Capital Day School Creates Independent, Deep Thinkers

Instead of setting their goals on test scores or how quickly they complete a learning unit, teachers at Capital Day School in Frankfort focus on creating independent learners and deep thinkers.

The school’s mission, Head of School Tim Corkran said, is to create students who can adapt and thrive in any situation.

“We give kids an academic preparation that will let them succeed in any setting,” he said. “We produce National Merit Scholars, high school valedictorians, and we regularly produce students who start A.P. courses in the ninth and tenth grade.”

The key is to penetrate deeper into a subject instead of broader. Don’t merely teach science, encourage students to think like scientists.

“Teachers have the flexibility to pick and choose the content that allows them to teach thinking skills,” Corkran said.

With an enrollment of 118 in grades PreK-8, the average class size is 10. The school also has a Montessori track for preschool and plans to expand it next year to grades 1-3.

Corkran knows that parents who choose Capital Day School value critical thinking skills.

“People send their children to Capital Day School because kids learn how to think,” he said.

“Adults here challenge them and allow them to dig deep into the curriculum.”