The Country School is an independent, coeducational, Pre-K through 8 school founded in 1934.
News
Holiday Story
If you and your children haven’t read the Christmas story An Orange for Frankie together, I highly recommend it. Music teacher Rick Osborne recently told me how good it was and even checked it out of the library for me. Written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco, it tells the Depression era autobiographical story of the Stowell clan, a poor, large Michigan farm family. The Country School values honesty, respect, responsibility, compassion, and generosity figure largely in the tale.
Every year Pa travels by horse and buggy to Lansing to get a box of oranges so that everyone can have a special treat come Christmas Day. It is each of 9 children’s only material present. Awaiting Pa’s return during a particularly brutal storm, the family, as they worry about his fate, is drawn even closer as they go about their usual pre-Christmas traditions: decorating their home, cooking, baking, welcoming visitors, and cutting their Christmas tree. In the midst of these activities, a train crew stops near their farm and is treated to a generous meal. Frankie meets one of the itinerant men riding the rails and impulsively gives him an extraordinary gift, which he later fears may have been a mistake. To make matters worse, when Pa eventually makes it home safely, Frankie, again impulsively, removes his orange from the mantel. A heartwarming chain of events is thus set into motion.
The Stowell family’s story is instructive on many levels. Beyond The Country School values it animates are lessons about family, materialism, what matters most, and the true lessons of Christmas. The story illustrates how far our society has strayed from the essence of it all, yet can make for some magical moments and great conversations. The book is a seemingly simple but deeply complex gift. I hope you will enjoy it, and I wish you all wonderful holidays.
Recent News
List of 5 news stories.
-
Kindergarten Students Serving Others!
Kindergarteners have been participating in a 3 part HOHO (Helping Others; Helping Ourselves) project lead by Ferris and Laura Butler. Students packed boxes to be shipped to veterans and their families. The boxeswere filled with child friendly, donated items. Also in the boxes were handwritten letters from the students along with a handmade American flag craft. The Butlers carefully orchestrated this project, and we are very grateful for their time and efforts. -
Spring Athletic Award Winners
Congratulations to all our spring athletics award winners and to all our Cougar athletes who participated in sports and clubs! This spring, TCS offered Boys’ and Girls’ Lacrosse, Pickleball Club, Running Club, and Volleyball Club. Providing so many athletic opportunities took a village—thank you to our amazing coaches, volunteers, and parent drivers for making it all possible! And thank you to our students for setting an example of dedication and sportsmanship!Read More -
Summer Trips for Upper School Students in 2025
It is with great excitement that The Country School announces the addition of 2025 summer trips for our Upper School students!Read More -
The Country School Celebrates 90 Years and Installs Jay Parker
Read MoreThe Country School is proud to be celebrating its 90th school year. This milestone year also marks the beginning of a new chapter with the appointment of Jay Parker as the 7th Head of School. -
Conversation & Homecoming - Saturday, February 24, 2024
Read MoreThe Country School, Talbot County Free Library, and the Avalon Foundation, sponsors, join with fourteen other community organizations to present Conversation & Homecoming with Carole Boston Weatherford and her son, Jeffery Boston Weatherford, a program free and open to all.
© 2017 The Country School. All Rights Reserved.
The Country School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational, admission, and employment policies, or its financial aid, athletic, and other school administered programs.
