| Providence Day School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Charlotte, North Carolina, United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private |
| Established | 1970 |
| Faculty | 124.9 (on FTE basis)[1] |
| Enrollment | 1,550 (as of 2011-12)[1] |
| Average class size | 12-20 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 12.8[1] |
| Color(s) | Red, White and Blue |
| Athletics | Football, baseball, softball, golf, lacrosse, tennis, basketball, field hockey, wrestling, track, cross country, and swimming |
| Athletics conference | NCISAA |
| Team name | Chargers |
| Website | http://www.providenceday.org |
Providence Day School is an independent Transitional Kindergarten through Grade 12 school located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The school is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
As of the 2011-12 school year, the school had an enrollment of approximately 1,550 students and nearly 170 classroom teachers (on a FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 9:1.[1]
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During the 1986-87 and 2003-04 school years, Providence Day School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education[2][3][4], the highest award an American school can receive.[5][6]
In July 1970, James Williams, Thomas Ridenhour and Gilbert Bell began discussing the idea of beginning a school. On August 30, 1970, they held the first organizational meeting at the home of James Williams. Present were Gilbert Bell, Reid Caldwell, Joe Conrad, Charles Graves, Charles Harper, William Hester, John Locklear, Wilton Parr, Charles Reed, Thomas Ridenhour, Preston Sizemore and James Williams. These men formed the Southeast Community Corporation for the purpose of beginning an independent school. They also became the school’s first board of directors. In September, a meeting was held to enlist interested parents. By the end of the night, 112 children from 108 families had registered to attend the school.
Several days later, potential property for the school had been located. The board of directors, led by David Raphael, borrowed $200 from each family who had enrolled a child, purchased 7.6 acres (31,000 m2) of land for $75,000 on Sardis Road.
After the deed to the land was signed, parents went to work converting the house that was on the land into a school. On September 28, 1970, Providence Day School was born. There were 180 students in fifth and sixth grade.
In February 1971, the State Department of Public Instruction approved Providence Day as a private school. In the summer of 1971, William T. Townsend, Jr. was hired as the first headmaster and the late Gil Murdock was hired as the first coach and physical education instructor. Murdock would become the longest serving faculty member in school history before retiring in 2006. He died three days later of a heart attack. The next year the school had its fist turkey trot in memory of him. All the money raised would go to the American Heart Association.
The 1974-75 school year brought the school’s first state championship in sports (golf), the addition of the two-story building (later named Overcash Hall) and accreditation from the Southern Association of Independent Schools. 1975 was also the year of the school’s first graduating class.
In 1982, adjacent property was purchased for an athletic complex to accommodate football, track, baseball, softball, and tennis. The gymnasium was dedicated and named the Thomas L. Ridenhour Athletic Center in 1983. In 1985, the wing between the Williams Building and Providence Hall was enclosed, and three classrooms were added.
Eugene Bratek became the school’s third Headmaster in 1986. Bratek retired from the school after the 2007 school year, and was replaced by Dr. Jack Creeden. In December of 2010, Glyn Cowlishaw, Ed.D., was selected as the new Head of School. His tenure will begin on July 1, 2011.
In 1990, the McMahon Fines Arts Center was dedicated and the school purchased adjoining property and a house for the Extended Day Program.
In 1998, the Dickson-Hemby Technology Center opened and now houses math, science, and computer classes. The Thompson-Jones Library and the Mosack Athletic Center were dedicated in 2001 at the conclusion of the “Tomorrow Begins Today” campaign. The Dining Hall in the McMahon Fine Arts center was expanded in 2005. This expansion also included a black box theater and more space for the band program.
Portions adapted from Providence Day School Silver Memories: The First Twenty Five Years by Clara Ellen Peeler and Catherine Campani Messmer; Providence Day School, 1995.
The school is divided into Lower, Middle and Upper School divisions, each led by a Head of Division and a Dean of Students. In December of 2010, Providence Day School’s Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Glyn Cowlishaw, Ed.D., as the new Head of School. His tenure began July 1, 2011.
Providence Day School has established a Global Studies program through which high school students may obtain a Global Studies Diploma after fulfilling course, extracurricular and travel requirements as well as completing a global research project.
PDS participates in the ABC (A Better Change) Program and holds memberships in the National Association of Independent Schools, Educational Records Bureau, National and Southern Association of College Admission Counselors and the College Board. PDS complies with the NACAC Statement of Principles of Good Practices.
In 2011, the varsity football team won the NCISAA state championship. The football program is led by Coach Bruce Hardin. Coach Hardin has coached football for 42 years and has won three state championships. He was elected to the North Carolina High School Hall of Fame in 2010.
In 2011, the girls basketball team won the NCISAA state championship. The team also won the state championship in 1990, 1993, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010. In 2006, the team was ranked by Sports Illustrated as the third best in the nation.
In 2011, the cross country team won the NCISAA state championship The team also won the state championship in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010.
In 2010, the golf, girls tennis, girls basketball and boys cross country teams won NCISAA state champions. In 2010, the boys tennis team were CISAA champions.
In 2009, for the second straight year, a Providence Day School team won the state title in Physics Lab at Science Olympiad.
In 2009, the boys track and field team won the state title for the first time since 1998.
In 2007, the varsity lacrosse won its first ever NCISAA state championship.
The 2011 graduating class is considered one of the most athletically-successful class in the school's history, with nearly 30 student-athletes with plans to continue playing at the collegiate level, Including:
Note 1:This facility replaced former relocatable classrooms known colloquially as "ReLos."
Reggie Love, former personal aide to President Barack Obama