On September 17, 1965, Princeton Day School (PDS) welcomed its first students with a mission to instill integrity, respect, and compassion in students learning to be well equipped for college and beyond, including being prepared to act knowledgeably, to lead thoughtfully, to share generously, and to contribute meaningfully.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of Dean Mathey, whose gifts to PDS include not only the property but also financial support, and the vision and dedication of educators, students, and families of the former Miss Fine’s School and Princeton Country Day School, PDS was born.
Today Princeton Day School enrolls about 950 boys and girls in pre-Kindergarten through grade 12. The campus is more than 106 acres of open meadows, streams, ponds, and forests. The coeducational day school is divided into three divisions: Lower School (Pre-K to grade 4); Middle School (grades 5 to 8); and Upper School (grades 9 to 12).
“We pride ourselves on excellence in academics, athletics, the arts, and service,” said Director of Communications Kathryn Rosko. “Our rigorous and broad program is designed for motivated and academically talented students. We emphasize both creative and critical thought and their clear expression. Supported by an exceptional faculty and a cooperative partnership of school and home, our students discover the joy of learning.”
The school houses three computer centers, a planetarium, an outdoor astronomy site, a 400-seat theater, an indoor and an outdoor amphitheater, nine laboratories, three libraries, three gymnasiums, a greenhouse, an organic garden and chicken coop, a bookstore, four arts studios, a ceramics studio, an industrial arts shop, a drafting room, a photography laboratory, rehearsal rooms for chorus and orchestra, individual instrumental practice rooms, an electronic music laboratory, and an art gallery. In addition to the school buildings, students make use of extensive athletic fields, including two turf fields, nine tennis courts, an ice skating rink, and the campus center.
“To honor our 50 years, we’ll hold our Convocation on Thursday, September 17, 2015, 50 years to the day,” Rosko added. “We plan to celebrate the milestone with a year of special events for the entire PDS community. A schedule of events will appear on our website later this summer, so plan to mark your calendar and join us for this very important birthday celebration.”
Princeton Day School, 650 Great Road, Princeton. 609-924-6700. www.pds.org. www.facebook.com/princetondayschool. Twitter: @PDSPanthers. See ad, page 14.
