Welcome to Tenacre Country Day School!

We have a fantastic school community of dedicated teachers, curious students, supportive families, and accomplished alumni. All of us arrive at school excited about learning and exploring new ideas alongside diverse classmates and colleagues.
Welcome to Tenacre Country Day School! We have a fantastic school community of dedicated teachers, curious students, supportive families, and accomplished alumni. All of us arrive at school excited about learning and exploring new ideas alongside diverse classmates and colleagues.
 
When I first arrived at Tenacre, the community values and philosophy resonated with me and the mission statement made a lasting impression: “Tenacre nurtures and challenges each child, every day.” This simple statement permeates everything we do at Tenacre—from our academic program to social development to leadership training to community-building. Coupled with a commitment that “as a community, we strive to work hard, to find joy and to be kind,” our mission allows us to make the best of each student, from 4-year-old pre-k early learners to 12-year-old near graduates, no matter who he or she is. We want our students to be confident learners, caring citizens, and critical thinkers, and we will help them develop the best versions of themselves along the way. 
 
Our academic program creates a strong foundation for our students. Small classes and flexible groupings allow us to meet the needs of each student and provide the appropriate amount of nurture and challenge. We enrich children with extensions in curriculum and provide appropriate scaffolding for emerging talents. Special subjects—science, Spanish, technology, music, art, library, and physical education—play an important role in Tenacre’s program and all of our students, pre-k to sixth grade, participate in each course. 
 
In addition to the strength of our academic program, Tenacre is equally committed to supporting a caring community. Traditions that bring students together foster a sense of shared experience, of being known and appreciated, and for celebrating the similarities and differences among us. Our students partner through a Big Friend/Little Friend program that encourages mentorship, leadership, and rites of passage. Class plays in every grade and community-wide assemblies three times a week create opportunities for students to develop strong performance and public speaking skills. We eat lunch together family style at tables of mixed ages, creating opportunities to build multi-age friendships and shared experiences. A tradition of active community service engenders a sense of responsibility to care for each other for our school and for communities beyond Tenacre, too. 
 
Traditions at Tenacre tie us to our celebrated history, and we are preparing for an exciting future, too. While maintaining the best of our traditions, we are growing to serve students of the next 10-20 years for what they’ll need to be successful students and citizens. 
 
I hope you will visit Tenacre and get to know the community as I have. We are a school rich in tradition and eager to innovate. Come join us!
 
Sincerely,
Will Crissman