Boulder Country Day

4820 Nautilus Court North

Boulder, CO 80301

66 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on November 22, 2024

We have a current 6th grade student and our son was there from grades 5-7. He is currently a senior at Boulder High and loved his experience at BCD. BCD ignited his love of Latin and Model UN, and it continues to this day. He is taking AP Latin and has close knit friends in Latin Club and Model UN at the high school level. BCD was able to provide differentiated learning for him that public school could not. Being extremely accelerated in certain subjects and not in other is challenging to navigate outside of BCD in Boulder County. He was extremely well prepared for high school, and started in Algebra II as a freshman. His sister came to BCD during the pandemic as a second grader. She had the opposite issues as her brother. Struggling in reading and math, due to the difficulty with reading comprehension. While she doesn't have a zeal for learning like her brother, she is excited to go to school for the programming they provide to sporty, free spirits.
Submitted by parent on September 22, 2024

We LOVE BCD. We have been there for three years now, and have a 2nd grader and a 4th grader. Our children have been so well cared for - and so loved by the teachers and administrators at this school. We feel so lucky to be a part of this warm, welcoming culture that promotes academic excellence (customized to what that means for your child) , and also focuses on build kind, engaged global citizens. This is a special place that si getting better each year.
Submitted by parent on April 02, 2024

My son has been going to BCD since pre-k. As he rounds out his 6th grade year and heads into 7th, I am so grateful that we found BCD!The school stands for high academic achievement, something I notice regularly when he is with other non-BCD kids his age and older. He is at much higher levels in math and reading plus he already has many years of Latin, Spanish and French under his belt.BCD also stands for community. My son understands respect for others and his community and environment while also learning to advocate for himself.He is on the afterschool x-country and track teams with Olympic-level coaches.The teachers and staff are commendable and create a wonderful atmosphere where students are encouraged to participate, push themselves, make mistakes, and learn. We have built great friendships with wonderful families in this a safe and supportive community. Thank you BCD!
Submitted by parent on February 28, 2024

I have 3 kids currently enrolled at BCD, and I can recommend the school without hesitation. I love that the school is a TK-8; in my experience, schools that house students K-12 are more focused on College matriculation than the elementary school experience for young learners. My whole family is excited for the dining commons + extra space for STEM learning that will be opened in the fall of 2024!
Submitted by parent on February 10, 2024

Boulder Country Day School has provided an incredible environment in which our two sons (Pre-K & 4th grade) can learn, grow and thrive. The academic curriculum and teaching approach are excellent, the teachers, faculty and staff are caring, challenging and supportive, and their enriching programs spanning foreign languages, computer science, art, and music are outstanding. Additionally, the close-knit BCD community of parents and families is engaged, caring and welcoming. Our sons love being BCD Bulldogs!!
Submitted by parent on January 23, 2024

BCD Middle School has been a wonderful place for our kids. The head of the Middle School truly cares for these kids, takes feedback, and works hard to continue to make improvements where needed. It is a great size- large enough to have a good social circle and a wide array of sports and elective courses, but not so large that kids get lost in the shuffle. Middle school can be challenging for kids in so many ways, and keeping kids "younger" for a bit longer is beneficial- BCD does just that. They know what is going on, they check in when a child seems "off", they notice how kids are doing and they care about kids' wellbeing and academic growth. While there have been some challenges (as there would be anywhere), those incidents have been handled well. Overall, both my kids enjoy going to school- which says a lot for a middle schooler. We are also excited about the new Dining Commons/Arts and Innovation Building set to open by Fall 2024. This will provide even more opportunities for the students and teachers.
Submitted by parent on November 28, 2023

This is our 5th year at BCD and my kids are thriving and excited to go to school everyday. I have been very impressed with not only the teacher quality, but also with the accessibility and response to any questions and concerns regarding my children's education and sociability. When concerns or suggestions have been brought up to teachers and administration, they do their best to respond professionally and timely with appropriate solutions. The administration and parents of students at BCD foster an amazing community that feels heard and supported. My kids understand their strengths and areas where they need more support, and they can also be happy for and supportive of other students' strengths and challenges which creates a harmonious classroom environment. I see distinct advantages to the smaller class size. It has allowed my children to feel a level of comfort and safety which has fostered immense growth in their personalities and confidence. The small class size also allows for staff to keep a close eye on bullying and handle any situations that arise before they become a problem. I highly recommend BCD.
Submitted by parent on April 11, 2023

The school has some great things like its music and arts program and its “specials” classes. Its athletic director is outstanding and encourages every child to participate in a sport. The PTO is awesome and the parent population is involved and dedicated. But the erosion of leadership in the past several years is palpable. While tuition continues to rise, the investment on academics and hiring high quality educators in the middle school has dropped. Until recently, there was no clear math program in the middle school. While there was an investment in redesigning the STEM classroom, complete with a 3-D printer, they’ve struggled to hire a suitable STEM and design teacher to teach the kids how to use it. While everything on campus is shiny and new, the attitude among parents and teachers is increasingly negative. There is a sense the administration sees both as replaceable. This has destroyed the warmth and sense of community that used to exist under Mike Shields, the former head of school.While the school is promoting inclusiveness and diversity—a laudable goal— it’s quick to publicly exclude and shame students who make age appropriate mistakes or who disagree with a particular political view. With the previous head of school, mistakes were learning opportunities that were handled with the well being of all children at the forefront of the decision. Under the current leadership, a child’s mistake becomes the administration’s moment to pander to a subset of the parent population. While no school is perfect and people are prone to make mistakes, the lack of accountability by BCD’s administration for its mistakes is a distinguishing factor between BCD and another school.
Submitted by parent on April 11, 2023

Our daughter is new to BCD, and we can’t emphasize enough how happy we are she’s attending BCD middle school. She loves school, and we love seeing her happy and doing well. She even recently turned down a day off to go skiing because she didn’t want to miss it! We haven’t had to reach out on many issues, but the relevant teacher or leadership has been excellent and responsive when we have. Math has been her most challenging subject, and now we hear her say things like, “I’m good at math,” thanks to Ms. Doering. Our daughter now says she wants to be a teacher and cites several BCD teachers who have inspired this decision. Of course, drama occasionally happens among some of the kids – it’s middle school, after all! But our daughter hasn’t been caught up in any drama (she easily avoids it) and has developed many friendships with a big group of fantastic, kind kids. Almost every day, we hear about how most of her classmates played tag or some other game at recess together. We’ve found the parents very welcoming and have developed some wonderful friendships because of BCD too.
Submitted by parent on April 10, 2023

I have two children attending BCD in elementary and middle school and have been very happy with their academics, social-emotional experience, class size and engagement with in the arts. The teachers in preschool and elementary are fabulous educators. In addition, my middle school has had some stellar teachers as well as a positive experience with the IB program. This year middle schoolers had so many wonderful opportunities including singing the National Anthem at a CU basketball game, participating in a variety of sports and Explore classes, acting in the school musical, volunteering for events on and off campus and engaging in Model United Nations. Next year, middle schoolers have the opportunity to take a trip to NYC with EF during which they will tour the UN among other exciting adventures. The Learning Center at BCD has been crucial to support my children with their educational goals as well as test-taking and organizational skills. The small class sizes and small-group instruction was one of the main reasons we moved to BCD from public school, and it has been so valuable for both of my children. The community at BCD is warm and welcoming and there are a variety of events that involve families such as pancake breakfasts, the Fun Run, Fall Fest, Spring Fling, Celebration of Cultures and many others. Overall, I appreciate BCD's commitment to inclusivity and belonging and am always happy to spend time on campus connecting with other parents, teachers and administrators. Everyone cares deeply about kids and their growth, and the fact that my kids get in the car every day with smiles on their faces validates our choice in schools.
Submitted by parent on April 07, 2023

There are several excellent teachers at BCD. Most are in the elementary and pre-school. However, teachers are largely mistreated, underpaid, and unhappy with how the administration disregards their concerns and needs. The director of admissions continues to accept students and place them into already full classes, promising support and resources that the school simply does not have. As such, this school is not a good fit for any child who is gifted, neuro-diverse, or has a learning disability. To complicate matters, there is one learning resource teacher assigned to the entire middle school. As such, the school is extremely reluctant to formalize a 504 plan, as they simply do not have the bandwidth to follow through with disability accommodations. Additionally, there have been several questionable hires in the middle school in recent years resulting in rapid and regular turnover. As a result, the middle school currently has no formal math curriculum. This academic year, some middle school students have had three different math teachers. It's language program (save Latin) under-prepares students for high school languages. Finally, the school's recent shift to social justice education has dominated the curriculum at the expense of core curricular classes. St. Vrain Valley and Boulder County schools are excellent and FREE. BCD is not the sound investment it used to be. It's taken a disastrous, politicized turn for the worse at the expense of students' emotional and educational development. It's leadership team has failed to develop policies and procedures to thoughtfully and proactively navigate children and families through these changes.
Submitted by parent on October 06, 2021

When we were researching kindergarten for our now-8th grade daughter, we wanted to find a place where our two-mom family would be welcome. We found that place at Boulder Country Day. From the first tour we took until today, our family has been treated like every other family. Being gay is a non-issue. Our kids have made friends, been invited to playdates, and gone to birthday parties just like other kids. We made friends with other parents and regularly socialize with them. When my wife was diagnosed with a serious illness, the BCD community stood by us: meals delivered, carpools arranged, kids taken to the movies -- so many acts of kindness it's hard to recount them all. This is an intentionally kind and inclusive community. Both our kids (who are very different people) have thrived at BCD. The school has a strong academic focus and a structured environment. I wasn't completely sold on the "structured" part when my daughter first started kindergarten. Would it be rigid or stifle creativity? But I realized over time that the structure made my kids feel more secure which meant they could learn and do more. Frank Reagan said that life should be a series of daring adventures from a safe base. BCD has given my kids a safe base. I can already tell my oldest is ready for the daring adventure of high school -- she's thoughtful, confident, academically prepared, and excited for the next challenge. BCD has been a wonderful school for our family.
Submitted by parent on June 13, 2021

We have been at Boulder Country Day for 3 years having moved to Boulder in 2018. The school community absolutely shines from engaged faculty and leadership to parents. It is a welcoming environment that places importance on getting to know students and families and listening to what is important to them. We have had excellent experiences with teachers who really want to get to know our children - their strengths, their weaknesses and what motivates them. Communication from teachers and leadership has always been strong. Boulder has some wonderful school options but what really tipped the scale for our family was the focus on social emotional learning. The dedicated instruction and support on the social emotional component combined with an emphasis on citizenship sets a wonderful foundation for individual confidence and personal growth. We are looking forward to having children in Elementary and Middle School in the 21/22 school year.
Submitted by parent on June 08, 2021

We moved to Boulder mid-pandemic with our Kindergartener and found a true home at BCD - a place where our little guy has thrived as both a student and citizen. We were welcomed by a community of engaged and positive parents, faculty, and staff. Our two younger children will join him this coming school year. We’re so happy to have found BCD!
Submitted by other on April 29, 2021

We have been in the school for 3 years. Our experience at Boulder Country day has been positive in every way. The school strikes a nice balance between academic rigor and social/fun. I am thankful that our kids are educated in such a loving community.
Submitted by parent on May 27, 2020

Our experience has been very positive. Coming from a local area Waldorf school, it was a big change but we are so glad we made the move.
Submitted by parent on October 31, 2019

This has been an unbelievable experience for both of our children. Our son started mid year of 3rd grade and while coming in mid year can be a challenging transition, he has grown significantly both academically and socially his first full year. Our daughter joined the school this year and has adapted quickly, has a group of friends and is challenged academically. We wish we had moved our kids from their previous school much sooner. We love BCD!
Submitted by parent on October 29, 2019

Choosing BCD as the foundation for our children’s education has been one of the most important decisions we’ve ever made as parents. They wake up eager to go to school every day, have deep friendships with their classmates, love learning and spending time with their teachers, and have grown tremendously socially, emotionally, and academically since they first started. The tools they are being given to succeed in life are immeasurable and priceless.
Submitted by parent on October 28, 2019

Medium to poor. Lots of great teachers and counseling. Good academics. Variable in class curriculum. Terrible administration that is inconsistent in how it managed students, frequently to their detriment. Not proper management of bullying. Terrible - in essence no - investigation into matters that if made public would put the school’s reputation up to major scrutiny.
Submitted by parent on March 20, 2019

Excellent, I love the teachers and the commitment to my child's education. I love that my child feels safe and loved when they enter the doors everyday.