“Our mission is to cultivate principled, entrepreneurial thinkers for a global society. We do this by enriching the mind, strengthening the character, and inspiring the passions of our community,” said Nicole Ragan, Director of Marketing and Communications for Carrollwood Day School.
A co-ed International Baccalaureate private school for students through 12th grade, CDS was founded as a preschool in 1982. Its first campus was a small location in a strip mall off Gunn highway, serving just 20 students. Today, between their K-12th campus on West Bearss Avenue and preschool location on Casey Road, they’ve hit capacity at 1,237 students this year.
Adopting the International Baccalaureate program in 2007, CDS is now the only full IB continuum school on the west coast of Florida, offering the primary and middle years programs in addition to the diploma program. “As an IB school, we incorporate the principles and philosophies of the IB program into our daily educational experience,” Ragan said. In an average school day, this takes the form of rigorous curriculum with an emphasis on critical thinking, inquiry based learning, and interdisciplinary connections. “Students participate in interactive discussions, hands on activities and collaborative projects that promote that global mindedness of IB, a cultural understanding and holistic development,” Ragan said. Besides fostering a deep understanding of subject matter, the IB diploma program “provides the students with internationally recognized qualifications when they are going to the college level,” Ragan said. This gives CDS students an extra boost in an increasingly competitive college admissions process.
Many people have no idea of the official registration required to even be considered a school worthy of the IB name. The International Baccalaureate organization was officially registered in Geneva in 1968. Originally a 2-year program for students ages 16 – 19, the program focused on intercultural understanding and critical thinking. Years later, the IB organization added the Middle Years program for students ages 11 – 16 and the Primary Years program for students as young as 3. Today, IB has a presence in more than 150 countries and territories.
Here in Tampa Bay, CDS has been a member of the Tampa Bay Chamber since 2012, “The Chamber has been a valuable resource for Carrollwood Day School by providing networking opportunities, business connections, and access to educational resources,” Ragan said. CDS has also been an active attendee at many workshops, seminars, and other Chamber held events.
“We take pride in seeing our students develop into confident individuals who are academically prepared, intellectually curious and socially responsible,” Ragan said. “Witnessing their accomplishments whether it’s achieving academic milestones, achieving leadership skills, or making a positive impact in their communities just brings us so much immense joy and reinforces our dedication to providing an exceptional educational experience.”
