Davidson Day School

I believe LS might be a nice option but we will take our oldest child out before middle school. There are still too many issues that raise red flags even though there is a new headmaster. I think unless the school can attract more families willing to invest heavily in the school than it will be be back where it started before the fiasco of fast growth. Its 3 months into the school year and already we hear the grumblings of students not returning in the middle and upper schools. more

Administration turn over is super high here and is reflected in employee and student turn over as well. It is not a stable environment! This was a good school 3 years ago, but has gone down hill, quicker with every passing year. Don't make the same mistake we did and fall for the marketing and admissions hype. They sell a good story, but after you are in, the dream becomes a nightmare. We are not coming back next year and we dread having to work with the registrar and admissions to get our transcripts for our children. more

Not all is as it seems here. The teachers are good, but the administration seems lost and it is reflected in the attitudes and quality of work that the teachers put forth. You can even see it in the students.\r \r What's wrong? In one word, Athletics. The headmaster is so bent on growing the campus by artifically growning the athletics program, namely the football program. She has streched everyone and everything else to the breaking point. \r \r YOU DON'T GET YOUR TUITION'S WORTH AT THIS SCHOOL.\r \r It is all spent on football and nothing on academics. Find another school to go to. more

This school is NOT what we were promised. Out child is VERY unhappy here. The athmosphere is very friendly IF and ONLY IF you are part of the PTA or your kid plays football or basketball. Well, my kid can't play either and our whole family feels like outsiders. To make matters worse, the academics are lacking. We will be looking for another school next year. more

We are very happy at Davidson Day School. Indeed it has experienced growing pains which centered around the athletic department. Other than that, it is academically top notch and far superior than the surrounding schools. more

Lake Norman needed an exclusive private school. Admissions were growing slow and steady as was tuition. It became known as a school or arts and academics. Students who transferred in generally came from area private schools or private schools in other states. Admission was competitive. It would seem that one night Ms. Cotter had one of her visions and decided that if a little diversity and athletic development was good than a whole lot more would be better. Shame she didn't stick to the original slow growth philosophy. more

Problem? Very expensive private school can't get enrollment up.\r Solution? Bring in a bunch of charlotte ball players and give them special tuition to win games.. more

Education is very good but teachers and administration seem to be over extended. The preschool program simply takes up too much time and space and should either be eliminated or held elsewhere. more

Rapid growth makes it difficult more difficult to satisfy everyone. Some, who have been at the school will be sceptical of the changes and the growth while others will see the vision that Bonnie Cotter is creating for the school. With grades expanding from about 25 students last year to 45 this year, there will be many new faces and I expect the school will work hard to digest this growth and keep the Davidson Day family culture intact. They have great faculty and a very stong taylored academic program. What other school would allow middle schoolers to take AP courses if they are ready? \r \r Their focus on excellence in athletics is paying off expanding the footprint of the school and gaining consideration as a solid education option among its primary "lake" market. No long do families have to drive to Cannon or all the way to Providence Day, Latin or Country Day to get an attractive educational option.\r \r There will continue to be some growing pains as they digest the significan more

All I can say is, "WOW!" My child just started at DDS, Upper School. The first week has been a wonderful educational experience. Coming from a public to private has been a very easy transition for our family. The vision is clear and guided for the students. At the Open House one of the advisors shared that her job is not to get my child into college , but to help my child succeed in college. I am so happy to be at DDS and wish I had gotten here sooner! more

Not what you think! There are no individualized learning plans anymore, no organization at all. Administration is not friendly. DDS was a great school about 4 years ago. Now it is a sports recruiting school. Way overpriced! Not happy with this school at all. Public school is better place. What happened to the OLD DDS???? more

Davidson Day's headmaster, Bonnie Cotter, is a visionary who surrounds herself with excellence in teachers, academic leaders, and coaches. She sets the bar high in all areas. From adding a new high school football program and investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in the arts and in technology, to bringing on some of the most awesome teachers and staff, the word is out that Davidson Day is the educational place to be. In this tough economy, Davidson Day has grown more than 20% each of the past 2 years. Word of mouth from happy families and students is causing quite a buzz. I am proud to be part of this school and am even more proud to be telling all my friends and neighbors what a great experience it is for kids. But don't take my word for it. Call the admissions office, come for a visit, and see for yourself. more

My child has been teased and bullied at this school. I have a very sweet, well-behaved, and intelligent child. My child has been tripped, pushed, and constantly teased by two - three other students. I have had much communication with the school about this situation. Even with repeated discipline measures, this has not stopped. The school has even hired a full time counseler to try to deal with this out of hand situation. The children are not punished severly enough and are allowed to continue at the school. We are not sure if this is because their parents have made large monetary donations or because the school is desperate to "grow as large as possible as fast as possible" and willing to sacrifice student quality to do so. I feel sorry for the other students at this school who are also subjected to students who behave this poorly. I also feel bad for teachers who have to put up with this behavior and are not able to get these students out of their classrooms or out of the sch more

We have been very disappointed with Davidson Day School. We were fooled by the fancy open house and their extensive marketing schemes. We were promised a unique learning experience through "Individual Learning Plans" however that has not happened. There is no set curriculum from grade to grade. Our intelligent children have been lumped with the top 1/3 of their class in pull out "enrichment" classes. This is not individual learning. We have paid top dollar however there are no computers in the classrooms and the library is virtually non-exsistant. My oldest child is in fourth grade and they only get recess one time a week. Ten year old children need to play outside more than once a week in an eight hour day! Our children would have been better served in public school. The administration does not appreciate input and parents do not feel welcome in the school. We really hoped this would be our new home for our children. However, there is no feeling of community here. It is a more

My husband and I are extremely delighted with this school. The teachers are exceptional, the facility is gorgeous and Bonnie Cotter is a real go-getter and a great listener. Every time I've popped up to the school Bonnie has been in the foyer or nearby, talking with parents, greeting students, displaying a strong yet approachable role. She has been extremely receptive and active with regards to our family's questions and requests. My children love the facility, they are engaged in the curriculum and are enjoying themselves! We feel so fortunate to have chosen this wonderful, growing school and have great confidence that it will even improve with time! more

Davidson Day school is what I think of as an ideal educational facility. They have broad range of subjects, set in a top notch environment. The faculty and staff are dedicated and passionate about providing be best in education. Kids are encouraged to excel, and garner diverse interests along with the academic program. more