Community Events

Sip on freshly brewed beverages while you mingle with other families and peruse all of the opportunities to get involved during the upcoming school year. 

Held on mornings in September, parent coffees are a great way to informally mix and mingle with fellow grade-level parents.

At back-to-school nights, held in September, you will hear from teachers and learn more about the curriculum your child can look forward to in the coming months. There are also two other curriculum-focused nights held later in the year. 

Join SCDS families, faculty, and staff in showing your support of the school by making a gift to the school's Annual Fund. As our way of saying "thanks-a-latte" for your generosity to our students and our school, we will send you off with a hot coffee beverage.

Students come together on Halloween to model their inventive costumes and socialize with friends across divisions. 

Each year, students in grades 3 to 8 take on engineering projects that foster learning, creativity, and perseverance while building manual skills. There are two events: one for grades 3–5, and one for 6–8.

In preparation for the Winterim program, families can participate in the Winter Gear Swap to purchase lightly used clothes and gear at bargain prices.

This event allows current parents to speak with our Intermediate and/or Middle School faculty, experience inquiry-based lessons, and learn about the school's high-school transition program.

For six Fridays during the start of winter, students participate in programs focused on skiing, snowboarding, or ice skating and art. These lessons build confidence, endurance, and sense of adventure. Also, for one Friday during Winterim, SCDS alumni are invited back to ski with the community! 

In January, students celebrate and commemorate the work of Dr. King and the Civil Rights movement, while speaking to work on equity and justice that continues today. Lower School students hold an assembly, while older students engage in service-learning projects.

The Parent & Guardian Council organizes this popular event in which families donate books; students then select a few books to take home...for free!

Teams of students in grades K–5, along with volunteers (parents, guardians, Middle School students), join together for an adventure-filled evening of math puzzles, deductive reasoning, and team spirit.

In early 2021, SCDS adopted a strategic plan called SCDS Next. The plan has two priorities: retaining and attracting excellent faculty and increasing the diversity and inclusivity of the community. As part of our commitment to DEI, the school offers several events and sessions for parents, including Cafecito & Conversation, Courageous Conversation, Decoding the Language of Today’s Social Activism, and Families of Color Socials, and parents and guardians have formed a group called RIPPLES (Race in Parenting Learning Circles). In addition, the school has established several affinity groups to build community: Several are administered by and for families, and others, created for students, are administered by the school.  

The SCDS auction is not only a fundraiser — supporting a portion of the school's operating budget — but a friendraiser that gathers our community together for the benefit of SCDS students, learning, and school programs. 

Cultural Night celebrates culture, community, and camaraderie. Community members host tables, and families, faculty, and staff are invited to learn, participate in activities, and sample some delicious food. 

For one special day in the spring, our students' grandparents and special friends are invited to campus to see what life at SCDS is like...complete with a concert and an art walk. 

Students play instruments, perform songs with their class, and sometimes debut their own original songs.

The SCDS Carnival takes over campus for the final Saturday of the school year. It is a celebration for the entire community that includes carnival games, bouncy houses, face-painting, and more!

Eighth grade students' time at SCDS culminates in a ceremony that includes faculty and student speakers, student performances, the granting of diplomas, and a reception.

There are several times during the year that SCDS promotes getting-to-know-you playdates and gatherings for families. One set of playdate-gatherings, administered by the admissions office, brings families together before the start of school to introduce new families to other families in their grade or division. The Parent & Guardian Council also organizes fun get-togethers specifically for parents and guardians.