The CDS educational environment and teaching styles are designed to meet the needs of a wide range of intelligences, gifts and interests. Our students are happy, confident, curious children who are respectful of others and eager to learn. CDS students:

• Exhibit a high degree of social responsibility and routinely make a difference in the world around them
• Work and learn collaboratively with students of all ages and are appreciative of differences in others
• Are caring of themselves, others and their environment
• Are academically skilled (the average ERB score is 90th percentile

CDS seeks to enroll students whose families are eager to make a real commitment to our school, and who will support their children in their quest for increased responsibility. Specifically, we welcome families who will:

• Form a partnership with their child's teachers and actively participate on their child's education team by:
  • Sharing any and all useful information about their child
  • Observing, learning and practicing the CDS values
• Set appropriate limits and boundaries for their child
• Encourage their children to take on new responsibilities
  
• Each year, increasingly shift from being their child's manager to their child's coach
• Support the school community by:
  • Participating in school events
  • Volunteering time
  • Contributing financial support

Our school year begins in late August or early September, depending on the calendar. CDS preschoolers need to be able to use the bathroom on their own before they begin the school year, and children need to be three years old by August 31 of that year (we no longer enroll students younger than 3 years old in our preschool). Kindergartners need to be five years old by August 31.

No. We’ve learned through years of experience that children need to be grouped according to all of the following maturities: cognitive, social, physical and emotional. Our experience has shown us that young students placed ahead of their chronological peer group frequently find themselves at a disadvantage later in their development in one way or another. Our academic program recognizes that students acquire academic skills at different rates and in different ways. We’re committed to challenging each child appropriately at all grade levels; we present children with activities and materials that allow a full range of challenges and experiences. When making the important decision of when to enroll a child in kindergarten, we ask parents to think beyond their daughter or son's "readiness" for their earliest school years, and consider their child's development at all ages, including early adolescence and the teen years leading into college, and the quality of the college experience itself.

CDS does not maintain a waiting list. Please contact CDS in the fall of the year prior to the year when your child would be eligible to enroll to start the admission process (i.e., if your child is eligible to enter our preschool in September 2012, call the Admission Office in September 2011).

The first step of our application process is for parents to contact CDS and schedule a school visit. We highly encourage all prospective parents to visit CDS before submitting an application, as this is the best opportunity to hear about our unique approach to learning and to see our school in action. We apologize, but due to limited tour dates, tours are available for parents of age-eligible children only.

CDS does not administer standardized tests to children as part of our admission process. Our application process includes a time for your child to visit the school, and teachers make age-appropriate assessments and observations during those visits. All visits are scheduled during January, February and March.

• Preschool applicants: Preschool applicants and their parents visit one of our preschool classrooms and meet our preschool teachers in groups of 6-8 families for 45 minutes on a Saturday. The format of this visit is similar to that of a preschool class at CDS, and we make it a priority to put your child at ease in the new environment. During this visit we will be looking for what our experience has taught us produces success at this age: enthusiasm for learning and willingness to engage in activities.
   
• Kindergarten applicants: Kindergarten applicants visit our kindergarten classroom and meet our kindergarten teachers in groups of 15-20 children for one hour on a Saturday. The format of this visit is similar to that of a kindergarten class at CDS, and we make it a priority to put your child at ease in the new environment. During the visit your child will participate in CDS kindergarten activities such as a morning meeting, an art project, reading, singing and playing with blocks. We will be looking for what our experience has taught us produces success at this age: enthusiasm for learning, willingness to engage in activities, and ability to work independently as well as share and collaborate with others.
  
  
• Grade 1-4 applicants: The visit for grades 1-4 applicants is an opportunity for our faculty to meet your child and make sure there is a match between your child's approach to learning and the requirements of the classroom. During the visit your child will be assessed on his or her reading, writing and math skills but more importantly, we will be looking for what our experience has taught us produces success at this age: enthusiasm for learning, willingness to engage in activities, ability to work in groups and independently, and ability to problem-solve.
  
  
• Grade 5-8 applicants: The visit for grades 5-8 applicants is an opportunity for our faculty to meet your child to make sure there is a match between your child's approach to learning and the requirements of the classroom. Your child will participate in group activities and also be assessed on his or her reading, writing and math skills but more importantly, we will be looking for what our experience has taught us produces success at this age: enthusiasm for learning, willingness to engage in activities, ability to work in groups and independently, and ability to problem-solve.

Our goal is to admit students and families for whom CDS is a good fit. An admission committee of faculty and administrators discusses each application, teacher recommendation, school record (if applicable), assessment from the classroom visit and parent conversation. After determining which children and families would thrive in our school, we craft each class looking for a balance in socioeconomic, racial, cultural and family diversity, learning styles and gender. CDS is committed to supporting students and families who reflect San Francisco's diverse population. All students are encouraged to apply.

When there are more qualified applicants than openings available, we establish an unranked waiting pool. When an opening occurs, the admission committee decides to which student to offer a space based upon the overall profile of the class and the match between the strengths of the child and the needs of the school.

While CDS is a family school, we are also committed to making sure CDS is the right school for each child. Therefore, CDS has an early decision process for siblings of currently enrolled CDS students and the children of faculty and staff. Sibling applications are due in late October and student visits are scheduled in mid-November. Decisions and notifications will be made as soon as possible after the visit; contracts are mailed during the re-enrollment process in February.

Approximately 350 students in the 2011-12 school year.

CDS has a student-to-teacher ratio of 1:8. An experienced head teacher leads each teaching team. In addition, the children work with specialist teachers in the areas of art, music, physical education, Spanish and environmental education.

Students need to provide their own lunch. A morning snack is provided in the preschool classrooms and an afternoon snack is provided for all students participating in the after school program. Families have the option of participating in a school lunch program operated by Kid Chow, an independent company that prepares and delivers affordable, "kid-approved" bag lunches, packed with fun-to-eat nutritious foods.