Dear Country Day Alumni & Friends,

Happy 2025! I hope the start to your new year has been filled with joy and positivity. 

Here at Country Day, we are delighted to be back to school and see the hallways once again buzzing with students eager to learn and grasp the opportunities around them. They are ready to take on another semester of stimulating classes, a full sports schedule, theatrical and musical productions, fine arts exhibitions, and a wide range of extracurricular opportunities.

In the advancement office, we are looking forward to many wonderful opportunities to connect with our alumni in 2025. We would love to hear what our community is up to in the new year, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with your news!

With best wishes for an amazing year,

Casey Santi

Associate Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations

MLK Day - Honoring the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

On Monday, January 20, our nation paused to commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. At Country Day, students in all three divisions regularly honor Dr. King’s legacy through meaningful activities as well as various acts of community service.

Dr. King’s leadership during the Civil Rights Movement and his steadfast belief in nonviolent resistance changed the course of history. He inspired a nation to confront systemic injustice and strive toward a vision of unity and equity for all. At Cincinnati Country Day School, we are proud to carry forward Dr. King’s vision through our dedication to service learning. Guided by our mission, we seek to foster respect, compassion, and a willingness to serve. Dr. King’s profound question, “What are you doing for others?” challenges us to use our education and resources to make a meaningful impact in the world.

Throughout the year, CCDS students and faculty actively partner with organizations across the greater Cincinnati area to address the needs of people, animals, and the environment. Below are just a few of the community partners we work with as we strive to make a difference. Together, we aim to exemplify Dr. King’s belief that “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.”

Service is more than an activity: It is a way of life. From our youngest learners to our Upper School students fulfilling their service hour requirements, we nurture a spirit of compassion and action that we hope will extend beyond our walls. We are proud to make MLK Day a day on, not a day off—a time to come together as a community, reflect on Dr. King’s teachings, and dedicate ourselves to creating positive change. Some of the organizations we partner with include Habitat for Humanity, Clutter2Care, Last Mile Food Rescue, Glam, Cincinnati Parks, Matthew 25: Ministries, Tikkun Farm, Cincinnati Nature Center, St. Vincent de Paul, and Our Daily Bread. 

As we honor Dr. King’s enduring legacy, let us be inspired to continue our work in building a more equitable and caring world. Let us commit to living his values every day—within the CCDS community, in the greater Cincinnati area, and beyond.

Help Us Grow CCDXperiences - Our Job Shadow & Internship Program

Country Day is growing its CCDXperiences job shadow and internship program!

If you could host an Upper School student at your place of work or share your expertise with students on our campus, please fill out this form. The form will take approximately six minutes to complete but your involvement could make a lasting impact in the lives of our students.

Visit our website to read about students' past experiences, the objectives of the program, and what it means to be a job shadow/internship host. Thank you for taking the time to consider offering a real-world learning opportunity!

Pictured above: Alessandra Garcia-Altuve`25 shadowed CCDS parent Dr. Viral Jain, who is a pediatric spine surgeon at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Join us at CountryDate in the Queen City!

Join us for an unforgettable evening of community bonding and giving back on Saturday, March 1, at Rhinegeist Brewery in OTR.

CountryDate is Cincinnati Country Day School’s annual community gala. This special evening is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with Country Day friends while helping to enhance the programs that make Cincinnati Country Day School an innovative learning environment. Net proceeds help support our teachers, enhance student enrichment programs, and increase accessibility through tuition scholarships.

Can't make the event? Becoming a sponsor or purchasing a ticket for faculty and staff attendance are great ways to participate and support Country Day. For more information on being a CountryDate sponsor or to purchase your ticket, click the button below.

Alum Spotlight: Co-Chair of CountryDate 2025 Sally Hernandez

You will be hard-pressed to find a bigger advocate for all things Cincinnati Country Day School than 2005 graduate Sally (Dwyer) Hernandez. Sally began attending Country Day in fourth grade, and since then, Country Day has made an enormous impact on her life.

“I have always loved school, but Country Day made it even easier because they made it fun,” says Sally. “The teachers were just so smart and caring. I always felt supported to be who I was and to do what I wanted; I never felt like I was being steered down a specific path.”

Along with being supported by the faculty at Country Day, she also felt extremely close to her classmates.

“We all really liked being around each other, even with everyone having such a variety of interests,” she says. “People supported each other by going to sporting events or by going to the latest theater production.”

Along with sending her three school-age children (Gracie `36, Abbi `38, and Ollie `40) to Country Day, Sally is heavily involved in almost everything on campus. As part of the Parents’ Association, she is a lead representative for families who have kids in first grade through fourth grade, which allows her to not only help other Country Day families but gives her the chance to “gush” about the school to them. She’s also an active member of the Alumni Council, is co-chairing and sponsoring CountryDate for the second year in a row and regularly contributes to the Country Day Fund.

When asked why she contributes so much to Country Day, Sally says, “It’s important for me to teach my kids to give back to those who have positively impacted your life, to show your heart, and to show how much you care about people who have helped you.”

“I feel privileged to have gone to Country Day,” Sally continued. “I also feel like it’s a duty of mine to give back to the school and show appreciation however I can, whether it’s by volunteering my time or by contributing financially.”

Pictured above: Sally '05., Gracie '36, Abbi '38, and Ollie '41, pose for a photo with Nati the Nighthawk during last year's Community Night.

It's Time to Start Planning 2025 Class Reunions!

Pictured above: Members of the Class of 2004 celebrated their 20th reunion in September 2024.

This year, classes ending in 5 and 0 will celebrate their reunions. Whether it's your 5-year reunion or your 50th, you do not want to miss this opportunity to reconnect and reminisce with your CCDS classmates!

If you are interested in helping to plan your reunion, contact Peter Fossett '80, associate director of alumni and legacy giving, at fossettp@countryday.net or 513.979.0283 for more information.

We can't wait to see you in September!

New Student Referrals to Country Day

It’s peak season in Cincinnati for private school enrollment! Throughout the winter and spring, the city will be buzzing with students and parents exploring the various options – co-ed, single-gender, religiously affiliated, and independent – to continue their educational journey. We hope that you, as a Country Day alum, will continue the positive word-of-mouth that generates much of our new student admission business. There are many ways to assist our admission office as they close out the season for new student enrollment:

Make A Connection

Everyone knows a friend, family member, or neighbor looking for a private school in Cincinnati. And our admission team is eager to show them how each child at Country Day is known, nurtured, and inspired. If you can forward some basic information on the student and family, the admission office will take it from there. Please use this link to refer a student and family to Country Day.

Encourage Campus Visits

History shows that once a family visits Country Day, they’re hooked! Our admission appointments are highly personalized to meet a family wherever they might be in the school search process. Encourage your referrals to schedule an individual meeting and tour. Or simply bring the family to campus for an arts performance, athletic game, or alumni event…our house is always open!

Spread The Word

Our website and social media outlets are the best way to spread the word about our school. Follow and share our stories on Country Day’s Facebook and Instagram. The highlight of these posts is our opening of school video, which we hope you will share as well.

Waive The Application Fee

Fee waivers are available to all current parents, friends, and alumni of Country Day. When applying for admission, prospective students or their parents can use a special code to waive the admission application fee. The code is C284, and interested families should submit an application no later than February 15. After that date, we expect to establish waiting lists in many programs and grades.

This year, we have one of our largest all-school enrollments in the past 20 years - more than 860 students. And, applications for the 2025-2026 school year are already running ahead of previous years' numbers. With over 14% of our new students this year being children of alumni, we are poised for even greater enrollment in future years.

We appreciate all that you do for Country Day.

Sincerely,

The CCDS Admission Team

Welcoming Seven New Inductees into the Cum Laude Society

Photo: Front row (L to R): Sara Fu (Mason), Ashley Odom (Liberty Township), Yihe Zhang (Loveland); back row (L to R): Reed Horton (Anderson Township), Nicholas Vredeveld (Anderson Township), Zach Vaughan (Indian Hill), Jack Monroe (New Richmond)

Cincinnati Country Day School is proud to announce the induction of seven seniors into the prestigious Cum Laude Society: Sarah Fu (Mason), Reed Horton (Anderson Township), Jack Monroe (New Richmond), Ashley Odom (Liberty Township), Zac Vaughan (Indian Hill), Nicholas Vredeveld (Anderson Township), and Yihe Zhang (Loveland).

The Cum Laude Society is a national honor society dedicated to honoring scholastic achievement in secondary schools. To gain induction, students must exhibit unwavering academic integrity and rank in the top 20 percent of their class based on cumulative GPAs from their sophomore year, junior year, and for the newly inducted cohort, the first semester of senior year.

"This year's cohort of Cum Laude inductees has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to academic excellence throughout their high school journey,” says Nat Tracey-Miller, Upper School dean of students, librarian, and Cum Laude Society chapter advisor. “Beyond their scholastic achievements, they are deeply engaged in a remarkable array of extracurricular activities, leadership roles, and athletic programs. These students truly exemplify the best of our student body."

These newly inducted members join an accomplished group of seven seniors who were welcomed into the Cum Laude Society earlier this academic year: Aayan Arif (Mason), Donovan Gray (Liberty Township), Louisa Joy (East Walnut Hills), Jordan Lowe (Montgomery), Vic Quintero (Blue Ash), Nik Shah (Indian Hill), and Addie Sweeney (Milford).

Cincinnati Country Day School congratulates these students on their well-deserved recognition and celebrates their dedication, talent, and contributions to the school community.

Accepting Nominations for the Virtue in Action and Distinguished Alumni Awards

Two of the most important honors Cincinnati Country Day School and the Alumni Association can bestow upon the school’s alumni are the Distinguished Alumni Award and the Virtue in Action Award. The Distinguished Alumni Award celebrates an alum for their contributions to the school, to their community, or for their professional achievement. The Virtue in Action Award recognizes an alum celebrating their fiftieth or greater anniversary of graduation from CCDS for their dedication, attitude, and motivation expressed through volunteer service to the community. Both awards are given over Homecoming weekend, and the awards ceremony is one of the highlights of that weekend.

Nominations for both awards are open, and we would like your help in identifying good candidates! Candidates for the Distinguished Alumni Award can come from any graduating year. Candidates for the Virtue in Action Award must be celebrating their fiftieth or greater anniversary of graduation (class of 1975 or older).



To ensure that the school and the Alumni Association have adequate time to consider your nominations, please submit them by early March.



Thank you for giving thought to this important matter. Please do not hesitate to contact Peter Fossett ’80 at fossettp@countryday.net or 513-979-0283 if you have any questions.

SNOW much fun is an understatement! Weeks of snow have brought so much joy to students in all divisions. With 60 acres of winter wonderland and our very own Mt. Country Day for sledding, our beautiful campus does not disappoint!

Upper School students had the opportunity to visit Disney World to learn firsthand about the magic of logistics!

Their journey began at Animal Kingdom, diving into Disney's storytelling magic and uncovering hidden gems around the park. The adventure continued with thrilling rides like Tower of Terror and Rockin’ Rollercoaster, where they learned how physics powers the magic. They then honed their leadership skills with various scenarios and wrapped up with an inspiring Q&A with a seasoned Disney leader.

This week, we transformed a classroom into a bustling restaurant! 2nd graders stepped into the roles of servers - taking orders, serving drinks, and calculating totals for their 5th-grade customers. They practiced essential skills like eye contact, public speaking, and multi-digit addition, all while receiving support and encouragement from the middle school students.

This month, the gymnastics team hosted the annual CCDS Invitational. With 17 teams from across the city competing, the LFAC was a flurry of activity from the first beam routine to the last vault. Not only were our Nighthawks fantastic hosts, but they also competed in all four events in a great display of energy and grit. 

The Pre-KII MakerSpace is in full swing after making its debut earlier this week. Our little innovators read books for inspiration, drew up construction plans, and collected loose parts to bring their inventions to life.

 Fun was had by all in the Middle School Ski Club during the inaugural visit to Perfect North for the 2025 season!

Exciting times in our new Engineering 2 class! Students have been diving into the world of circuits and PCBs (printed circuit boards). They followed schematics to trace small PCBs and then got hands-on with soldering the components onto the boards.  

Country Day's success is due in large part to the generous, ongoing support of our alumni. A gift to the Country Day Fund allows today’s students to benefit as you once did, sustaining the legacy of excellence that defines our school.