marley floor.
• Choral and instrumental rehearsal spaces and individual practice rooms.
Memorial Hall featuring:
• Rehearsal and performance facilities and seating for 125.
MUSIC
RCDS students explore music from a wide variety of genres and cultures through a vibrant Pre-K – Grade 12 music program. They develop the skills of singing, movement, listening, analyzing, composing, and playing instruments. Numerous singing and instrumental ensembles along with non-performance courses and private lessons make music a central part of the student experience. The 150-person all-community Festival Chorus Concert brings together students, parents/guardians, employees, and alumni in an annual collaborative event, showcasing our community’s commitment to the arts.
DRAMA AND DANCE
In the Drama and Dance program, students are encouraged to take creative journeys that uncover the joy of performance. They strengthen technique, enhance performance and writing abilities, and broaden their knowledge of the performing arts. Drama courses and productions teach students to use the skills and art of drama to become more confident, mature, poised, clear, thoughtful, collaborative, and creative. Dance courses focus on gaining strength, coordination, agility, and grace, so students learn about the artistry of dance and choreography while developing the necessary athleticism to move with expertise. From large scale productions to student-led performances, the stage is a place where RCDS students shine.
VISUAL ARTS
In their study of the visual arts, students across divisions become aware of their potential to think, act, and learn in diverse and original ways. By re-evaluating the familiar and striving to interpret old ideas and traditions in new ways, students develop a sense of decision-making, a new enthusiasm for the arts, and a deep personal involvement in the creative process. The visual arts program at RCDS is rooted in the ongoing process of exploration of a wide range of materials combined with age-appropriate intellectual and creative challenges.
ATHLETICS
Sportsmanship is emphasized through perseverance, team responsibility, and school spirit.
Athletics at RCDS are broad enough to prepare gifted athletes to compete at the college level, while at the same time ensuring that all students are exposed to the lifelong benefits of athletics and team participation. Our coaches serve as positive role models, developing a student-athlete’s sense of sportsmanship and love of the game. RCDS teams have won numerous FAA League Championships and NYSAIS State Championships, and they have competed in the New England playoffs. RCDS athletics are a fitting counterpart to academics, energizing both mind and body.
Willy the Wildcat, RCDS Mascot
FACILITIES
The Scott A. Nelson Athletic Center, a 40,000-square-foot building including:
• Two Basketball courts
• Four Squash courts
• Locker rooms
• Fitness center
• Athletic training room
• Wrestling/Yoga room
• Film review rooms
The Gerald LaGrange Field House:
• Indoor ice rink
• Four indoor tennis courts
Four state-of-the-art turf fields.
28 Championships won in the last 5 years.
RCDS also partners with local organizations for use of track and field, golf, fencing, and sailing facilities.
Sports
FALL
• Cross Country
• Field Hockey
• Football
• Soccer
• Volleyball
WINTER
• Basketball
• Fencing
• Ice Hockey
• Indoor Track
• Squash
• Wrestling
68
Interscholastic teams for Grades 7-12.
SPRING
• Baseball
• Golf
• Lacrosse
• Sailing
• Softball
• Tennis
• Track and Field
COLLEGE COUNSELING
In many ways, preparation for “the college process” begins as soon as a student enters Rye Country Day School.
RCDS students take challenging courses in the full range of academic subjects (including a special focus on writing); participate in a variety of extracurricular activities; and form close relationships with faculty. Resulting in academic preparation and personal growth for our students, these experiences contribute to the eventual goal of enrolling in a college that is well suited to individual interests, learning styles, and future plans.
We work closely with students and families, with college admissions counselors, and with our own faculty and coaches. Our goal is to help Rye Country Day students have college options that offer both great “fit” and the best possible opportunities for future growth. Because the College Counseling team overlaps with the twelfthgrade deans, we are intimately involved in all aspects of our seniors’ daily lives, and we get to know them as students, as athletes and artists, as leaders, and as friends.
2020-2024 MATRICULATION
American University (2)
The American University of Paris
Amherst College (4)
Babson College
Barnard College (3)
Bates College (6)
Berklee College of Music
Boston College (5)
Boston University (9)
Bowdoin College (5)
Brandeis University (3)
Brown University (9)
Bryn Mawr College (3)
Bucknell University (12)
California Institute of the Arts
Carleton College (2)
Carnegie Mellon University (4)
Claremont McKenna College (2)
Clemson University
Colby College (6)
Colgate University (16)
College of the Holy Cross
Colorado College (2)
Columbia University (7)
Connecticut College
Cooper Union (2)
Cornell University (26)
CUNY Lehman College
Dartmouth College (6)
Denison University (2)
Drexel University
Duke University (10)
Earlham College
Ecole Polytechnique
Elon University (2)
Elon University
Emory University (7)
Emory University-Oxford College
Fairfield University
Fordham University
Franklin and Marshall College
Furman University
The George Washington University (3)
Georgetown University (11)
Georgia Institute of Technology (2)
Grinnell College
Hamilton College (2)
Harvard University (9)
Haverford College (2)
Hobart William Smith Colleges
Howard University
Indiana University Bloomington (2)
Johns Hopkins University (5)
Kalamazoo College
King’s College London
Lehigh University (8)
Loyola Marymount University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (4)
Miami University (3)
Middlebury College (5)
Mount Holyoke College
Muhlenberg College (3)
The New School
New York University (8)
Northeastern University (9)
Northwestern University (16)
Oberlin College
Peking University
Pennsylvania State University (2)
Polimoda International Institute of Design and Marketing
Pomona College (2)
Princeton University (7)
Purdue University (2)
Rice University (3)
Rochester Institute of Technology (2)
Saint Louis University
RCDS College Counselors: Jeff Bates, Aimee Rincon, Tara Kalinisan and Dennis Vasquez
Santa Clara University
Skidmore College (5)
Southern Methodist University (6)
Stanford University (3)
Stony Brook University
SUNY at Purchase College
Swarthmore College
Syracuse University (6)
Taft School (2)
Trinity College
Tufts University (11)
Tulane University (10)
Union College (2)
University at Buffalo (2)
University of California, Los Angeles (3)
University of California, Santa Barbara (4)
University of Chicago (14)
University of Connecticut
University of Georgia
University of Kentucky
University of Maryland (2)
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Miami (6)
University of Michigan (7)
University of Notre Dame (3)
University of Pennsylvania (14)
University of Richmond (5)
University of Rochester (5)
University of Southern California (3)
University of St Andrews (7)
The University of Texas at Austin
University of Toronto
University of Vermont
University of Virginia (4)
University of Wisconsin-Madison (11)
Vanderbilt University (9)
Vassar College
Wake Forest University (12)
Washington and Lee University (2)
Washington University in St Louis (9)
Wellesley College (3)
Wesleyan University (4)
William & Mary
Williams College (9)
Yale University (10)
FINANCIAL AID
Rye Country Day School is eager to encourage all qualified students to apply to the School. We are actively committed to maintaining a school community of students from diverse backgrounds and experiences, and our extensive financial aid program helps to make a Rye Country Day education accessible for those who demonstrate financial need. RCDS grants approximately $7.4 million in financial aid to 15 percent of the student body.
Financial aid funds come directly from the resources of the School, and student grants consider the entire expense of attending RCDS. This factors in extra costs such as books, and other expenses. Furthermore, all students who receive financial aid in Grades 7–12 (regardless of the grant size) are loaned a new laptop computer from the School. RCDS also supports the cost of school-related trips for students who receive financial aid at the same percentage as their financial aid grant for tuition. The School strives to offer comprehensive support that is tailored to meet the specific needs of students who receive aid.
IS FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE AT RCDS?
Rye Country Day School offers financial aid to qualifying families with students entering Kindergarten through Grade 12. Our financial aid program is need-based, which means the School does not offer academic, athletic, or merit-based scholarships of any kind. Financial aid is granted to families of qualified admissions candidates who demonstrate financial need. Please note that there is no financial aid offered for PreKindergarten students.
HOW MUCH FINANCIAL AID IS AVAILABLE?
This year, our financial aid budget is approximately $7.4 million. Currently, 15 percent of the student body receives financial aid.
WILL I HAVE TO PAY BACK MY FINANCIAL AID GRANT?
No. The RCDS financial aid program is entirely comprised of grants. There are no loans in our financial aid grants.
DOES FINANCIAL AID ONLY COVER TUITION?
No. Financial aid grants consider the entire expense of attending RCDS. This factors in extra costs such as lunch, books, and other expenses. Furthermore, all students who receive financial aid in Grades 7–12 (regardless of the grant amount) receive a new loaner laptop computer from the School as part of their financial aid grant. Although the computer is technically owned by RCDS, the student has use of this computer at home and during all vacations. Families will be billed $60 annually for insurance on the laptop. Finally, RCDS is also pleased to support school-related trips for students who receive financial aid. The School will support approved trips for students who receive financial aid at the same percentage as their financial aid grant (e.g., a family who pays 50 percent of our tuition would be asked to pay 50 percent of any school-related trip).
WHO
RECEIVES FINANCIAL AID AT RCDS?
The School looks to support qualified students who will be able to contribute to school life in many ways. RCDS has students who receive financial aid in all divisions of the School (Lower, Middle, and Upper). Historically, the School has had a larger concentration of students who receive financial aid in the Middle and Upper divisions, but all families are encouraged to apply. There are limited funds for Lower School students and no financial funds available for Pre-K. Currently, our students who receive financial aid come from approximately 20 different communities in Westchester and Fairfield Counties, as well as Manhattan and the Bronx. Our families also come from a range of incomes and qualify for varying amounts of financial support.
HOW DOES ONE APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID AT RCDS?
The first step in applying for financial aid is to indicate your interest in financial aid on the Online Application for Admissions. Please note, our admissions literature addresses the financial aid process in general, but it can be helpful to speak with our Office of Financial Aid. To learn more about the financial aid application, please contact Ariana Wimpy at (914) 925-4522 or ariana_wimpy@ ryecountryday.org.
HOW DOES RCDS ASSESS A FAMILY’S FINANCIAL NEED?
Rye Country Day School partners with the external organization Clarity to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information that families share in the application, which includes assets, income, expenses, and debts. All of the application information combined gives RCDS an informed sense of a family’s financial need. It is important to note that although RCDS uses Clarity as a guide in this process, actual grants are always recalculated locally and distributed by the Financial Aid Office at RCDS.
WHAT IF OUR FAMILY IS SEPARATED OR I AM A SINGLE PARENT/GUARDIAN?
Our students who receive financial aid come from a wide variety of family structures, and ultimately every family’s situation is considered on a case-by-case basis. However, RCDS does have a clear policy for considering aid in separated/divorced situations. The Financial Aid Committee does consider financial resources from all parents/guardians (non-custodial and stepparents included) that are available to applicants.
WHAT IS THE TIMING OF THE FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION PROCESS?
The School distributes financial aid grants simultaneously with admissions offers. Since most of our admissions decisions are communicated in early February, our financial aid application process must commence well in advance of this date. The due date for a completed financial aid application for prospective students is December 15.
WILL MY APPLICATION FOR FINANCIAL AID IMPACT MY ADMISSIONS DECISION?
Financial aid and admissions are two separate processes at RCDS; our Admissions Committees do not consider—and are unaware of—financial need when evaluating the qualifications of an admissions applicant. While the financial aid budget is generous, it is limited. Applications for financial aid that are submitted after the December deadline can only be considered subject to the availability of funds. Sometimes RCDS is unable to make aid grants to all qualified students based on budgetary constraints.
WILL I CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID FOR THE DURATION OF MY STUDENT’S TENURE AT THE SCHOOL?
Generally, yes. As long as a family’s financial situation remains relatively unchanged, families should anticipate that their percentage of tuition support will remain relatively constant throughout their experience at RCDS. Grants can change in either direction depending on significant changes in a family’s financial circumstances. Families will need to submit a Clarity application each year in order to qualify for financial aid. However, Clarity retains your information from previous applications, so it will be even easier to reapply.
WHILE ATTENDING RCDS, WILL EVERYONE KNOW THAT MY STUDENT IS RECEIVING FINANCIAL AID?
No. The identities of our students who receive financial aid are confidential. The Financial Aid Committee, administration, and select employees are made aware of student financial aid status in order to support families.
QUESTIONS?
Financial Aid Application
Ariana Wimpy (914) 925-4522
ariana_wimpy@ryecountryday.org
Financial Aid Program Experience
Joshua Noel Rivera ’15 (914) 925-4632
joshua_rivera@ryecountryday.org
PARENTS ASSOCIATION
As soon as your child enrolls in Rye Country Day School, you become a lifelong member of the RCDS Parents Association.
The RCDS Parents Association’s primary mission is to help foster a sense of community among our parents and guardians while working in partnership with the School for the benefit of the whole community.
The Rye Country Day School Parents Association (PA) is a parentgoverned organization representing parents and guardians of Rye Country Day School students. The PA is headed by an Executive Committee, which oversees and supports the work of division coordinators, grade liaisons, committee chairs, and other volunteers.
THE PA STRIVES TO
• Build a warm and welcoming community among parents/guardians
• Facilitate communication between parents/guardians and the School
• Raise funds for scholarships, PA activities, and other vital programs at RCDS
PA–SPONSORED EVENTS
• Holiday Boutique and Book Fair
• RCDS Community Connections Events
• Arts Festival & International Fair
• Sustainability events
• STEAM events
• Speaker Series/Heard in Rye
• Biennial Spring Benefit
• Spring Luncheon and Annual Meeting
• Division and Grade-Level Social Events
• Wildcat Weekends
• Family Skating Party ...and much more!
GET INVOLVED
QUESTIONS?
Contact:
Lynelle Chang P’30, P’34, P’37 Parents Association President parents_association@ryecountryday.org
Parents and guardians have many opportunities to play a major role for the School by:
• Building spirit (examples: Fun Fridays, seasonal decor)
• Serving on event and community-building committees
• Providing extra help on campus (examples: Wildcat Den, Lower School Dining Room, Athletic Boosters, skate tying, etc.)
• Organizing educational and cultural opportunities for families
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
The connections students make at RCDS last a lifetime.
The Office of Alumni Relations works in conjunction with the Alumni Executive Board to support graduates in maintaining ongoing relationships with RCDS and developing connections and networks that extend well beyond the walls of the School.
THROUGH A ROBUST ALUMNI PROGRAM, STUDENTS AND GRADUATES HAVE ACCESS TO
• Internships and jobs
• Alumni networking opportunities
• Mentoring programs
• College and graduate school guidance
• Volunteer opportunities on and off campus
• Connections via LinkedIn and Facebook RCDS alumni groups
• Alumni speakers and presenters on campus
Rye Country Day alumni are leaders in every industry, and they extend the School’s motto, Not for Self, but for Service, throughout the world.
ALUMNI HALL OF FAME
Every other year, RCDS alumni are recognized and celebrated for their achievements in their post-graduation lives and careers. Learn about Hall of Fame inductees and read alumni profiles at ryecountryday.org/alumni.
ALUMNI EVENTS
• Virtual Networking
• Wildcat Weekend –Homecoming and Reunion
• Alumni Hall of Fame Dinner
• Networking Panels and Receptions
• Regional Alumni Receptions
• Blue & Gold Dinner
• Head of School’s Circle Reception ..and more!
Mahoney Wirth ’97 Manager of Alumni Relations melissa_wirth@ryecountryday.org
OUR CAMPUS
Our 26-acre campus features state-of-the-art academic, athletic, and creative facilities and is conveniently accessible by train and car. Students and faculty commute from Fairfield and Westchester Counties and New York City.
BUILDINGS
• Main Building & Khoury Courtyard (Lower and Middle School)
• Pinkham Building (Upper School)
• Cohen Center for the Creative Arts
• Dunn Performing Arts Center
• Scott A. Nelson Athletic Center
• Office of Admissions
FACILITIES HIGHLIGHTS
• Three Tech, Innovation, and Computer Labs
• Two Dining Halls
• Two Libraries
• Three Playgrounds
• Middle School Learning Commons
• Makerspace
• Manual Arts Studio
• Fine Art, Music, and Dance Studios
• Black Box Theater
• Dunn Performing Arts Center Theater
• Memorial Hall
• Field House and Gymnasium
• Four Turf Fields
• East Campus (additional 8.971 acres across Boston Post Road from our 26-acre campus)
OUR COMMUNITY
Rye Country Day School is a coeducational, college preparatory Pre-KindergartenGrade 12 school serving students from Westchester and Fairfield Counties and New York City. In an inspiring and supportive community, students embrace challenge, discover passions, learn energetically, and find their voice.
Our community is joyful, kind, and connected. RCDS is not just a school; it is a family. This is a place where everyone feels and builds a sense of belonging and pride.
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