CHATHAM COUNTY

Community Independent School

2089 Lamont Norwood Rd., Pittsboro, NC 27312 (919) 932-6313 Ages 3-11; 8:1 ratio (preschool), 12:1 (elementary); financial aid; all-day K; after care; provisions for special needs; admission interview required; seeking NAEYC accreditation. Community Independent School offers a progressive curriculum emphasizing creativity, critical thinking and creative problem solving in creative arts, language arts, humanities, math and science. Rural farm setting provides unique, outdoor, hands-on learning in the natural sciences. Small class sizes, caring teachers and frequent family gatherings create a warm, spirited environment. We welcome families in all of their diversity. We honor and admit students of all races, nationalities and ethnic origins.

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DURHAM COUNTY

Bethesda Christian Academy 1914 S. Miami Blvd., Durham, NC 27703 (919) 598-0190 Grades K-4; 125 students; 18:1 ratio; before/after care; testing and interview required; apply by Aug. 15; Southern Baptist. We use a classical approach to education, with the objective of helping children view all of life through the eyes of Scripture.

Camelot Academy, 809 Proctor St., Durham, NC 27707 (919) 688-3040 Grades K-12; 100 students; 12:1 ratio; all-day K; before/after care; individualized programs to meet student's needs; admission testing and interview required; NIPSA accredited, established in 1982, emphasizes individualized instruction. Our program is based on student mastery of material and communication with parents. We offer extended hours and reasonable fees.

Carolina Friends School 4809 Friends School Rd., Durham, NC 27705 (919) 383-6602, 929-1800 Ages 3-18; 480 students (total school enrollment); 10:1 ratio; tuition financial aid; all-day K; after care; admission interview required; transportation for additional fee (parent-sponsored bus); apply no later than Feb. 1; Religious Society of Friends (Quaker); state Division of Non-Public Education approved. The Carolina Friends School philosophy is rooted in the principles of Friends and in principles of child development which define each child as a unique, whole person. Our experienced teaching staff uses creative and effective strategies for helping students achieve and responsibly use their full potential-intellectual, physical, spiritual, social, creative and emotional. Our school has a strong sense of community based on respect for the value of each individual.

Cresset Christian Academy has provided quality Christian education for students in grades K-12 since 1975. 3707 Garrett Rd., Durham, NC 27707 (919) 489-2655 Grades K-12; over 350 students; limited financial aid; all-day K; before/after care; some special needs accommodated; admission interview and testing required; Southern Baptist; Association of Christian Schools International accredited; North Carolina State Division of Non-Public Education approved. Our mission is to foster the student's spiritual gifts and talents, developing academic skills necessary for college preparation, and encouraging social and personal growth. Our campus is conveniently located on 40 acres, just off 15-501 North, near I-40.

Duke School for Children 1516 Hull Ave., Durham, NC 27705 (919) 286-1866 Grades K-4 (elementary school); 260 students; 10:1 ratio; tuition $6,400/yr; financial aid; all-day K; before/after care; handicapped accessible; state Division of Non-Public Education approved. Duke School for Children was founded in 1947 by Duke University. Our Hull Avenue campus (built in 1984 and 1990) houses 260 preschool and elementary children in five buildings. Our Middle School, which serves 220 students in grades 5-8, is located at 3716 Old Erwin Rd. The child-centered curriculum of DSC is based on the needs, interests, and learning styles of preschool and elementary children. Our students learn through active exploration and experimentation using hands-on activities to discover and understand concepts. They work in large blocks of time and study broad topics that integrate several curriculum areas. Parent participation is welcomed, but not required.

Durham Academy Lower School 3116 Academy Rd., Durham, NC 27707 (919) 489-9118 Grades Pre K-12; 264 students; 10:1 ratio; financial aid; before care; admission testing required; apply by Feb. 19; SACS accredited. Durham Academy's Lower School seeks to provide students with a challenging environment for learning while offering the care and attention that guide a child to success. The faculty present opportunities that foster the joy of learning and allow for discovery as skills are practiced and refined in supportive surroundings that encourage independence and risk taking. Students are asked to use their imagination, to think and explore, and to exhibit what they have learned.

Gorman Christian Academy And Early Education Center 3315 East Geer St., Durham, NC 27704 (919) 682-0867 Grades PreK-6; 150 students; 23:1 ratio; all-day K; after care ($30/wk); Southern Baptist, ACSI and state accredited; admission testing and interview required. Our primary focus is to provide a thorough learning experience, grounded in the word of God. Students are challenged to develop good mental habits. We use A Beka, Saxon and ACSI curriculum primarily. K-6 teachers are all certified.

Immaculata Catholic School 721 Burch Ave., Durham, NC 27701 (919) 682-5847 Pre-K-Grade 8; 390 students; 18:1 ratio; all-day K; before/after care; admission screening required; Roman Catholic; state accredited. Immaculata School personnel strive to create a value-centered, holistic environment with Catholic teaching, academic excellence, and positive self-esteem for students. In addition to strong basic reading and math skills, English grammar, spelling, science and social studies are complemented by computer literacy, library skills, foreign language, physical education, art and music. Cooperative learning activities and global awareness is encouraged. Since its beginning, Immaculata has served Catholic as well as non-Catholic families. Our lay-teachers are certified by the state Department of Public Instruction.

Jewish Community Day School of Durham/Chapel Hill 1935 Cornwallis Rd., Durham, NC 27705 (919) 419-4432 Grades Preschool-5; 60 students; 8:1(preschool), 15:1(elementary) ratio;financial aid, admission testing and interview required, all-day K, after care; Jewish. New facility on a beautiful wooded site with playing fields, library, activity room, and classrooms. Our programs, Preschool to Grade 5, offer a comprehensive, integrated Jewish and general education. JCDS provides an environment where children develop love of learning, positive Jewish identity, and healthy self-image while achieving the highest standards of academic excellence. Low teacher/student ratios allow for rapid individual progress.

Montessori Children's House of Durham 2400 University Dr., Durham, NC 27707 (919) 489-9045 Ages 3-12; 117 students; 11:1 ratio; financial aid available; all-day K; before care; handicapped-accessible, inclusive for students with special needs; interview required for admission; apply by Mar. 1; AMS accredited. Montessori Children's House of Durham provides a challenging program of individually focused educational and social activities. In both the preschool and elementary programs, the curricula and facilities are designed to promote the benefits of self-discovery and self-confidence, with qualified, supportive teachers acting as guides and catalysts to learning.

Montessori Community School 4512 Pope Rd., Durham, NC 27707 (919) 493-8541 Ages 2-12; 214 students; ratio varies (6:1 to 12:1); $3,500 to $5,450/yr, depending on age and program; financial aid; all-day K; before/after care; part-time reading specialist; AMS affiliated. Located on nine wooded acres near I-40 and 15-501,

Montessori Community School promotes child-centered and child-initiated learning. Our teachers hold AMS and/or AMI credentials. Their experience and support helps to guide students through curricula in ways that promote self-confidence, self-discipline and initiative.

Solterra Way Cottage School is a very small private school that will serve up to five children in kindergarten, first and second grade, beginning in July 2004. It is registered with the North Carolina Department of Nonpublic Instruction. The school will provide an academically rigorous curriculum where each child will be challenged to work to his or her full potential. This nurturing program will be highly structured, yet responsive to the individual needs and interests of children in the school. SWCS is owned and operated by Patricia Saylor in her home in Solterra, a safe and friendly passive-solar co-housing community. In our warm, supportive, and socially progressive learning environment, each child's family, culture and unique gifts will be valued and celebrated. Call Patricia Saylor, 919-401-9926

Triangle Day School 4911 Neal Rd., Durham, NC 27705 (919) 383-8800 Grades K-8; 100 students; low child/teacher ratio; all-day K; before/after care; admission interview required; rolling admissions; state accredited. Triangle Day School is an independent school providing small classes, extended-day program and a middle school curriculum for grades 6-8. The school ensures that low student/teacher ratios are maintained. Reading and writing are taught through a literature-based curriculum and math and science are taught through a problem solving and thinking skills approach. We also emphasize foreign language, physical education, computer education, music and art.

Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill 4721 Erwin Rd., Durham, NC 27705 (919) 403-0543 Grades 1-6; 96 students; 16:1 ratio; financial aid; admission testing and interview required; apply by Mar. 1 (applications taken until spaces filled); Christian, but not church affiliated. The goal at Trinity School is to create a community in which there is delight in learning and whose members exhibit the intellectual, moral and aesthetic development fitting for Christians. Academic excellence, critical thinking and the cultivation of virtue are all taught through a classical curriculum stressing grammar, logic, and rhetoric.

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ORANGE COUNTY

Artgarden Montessori Children's House, 1603 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill (919) 942-1339. Serves ages 3-6, enrollment is 22, tuition is $4,100-$4,700 per year. Teacher to student ratio is 1:11.

Carolina Friends School 4809 Friends School Rd., Durham, NC 27705 (919) 383-6602, 929-1800 Ages 3-18; 480 students (total school enrollment); 10:1 ratio; financial aid; all-day K; after care; admission interview required; transportation for additional fee (parent-sponsored bus); apply no later than Feb. 1; Religious Society of Friends (Quaker); state Division of Non-Public Education approved. The Carolina Friends School philosophy is rooted in the principles of Friends and in principles of child development which define each child as a unique, whole person. Our experienced teaching staff uses creative and effective strategies for helping students achieve and responsibly use their full potential-intellectual, physical, spiritual, social, creative and emotional. Our school has a strong sense of community based on respect for the value of each individual.

Emerson Waldorf School 6211 New Jericho Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 27516 (919) 967-1858 Grades K-8; 175 students; financial aid; before/after care; wheelchair-accessible classrooms; admission interview required; monthly open houses. In the midst of a crisis of purpose and belief in American schools, the Emerson Waldorf School offers students the variety of a classical education firmly grounded in academics and the arts. One of more than 600 Waldorf Schools worldwide, we have been educating children from pre-kindergarten through grade 8 since 1984. Our 25-acre wooded campus is located north of Chapel Hill off Highway 86, near I-40 and I-85.

The Kantner School 7500 Schley Rd., Hillsborough, NC 27278 (919) 732-7200 Pre-K-Grade 12; 150 students; 8:1 average ratio; tuition varies; all-day K; before/after care; adaptable for special needs; admission testing and interview required; transportation provided; April 1 application deadline. The Lower School program is designed to teach the fundamental skills of reading, writing, mathematics and science in an environment combining both traditional and progressive methodologies. The school day includes both teacher-focused instruction and independent learning at centers offering a variety of hands-on experience and computer-driven activities. The program also includes classes in fine arts, physical education, computer, writing center and foreign language.

Montessori Day School 1165 Weaver Dairy Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (919) 929-3339 Ages 3-10, 75 students; 12:1 (preschool), 10:1 (elementary) ratio, $3,650 (preschool), $4,150/yr (extended day school), $4,250/yr (elementary); work scholarships available; all-day K; before school care; some provisions for special needs; admission interview required; Montessori-certified teachers (AMS). The elementary program provides a non-competitive, intellectual, individualized, culturally enriched curriculum. Music, Spanish field trips, physical education, art, Odyssey of the Mind supplement the classic Montessori curriculum. Children learn skills through choices of work, presented compatibly with their learning styles and interests.

St. Thomas More School 920 Carmichael St., Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (919) 929-1546 Pre-K-Grade 8; 450 students; 20:2 ratio (pre-K), 25:2 (K-Grade 2), 25:1 (3-8); tuition varies with parishioner and family discounts; financial aid; all-day K; after care (2:45-5:45 pm); admission interview and testing required; Catholic; state and diocese of Raleigh accredited. A Catholic school serving children in pre-K through Grade 8, our academic program stresses the basics. Our main focus is the individual child's success; every child's positive self-esteem is our first priority.