In 1978, the Smiths purchased one of the last parcels of the Riverside Dairy Farm. After much refurbishing and renovation, it was transformed into a learning center for young children. On June 1, 1979 we opened the doors to Churchland country Day School as one of the first private, locally-owned and state licensed Centers in the Churchland-Western Branch area of Chesapeake, Virginia.

Under the supervision and financial guidance of Edgar J. Smith and the direction of his wife, Lorraine D. Smith, the school expanded to accommodate the needs of children ages 2 - 8 years. The 4 acre mini campus provided a wonderful place for these children. The school-age children from kindergarten through fifth grade enjoyed our Before and After School classes during the school year and a full time Summer Camp program.

In 1983, a Kindergarten program with a state certified teacher started at the school when the Smith's daughter, Jeanne Bartlett came to teach the kindergarten class and direct the summer camp program. The CCDS Kindergarten class in the morning thrived using the J. B. Lippincott Beginning to Read, Write and Listen, a comprehensive reading-language arts program, and the HBJ Mathematics Unlimited curriculum. CCDS continues to have a Before and After School program and a full summer camp.

The "Twelve Week Summer Camp" program included three field trips each week to area museums, skating, bowling, the zoo and weekly swimming lessons at a nearby indoor pool. Outdoors sports, gardening and bicycling on our 4 acre mini campus along with arts, crafts and learning center play inside kept the school-age children busy all year round especially during the summer months.

Lorraine Smith was a wonderful director at CCDS for eighteen years but retired in 1996. She left the director's duties to her daughter, Jeanne, who had been assistant director and taught the kindergarten class for thirteen years. The twelve week summer camp program continues for primary aged students and features three field trips each week. The Before and After school program was ideal for the primary students who were bused to Western Branch school and back to us each day.

We now serve the needs of pre-school children ages 2 - 8 years. We use the Star-Brite Learning curriculum with the pre-school classes. The material can be reviewed under www.star-brite.com. The four-year-old children who turn five after September 30 (which is the state cut-off for school-age children to attend public school) and before December 31, will have a pre-kindergarten class at CCDS.

CCDS has proved to be an idyllic place for children. They love the sense of space on our four-acre mini campus and thrive under the guidance of our dedicated early childhood staff.