Sacramento Country Day is a Pre-K through 12th grade, independent, non-profit, college preparatory school that inspires intellectual discovery and engages a diverse community to think critically, live creatively, and act compassionately.
Our spectacular faculty and staff nurture, believe in, and challenge your children to reach beyond what they know they can do to achieve what they don’t yet know they can do ‘the impossible.’”
#1 Rated
Best Private Pre-K– Grade 12 in Sacramento Region* 65% Faculty with Advanced Degrees 100% Applicants Accepted to Four-year Colleges
590+
Pre-K– Grade 12 Students 57%
Self-identified Students of Color** 75%
of 5th – 12th Grade Students Compete on Over 40 Athletic Teams
9:1 Student / Teacher Ratio
$3.6m+ Granted in Tuition Assistance 11
Acres of Learning Spaces
Lee Thomsen, Head of School
College Counseling
#1 Private High School in Sacramento*
100% Applicants accepted to four-year colleges
81% Five year passing Advanced Placement score average
100% Core academic classes approved for UC eligibility
Only Sacramento area high school with 80% of seniors applying, and more than 70% admitted, to UC colleges
2024 senior class of 40 students:
• Two National Merit Commended students
• Three College Board National Hispanic Recognition Awards
Sacramento Country Day School
2636 Latham Drive
Sacramento, CA 95864
www.saccds.org
Sacramento Country Day School provides unparalleled one-to-one college counseling to each student in our High School.
THE COLLEGE COUNSELING PROMISE
As we guide and support students through the transformational process of applying for college, we promise to:
• Provide one-on-one college counseling for each student, promoting each student’s interests, strengths, aspirations, and goals.
• Offer resources for students and their families throughout the college application process.
• Help students discover colleges that are a good fit for them academically, philosophically, socially, and financially.
COLLEGE PREPARATION
• Country Day high school graduation requirements align with the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) admissions requirements. All of Country Day’s academic courses are articulated with UC system.
• Each year, Country Day students are admitted to all of the UCs and highly selective colleges throughout the United States and abroad.
• Country Day students are excelling, with the highest percentage of students applying to the UCs (89%) of all public and private high schools in Sacramento County and among the highest being admitted to the UCs (77%). The California State UC admitted rate average is 15%.
• View a list of College Acceptances at saccds.org/high-school.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND ADVANCED TOPICS COURSES
• Country Day offers both Advanced Placement (AP) courses and exams and Advanced Topics (AT) courses (weighted courses without AP exams) in a wide variety of subjects.
• By senior year, most students have taken at least one AP or AT class, and many students have taken as many as 8 or more AP/AT classes.
• Students are encouraged to meet with the college counselor to plan a just-right schedule that emphasizes both rigor and academic success. Students should seek to find a good balance of weighted and unweighted courses. and between academics and extracurricular involvement.
STANDARDIZED TESTING
• Country Day administers the PSAT to sophomores and juniors. PSAT scores for juniors may qualify students for National Merit recognition.
• Country Day administers a schoolday SAT in October for seniors and in March for juniors.
• The college counselor develops a strategic plan with seniors individually with respect to reporting standardized testing.
QUICK FACTS * Niche
A campus visit brings every aspect of Country Day to life as classroom collaboration, creativity and critical thinking shine.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Lower School at Country Day is a place where students build solid and deep foundational skills centered in responsive classroom techniques. We have the rewarding job of fostering and challenging students to maintain curiosity and creativity while developing the whole child – the scholar, the musician, the artist, and the compassionate citizen inside each of us.
A daily schedule of core subjects in reading, language arts, mathematics, science, and humanities is complemented by specialty classes in world languages, art, music & movement, physical education, and library studies. Experiential learning outside our classrooms through field trips, community service and trips to the school garden enriches the curriculum.
Students don’t have to always have an answer. But the thing is to keep asking the questions, to keep digging deep, to keep thinking... I think that’s the best part of what we give them.”
–
Kristi Mathisen, 5th Grade Language Arts & Humanities
Teacher & Lower School Humanities Department Chair
2636 Latham Drive Sacramento, CA 95864
www.saccds.org
LOWER SCHOOL
Sacramento Country Day School 2636 Latham Drive Sacramento, CA 95864 www.saccds.org
RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM
Responsive Classroom is an evidence-based approach to teaching and discipline that focuses on engaging academics, positive community, effective management and developmental awareness.
MORNING MEETING
Each homeroom begins the day with Morning Meeting.These community gatherings include greetings, sharing, and games that involve problemsolving and teamwork. They also offer practice in leadership and gumption. Building skills related to attention, listening, oral expression and cooperative interaction become the foundation for every lesson, transition time, and conflict, and Morning Meeting is an important starting point for this work. We begin each day together because it matters that each of us is here and that we are here together.
TEACHER LANGUAGE
The language we use in the classroom is one of the most powerful tools available to teachers. What we say to children has great power in shaping their sense of who they are and who they will become. In a Responsive School all teachers use similar professional language aimed at helping children with three primary goals: gaining academic knowledge, developing self control and building a sense of community.
HOW DOES RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM SUPPORT ACADEMICS?
A skillfully run Responsive Classroom serves the emotional growth of students and paves the way for a “smooth landing” into impactful academics. When lessons are learner-centered and students have social-emotional skills in place, productive and collaborative learning can occur with ease. The interactive learning structures of Responsive Classroom and a focus on developmentally responsive teaching allow faculty to effectively differentiate learning and tailor lessons for students.
LOWER SCHOOL RULES
Beginning with their Hopes and Dreams for the school year, homeroom classes work together to develop rules that will help them to make their shared goals come to fruition. After each homeroom makes their choices, “delegates” from each room help recommend rules that are employed by the entire Lower School. These rules bring consistency and common language across homeroom and specialist classrooms and strengthen students’ commitment to doing their part in our community.
We nurture and celebrate the child inside our students while developing their maturity and essential life skills.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Middle School at Country Day is a student-centered, interactive, and engaging program that empowers students to develop their academic, athletic, and extra-curricular interests.
The most compelling learning experiences merge a variety of skills and subjects in and out of the classroom and allow students the opportunity to build essential life skills of self-confidence, creativity, character, and self-reflection. Country Day does just that.
Middle School Cavaliers are challenged to develop critical thinking abilities in a variety of ways: as readers analyzing high quality literature, historians evaluating accomplishments of notable figures, and mathematicians creating scale models and find solutions to real-life problems.
Students understand where they are in their learning journey, and they develop key skills to ensure High School success, habits of mind, and a noticeable confidence.
I
love coming here. I don’t have to be afraid to ask for help because everybody is really supportive.”
– Meera A., Middle School Student
Country Day Middle Schoolers are nurtured and celebrated as they develop maturity and the essential life skills of self-confidence, creativity, character, and self-reflection.
FACULTY EXCELLENCE
In Middle School, students are both challenged and supported as they navigate the pivotal transformations of adolescence. Led by a talented and dynamic team of educators, students are encouraged to explore interests and stretch beyond their comfort zones. Using a student-centered and interactive approach, teachers help middle schoolers develop critical thinking skills as they encourage students to question, investigate, collaborate, and problem-solve.
ELECTIVES
A highlight of the middle school experience is an extensive elective program. In addition to our core academic courses, students choose from a myriad of electives each term. With options ranging from drama or drawing to computer programming, “Farm to Fork” in the school’s garden to “Athlete 101” in the weight room, and from knitting to chess, students are encouraged to dive into passions and try new things.
PERSONAL GROWTH
In addition to academic pursuits, the middle school program focuses on creating an inclusive and supportive community. Through daily advisory and weekly SEL classes, middle school students are asked to face conflicts through the lens of kindness, discuss diversity topics, and develop leadership skills. In the process, students develop their confidence, resilience, and, ultimately, independence as they move through our program.
MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS
Cross Country
Girls’ Volleyball
Boys’ Flag Football
Basketball
Track & Field
Golf
Soccer
What I hope I see is a student body that feels they are empowered to name any issue that they see – it’s their campus. We want every student and faculty member to see this as their home.”
– Rachelle Doyle, Director of Advancement
Students recognize that character development and personal integrity are equally important and directly connected to academic success.
Sacramento Country Day School
2636 Latham Drive
Sacramento, CA 95864
www.saccds.org
HIGH SCHOOL
WELL-ROUNDED DEVELOPMENT
The High School experience at Country Day is so much more than an accumulation of knowledge. It’s a process of self-discovery and transformation through the pursuit of individual passions and an understanding of new ways to think critically, act compassionately and live creatively.
HIGH SCHOOL CLUBS
Gender and Sexuality Alliance
Environmentalist Club
Math and Science Tutoring Club
Korean Cluture Club
Chess Club
Latine/Latinx Student Union
JEDI Council
Film and Film Editing Club
Science Bowl
Quiz Bowl
SMUD Solar Regatta Team
Pre-med Club
Audi Recording and Production
D&D and Table Top Game
Fan Club
Model UN
Muslim Student Association
Outdoor Club
Robotics
Ambassadors Club
South Asian Club
Coding Club
Philosophy Club
Engineering Club
Weightlifting
HIGH SCHOOL AFFINITY GROUPS
Families of Color
Black Girls Society
Asian Pacific Islander Association
Black Student Union
Latin X Association
HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS
Volleyball
Soccer
Cross-Country
Basketball
Ski and Snowbard
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Golf
Track & Field
Boys Baseball
Our student athletes develop skills in leadership, teamwork, goal setting, mental toughness, sportsmanship, and confidence.”
– Matt Vargo, Athletic Director
HIGH SCHOOL
We reach beyond traditional “content” learning and challenge students to innovate, and explore in a flexible academic program that merges the arts, literature, science, and technology. Country Day graduates enter adulthood poised to be leaders in their communities and citizens of a global world.
UNRIVALED ACADEMICS AND EXCEPTIONAL FACULTY
High school students experience a well-rounded education grounded in academics, enriching extracurricular activities, teambuilding athletics and an unwavering emphasis on character development.
The Country Day High School offers over 16 Advanced Placement (AP) courses and 6 specialized Advanced Topic (AT) courses for students who wish to pursue college-level study in high school.
MOCK TRIAL TEAM
#1 in Sacramento County #4 in State of California
OCTAGON NEWSPAPER
Leading award winner of California Journalism Awards, with 21 separate recognitions
MEDALLION YEARBOOK
#1 and #2 in Academic Yearbook
Spread by Journalism Education Association of Northern California
GLASS KNIFE LITERARY MAGAZINE
First class rated and Mark of Distinction by National Scholastic Press
STUDENT SCHEDULES AS UNIQUE AS YOU
SAMPLE STEM SCHEDULE
08:20 AM AP Calculus BC
09:15 AM AT Anatomy and Physiology
10:25 AM Free Period
11:20 AM AT in Applied Science
12:15 PM Lunch
12:55 PM Robotics
01:55 PM Flex Time
02:30 PM AP Computer Science Principles
03:25 PM Dismissal
SAMPLE HUMANITIES SCHEDULE
08:20 AM AP English Language and Composition
09:15 AM French IV
10:25 AM Free Period
11:20 AM AT Art History
12:15 PM Lunch
12:55 PM Journalism
01:55 PM Flex Time
02:30 PM AP Microeconomics
03:25 PM Dismissal
* Schedules rotate and drops a class each day
Sacramento Country Day School
2636 Latham Drive
Sacramento, CA 95864
www.saccds.org
SUBJECT AREAS
English (4 years required)
History & Social Science (3 years required)
Science (3 years required)
Mathematics (3 years required)
GRADE 9
English 9 (Intro to Literature)
World History 9
Physics
Curriculum
HIGH SCHOOL
GRADE 10 GRADE 11
English 10 (Literature of Migration)
Human Geography 10
Chemistry
English 11 AP English Language & Composition* Intro to Creative Writing
GRADE 12
English 12 AT English Literature & Composition* Intro to Creative Writing
U.S. History AP U.S. History* AT Art History* AP Microeconomics*
Biology, AP Biology*, AT Anatomy & Physiology*, AP Chemistry*, AP Physics C (Mechanics & Electricity & Magnetism)*, AT in Applied Science*
Geometry, Geometry Honors, Algebra II, Algebra II Honors, Math Analysis and Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus Honors*, AP Statistics*, AP Calculus AB*, AP Calculus BC*, AT in Calculus (Honors)*
Computer Science AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A, AT Computer Science (VPA)
World Language (Level 3 proficiency required)
Visual & Performing Arts (2 semesters required)
French I, French II, French III, French IV, AP French Language & Culture*
Spanish I, Spanish II, Spanish III, Spanish IV, AP Spanish Language & Culture*, AP Spanish Literature* Social Movements in Latin America, Equatorial Guinea and Spain
Studio Art, AP Studio Art*, Mock Trial, Garage Band, Chamber Music, Jazz Band, Orchestra, Choir, Drama
Media Yearbook (VPA), Journalism, Film Appreciation (VPA), Digital Media Internship
Physical Education (4 semesters required)
Athletics (1 sport equals 1 semester of P.E.)
Community Service
Internships
Co-Curricular Activities
To promote individual responsibility and flexibility, students design their program with various physical activities and sports in which they may wish to participate for years to come. Independent P.E. provides credit to students who participate in outside competitive programs for more than 10 hours per week.
Students focus their philanthropic activity in several areas on campus and outside of it. Students volunteer for Breakthrough Sacramento, a community-based organization, which operates its summer program on Country Day’s campus. They spearhead fundraising for the annual Run to Feed the Hungry on Thanksgiving Day as well as the annual Turkey Drive. Students also help mantain Country Day’s organic garden, which donates the bulk of its harvest to a local food bank.
Seniors can participate in credit-earning research internships with professors at CSU Sacramento coordinated by the Science Department. Students must earn an A in Biology by the end of junior year to apply. The internships involve class work as well as hands-on laboratory research. The program exposes students to real workspaces, involves them in projects and research, and reinforces our goal of helping students to pursue their interests. On campus Digital Media Internship supports our Marketing Department.
An eight-time national Pacemaker nominee (and two-time winner), The Octagon newspaper is printed eight times a year and updated online. Students design and publish the Medallion yearbook, which is distributed to all students. The Mock Trial team won the Sacramento County competition in 2018, 2023 and 2024 and took 4th place in CA in 2024. Student Council, dramatic productions, dances a prize-winning literary magazine (The Glass Knife), Solar Regatta, the annual Chalk Mural, various student-led affinity clubs (Black Student Union, Latinx and Hispanic Student Union, and Asian-Pacific Islander Student Alliance, Gender and Sexuality Alliance), JEDI Council and numerous student interest clubs (Environmentalist Club, Pre-Med Club, Future Business Leaders, Quiz Bowl, Science Bowl, and Outdoor Club among others) round out the extracurricular program.
