Community Day School

Imagination is taking over our summer spaces as students step into exciting themed learning environments designed for hands-on play, creativity, and exploration.

One classroom has transformed into a bustling grocery store, complete with a produce section, a bakery, and a checkout counter. At the same time, another has become a transportation hub filled with trains, firetrucks, spaceships, and more! Around every corner, students are building stories, exploring new ideas, and discovering the world around them through interactive play and unforgettable adventures.

Sunshine, smiles, giggles, and endless excitement filled our Early Childhood Center as the first session of "Mini Menschy" Camp officially kicked off! From splashing into creative projects and exploring new classrooms to reuniting with old friends and making brand-new ones, our campers jumped right into the fun from the very first moment.

Whether they were creating, imagining, laughing, dancing, or discovering something new, every corner of campus was buzzing with pure camp magic. And this was only day one! We can already tell this is going to be a summer packed with unforgettable adventures, joyful memories, and so many special moments!

Thank you to the newly opened in downtown Sarasota for curating a spectacular luncheon for the entire CDS staff. Everyone gathered together for a celebratory toast and delicious meal, creating the perfect send-off into summer surrounded by incredible food, company and ambiance.

The afternoon also included special staff recognitions with gift cards and commemorative pins and plaques honoring milestone anniversaries, including 5 and 10 years of dedication, 25 years for Jodi Behrenfeld and an incredible 35 years for Jessica Balno. Fun raffle prizes, laughter and time together made it a wonderful way to celebrate an extraordinary school year!

Bravo to an inspirational end-of-the-year performance! After an incredible week of celebration, we could not be prouder of our students, staff, and families for making this year so meaningful and memorable.

From joyful performances to special milestone moments, it was a beautiful reflection of the middot, or values, that guide our CDS community each day. We cannot wait to see all that lies ahead for our newest graduates. 🎓

Next up... CDS SUMMER CAMP begins next week with our early childhood "Mini Menschy" Camp followed by our upper school “Camp Menschy" kicking off on June 1st.

We look forward to our treasured Alumni Day gathering year after year! It is such a gift to have our past graduates visit and share their experiences and words of wisdom with our school community!

It was as if no time had passed, watching our alumni reconnect with their peers while advising our middle school students on how they navigated transitioning from CDS into high school, discussing the leadership roles they’ve taken since graduating, and remembering their fondest memories at CDS/GFA! The day wouldn’t have been complete without them visiting their favorite teachers and getting alumni swag!

From our youngest learners to our oldest students, each classroom wrapped up the school year with a special celebration thoughtfully planned by our incredible room parents!

Students enjoyed games, crafts, treats, activities, and meaningful time together as they celebrated the memories, friendships, and accomplishments of the 2025–2026 school year.

To make the festivities even more exciting, Menschy stopped by to join in the fun and celebrate alongside the students!

It has long been a cherished tradition for our seventh-grade class to plan and host the eighth-grade dinner, preparing them for the role they will soon step into while honoring their peers in a meaningful way.

Kudos to our seventh graders for creating a beautiful Paris-themed evening, complete with Eiffel Tower décor, fromage, macarons, berets, and thoughtful touches that made the celebration so special for our graduating class!

Our final Panther Pride of the school year wrapped up with exciting Water Day festivities, including relay races, an ice slide from , snow cones, waterslides, and water balloon fights! It was the perfect way to celebrate an incredible year filled with school spirit and unforgettable memories together.

Calling All CDS/GFA/TBSS alumni! We look forward to welcoming you back to campus for Alumni Day on May 20! See old friends and visit with your favorite teachers while helping our 8th graders navigate the road ahead.

RSVP to Mrs. Meese at [email protected]. Please share with your fellow alumni!

What a week for our 8th graders as they traveled to New York City for their final class trip together!

After a year of fundraising through pizza and popsicle sales, spirit and Hanukkahgrams, students made their way to the Big Apple for a week filled with adventure, laughter and unforgettable memories. From reflecting at the 9/11 Memorial and walking across the Brooklyn Bridge to exploring Chinatown, the Bronx Zoo, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, students experienced the culture and energy of New York firsthand.

Along the way, students took in the magic of The Lion King on Broadway, navigated the subway like true New Yorkers, and experienced the bright lights and nonstop excitement of Times Square. What made the trip even more meaningful was that our soon-to-be graduates planned every aspect of the trip themselves, including flights, accommodations, excursions and activities.

Filled with teamwork, independence and meaningful moments together, this special trip created memories they will carry with them long after their final days at CDS and into their high school journeys ahead.

Excitement filled our classrooms during this year’s Moving Up Day!

Each spring, our students get a chance to step into the classroom of the grade they will enter next year. They explored new routines, learned about upcoming topics and projects, and spent time getting to know what the next chapter of their learning journey will look like.

Students also created small projects, including headbands and bookmarks, that they will use as they transition into their new grade level. Current students enjoyed welcoming the younger classes by sharing their favorite parts of the year and offering helpful tips and advice for what’s ahead.

The day was filled with curiosity, connection, and excitement as our students looked ahead to the new experiences awaiting them next year.