Blog - Countryside

Countryside Day Blog

The Road to Potty Training is Paved with Good Intentions

December 10th, 2014

Good intention is one of the most important ingredients when undertaking the task of helping your child learn to use the bathroom. For most parents this process is fraught with anxiety, questions, and conflicting advice. When should you start? How should you start? What if you start too early? What if you start too late? It really doesn’t have to be so hard if you accept that this milestone in independence and control is one... READ MORE

Jacquelyn Read

December 10th, 2014

6th Grade Class of 2002 We feel that one of the most meaningful ways for you to know about the outcomes of a CDS education is to hear it from our graduates themselves. As we interviewed CDS alumni, we observed 5 prominent themes from their outcomes: What are our graduates doing now? Jacquelyn was the Valedictorian of her class at Willows Academy which she attended after CDS and where she won many awards for science, Spanish and music. She then went Wheaton... READ MORE

Standardized Testing: Fostering Growth in Academics and Character

December 9th, 2014

Did you know that CDS uses assessment tools to foster the development of both academic skills and character qualities? The MAP Test for Academics Our MAP testing results indicate that our students score competitively in Math and Reading. Our Math scores for Fall 2014 show that 55% of CDS students score in the top 10% nationally and our reading scores show that 58% of CDS students score in the top 20%. Our academic programs in... READ MORE

The Gift of Countryside

December 5th, 2014

What Are You Getting Your Child this Year? The meals you are preparing and the gifts you are shopping for this holiday season are how you express your love and care for your child. Why not also invest your resources in a gift that yields lifelong benefit? Get the most powerful qualities for your child's academic and character development. The best gifts are those that don't end up in a toy box--but make a lasting impact on... READ MORE

3 Reasons a CMS Education is a Life Changer

December 2nd, 2014

Several weeks ago we had the former president of the National Association of Independent Schools, Patrick Bassett, consult at our school for two days. He has worked with hundreds of schools and visited schools all over the world. He is a true visionary and spent some of his time with us talking about the 6 Big Shifts in education and what 21st Century Schools were going to have to look like if America is going... READ MORE

Why Do the Elementary Students Love Coming to School?

November 19th, 2014

The Countryside elementary program practices many of the "Big Shifts in Education" that Pat Bassett speaks about at many independent schools across the country. A move from Knowing to Doing is one of the most critical big shifts. As Pat mentioned during his presentation, there is a time and a place to deliver information in the traditional top down, teacher-centered manner. But if teachers deliver knowledge with a chalk-and-talk method most of the day, students are not going to be... READ MORE

Join us on Tues., 1/13, for a Prospective Parent Class!

November 19th, 2014

Join Head of School Wendy Calise on Tuesday, January 13th for this talk and Q&A covering the mission of CDS, how we implement it, and how CDS families can expect to bring it home. Countryside Montessori serves children from 18 months to 8th grade Topic: The Countryside Community Time: Tues., 01/13, 6:00-6:45 PM To RSVP, call 847-498-1105 ... READ MORE

The New Aspinall’s Parenting Class

November 14th, 2014

Hey! Did you Know... that Jim and Michele Aspinall are gearing up for a new series of Parenting Classes that are going to begin this January? Over the weekend, the Aspinalls attended John Rosemond's latest parenting conference. Rosemond, renowned parenting expert, author, and speaker provided invaluable guidance to reinforce what essentially has always been the parenting philosophy of the Countryside community--the importance of parents re-claiming a leadership role in the raising of their children.... READ MORE

“Blah, Blah, Blah, Ginger” vs. Intentional Parenting

November 7th, 2014

How we love to talk! We especially love to talk to our children. But, what are we saying? And what are our children hearing? Lots of Talk We've heard the embarrassed parent in the supermarket threaten to leave the screaming child at the store, or never to bring her again. Or, worse yet, after arguing and refusing to buy some item at the checkout, the parent yields to the pressure of the tantrum and buys... READ MORE

Join Us for an Open House!

November 5th, 2014

Wednesday, January 21st RSVP to Find out the Open House Time Building Character, Pre-K through 8th Grade What if your child loved school? Hard to imagine? You don't have to imagine. See for yourself at our next Open House. RSVP to find out the Open House time: ... READ MORE

Countryside Day Blog

Countryside Programs