Curriculum Guide

Presbyterian Day School seeks to know, understand, appreciate, and celebrate each boy and the unique talents God has given him. Whether playing the violin, writing poetry, or kicking the soccer ball, we want every boy to discover and develop passions and to experience success. PDS offers balanced programs not only to meet the diverse talents and interests of our boys, but because we also seek to develop the whole boy — heart, soul, mind, and body.

Our academic program builds each year to provide students with a comprehensive, challenging, and boy-centered education. With emphasis placed on the development of strong critical and creative thinking skills, our boys will be effective communicators, collaborators, and problem-solvers.

PDS students will know how to think and how to apply knowledge — vital skills that they can use now and in the future.

The PDS learning environment is designed to be a safe space for boys to take risks and try new things. We are intentional about creating learning experiences which push students to wrestle with questions, manage ambiguity, and adapt to change. With recognition that a student’s path of learning will reflect a cycle of successes and stumbling blocks, our boys are encouraged to bounce back from frustrating experiences and take advantage of these setbacks as opportunities to deepen understanding. In these challenging moments, our students display resilience and demonstrate their learning in flexible ways.

This guide is designed to provide a general understanding of Presbyterian Day School’s school-wide curriculum. Because the PDS curriculum is ever-changing, this guide does not articulate every skill, topic, concept, or experience but instead serves to illustrate skills that are considered essential for success in each grade.