Countryside Day School

What Countryside Day School does

Countryside Day School is an independent private Montessori school operating from a single campus at 1985 Pfingsten Road in Northbrook, Illinois. Founded in 1967, the school delivers a continuous Montessori program spanning toddler (16 months) through 6th grade, organized into four core programs: Toddler (ages 16 months-3), Pre-K/K (ages 3-6), Lower Elementary (Grades 1-3), and Upper Elementary (Grades 4-6), with optional Summer Programs and an All Year Full Day program for Pre-K through Grade 6.

The school's instructional model is built on AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) trained faculty, mixed-age classrooms, student-paced curriculum, and a defined set of Montessori sensorial materials (e.g., Pink Tower, Broad Stair, Sound Boxes). Curriculum delivery emphasizes character development alongside academics, centered on three stated values: Respect, Responsibility, and Resourcefulness. The campus was designed to support the methodology, with expansive indoor and outdoor learning spaces. Governance is provided by a Board of Trustees under Wendy Calise as Head of School, and admissions are managed on an open-enrollment, year-round basis through Director Karen.

The business model is tuition-based, functioning as recurring subscription revenue per enrolled family. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The customer base consists of individual families across twelve North Shore Chicago communities (Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Highwood, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Northbrook, Northfield, Riverwoods, Wilmette, Winnetka). GTM is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth, campus tours, a content blog, and paid search (Google AdWords, Bing Ads). The institution is structured as a not-for-profit with no parent company, holding entity, or external equity backing.

Name

Countryside Day School

Legal name

Countryside Day School

Website

https://countrysideday.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Countryside Day School is an independent private Montessori school in Northbrook, Illinois, serving children from 16 months through 6th grade. It delivers AMI-trained, mixed-age, student-paced education to families across twelve affluent North Shore Chicago communities on a tuition-based model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-8 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Montessori K–12 Schools (EDAJABAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Montessori Preschools (EDACABAC)

Keywords

• Montessori education
• Private school programs
• Early childhood education
• Elementary education services
• Character development curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Northbrook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition-based education services: Countryside Day School generates revenue primarily through tuition fees for its educational programs spanning toddler through 6th grade, including all-year full-day options and summer programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Countryside Day School delivers independent private Montessori education for children ages 16 months through 6th grade on its Northbrook, Illinois campus. The school offers continuous programs spanning Toddler, Pre-K/K, Lower Elementary (Grades 1-3), Upper Elementary (Grades 4-6), an All Year Full Day program, and Summer Programs, with mixed-age classrooms, student-paced curriculum, and AMI-trained faculty emphasizing both academic excellence and character development.

Product overview

Countryside Day School offers a continuous Montessori education program from 16 months through 6th grade. The school provides Toddler, Pre-K/K, Lower Elementary (Grades 1-3), and Upper Elementary (Grades 4-6) programs, with additional All Year Full Day and Summer Programs options. The educational approach focuses on mixed-age classrooms, personalized student-paced curriculum, and character development centered on Respect, Responsibility, and Resourcefulness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Toddler Program
• Pre-K/K Program
• Lower Elementary Program
• Upper Elementary Program
• Summer Programs
• All Year Full Day Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Alumni successfully transition to and excel at prestigious schools including Phillips Academy Andover, Phillips Exeter Academy, Stevenson High School, New Trier, Lake Forest Academy, and others
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Francis W. Parker School: Large, well-established independent progressive K-12 school in Chicago with significant endowment and broader resources. Comparable in progressive educational philosophy and college-preparatory outcomes, though substantially larger and more resource-rich than CDS.
• Lake Forest Academy: Independent college-preparatory day and boarding school in Lake Forest, IL serving grades 9-12 on Chicago's North Shore. Overlaps with CDS in target family demographic and elite college placement outcomes for graduates.

Direct peers

• North Shore Country Day School: Independent K-12 school in Winnetka, IL serving North Shore Chicago families with a progressive college-preparatory mission. Comparable to CDS in geography, family demographic, and independent school positioning.
• The Avery Coonley School: Independent K-8 school in Downers Grove, IL serving gifted and college-preparatory students in the western Chicago suburbs. Comparable in independent school structure and college-preparatory mission.
• Roycemore School: Independent school in Evanston, IL serving preschool through 12th grade with a progressive educational philosophy. Comparable to CDS in Chicago-area North Shore geography and independent school positioning.
• Alcuin School: Independent Montessori school in Oak Brook, IL serving toddler through middle school with AMI-trained faculty. Directly comparable in Montessori methodology and Chicago-area private school positioning.
• Near North Montessori School: Chicago-based independent Montessori school serving toddler through middle school with AMI-trained faculty. Directly comparable to Countryside in pedagogy, age range, and target market (Chicago-area private school families).
• Baker Demonstration School: Independent progressive private school in Wilmette, IL serving preschool through 8th grade on Chicago's North Shore. Closely comparable geography, family demographic, and K-8 independent school offering.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/countryside-montessori-school-northbrook-il-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Countryside Day School