The WCDS Curriculum

Defining Academic Excellence for the Triad

At Westchester Country Day School, academic excellence is purposeful, comprehensive and student-centered. Our PK–12, college-preparatory curriculum is designed to challenge students intellectually while educating the whole child morally, academically, artistically and athletically within a supportive, community-centered environment.

Accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS), WCDS maintains the highest standards of academic quality and continuous improvement. Our graduates leave prepared not only for college, but for meaningful lives marked by curiosity, character, and a lifelong love of learning.

The WCDS Academic Advantage

The strength of the WCDS academic program begins with its foundation. As an independent school, Westchester Country Day School has the flexibility to design and continuously refine its own curriculum.

Rather than following a prescribed or mandated program, our faculty employ the best proven and research-based instructional practices that allow them to meet students where they are developmentally and challenge them to grow.

This intentional approach ensures that instruction is rigorous, responsive and aligned with our mission to cultivate responsible citizens and leaders who aspire to personal excellence and are ready for college, career and community impact.

This preparation reflects the core strength of the WCDS curriculum: teaching students not only content, but equipping them with the knowledge, skills and mindset required for independent learning and long-term success.

We teach students not only what to learn but how to learn.

College Prep Is Key

Alumni consistently report that Westchester prepared them exceptionally well for the rigor of college academics. They cite organizational and study skills and confidence to communicate with professors, seek support and advocate for themselves as qualities developed at Westchester that made the transition to college easier for them than their peers.

Enduring Understandings

Mastery Over Memorization

At WCDS, academic quality is defined by deep understanding, not rote memorization. We have developed Enduring Understandings to help us teach with the end in mind. These are the essential concepts and skills students should retain long after they move to the next course and grade level. They ensure that students construct genuine comprehension.

By helping students dig deeply and uncover what is not necessarily obvious, Enduring Understandings help students become better equipped to transfer what has been learned to new disciplines, unfamiliar challenges and real-world situations. They are better at making inferences and developing insights about the world around them. This is crucial to their college success and lifelong learning.

Mathematics

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten

Students will understand that:

Math is part of our everyday world, rather than an isolated set of skills.
Recurring patterns can be found all around us.
A rich math vocabulary enhances the ability to compare and contrast mathematical information.
Standardized units of measurement create a common structure for comparing and quantifying data.
There are many strategies that can be used to solve problems.

Grades 1-2

Students will understand that:

Number Sense: Numbers can be used to count, label, order, identify, measure and describe things and experiences. Our number system is based on groups of ten.
Patterns: The identification of patterns enables predictions.
Number Operations: Numbers are interrelated. There is more than one way to add and subtract numbers.
Geometry: Both the real world and the man-made world are designed using geometric figures. Two and three-dimensional objects can be described, classified, and analyzed by their attributes.
Fractions: Parts of a whole can be represented as fractions. There are a variety of situations when you need to divide something into equal parts.
Graphs and Data Analysis: Data display often reveals patterns that are used to solve problems. Data can be organized in different ways.
Time: Telling time is an essential life skill that enables one to organize a daily schedule. Time can be given in more than one way.
Money: Accurately counting money is a valuable tool in daily life. Different money is used in different countries. Specific coins have a unique value. Different combinations of coins can make the same amounts.
Measurement: Measurement helps us understand and describe our world. Different units can be used to estimate and measure capacity, weight, and mass.

Grades 3-5

Students will understand that:

The base ten system is essential for developing number sense and is necessary for success in all areas of mathematics.
Basic fact recall is imperative for successful computation and problem solving.
Learning to correctly measure objects with appropriate tools provides the necessary skills for a lifetime of creative projects.
Mastery of geometric skills enhances comprehension of the attributes and characteristics of our physical surroundings and increases the brain's ability to think logically.
Collecting, presenting, and interpreting data provides information useful for analyzing past events and predicting future outcomes.
Algebra provides a concise way to discover relationships between numbers and objects while identifying patterns in numerical relationships which allows for successful problem solving and increases mathematical comprehension.
Strategies such as using models and working backwards provide multiple ways to solve problems and assist in finding solutions accurately and efficiently.
The ultimate purpose of mathematics is to enable individuals to apply learned skills to solve problems in real world situations.

Grades 6-8

Students will understand that:

Mathematical problem solvers apply a variety of strategies and methods to solve problem situations.
The language of mathematics is communicated through specialized vocabulary and symbols used to represent and describe mathematical ideas, generalizations, and relationships.
Relationships among numbers and number systems form the foundations of number sense and mathematics communication.
Connections are made within different areas of mathematics and between other content disciplines. Mathematics is also connected to real world applications.
Representing mathematical ideas involves using a variety of representations such as graphs, numbers, algebra, words, and physical models to convey practical situations.

Grades 9-12

Students will understand that:

Mathematical problem solvers apply a variety of strategies and methods to solve problem situations.
Mathematical reasoning is evidenced by testing and evaluating statements and justifying steps in mathematical procedures.
Connections are made within different areas of mathematics and between other content disciplines. Mathematics is also connected to real world applications.
Representing mathematical ideas involves using a variety of representations such as graphs, numbers, algebra, words, and physical models to convey practical situations.
Statistical analysis and data display often reveal patterns that may not be obvious.

Science

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten

Students will understand that:

There are correlations between the seasons and weather conditions. Variations in weather patterns are affected by various geographical factors.
All plants and animals have specific needs for growth and development and are worthy of care and respect.
Matter exists in various forms and can change depending on environmental circumstances.
Identifying and conserving the Earth's resources is a responsibility shared by all of its inhabitants.
We learn about the world around us through inquiry and exploration using our five senses.

Grades 1-2

Students will understand that:

Matter has properties related to its structure that can be measured. These properties can be used to identify, classify, and describe substances or objects. Chemical and physical changes in the properties and states of matter can be investigated and observed when common materials are heated, cooled, and mixed.
All organisms share similar characteristics and basic needs unique to living things, but they also have differences that allow people to identify, describe, and classify them. Animals have specific physical and behavioral adaptations that allow them to survive in various environments.
Weather is always changing and can be described by measurable quantities such as temperature, wind speed, and precipitation. The water cycle is one component of weather.
Light travels in various wavelengths and is absorbed, refracted, or reflected when it encounters objects.
Rocks and minerals are the product of the Rock Cycle. Rocks are used in many everyday products.

Grades 3-5

Students will understand that:

Scientists study and compare organisms, objects, places, and events to make sense of the world around us.
Scientists use the Scientific Method to conduct experiments and solve problems, many times having to repeat steps in order to obtain meaningful results.
An ecosystem is composed of all the populations living in a certain space and the physical factors with which they interact. Both living and nonliving things have an effect on the ecosystem and each other. All living organisms require specific natural resources and must adapt to their environment in order to survive.
The human body is made up of many complex systems which work together to create a stable internal environment that allows us to survive.
Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. It is classified by its various properties, including its physical state.
Electricity in properly constructed circuits can be transformed into light, heat, sound, and magnetic effects.
Earth is a constantly changing planet that is part of a solar system, which is made up of the sun, other planets, and natural objects. Gravity plays a major role in the formation of the objects in the solar system and their movement in space.
Landforms are created by movement of tectonic plates found beneath Earth's surface.

Grades 6-8

Students will understand that:

Scientific inquiry affords all learners opportunities to make observations, pose questions, develop hypotheses, design and conduct investigations, analyze and interpret data, and draw conclusions.
Exploring systems, order, and organizations in our natural and designed world is integral to understanding the interdependence of various scientific disciplines.
Both contemporary and historical scientific understandings inform technological, ethical, cultural, and life decisions.
There are a variety of processes and cycles that together have developed and continue to mold the world around us.
Matter is composed of atoms conserved in both physical and chemical changes.
The metric system is based on the power of ten and is used in science to make measurements and collect data used in experiments.

Grades 9-12

Students will understand that:

Scientists integrate skills, content knowledge and critical thinking with the extant body of scientific literature to make and evaluate claims about the world.
Exploring systems, order, and relationships in our natural and designed world is integral to understanding the scientific disciplines and their interdependence.
Both contemporary and historical scientific understandings inform technological, ethical, cultural, and life decisions.
Collaboration is essential when conducting lab experiments and projects.
Energy occurs in different forms and is necessary to do work or to cause change.
Matter can undergo physical, nuclear, and chemical changes.

English/Language Arts

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten

Students will understand that:

Reading

Letters and sounds are the building blocks used to create words.
Words go together in complete thoughts to communicate ideas and information.
Reading is the ability to decode words and to understand the thoughts expressed.
Reading enables us to make connections and gain understanding.

Written and Verbal Communication

Writing allows us to communicate our thoughts with others, just as speaking allows us to express our thoughts verbally.
A written record of information can be used to document facts and to answer important questions.
Effective communication enables us to express our wants, needs, and feelings to others.
Writing is a tool that can be used to create common understanding among readers.

Grades 1-2

Students will understand that:

Reading

Unfamiliar words can be decoded by applying phonetic principles, using context clues, and recognizing spelling patterns.
Fluent readers are able to read orally and silently with speed, accuracy, and proper expression.
Developing vocabulary dramatically improves reading comprehension.
There are different purposes to read.
Making reader to text connections involves thinking beyond the text (text-world, text-self, text-text).
Reading is a process that includes applying a variety of strategies to comprehend.
Reading expands understanding of the world, its people, and oneself.

Writing

Writing is used to make meaning of one's own experience, as well as other information/ideas.
Different forms of writing are appropriate for different purposes and have different features (personal narrative, poetry, reports, response to text).
Sentences must be complete and clear to allow for effective communication.
Good writers group related ideas together.

Grammar

Grammar is a set of rules of spoken and written language.
All the words in our language fit into certain groups that are known as parts of speech.
Grammar and punctuation rules guide readers through the text to help avoid confusion when reading.

Grades 3-5

Students will understand that:

Reading

Good literature evokes a response and not everyone responds in the same way.
Authors use literary techniques to grab and sustain the attention of the reader and help the reader make good predictions.
Good readers utilize strategies, such as questioning, making connections, inferring, and visualizing, to help them better understand text.
Good researchers read critically, analyze sources for reliability, and use tools to help them organize information.

Writing

To communicate effectively, authors write for a specific purpose (to persuade, to inform, to entertain) and continually revise and edit their work to make it clear and appealing to their audiences.

Word Study

Certain sound patterns occur over and over within words.
Words related in spelling are often also related in meaning.

Grammar

Parts of speech and their correct usage are a foundation for communicating effectively in oral and written forms.

Grades 6-8

Students will understand that:

Reading

Reading allows one to explore self, community, country, and world.
Readers may employ different strategies to create meaning while reading.
Writers write for different purposes, requiring readers to evaluate what they read in various ways.

Writing

Writing is a process comprised of multiple stages.
We write to describe, to explain, to narrate, to persuade, to entertain.
Writing is a reflection of self.

Vocabulary

People communicate through words.
The greater one's vocabulary, the greater one's ability to express oneself.
The greater one's vocabulary, the greater one's ability to comprehend a diverse range of written materials.

Grammar

A mastery of grammar facilitates reading comprehension.
A mastery of grammar facilitates articulate written and oral expression.

Grades 9-12

Students will understand that:

Reading

As members of various communities and organizations, students read to explore moral and ethical dilemmas in the pursuit of self-knowledge.
Readers engage in active reflection of texts to construct meaning.

Writing

Writing that incorporates research follows ethical guidelines.
Writing that incorporates research contributes to a larger community of learning among scholars.
Writers employ rhetorical strategies to achieve various purposes.
Style is not ornament; style serves the author's purpose.

Vocabulary

Precision of language reflects precision of thought.
Words allow one to engage with and to explore the world.

Grammar

A knowledge of grammar allows refinement of writing and speech.

Social Studies

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten

Students will understand that:

Each person is a part of a family, and each family is unique in it's own way.
All members of a community have obligations and responsibilities.
All cultures deserve respect and appreciation for the customs and traditions they observe.
We are all members of a global community. Embracing our similarities and unique qualities encourages us to thrive and contribute in our own way.

Grades 1-2

Students will understand that:

The understanding of important landmarks in the USA contribute to its rich, cultural history.
Common symbols and physical features of a community explain how people's activities were affected in that area.
We have symbols that represent ideas that are important locally and nationally.
The study of ancient civilizations (Ancient Egypt, Native Americans) allows us to understand daily life, religious beliefs, and how and why important architectural structures were built.
Different countries celebrate various holidays and customs that are unique to their cultures.

Grades 3-5

Students will understand that:

Historical events directly impact present day society in our community, our state, our country, and the world at-large.
Our local, state, and national governments are organized in order to allow a thriving democracy.
Building community means being intentionally kind, communicative, and inclusive with other people.
Events and issues in other countries can affect citizens in the United States, and actions and concepts of democracy and individual rights of the United States can affect other nations.
Geographic location and environmental factors, such as natural resources and climate, can influence economy, lifestyle, government and culture.
Human choices and actions have a lasting effect on the environment.
Timelines provide valuable information about chronological relationships throughout history.
Maps and other geographic tools and technologies enable us to acquire, process, and report information about concepts of location and direction.

Grades 6-8

Students will understand that:

Geography of a location is defined by five themes which include: place, movement, location, region, and human/environment interaction.
Hunter-gatherer societies progressed and evolved into advanced civilizations. Civilizations include cities, governments, art, religion, social classes, and written language.
Working collaboratively in a group with fellow classmates is a 21st century skill that is essential for the social studies classroom and healthy citizenship.
Technology allows students to efficiently gather, process, and share information. This allows them to effectively collaborate and create their individual voices.
Modern global systems of government, economics and culture can be given greater context through a historical lens.
The physical and human characteristics of a place influence culture and worldview, and effective local citizenship respects this. Before effective global citizenship takes place, people must be fully engaged locally.
History can be examined through a number of different perspectives, which can lead to different interpretations of historical events and developments.

Grades 9-12

Students will understand that:

There are various government forms with their own basic structures, founding principles, economic systems, and division of power.
An engaged electorate is imperative to the survival of democracy.
There is a direct link among the past, the present, and the future.
Studying continuity and change over time, as well as causation of historic events, informs our understanding of the past and the present.
Expanding vocabulary and knowledge of cultural and political geography are essential to becoming an informed citizen.
Sustaining a thesis and using primary and secondary sources, both orally and in writing, are essential skills for college and becoming an informed citizen.
The social sciences provide a variety of lenses through which we can understand and interpret human behavior.

Modern Languages

Lower School Mandarin and Spanish

Students will understand that:

Learning other languages and cultures helps them expand their understanding of the world and find their place in that world.
Culture and language go hand in hand. Learning about different cultures contributes to their mastery of the language and vice versa.
We can explore and celebrate the differences and similarities we share with people of other cultures. This process helps our students grow into empathetic, culturally competent citizens.

Middle School Mandarin and Spanish

Students will understand that:

Learning a foreign language extends beyond the classroom to real-life situations.
The use of foreign language for personal enjoyment, travel, work, and enrichment encourages lifelong learning.
Learning a foreign language will contribute to future job opportunities.
There is a deeper correlation between the structure and the meaning in languages.
Successful language learners actively seek the similarities and differences between languages.
The process of communicating with different languages involves flexible use of different strategies.
Foreign languages follow grammatical rules that are completely different from or very similar to English in many ways.
They cannot correct mistakes unless they have the courage to make them in the first place.

Upper School Mandarin and Spanish

Students will understand that:

Learning a foreign language is an ongoing process that requires motivation, perseverance, and practice.
Language and culture are inextricably linked, which leads to more empathy and tolerance for other people and other cultures.
Effective communication requires flexible use of written and spoken language in different contexts and scenarios.
As the world moves towards a global community, learning a second language will provide them with more opportunities professionally and personally.
Continued study of a foreign language will foster confidence to authentically interact outside the school setting.

Fine Arts

Lower School Art

Students will understand that:

Art is a visual language.
Art reflects and contributes to culture.
Art is individual expression.
Overcoming challenges within art involves using creative solutions to problem solve.

Middle School Art

Students will understand that:

Any piece of art must be created using the elements of art (line, shape, form, color, texture, value, space, perspective).
Art relates to other learning.
To successfully critique art, one must describe, analyze, interpret and evaluate works of art.
Functions of art are to communicate information or provide entertainment, demand social justice or political change, and influence popular ideas or challenge how people think.
Overcoming challenges within art involves using creative solutions to problem solve.

Upper School Art

Students will understand that:

Media, techniques, and processes are tools to communicate, employing a system of visual symbols expressively and uniquely composed by the artist.
The process of creating art requires the consideration of multiple approaches to visual problems.
The arts are inherently experiential and actively engage learners in the process of creating, interpreting and responding to art.
Students evaluate their own art and the art of others through analysis of composition and expressive content.
The arts are primary documents that reflect cultural values and ideas.

AP Studio Art

Students will understand that:

Advanced level art is a process of discovery.
Studio thinking requires a significant investment of both time and energy to create personally relevant work.
Critical skills are based on analysis of formal elements and principles.
Working with different media and processes will add complexity to artwork while demonstrating artistic breadth.
Risk taking is important for artistic growth.
Artistic growth must be sustained over extended periods of time to develop a successful concentration.

Lower School Music

Students will understand that:

Singing and playing an instrument provide people with the means of learning musical and developmental skills.
Through composing and improvising, people learn to connect ideas with symbols, sound patterns, and musical elements.
Reading and notating music are essential to music literacy.
Educated music listeners learn to describe, analyze, and evaluate music and music performances as an expressive art form.
Critical listening and thinking skills learned through music are essential to a successful, comprehensive educational experience.
Music is an important element of the historical and cultural record of humankind.

Middle School Music

Students will understand that:

To become a skilled performer requires persistence.
Improvisation is achieving a balance among technique, listening, understanding, communicating, and responding.
Compositions are written with a purpose that may be self-selected or imposed.
Written music is a language that has symbols and rules that enable a musician or performer to maintain accurate communication over time and distance.
Audience participation and reaction are an integral part of the performance.
Music is simultaneously scientific and artistic while being created and observed.

Upper School Music

Students will understand that:

A voice is a tool which can move others’ emotions and communicate meaning.
Written music is open to individual interpretation.
In order to engage in an ensemble, one must be both a performer and a listener with the ability to react.
An audience is the central participant in a musical performance.
The more vocabulary and understanding one has, the more clearly one can evaluate.
A culture’s music reflects its societal values, natural and economic resources, and history.

Upper School Play Production and Design

Students will understand that:

Theatre production is a collaborative art form that takes teamwork to design, build, and run a production.
Design is about problem-solving both in the choice and use of materials and processes.
They must assume personal responsibility by working independently to see a project to completion.
Theatre production requires a variety of skills and talents, many of which can be applied to daily life, including use of tools and basic construction techniques.

Physical Education

Lower School

Students will understand that:

Physical activity is critical to the development and maintenance of good health for both the body and the mind.
Physical education develops motor skills that allow for safe, successful, and satisfying participation in physical activities.
Taking responsibility for one's health is an essential step toward developing and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.
In order to obtain maximum benefit from physical activity, one must demonstrate knowledge and commitment to sportsmanship, rules, and safety.
Teamwork and communication are essential skills to be successful in everyday life.

Middle School

Students will understand that:

Physical education improves cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, muscular endurance, and body composition.
Participation in lifelong sports promotes physical and mental health.
Taking responsibility for one's health is an essential step toward developing and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.
In order to obtain maximum benefit from physical activity, one must demonstrate knowledge and commitment to sportsmanship, rules, and safety.
Teamwork and communication are essential skills to be successful in everyday life.

Upper School Health

Students will understand that:

Balance and moderation are the keys to building and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology allows you to comprehend the impacts different choices have on your health.
Maintaining physical fitness and healthy nutrition practices will enable you to control certain aspects of your long term health.
Mental health awareness and stress management techniques are a vital part of a healthy lifestyle.

Technology

Lower School Library

Students will understand that:

The library is divided into different sections, and each section can be used to enhance and enrich all areas of their lives.
Libraries are organized in a way to help you locate materials, paper-based or electronic, at any library with little difficulty or assistance.
An appreciation of literature is developed through a broad exploration of fiction and non-fiction.
Libraries offer resource-rich environments in print, digital, and technological formats.
Libraries are a place of exploration, creative expression, and information discovery which encourages independent, inquisitive, life-long learners.

Lower School Technology

Students will understand that:

It is imperative to choose the most appropriate software to help accomplish tasks most effectively and efficiently.
Using technologies in a legal, ethical, safe and respectful manner will help you become a responsible citizen.
Proper keyboarding techniques allow for the fastest typing speed.
Work is the product of the creator.
Reliability and quality of sources must always be determined.
The presentation of a project is as critical to the communication of the information as the content.

Middle School Technology

Students will understand that:

Evaluating online sources for bias, reliability, accuracy, and currency will help determine the most appropriate sources for information.
There are strategies to solve common computer issues.
There are a variety of digital tools to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers and other audiences.
Presentation skills are key to successful communication.
Everyone has a digital footprint.
Coding and robotics are basic technology tools.

Upper School Technology

Students will understand that:

Informed consumers use technology effectively to communicate, create, and research information.
Technology is always changing and self-sufficient learners are better equipped to adapt to changes.
Creativity, innovation, and critical thinking are essential for success in a technologically advanced world.

The 7Cs

Future-Ready Skills in Every Classroom

To equip our graduates with a definitive cutting-edge for college and careers, we intentionally include seven essential skills in our daily teaching across every discipline:

Creativity: Generating original ideas and innovative solutions
Collaboration: Working effectively and respectfully with others
Communication: Expressing ideas clearly in written, oral, and visual forms
Critical Thinking: Analyzing information, evaluating evidence, and solving complex problems
Cultural Awareness: Understanding and appreciating a variety of perspectives
Cross-Curricular Connections: Applying knowledge across disciplines
Character Development: Demonstrating integrity, responsibility, and perseverance

These skills ensure that WCDS students are prepared not only academically, but personally and socially, for the demands life will bring as they pursue careers, raise families and serve the communities where they live.

The Wildcat Design Process

Innovation and Design Thinking

Westchester is committed to integrating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) across the PK–12 curriculum. This empowers students to move beyond learning individual subjects in isolation and tackle complex problems where these disciplines naturally overlap and connect.

Central to this approach is the Wildcat Design Process, our schoolwide methodology for design thinking and real-world problem-solving. Students apply this six-step sequence to projects across all grade levels and subjects:

Ask: Identify the problem or goal.
Explore: Research and brainstorm.
Plan: Outline, sketch, and design.
Create: Write, build, or execute the plan.
Test: Try it out, evaluate, and collect feedback.
Improve: Reflect and modify the plan based on results and feedback.

A Challenging and Supportive Academic Pathway

Westchester Country Day School is organized into three academic divisions, each intentionally designed to support students’ growth toward personal excellence. Standards provide teachers and students with a clear set of skills, content, or knowledge base to be covered in a given course. This progression allows students to build on concepts and skills from one grade level to the next.

Lower School (Pre-K–5)

Students receive core instruction in language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science, enhanced by enrichment instruction in Spanish, Mandarin, art, technology, music, physical education, and STEAM.

Middle School (Grades 6–8)

The Middle School builds strong academic foundations in preparation for Upper School. Students study the core subjects of mathematics, science, language arts, literature, social studies/history, alongside Spanish or Mandarin, and art, music, or technology. Students who need extra academic support may enroll in Academic Coaching, which focuses on organization, time management, note-taking, and test-preparation strategies. The Middle School student schedule also allows time for a weekly rotation of electives, study hall and advisory (groups of students in 6th-8th grades who meet with a faculty advisor), and all Middle School students participate in physical education through athletic teams or fitness classes.

Upper School (Grades 9–12)

The Upper School offers a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum. Students must earn a minimum of 21 credits in grades 9–12, including:

4 credits in English
4 credits in Mathematics (including Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II)
3 credits in Science (including Biology and Chemistry)
3.5 credits in Social Studies
2 consecutive credits in the same Modern Language
1 credit in Fine Arts
3 credits in electives
0.5 credit in Health

In order to graduate, students must also meet the Physical Education requirement and complete the Senior Capstone Project.

The Upper School student schedule also includes study hall and tutorial time, which students may use to complete homework, make up missed classwork, or ask for extra help from a teacher. This time helps students become independent learners by taking ownership and responsibility for their learning while practicing time management and self-advocacy, which are essential skills for academic success in higher education.

Supporting Student Success

Even with a challenging curriculum, Westchester faculty are highly supportive. Teachers remain in their classrooms daily for extra help immediately following dismissal. Students are encouraged to use this time in addition to their study hall or tutorial times to clarify concepts or address questions.

For students needing structured assistance, we offer comprehensive Academic Support services to reinforce classroom concepts and focus on developing essential learning strategies. We also provide reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities, based on current psychoeducational testing, following an interactive process with the family.

Prepared for What's Next

At WCDS, we understand that families seeking a superior educational environment require detailed assurance of quality. Through the strength of our independently developed curriculum and college-preparatory courses, Westchester graduates are prepared for anything that comes in the future. They possess a solid academic foundation, critical thinking skills, and the resilience needed for college, future careers and life.

We maintain a longstanding tradition of 100 percent college acceptance among our graduates. By choosing Westchester Country Day School, you are investing in a comprehensive academic program that seamlessly blends rigor, support, and applied innovation, ensuring your child is exceptionally prepared to thrive.