Presbyterian Day School
Presbyterian Day School is a private Christian elementary school in Memphis, TN, serving 400+ boys from age 2 through 6th grade with a proprietary character education curriculum (Building Boys, Making Men), accredited by NAIS and SAIS, and operating summer camps, athletics, and cultural programs as auxiliary revenue streams.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1948
- HeadquartersMemphis, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Presbyterian Day School does
Presbyterian Day School (PDS) is a private, independent 501(c)(3) Christian preschool and elementary school in Memphis, Tennessee, serving boys from age 2 (Young Knights) through 6th grade. Founded in 1948 and entering its 78th academic year in 2026-2027, PDS operates a single-campus, single-sex model centered on the proprietary "Building Boys, Making Men" character education program, the Seven Virtues of Manhood curriculum, and the published Flight Plan book series. The school is accredited by NAIS, SAIS, and TAIS, and is an active member of the International Boys School Coalition (IBSC). Co-located with Second Presbyterian Church on Poplar Avenue, PDS enrolls over 400 boys supported by approximately 100 faculty and staff, with a leadership structure spanning Head of School Brad Sewell, CFO Ross Hurst, Chief Advancement Officer Chris Oliver, and divisional heads across Early Childhood, Elementary, Athletics, Admission, Auxiliary Programs, and the Center for Educational Growth.
The core technology stack is administrative rather than instructional: PowerSchool for student grade management (used in 4th-6th grade), Blackbaud for tuition billing, and UltraCamp for summer camp registration. No proprietary software platform, app, or AI/ML capability is developed or disclosed. The product portfolio extends well beyond the academic day into a robust auxiliary ecosystem, including 9 weeks of summer camps (Camp PDS plus specialty camps in coding, sports, arts, and academic prep, open to boys and girls ages 2-12 from the general public), after-school enrichment in STEAM and athletics, a band program with near-universal 5th-6th grade participation, Cultural Expeditions overnight trips to Washington D.C. and St. Louis, a male mentor program for upper elementary, and signature character events such as monthly Virtue Breakfasts and Father/Son trips.
Revenue is generated through a diversified, multi-stream model typical of independent schools: recurring tuition (managed via Blackbaud), 9-week summer camp fees ranging from $140-$275 per week, after-school program fees, Annual Fund donations explicitly designed to bridge tuition to true cost of education, March Mania auction proceeds, endowment gifts, Cultural Expeditions trip fees ($1,250-$2,500), and modest event fees. Go-to-market is community-driven: a Director of Admission and Enrollment Management (Rachel Bishop) runs campus tours year-round, Preview Days, and an inquiry form pipeline, supplemented by word-of-mouth referrals, PDS Spirit Magazine, PDS Express newsletters, Instagram (@pdsmemphis), and Lighthouse Conversations parent-education events. The 78-year operating history, multi-generational alumni network, and deep community embedding in Memphis constitute the school's principal durable advantages.
Presbyterian Day School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Presbyterian Day School
- Legal name
- Presbyterian Day School
- Website
- https://pdsmemphis.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1948
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Presbyterian Day School is a private Christian elementary school in Memphis, TN, serving 400+ boys from age 2 through 6th grade with a proprietary character education curriculum (Building Boys, Making Men), accredited by NAIS and SAIS, and operating summer camps, athletics, and cultural programs as auxiliary revenue streams.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Presbyterian Day School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Christian K-6 Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Faith-Based Preschools (EDACABAF), Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)
Keywords
Where Presbyterian Day School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Memphis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Presbyterian Day School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments for private Christian education serving boys from 2-years-old through 6th grade. Tuition is managed through Blackbaud.
- Summer Camps: Revenue from extensive summer camp programming including Camp PDS and specialty camps, facilitated through UltraCamp registration platform. Camps offered for 9 weeks during summer.
- After-School Programs: Revenue from after-school programming including academic, creative arts, S.T.E.A.M., and athletic adventures, as well as AfterCare services.
- Annual Fund and Donations: Annual Fund donations help bridge the gap between tuition and the true cost of educating a PDS boy. Additional fundraising includes March Mania auction, endowment gifts, and planned giving.
- Cultural Expeditions: Optional paid trips for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade boys including Washington D.C. trips and other travel experiences.
- Event Fees: Fees for special events including Virtue Breakfasts ($5 for Chick-Fil-A), Father/Son trips ($1,250 per family), and Cultural Connections trips ($2,500).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Camp PDS - Full Day (5 days) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Camp PDS - 3 Full Days |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Camp PDS - Half Day |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Specialty Camps - Full Day |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Specialty Camps - Half Day |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | JumpStart Camps |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Before Care |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | After Care |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Virtue Breakfast |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Father/Son St. Louis Trip |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cultural Connections Trip - Washington D.C. |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
Presbyterian Day School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Presbyterian Day School delivers private Christian preschool and elementary education for boys from age 2 (Young Knights) through 6th grade at its Memphis campus, anchored by the signature Building Boys, Making Men character education program. The school supplements its core academic program with extensive auxiliary offerings including summer camps (Camp PDS and specialty camps), after-school enrichment, athletics, band, Cultural Expeditions overnight trips, mentorship, and the Center for Educational Growth learning support services. Tuition is the primary revenue stream, with supplementary fees for ancillary programs and Annual Fund donations bridging the gap between tuition and the actual cost of education.
Product overview
Presbyterian Day School is a private Christian preschool and elementary school for boys offering a single unified educational program spanning from Young Knights (age 2) through 6th grade. The core product is its comprehensive academic program enhanced by signature character education through the Building Boys, Making Men initiative (including the Seven Virtues of Manhood curriculum and Flight Plan book series). The school supplements its core curriculum with diverse enrichment programs including band, athletics, after-school activities, summer camps (Camp PDS and specialty camps), Cultural Expeditions overnight trips, STEAM experiences, and mentoring. The Center for Educational Growth provides academic support services. The school uses PowerSchool for grade management and Blackbaud for tuition, with UltraCamp powering summer registration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Class of 2026 graduates have been at PDS since early childhood, some for almost a decade
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Presbyterian Day School
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Presbyterian Day School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature3 records
Presbyterian Day School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Second Presbyterian ChurchcorePDS shares parking and common areas with Second Presbyterian Church, coordinating traffic for the safety of all individuals. The church also hosts Vacation Bible School in coordination with Camp PDS. This partnership enables shared campus facilities.
- National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)majorNAIS is a membership organization representing independent schools. PDS displays the NAIS member seal on its website footer.
- Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS)majorSAIS is a regional accreditation organization for independent schools in the southern United States.
- International Boys School Coalition (IBSC)majorIBSC connects boys' schools worldwide and commissioned a 2009 study on successful teaching practices for boys. PDS is an active member and promotes the coalition's research.
- Tennessee Association of Independent Schools (TAIS)majorTAIS is the state-level membership organization for independent schools in Tennessee.
- Vantage Point Driving RangeminorGolf instruction partner for Crusader Golf Camp located at 9580 Macon Road, Cordova, TN 38016. Coach Wise provides golf instruction at this facility.
- Building Blocks SoccerminorExternal vendor providing soccer camp designed for youngest athletes focusing on early childhood development principles.
- Grace Carter (Color-Splash Retreat)minorExternal vendor providing art-focused Color-Splash Retreat camp sessions teaching tie-dye techniques.
- Rick Forbus (Fun with Ukulele)minorUkulele instructor providing camp teaching basic chord holding, strumming, and playing along with music history.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Presbyterian Day School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Memphis University School: An all-boys private day school in Memphis serving grades 7-12. Direct competitor for Memphis families seeking single-sex education; PDS effectively serves as a feeder for MUS.
- Hutchison School: A leading private girls' school in Memphis serving ages 2 through 12th grade. Competes with PDS for the same affluent Memphis families seeking independent K-12 education.
- Briarcrest Christian School: A large Christian PreK-12 school in the Memphis metro area. Directly competes for faith-oriented families seeking private K-12 education in the same market.
- Lausanne Collegiate School: An independent private PreK-12 school in Memphis with a strong college-preparatory focus. Competes for the same Memphis families seeking premium private education.
- St. Mary's Episcopal School: A private Episcopal K-12 school in Memphis. Competes for faith-oriented Memphis families seeking rigorous private education with character development.
- Montgomery Bell Academy: A private all-boys college-preparatory day school in Nashville, Tennessee. Closest single-sex boys' school peer in the region, with a similar model of developing boys through academics, athletics, and character.
- McCallie School: A private all-boys day and boarding school in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Shares the boys-only model and character/leadership focus that PDS emphasizes.
- University School of Nashville: An independent K-12 day school in Nashville with a similar academic profile and progressive pedagogy. Competes in the broader Tennessee private-school market for college-prep families.
- Belmont Hill School: A prestigious independent all-boys day school in Belmont, Massachusetts. Closest analog in size and mission to PDS's boys-only, character-driven K-12 model.
Broad incumbents
- The Westminster Schools: A large independent PreK-12 day school in Atlanta, Georgia with a Christian foundation and rigorous college-prep focus. Larger, more established institution operating a broader version of PDS's faith-based K-12 model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Presbyterian Day School social profiles
Digital presencePresbyterian Day School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Presbyterian Day School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Presbyterian Day School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Presbyterian Day School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Presbyterian Day School
What does Presbyterian Day School do?
Presbyterian Day School delivers private Christian preschool and elementary education for boys from age 2 (Young Knights) through 6th grade at its Memphis campus, anchored by the signature Building Boys, Making Men character education program. The school supplements its core academic program with extensive auxiliary offerings including summer camps (Camp PDS and specialty camps), after-school enrichment, athletics, band, Cultural Expeditions overnight trips, mentorship, and the Center for Educational Growth learning support services. Tuition is the primary revenue stream, with supplementary fees for ancillary programs and Annual Fund donations bridging the gap between tuition and the actual cost of education.
Is Presbyterian Day School a public or private company?
Presbyterian Day School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Presbyterian Day School founded?
Presbyterian Day School was founded in 1948. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Presbyterian Day School based?
Presbyterian Day School is headquartered in Memphis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Presbyterian Day School make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Tuition is the primary driver. The others are summer Camps, after-School Programs, annual Fund and Donations, cultural Expeditions and event Fees.
Who are Presbyterian Day School's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Memphis University School, Hutchison School, Briarcrest Christian School, Lausanne Collegiate School, St. Mary's Episcopal School, Montgomery Bell Academy, McCallie School, University School of Nashville and Belmont Hill School. The Westminster Schools is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Presbyterian Day School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Presbyterian Day School.
What industry is Presbyterian Day School in?
Presbyterian Day School's product category is Private Christian K-6 Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJABAA, Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools, with a secondary code of EDACABAF, Faith-Based Preschools. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.