Auburn Day School

What Auburn Day School does

Auburn Day School (ADS) is a privately held, single-location early childhood education provider headquartered at 1199 South Donahue Drive, Suite E, Auburn, Alabama. It serves families with children from 11 months through Kindergarten during the academic year and ages 1 through rising 5th grade during summer programs. The school's offering is built around a proprietary, annually rebuilt concept-based STEM curriculum organized around themes such as patterns, systems, change, energy, and growth, delivered through a 5:1 student-to-teacher ratio in dedicated learning environments including a STEM Nook, STEM Loft, Imagination Station, Outdoor Classroom, and Nature Trail. ADS holds an Alabama Quality Stars Five Star rating, and the school reports that 80% of its graduates leave reading.

The core product portfolio comprises the STEM Preschool Program, a full-day Kindergarten Program (launched for the 2026-27 academic year), the 10 Week Mini Program for ages 18 months–4 years, weekly STEM camps for ages 4–9, the Sunbeam Scholars after-school program, the ADS Imagination Station public STEM events venue, and a branded merchandise storefront. Revenue is generated through recurring tuition subscriptions (academic year and multi-week summer programs), pay-as-you-go weekly camp enrollment, public event ticket sales ($12/child), and one-time apparel sales. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through on-campus enrollment, the school's website, and community referrals; the school also accepts Alabama CHOOSE Act education savings accounts.

The business is founder/owner-operated under Owner/Director Katie Murrah, M.Ed., with no external investors, parent company, or institutional capital disclosed. ADS is undergoing a significant physical expansion from 5,000 to 18,000 square feet (planned for August 2025) alongside a leadership team buildout that includes an Assistant Director, Business & Operations Manager, and School & Community Coordinator. Operating geographies are limited to Alabama, USA, and the institution has no mobile apps, public APIs, or AI/ML capabilities described in available materials.

Name

Auburn Day School

Legal name

Auburn Day School

Website

https://auburndayschool.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Auburn Day School is a privately held, single-location early childhood STEM education provider in Auburn, Alabama, serving children ages 11 months through Kindergarten during the academic year and ages 1 through rising 5th grade in summer camps. It operates on a tuition-based subscription model with a 5:1 student-to-teacher ratio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education

NAICS

Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDACADAJ

STEAM-Focused Early Learning Academies

Education/Early Childhood Education/Early Learning Academies & Montessori/Reggio/Steiner Programs

SECONDARYEDACABAA

General Preschools (Play-Based)

Education/Early Childhood Education/Preschools & Pre-K Programs

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• STEM preschool programs
• Private kindergarten
• Summer STEM camps
• Concept-based learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Auburn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Academic Year Tuition: Tuition-based revenue from STEM preschool and kindergarten programs serving students ages 11 months through kindergarten during the academic year. Pricing varies by program and schedule (full-day vs half-day options).
2. Summer Camp Programs: Week-to-week STEM camp enrollment for ages 4-9 (Independent Explorers and Leaders Lab) and 10-week Mini Program for ages 18 months-4 years. Revenue generated per week or full summer commitment.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts, sweatshirts, and other apparel through the school's online store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Auburn Day School is a private early childhood education program that delivers STEM-focused preschool and kindergarten instruction (ages 11 months through kindergarten) during the academic year and week-long plus 10-week summer STEM camps (ages 1 through rising 5th grade). Instruction is built around a concept-based curriculum emphasizing hands-on experiments, engineering challenges, sensory exploration, and imaginative play in specialized spaces. Supplementary offerings include a public Imagination Station STEM event series, after-school Sunbeam Scholars care, and an online store for branded apparel.

Product overview

Auburn Day School is a pioneering private early education program offering a unified portfolio of STEM-focused educational programs. The core offerings include the STEM Preschool Program (serving ages 11 months through Kindergarten during the academic year), the Kindergarten Program (26-27), and Summer Programs featuring the 10 Week Mini Program for ages 18 months-4 years and Weekly STEM Camps for ages 4-9 (rising 5th graders). Supplementary offerings include the ADS Imagination Station for public STEM events, ADS Merchandise store for branded apparel, and After School Activities (Sunbeam Scholars) for extended care. Learning extends beyond traditional classrooms into specialized spaces including the STEM Nook, STEM Loft, Imagination Station, Outdoor Classroom, and Nature Trail.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• STEM Preschool Program Early education program serving students ages 11 months through Kindergarten, blending STEM exploration, concept-based learning, and hands-on discovery through experiments, engineering challenges, sensory exploration, and imaginative play during the academic year.
• Kindergarten Program Full-day kindergarten program preparing children for academic and social success with foundational literacy, numeracy, and STEM skills.
• 10 Week Mini Program Summer program for ages 18 months to 4 years requiring full 10-week commitment (May 26-July 31), available in half-day (8-11:30 a.m., $2,150) or full-day (8 a.m.-3 p.m., $3,650) options focused on sensory play, early exploration, and routines.
• Weekly STEM Camps Summer STEM camps for ages 4-9 years and rising 5th graders featuring 10 unique camp themes. Full-day (8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.) at $299 for 5-day camps and $269 for 4-day camps.
• ADS Imagination Station Public STEM events venue hosting themed events such as Prehistoric Party, Spooky STEM, and Santa's STEM Workshop at $12 per child with free parent/guardian admission.
• ADS Merchandise Store Online store selling branded Auburn Day School apparel including child and adult t-shirts ($20), long-sleeve child t-shirts ($20), adult sweatshirts ($30), and caffeine-themed apparel in various colors.
• After School Activities (Sunbeam Scholars) Afterschool program operating from 3-5 p.m. featuring continued fun and learning with supervised activities for currently enrolled students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of ADS graduates leave reading
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Guidepost Montessori: Network of private early childhood and elementary Montessori schools with proprietary curricula and strong parent communication. Comparable to ADS in being a tuition-based, curriculum-led private early education provider.
• Chesterbrook Academy: Private preschool and elementary school network offering STEM-enriched programs and low student-teacher ratios. Closely comparable to ADS as a tuition-based private preschool with a STEM-forward, concept-based approach.
• The Goddard School: National franchise of private preschools with a play-based, enrichment-forward curriculum and low student-to-teacher ratios. Closely comparable to ADS in positioning as a premium private preschool serving working families.
• The Malvern School: Regional private preschool and pre-K chain with STEM enrichment, low ratios, and a tuition-based model in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Comparable to ADS in scale and STEM-forward positioning.
• Primrose Schools: Large U.S. franchise of private, STEM-emphasizing preschools and early learning academies. Operates a comparable tuition-based, concept-driven early education model targeting families seeking premium preschool experiences similar to ADS.

Broad incumbents

• BASIS Charter Schools: Network of STEM-intensive public charter K-12 schools. Comparable to ADS on STEM-led curriculum philosophy and academic rigor, though operating at K-12 scale rather than early childhood.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Largest U.S. provider of high-quality child care, preschools, and early education, including employer-sponsored centers. Broad incumbent that competes with ADS in the same tuition-paying family segment but at much larger scale.
• Stratford School: Private preschool-through-8th-grade school group with a STEM-infused curriculum and tuition-based model. Comparable to ADS in private, STEM-forward early education at a multi-site, larger scale.

Emerging players

• Code Ninjas: Franchised STEM and coding enrichment centers for kids. Comparable to ADS as a STEM-focused learning experience for children, though delivered as after-school enrichment rather than full-day preschool.
• Engineering For Kids: Provider of STEM education programs (classes, camps, after-school) for young children. Comparable to ADS on STEM education philosophy and summer-camp offerings, though operating as enrichment rather than a full preschool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/auburn-day-school

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Auburn Day School