New Canaan Country School
Encyclopedia
New Canaan Country School (abbreviated NCCS) is private
day school, offers grades Pre-Kindergarten-9, located on a 75 acres (303,514.5 m²) campus in New Canaan, Connecticut
. The current headmaster is Timothy Bazemore, who joined the school in 2000.
There are approximately 615 students in the school. A bus program enables the school to serve families in surrounding communities of Darien
, Norwalk
, Stamford
, Ridgefield
, and Wilton
, as well as New Canaan
. Financial aid is available to families who qualify. The school is committed to maintaining a diverse student population, with the belief that educating children in a diverse community will better prepare them for success in the global marketplace. The athletic program is mandatory for the Middle and Upper School. In the Fall trimester, students can choose from Soccer (boys and girls teams), Football, Field Hockey, or co-ed Cross Country. In the Winter trimester the options are Basketball, Yoga, Fitness, and Paddle Tennis. A drama program, which was added to the Middle School options in the 2010 winter programs, is also available to students in place of playing a sport for a season, and has always been an option for Upper Schoolers.
At A Glance:
Student to teacher ratio: 6 to 1;
Financial aid awarded for 2008-2009: $2,905,000;
Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 19.4%;
Percentage of students of color: 15.1%;
Average teaching years: 16.5;
Percentage of faculty with graduate degrees: 65%;
Student to computer ratio: 1.1 to 1;
Students reside in: 18 area towns.
There are four "schools" within the entire campus: The Thacher Building (Preschool-Kindergarten) named for former headmaster Nick Thacher; The Welles Building (Grades 1-4; also called "Lower School"); The Middle School (Grades 5-6); and The Stevens Building (Grades 7-9; also called "Upper School"). The ninth grade year is a unique pre-preparatory program that emphasizes teaching leadership and independent thinking schools. A fully staffed placement office works with students to coordinate placement in top boarding and day schools.
The new addition to the Stevens Building was opened in September, 2007, with science labs, art studios, and expanded classroom and meeting facilities for use by students in Grades 7-9. The building was recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council with the LEED (Leadership in Energy Efficient Design) Silver Award. On Earth Day, Senator Judith Freeman presented a proclamation from Governor Jodi Rell
in recognition of its being the greenest school building in the state of Connecticut. The school itself is located at 545 Ponus Ridge.
NCCS was founded as "The Community School" in 1916, and from that point to 1933 it was run by co-principals Edith Dudley and Effie Dunton. A growing number of students forced the school to move to its current location at Grace Hill.
Blue and white are the primary colors of the school. The mascot for middle and upper school athletics is the Cougar.
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
day school, offers grades Pre-Kindergarten-9, located on a 75 acres (303,514.5 m²) campus in New Canaan, Connecticut
New Canaan, Connecticut
New Canaan is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, northeast of Stamford, on the Fivemile River. The population was 19,738 according to the 2010 census.The town is one of the most affluent communities in the United States...
. The current headmaster is Timothy Bazemore, who joined the school in 2000.
There are approximately 615 students in the school. A bus program enables the school to serve families in surrounding communities of Darien
Darien, Connecticut
Darien is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. A relatively small community on Connecticut's "Gold Coast", the population was 20,732 at the 2010 census. Darien was listed at #9 at CNN Money's list of "top-earning towns" in the United States as of 2011...
, Norwalk
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
, Stamford
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, Ridgefield
Ridgefield, Connecticut
Ridgefield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Situated in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, the 300-year-old community had a population of 24,638 at the 2010 census. The town center, which was formerly a borough, is defined by the U.S...
, and Wilton
Wilton, Connecticut
Wilton is a town nestled in the Norwalk River Valley in southwestern Connecticut in the United States. It is located in Fairfield County. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 18,062. In 2007, it was voted as one of CNN Money's "Best Places to Live" in the United States.Located along...
, as well as New Canaan
New Canaan, Connecticut
New Canaan is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, northeast of Stamford, on the Fivemile River. The population was 19,738 according to the 2010 census.The town is one of the most affluent communities in the United States...
. Financial aid is available to families who qualify. The school is committed to maintaining a diverse student population, with the belief that educating children in a diverse community will better prepare them for success in the global marketplace. The athletic program is mandatory for the Middle and Upper School. In the Fall trimester, students can choose from Soccer (boys and girls teams), Football, Field Hockey, or co-ed Cross Country. In the Winter trimester the options are Basketball, Yoga, Fitness, and Paddle Tennis. A drama program, which was added to the Middle School options in the 2010 winter programs, is also available to students in place of playing a sport for a season, and has always been an option for Upper Schoolers.
At A Glance:
Student to teacher ratio: 6 to 1;
Financial aid awarded for 2008-2009: $2,905,000;
Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 19.4%;
Percentage of students of color: 15.1%;
Average teaching years: 16.5;
Percentage of faculty with graduate degrees: 65%;
Student to computer ratio: 1.1 to 1;
Students reside in: 18 area towns.
There are four "schools" within the entire campus: The Thacher Building (Preschool-Kindergarten) named for former headmaster Nick Thacher; The Welles Building (Grades 1-4; also called "Lower School"); The Middle School (Grades 5-6); and The Stevens Building (Grades 7-9; also called "Upper School"). The ninth grade year is a unique pre-preparatory program that emphasizes teaching leadership and independent thinking schools. A fully staffed placement office works with students to coordinate placement in top boarding and day schools.
The new addition to the Stevens Building was opened in September, 2007, with science labs, art studios, and expanded classroom and meeting facilities for use by students in Grades 7-9. The building was recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council with the LEED (Leadership in Energy Efficient Design) Silver Award. On Earth Day, Senator Judith Freeman presented a proclamation from Governor Jodi Rell
Jodi Rell
Mary Jodi Rell is a Republican politician and was the 87th Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut from 2004 until 2011. She was the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut under Governor John G. Rowland, who resigned during a corruption investigation. Rell is Connecticut's second female Governor,...
in recognition of its being the greenest school building in the state of Connecticut. The school itself is located at 545 Ponus Ridge.
NCCS was founded as "The Community School" in 1916, and from that point to 1933 it was run by co-principals Edith Dudley and Effie Dunton. A growing number of students forced the school to move to its current location at Grace Hill.
Blue and white are the primary colors of the school. The mascot for middle and upper school athletics is the Cougar.