New Canaan Country School Breaks Ground On New Dining Hall

From New Canaan Country School: New Canaan Country School conducted a groundbreaking ceremony for the Susan Haigh Carver '51 Dining Hall and Commons at its Memorial Day assembly held May 26.

Standing in front of the current cafeteria, Head of School Dr. Robert Macrae, Board President Steve Rodgers, Vice President Randy Salvatore, Secretary Stephanie Zeigler ’81 and trustee Karen Wood joined with student representatives from each division to break ground with special shovels that were presented to them for the occasion.

Dr. Macrae shared his excitement about the new dining hall, “We will be able to accommodate an entire division at one time, allowing more flexibility for scheduling and have expanded community space.”

The initial $2M for this project was gifted by an alumna, Susan Haigh Carver, originally of Darien, who graduated 66 years ago with the Class of 1951. “She wanted her gift to help us continue to create this community atmosphere for generations to come,” said Dr. Macrae.

Before the groundbreaking, ninth grader Nate Stevens of Darien presented Dr. Macrae a shovel that his grandfather, former Head of School George Stevens, used to break ground for the Stevens Upper School Building in 1977 and its subsequent addition and renovation in 2006.

The ceremony concluded with songs, including the school song "Audentes Fortuna Juvat" and the Middle School (grades 5 & 6) Chorus' rendition of "Take Time in Life."

The new dining hall is slated to open in fall, 2018. For more information, visit www.countryschool.net/futurecampus.

New Canaan Country School is a co-ed, independent, day school for students in Pre-K (ages 3 & 4) through Grade 9. Located at 635 Frogtown Rd. in New Canaan, the school provides transportation to families living throughout Westchester and Fairfield Counties.

Photo 1: New Canaan Country School students and Trustees joined Head of School Dr. Robert Macrae in breaking ground for the new Carver Dining Hall and Commons. (From let): Seth Yoo of Pound Ridge,
NY, Daniela Soto of Stamford, Bridget Keogh of New Canaan, Trustee Karen Wood of New Canaan; Fiona Gosk of Darien, Trustee Stephanie Zeigler ’81 of Rowayton, Ben Bilden of New Canaan, Alina Harned of Rowayton, Head of School Dr. Robert Macrae of New Canaan, Russell Lancaster of Darien, Caitlyn Edwards of New Canaan, Harry Jellinek of Darien, Trustee Steven Rodgers of New Canaan, Trustee Randy Salvatore of New Canaan, John Mannix of Wilton, John Lewis of Rowayton, and Maddie Ortiz of Stamford. Photo 2: Kerry, Nate and Jill Stevens hold the commemorative shovel which was last used to break ground for the Stevens Building, an Upper School building named in honor of former Head of School George Stevens. Photo 3: New Canaan Country School students, faculty and trustees assembled in honor of Memorial Day and to break ground for the Susan Haigh Carver ’51 Dining Hall and Commons. Photo credit: Contributed