At Your Service

At Your Service By Lynne Goldman, photo by Dan Epstein Photo provided by Chatham Day School Pamela Fiander, Ed.D., Head of School — Chatham Day's Double mission — Where Compassion Counts as much as BrillianCe magine a school where your children are challenged academically and encouraged to be good people. Sounds like too lofty a goal? Not for the Chatham Day School (CDS), which pursues this ideal with a passion. CDS first opened its doors in 1998, with just 47 students in a leased space. Today, Chatham Day School has 160 students, from preschool through Grade 8, and its own beautiful, 15-acre campus in Chatham Township. What makes CDS different? Class size, certainly, says Pamela Fiander, Ed.D., Head of School. With a maximum of 14 children in each class, "you get to know the students very well," says Fiander. "I am able to greet each one daily, and I love to hear the stories they tell." The school approaches teaching in a way that encourages children to explore everything and question everyone, from peers to teachers... I and even the head of school. Fiander recalls one student who did just that, adding, "I never would have had that courage at such a young age." Accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA), and a member of two Independent Schools associations, CDS offers a rigorous, broad program, exeeding academic requirements. Among its unique features is an integrative approach to learning. Topics like math, science, and literature are taught as independent subjects, but they are also woven into a theme-based curriculum, in which they are studied as part of an overall topic area. In addition to focusing on core academics, art, drama, library, music, Spanish and a technology literacy program, CDS strongly stresses what it calls "fitness for life." Gym class and other physical activity are part of each school day. Although its academic program is top notch, Chatham Day places equal focus on building character. "Being a good person, a compassionate person is equally important as being a smart person," says Fiander. From treating one another with respect to participating in community service, the school stresses the core values of kindness, respect, and caring for others. And what do students like about Chatham Day School? In an essay, a fourth-grader who was new to CDS wrote: "CDS. A school The school. Where you have pride. Where you can dream. Where you learn. Where you laugh. Where you express yourself. Where teachers aren't just teachers, they are family. Not a school, the school." s Chatham Day School 700 Shunpike Road, Chatham • 973-410-0400 www.chathamdayschool.org February 2010 VicinityMagazine.com 29

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