high school

C.S. Lewis, in his book, Mere Christianity, addresses the challenges of living the Christian life on a daily basis. Lewis says that it is "the difference between paint, which is merely laid on the surface, and a dye or stain which soaks right through." At Covenant Day School, we strive to impact our students at their core, not merely with an exterior coating. We are in the business of formation, not simply information.

Academically, we offer a rigorous curriculum so our students will be well prepared for their future. We want our students to learn how to learn. We want them to gain knowledge, but to then move beyond that to understand and apply that knowledge. While we want them to be accepted at the colleges and universities of their choosing, it is more important that they are “ready” to be “successful” in those institutions – in the classrooms as well as in the dorm rooms. To that end, we offer a well-rounded curriculum that includes College Preparatory, Honors, and Advanced Placement courses in the disciplines of English, math, science, history, Bible, art, music, drama, computer, foreign language (Spanish, Latin, or French), physical education, health, yearbook, and newspaper. CDS is fully accredited by SACS AdvancEd (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools), NCPSA (National Council for Private School Education) and CSI (Christian Schools International).

To give our students the most up-to-date preparation, all high school students utilize their laptop (tablet or notebook) computers throughout every school day, integrating this technology into the curriculum. Our buildings are wireless to support this technology. Much of the training in this area focuses on how and when to use this resource.

To enable our students to be well-rounded and take full advantage of the areas that interest them, opportunities to be involved in numerous extra-curricular activities including clubs, service projects, and social activities are provided. We also require service hours as a way to teach students to look for opportunities to serve others. High School students at CDS have done everything from serving meals to the homeless to building homes with Habitat for Humanity. They have served in our own backyard ministering to needy in Matthews and have traveled as far as Costa Rica and Haiti to do the same. We encourage club participation when there is interest, and we offer social opportunities as a means of challenging students to be in the world but not of it. All these are intended to help students develop their God-given abilities and interests so they are prepared to minister now and into the future.

We value sports and fine arts programs as wonderful opportunities to build character and grow in a variety of areas. These are both areas where formation is so much more important – and long-lasting – than information. As our high school has grown, so have these programs. Our eighteen varsity athletic teams compete in the largest private school association in the state with a 3A classification. Our fine arts program has grown as well, giving our students opportunity to perform and compete while they sharpen their artistic skills in visual and performing arts. While we are pleased with the successes seen in both of these areas, we cherish more the opportunity for students to grow in their relationship with Christ and to represent Him well to a watching world.

In short, we desire that our students add wisdom to a broad base of knowledge, make the most of technological advances, and have a heart for community rather than simply looking out for themselves. Returning to the quote by C.S. Lewis, we want the stain to soak in to the deepest part of our students SO THAT they are well equipped to take Christ to the world. We invite you to come learn more about Covenant Day High School.

Scott Dillon
High School Principal
Covenant Day School
704.814.1066