Providence Day School

Providence Day School is an independent Transitional Kindergarten through Grade 12 school located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The school is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

As of the 2011–12 school year, the school had an enrollment of approximately 1,550 students and nearly 180 classroom teachers (on a FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 9:1.

Awards and recognition

During the 1986–87 and 2003–04 school years, Providence Day School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education, the highest award an American school can receive.

In 2012, Providence Day School was recognized for the ninth consecutive year as one of North Carolina's 50 most family-friendly employers by Carolina Parenting Inc. for its initiatives in helping parents balance work and home life.

History

In July 1970, James Williams, Thomas Ridenhour and Gilbert Bell began discussing the idea of starting a school. On Aug. 30, 1970, they held the first organizational meeting at the home of James Williams. Present were Gilbert Bell, Reid Caldwell, Joe Conrad, Charles Graves, Charles Harper, William Hester, John Locklear, Wilton Parr, Charles Reed, Thomas Ridenhour, Preston Sizemore and James Williams. These men formed the Southeast Community Corporation for the purpose of beginning an independent school. They also became the school’s first board of directors. In September, a meeting was held to enlist interested parents. By the end of the night, 112 children from 108 families had registered to attend the new school.