Cincinnati Country Day School
January Alumni Journal
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Letter from President of the Alumni Council |
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Welcome to 2021! Like many, I would imagine there are elements of 2020 you are ready to move beyond. In particular, I miss regular face-to-face communication with my family, friends, clients, and our strong alumni community. Nonetheless, there is much to be proud of in the last year. Within our CCDS community, we have seen students, teachers, staff, and administrators come together to maintain connections, provide the high standards of education we expect, and adapt to a quickly changing world. This reflects the resiliency CCDS has always demonstrated and will continue to nurture in the future.
I have always recognized CCDS as a leader in education. However, this unusual year has demonstrated some important qualities. I highlight the following:
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Commitment to technology: CCDS has been a leader in technology use for decades. When it became clear that COVID would make it unsafe for students to attend classes in-person this past spring, CCDS shifted to a virtual classroom setting quickly and effectively so interruptions in learning were minimal. While pivoting to an entirely virtual environment was unexpected, CCDS expects to continue to advance its use of technology to ensure that students can easily participate and communicate in virtual business environments, while maintaining focus on ethical use.
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Small classes: Country Day’s small classroom size provides individualized attention to help students succeed. In a time when gatherings were restricted or prohibited, our small classroom size allowed Country Day students to safely return to the classroom this past fall while continuing to monitor COVID trends in our area. As the COVID pandemic eases in the future, these small classrooms will remain to ensure that each student is well-known by teachers who can identify particular educational needs and advance unique interests.
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Outstanding faculty: As we all remember; the Country Day faculty are the rock upon which the school advances its mission and supports its students. Through hiring and developing talented educators who deeply care about students, the CCDS teachers could easily collaborate this past spring to teach in a virtual environment. This flexibility in teaching methods and forums allows the faculty to intrigue students in new topics while building upon the educational bedrock the school provides.
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Environmental education: Country Day has always been a leader in incorporating the environment into its curriculum. From teaching biology through the growth of a tadpole to a frog to understanding the place of nature in Henry David Thoreau’s writings, the environment has historically provided a platform to enhance a Country Day education. In the current school year, CCDS is using its extensive campus to educate while also providing the downtime students need. CCDS will continue to rely on its beautiful campus to help students form connections beyond their classroom and to understand the value of quiet contemplation in settings outside of the classroom.
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The points above are an inherent part of Country Day and have guided strategic steps that have advanced its students’ education during an unexpected global pandemic. Given the challenges that have been overcome in the last year, I applaud Country Day for meeting and surpassing our expectations in educating students. I hope you will join me in celebrating these efforts by reaching out to a former teacher to thank them, connecting with classmates you may have not spoken to in some time, or providing a financial contribution to support our alma mater. Through our combined efforts, we can ensure that Country Day remains a leading educational institution that contributes to the growth of well-rounded students.
Please keep in touch and feel free to reach out to me with questions or comments. We wish you a happy new year and look forward to seeing your faces virtually or in-person in the coming year.
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Cadence Moore ‘01
President, Alumni Council
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CINCINNATI COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL ANNOUNCES
LEADERSHIP TRANSITION
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Cincinnati Country Day School announced on December 30 that its 12th head of school, Anthony "Tony" Jaccaci will step down at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Mr. Jaccaci will conclude a highly successful six-year tenure to accept the headship at Tabor Academy, a Massachusetts boarding school. |
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To ensure strong school leadership during the transition, the Country Day Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name Rob Zimmerman '98 to serve as interim head of school during the 2021-2022 academic year. Mr. Zimmerman, a graduate of Country Day, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Cincinnati College of Law, has a deep institutional knowledge of the school given his roles as a trustee, alumnus, and parent. He has been intimately involved with school governance through his trustee leadership responsibilities, and his distinguished record of service is highly respected among the CCDS and the broader Cincinnati community.
Mr. Zimmerman is taking a leave of absence from his law practice with Dinsmore to serve as Country Day's next school leader. CCDS Board President Jody Brant said, "Rob is a dedicated trustee whose strategic savvy is well recognized by his fellow board members, and I look forward to more in our community experiencing Rob's gifted leadership firsthand. Our constituents will also appreciate Rob's ability to motivate constituents to deepen their involvement and support of the school.
Mr. Zimmerman is excited about being Country Day's 13th head of school, saying "I've always been incredibly grateful for my Country Day experience; it prepared me exceedingly well for college and life. It will be an honor to return to my educational roots and serve an institution that benefited me greatly.
Mr. Zimmerman will assume his role as head of school effective July 1, 2021.
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Auction Items Needed for CountryDate |
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With the CountryDate virtual gala just seven weeks away, we need your help to build our silent and live auctions. It's easy to do and all items are gratefully received. If you would like to order an item for delivery to school, please send to the attention of Shannon Reilly, CCDS Advancement Office, 6905 Given Road, Cincinnati, OH 45243. |
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Homecoming and Reunion Weekend October 1 - 3, 2021 |
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We plan to celebrate reunion year classes of ’01 and ’06 on campus. In addition, we welcome classes of '00 and '05 who were unable to celebrate their reunions last year to join. Stay tuned throughout the year for more details. If you would like to plan your reunion, please contact Giles DeCourcy at 513-979-0283. (Pictured: Class of 1986 celebrates their reunion in 2016)
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The Upper School Theater has a special presentation for students, alumni, and the entire Cincinnati Country Day School community. This year's production, "Comedy of Errors" is a filmed, four-part series.
More than 40 students worked together to create a technical and camera focused performance, while showcasing their creative talents and adhering to Covid-19 protocols. "Our goal was to create a lighthearted performance that everyone could enjoy," said Nicholas Rose, upper school interim theater director. "We thought breaking the performance into parts would be a great way for students to watch during advisory and keep the feel of multiple performances intact, but new each week." Each of the four performances will last 18 to 25 minutes.
The series will be available to the entire Country Day community; a link will be sent when the episodes begin in the coming weeks.
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CCDS Arts Hall of Fame Nominations |
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Cincinnati Country Day School is excited to announce the creation of the Country Day Arts Hall of Fame! To celebrate the strong and vibrant tradition in the arts at CCDS, we will begin a tradition of recognizing former Country Day students, staff, and community members for their contributions in the fine, musical, performing, and literary arts through induction to the CCDS Arts Hall of Fame.
Who’s eligible?
- Students, five years after their class’s graduation.
- Former faculty or staff member.
- Community member who has made a significant contribution to arts.
You can make a nomination by clicking the button below.
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Early College Commitments |
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Students have been accepted to the following colleges and universities so far: |
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The University of Alabama (3)
American University
Baldwin Wallace University (2)
Barnard College
Belmont University (2)
Bowdoin College
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus (2)
Butler University (3)
Carleton College
Case Western Reserve University (2)
Central Michigan University
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Cornell University
University of Dayton (11)
University of Denver (2)
DePaul University (3)
Duquesne University
East Carolina University
Elon University (4)
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
Emory University
Florida Institute of Technology
Fordham University (3)
Grinnell College
Hamilton College
Hampton University (2)
Hanover College
Harvey Mudd College
High Point University
Howard University (2)
Indiana University-Bloomington (3)
Jacksonville University
University of Kansas
Kent State University
Kenyon College
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Lehigh University
Loyola University Chicago (2)
Marquette University (2)
Miami University-Oxford (3)
Michigan State University (2)
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
University of Mississippi
Northeastern University (2)
Northern Kentucky University
University of Notre Dame
Ohio Northern University
Ohio University (5)
Otterbein University
Pennsylvania State University
Point Park University
Ringling College of Art and Design
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (3)
Rowan University
Saint Louis University
Santa Clara University
Savannah College of Art and Design
University of South Carolina-Columbia (2)
Spelman College
Suffolk University
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
The University of Texas at Dallas
Ohio State University (6)
University of St Andrews (UK)
Washington University in St Louis
Wellesley College
West Virginia University
Williams College
Wittenberg University (2)
The College of Wooster
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Xavier University (10)
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COUNTRY DAY NEW MASCOT VOTING UNDERWAY |
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The final five mascots have been chosen and it's time to vote! |
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A new mascot for our school is much more than a name and logo for our athletic teams. At U.C., you are a Bearcat; at Tennessee, you identify as a Volunteer; at Yale, you graduate as a Bulldog. So, the choice of a mascot crosses over from sports to academics, to school spirit, and to life beyond the halls of Country Day. When you cast your vote, ask yourself: which mascot best represents the values and spirit of our school?
Do you want to be Bear, Charger, Nighthawk, Trailblazer, or Wolf? All current students, alumni, faculty and staff, and trustees are asked to cast their votes over the next few weeks at Mascot vote - Cincinnati Country Day. The winner will be announced at the end of January!
We appreciate the community’s feedback and participation in the new mascot selection process. May the best mascot win!
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Congratulations to senior Sam Pettengill ' 21 who broke the school record in the 100-meter backstroke on Thursday with a time of 55.58. The previous record was held by Michael McGrath '96 with a time of 56.25. |
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Congratulations to the varsity girls basketball team who defeated Indian Hill 56 - 32. |
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SAGE Dining Services offers students fresh salad and fruit as part of the many food stations in the dining terrace. |
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As you will appreciate, the 2020-21 school year continues to present challenges as our community battles the Covid pandemic. Please consider supporting our faculty and students in these difficult times. Every gift makes a difference!
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