Scottsdale Country Day School

We consider ourselves so fortunate that our two kids go to Scottsdale Country Day School. The commitment to small class sizes ensures each child is getting sufficient individual attention, while still learning in a class environment. The administration truly cares about all the kids, and it shows. The Headmaster Mr. Steve can usually be found welcoming all arriving children and greeting each by name. The school offers programs and options, but isn't overly pushy about your participation.I appreciate their commitment to safety, and zero tolerance policies.
Feb 22nd, 2023

Incredibly grateful for SCDS. Kathy personally answered my call one random summer day in 2020. I was in a panic to find a new school when our company relocated during Covid. We came from a wonderful school in CA and the bar was incredibly high. From that moment forward I've felt a genuine sense of care and connection from the school and staff. My Son is engaged, challenged and thriving. This is a special little ecosystem and we are so thankful to be part of it.
Feb 15th, 2023

I have nothing but great things to say about SCDS. I knew I didn't want to put my son in public school in AZ because it's less than stellar. I heard great things about SCDS and have other friends with their kids in this school. First off, Mr. Steve and Mrs. Kathy make a point to know every student and family by name in their school. They always greet the kids in the morning outside the doors as they walk in.My son started kindergarten last year and experienced both online school and in person school due to Covid. When the kindergarteners started having a rough time with online school, the Headmaster and his kindergarten teacher immediately came up with some fun and exciting things to keep the kids engaged while still learning.The communication between the teachers, administration, and parents has been great. Before my son gets in the car at the end of the day, I've had an email about an incident that was handled during the day and I can talk to my son about it and make sure he can move forward. He's in first grade now and his teacher sends us weekly newsletters to keep us up to date on what the kids are working on in class. I love the small class sizes. My son loves his teacher and friends. He feels so safe and taken care of at school. He absolutely loves going. My son wanted summer to end so he could return to school and be with everyone again.I would highly recommend SCDS to anyone. I worked in a public elementary school district, so I knew I wanted to send my son to a charter or private school. This was a great option and we are so happy he's there! We can't wait for our little one to be old enough to attend SCDS with his brother. We will keep our kids at this school for every grade they offer.
Nov 6th, 2021

This school has been so amazing! All 3 of our kids now go here and they love this place! Smaller class sizes, great, experienced teachers, and a positive learning environment. Even during all the ups and downs with Covid, they managed to quickly adapt and make sure all the students were able to stay on track. In looking at some of the negative reviews, yes, the school expects that students are respectful of the teachers, each other, and are not disruptive during class. Of course, kids will be kids. Given the small class size however, if you have a child that has large behavioral issues then it will be far more apparent in the small classes. They won't allow one student to take over the classroom if they cannot behave. (ie, they had one in my daughters class that would swipe everything off the teachers desk onto the floor. Obviously that could not continue). So yes, they do address those that are interrupting the entire class, but I have appreciated that for my own kids that are in the class then too.And the "donations" people mention aren't donations, they're the state School Tax Credits! The school asks when you're doing your taxes, if you're going to donate to a school for tax credits, then to please give it to your own school since your child attends there. Clearly not everyone understands that's not a donation, it's a tax credit back to the parent that also helps the school out.You can take tours though and see the environment firsthand. The students are polite, the older students help out the younger ones, and kids are happy to go to school every day. Have been very impressed and highly recommend!
Aug 12th, 2021

We are into year 2 at SCDS and are very happy. The small and warm environment plus a strong academic focus are a great combination for our young child. From the moment we toured, we loved their approach to teaching children how to respect others, both other kids and their elders. This is not done in a forceful way at all, but with the right balance. We feel this is a really important trait that I have not seen enough of at other schools.I completely disagree with the other reviews related to discipline. SCDS manages bullying and disruptive students as they should. They do take the time to help the children who need more attention, however they also need to make sure there isn't excessive disruption for the rest of the class.The class sizes are small, allowing individual attention for each child. Steve and Kathy (owners/headmaster) know all the children and they are all made to feel part of a larger team.I love the school uniform for a few reasons:    - level the playing field - less judgement based on appearance    - feeling a sense of school pride    - feeling part of a broader teamDuring Covid, SCDS has really shone even more. They have been very conscious of the parents needs and desires, and have done an excellent job with virtual learning.Lastly, I do agree the after school backup care program is disappointing, so I am hopeful this improves over time. They do offer paid extra curricular programs, which has helped with after school activities, and they seem to improve as the children get older.
Sep 19th, 2020