ENROLLMENT

• 2-year-old boys through 6th grade
• 485 boys enrolled, representing 35 different zip codes from across the Mid-South
• Average class size: 17

TUITION/FINANCIAL AID

• Financial Aid
• 20% of students receive financial assistance from PDS. More info

FACULTY

• Over 70 teachers, coaches, and mentors serve the student body.
• Over 70% of PDS teachers have earned advanced degrees.
• Over 90% of PDS teachers have supplemental training from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
• PDS teachers are life-long learners; Ongoing professional development is in the DNA of the school.

CAMPUS

• PDS is located on a 29-acre campus in the heart of East Memphis.
• The campus facilities are among the largest and finest for an elementary school nationwide.
• A recent $20 million expansion included upgrades to the facilities, including the Early Childhood Center, EDGE Studio, Reading and Learning Center, Science Center, Christian Center, Lifetime Fitness Center, turf field, and gymnasium.

HISTORY

• Founded by Second Presbyterian Church in 1949 at its current location at Poplar Avenue and Goodlett.
• PDS added Junior Kindergarten in 1992, Pre-Kindergarten in 2005 and Young Knights in 2015.

ACADEMICS

• The predominant, long-term focus of the academic program at PDS is on the development of critical and creative thinking skills and is increasingly customized to the learning profile of each boy.
• Technology is integrated into the curriculum to not only reinforce basic foundational skills, but also to allow boys to collaborate, communicate, and create.
• Approximately half of instructional time in reading and math is taught in small groups, utilizing our four learning specialists and three learning coaches in a dedicated learning studio.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

• Boys in 1st through 6th grades have Physical Education (PE) every day. Early Childhood boys have PE every other day.
• In PE, boys learn the concepts of sportsmanship, teamwork, great effort, and a positive attitude.
• 6th-grade graduates leave PDS with an overall lifetime fitness mindset that encourages them to continue to enjoy an active and healthy lifestyle.
• All 4th, 5th, and 6th-graders are eligible to participate in the year-round, after-school intramural program.
• PDS competes with other area schools and organizations in football (5th–6th grades), basketball (6th grade), cross country (6th grade), golf (6th grade), tennis (6th grade), and track (5th-6th grades).

AFTER-SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMS

• PDS offers before-school and after-school care for boys.
• After-school enrichment opportunities include both private lessons and classes in the arts, sciences, math, language arts, technology, athletics, and chess.
• One-on-one tutoring for students who require additional support is available.
• All day and half day summer camps are available for PK through 6th-grade students with specific camps focusing on academics and sports.

TEACHING MANHOOD

• The Building Boys, Making Men program provides a framework for leading boys into godly manhood by developing a boy’s faith, character, and values.
• Boys are taught about manhood and given a biblical framework for making wise choices during their teenage years and beyond.

SPECIAL AREAS

• In YK through SK boys receive instruction in both Mandarin and Spanish.
• Beginning in 1st grade, boys specialize in either Mandarin or Spanish.
• Boys are exposed to art and music daily in Early Childhood. Beginning in 1st grade, all boys participate in art, choral music, coding, and design thinking.

TESTING

• PDS administers an achievement test, developed specifically for independent schools, to boys in Grades 2–6.
• In comparison to our nation’s leading independent schools, our boys consistently and significantly outperform their peers in all subjects.

BEYOND PDS

• Our 6th-grade graduates thrive in secondary schools of their choice.
• Our most recent graduates have gone on to Harvard, Princeton, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Georgia Tech, Washington and Lee, New York University and many other top colleges.
• Each year, our graduates earn millions of dollars in merit-based college scholarships.
• The list of PDS graduates reads like a who’s who of the Memphis business community. Some notable PDS alums include Autozone founder J.R. “Pitt” Hyde ’55, FedEx founder Fred Smith ’56, and Paul Tudor Jones ’66.