Community Day Charter offers an array of educational, informational and support services to prepare our students and their families for the transition to high school.  We work to ensure that they have the opportunity to consider both private and public school options as they make important decisions about where they will attend high school.   Academic tutoring and enrichment, study skills, secondary school information, school tours, assistance in completion of school applications, and financial aid information and assistance are examples of these services.

Each fall CDCPS holds a secondary school fair where parents and Upper School students can speak with admissions representatives and guidance counselors from a variety of private and public comprehensive and vocational-technical high schools.  In the 7th grade all students take a practice Secondary School Achievement Test (SSAT), which is required by independent schools; Community Day is a SSAT test site which gives us the opportunity to waive the test fee for our students.  There are also school-organized site visits to ensure that all 7^th graders and parents/guardians have the opportunity to visit at least 2 high schools.

All grade 8 students receive extensive written materials, guides and resources related to a variety of high schools and their admissions’ requirements.  Eighth graders interested in applying to private schools can participate in tutoring activities in advance of the required tests, including the SSAT or the Catholic School placement exam, and the student and his/her parents are paired with a volunteer mentor who assists them throughout the secondary school and financial aid application process.  These mentors help to establish deadlines and calendars and are available to remind and assist students and parents with the tasks required by private secondary schools.  Community Day’s Director of Placement maintains contact with the high schools to support the application process and secure scholarships, needs-based financial assistance and other supports for our students.    Beyond the financial aid resources available through the private high schools themselves, families are also encouraged to apply for other scholarship programs such as those available through local service clubs.  Additionally, Community Day has a well-established relationship with a local benefactor who helps bridge gaps in financial aid that make it possible for Community Day graduates to meet the cost of private school tuition .

During the summer months there are a variety of programs available to students as they transition into grades 7 and 8 at Community Day, and to provide a bridge between Community Day and high school.  These programs have included those implemented at Community Day (such as Service Learning), camps with residential opportunities (Brentwood in NH), College for Kids (at Northern Essex Community College), Prep @ Pingree, and PAL at Phillips Academy.