Family Portal

In MS, a group of students from varying grade levels (6-8) meets together during homeroom (start of day) and during study hall (end of day). The Advisor for each advisory runs monthly classes with the group on topics including friendships, pressures, adolescence, bullying, etc. The Advisor checks in with each student regarding their progress in MS and is the liaison between the school and the parent(s) of their advisees.

A fundraising campaign that runs in conjunction with the school’s fiscal year. At TDS, tuition does not cover all expenses associated with educating a child. The gap between expenses and total revenue from tuition and auxiliary programs was $175,000, for 2017-18 (that’s about $875/student). This gap is bridged through generous contributions from our community. The primary mechanism for that philanthropy is the Annual Fund.

One of the primary fundraising initiatives for the year. In years past, the event has raised over $100,000. The funds raised during the TDS Auction go directly into the operating budget. The auction is typically held during the winter months and consists of a dinner at a venue along with a silent auction and live auction. Faculty, parents, and other TDS affiliates are invited to attend.

LS and MS host these events on consecutive Thursday nights in September. Parents come to meet their child’s teachers and hear about expectations and the curriculum for the year. This is NOT a night to discuss individual students. Students are not invited, but we do have MS babysitters on hand to supervise any little ones who come.

Reading competition for upper elementary students. Over the summer and throughout the school year, they read from a list of 15 books, selected by school librarians across NC. Then, they work in teams of six or seven to answer questions about the books during a quiz-bowl-style competition in May. All fourth and fifth-graders take part, and third-graders are invited to join.

For LS students and their families come for a night of pizza, Bingo, and prizes sometime during the winter months.

Annual week-long event run by the TDS Parents’ Association. Usually falls during spring Parent-Teacher conferences for family convenience. Students are invited during school to peruse the fair and create wishlists for parents.

In MS, students can choose to play the handchimes as an elective music class (2x/week for a year). There are two Chimes classes: Beginner and Advanced. Chimes classes play at school concerts.

Formerly called Specials, these are Music, Art, LS Science Lab, PE, LS Spanish, Library, and Technology Lab. These classes typically take place 2x/week and “complement” what the students are learning in their core classes.

A nearly monthly event held six times a year, typically on a Friday afternoon. A LS class meets with a MS Advisory group to do an activity together (play a sporting game, make a craft, service-learning project, read together, etc.). The LS and MS pairings remain the same for the entire year.

The name ERB comes from the company name (Educational Records Bureau). ERBs are the one standardized test that all TDS students in grades 2-8 take annually. The test is multiple choice and is given over three to four days in February. Sections of the test include Auditory Comprehension (grades 2-3), Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Writing, and Math. Students do not prepare for the test beyond knowing how to fill in bubble sheets. The faculty uses the results to see how well our curriculum covers national grade-level expectations in these areas.

MS gives four midterm exams (around Dec) and four final exams (around June) for students in grades 6-8, in the subjects of Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, and Science. Each exam session is double the length of a typical class period (90 min total). MS students typically have an early dismissal from school on exam days.

A big event at TDS that often concludes “Spirit Week” in late October! Carnival games, bouncy houses, dunk tank, face-paint, sweet treats, and more! Parents and MS students run the stations, and MS students also assist LS students (TK and K especially) for some of the time.

Usually held in May, LS Field Day consists of recreational activities outside and is parent-run. MS Field Day may take place off-campus and is recreational in nature as well.

TDS has a Gaga Ball pit on the playground. “Gaga is a fast-paced, high-energy sport played in an octagonal pit. The more players the better! Dubbed a kinder, gentler version of dodgeball, the game is played with a soft foam ball, and combines the skills of dodging, striking, running, and jumping while trying to hit opponents with a ball below the knees. Players need to keep moving to avoid getting hit by the ball. Fun and easy, everyone gets a serious workout.”

This is a TDS celebration of cultures from around the world. Individual families are encouraged to contribute a special dish, dance, piece of art, etc. that reflects their country of origin. Students and their families are welcome to dress in traditional attire as they share their culture and knowledge.

Term for students who have attended TDS every year from TK-8.

Assembly when students lip-sync to a song of their choice that’s somehow related to the Core Values. Takes place in May and is typically our last assembly.

Mindfulness is the mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Students at TDS practice mindfulness in a variety of LS classrooms – from reading books on it to having thoughtful discussions.

MS students participate in a full-day, pre-Spring Break experience outside of the classroom realm. MS faculty pairs up to take groups of students on excursions all over the Triangle.

LS students and faculty in TK-5 meet at 8:30 AM to begin every Tuesday. 5th graders run the meeting, the estimation jar winner is revealed, birthdays are acknowledged, Talented Tornadoes are honored, and more.

MS club for students who love to problem solve, invent, and create. They are given a problem and have to solve it as a team without the help of any adult.

Each class has a competition to see who can recite the most digits of Pi. The winner from each class is a finalist. There is an Assembly on/around Pi Day (3/14) where all finalists come together to see which student can recite the most, and the school champion gets to pie Mr. Norry in the face!

An evening packed full of LS and MS science projects! Students share their scientific interests with other students and families through experiments, activities, and collections paired with visual displays. Projects are required in the older grades (5th-8th), but all students are encouraged to participate.

Club for LS after school hours and elective for MS during the school day.

“…events align with the NC Standard Course of Study and what teachers are already doing in the classroom. These events are well balanced between the various science disciplines, requiring knowledge of science facts, concepts, processes, skills, and applications. Olympic-style medals are awarded to top placing individuals in each event. Team trophies are also awarded to top placing teams at each tournament.”
– NC Science Olympiad

Grades 1-8 participate. Competition begins with class bees in December where students spell out loud. Grade-level lists from Scripps inform participants on words to study. Each TDS class has one finalist that participates in the final school bee in January. One winner from TDS moves on to the Regional Bee. In 2017, 2018, and 2019, we were excited to have a TDS student make it all the way to the National Bee!

Students in grades 3-8 may participate. Students vote for reps in grades 3-5. Pres, Vice, Sec, and Treasurer come from the MS. Meetings held monthly, fundraisers run by student council, announcements made, etc.

One of our first events in early October. Any student in the school can enter and perform – singing, dancing, magic, playing instruments, doing karate, etc. MS students host the event.

In LS, each student is honored once per year for being who they are! They are described in front of their peers at a LS Morning Meeting. Then, at the monthly school assembly, students receive certificates and their strengths are connected to a TDS core value.

The annual 5K race and one-mile fun run starts and ends on the TDS campus and weaves through American Village in Durham. There is a post-race festival at TDS. Proceeds from the event go to the TDS Annual Fund. At the race, all participants are invited to run/walk in honor of a friend or family member impacted by cancer.