School Founders

Dr. and Mrs. William R. Cast

Dr. and Mrs. Daniel L. Paflas

Mr. and Mrs. Michael V. Parrott

Mr. and Mrs. James K. Posther

The Rev. and Mrs. C. Corydon Randall

The Rev. and Mrs. Paul W. Smith

Mr. and Mrs. William E. Spindler

History

K-12 students posed on the High School soccer field in 2003 for the school's 25th anniversary.

T he story of Canterbury began in 1976 as a goal shared by a dedicated group of parents: to find or create an educational program that would better challenge their children.

Their first inquiries, beginning with the Episcopal Church and gaining momentum with the National Association of Independent Schools, led them to articulate a vision for a school that would inspire and motivate students while instilling Christian values and morals, cultivating an appreciation for the fine arts, developing foreign language skills and setting high standards for teaching and learning.

The Beginning

Moving Day

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That vision was realized on September 8, 1977, when Canterbury School opened as a nondenominational, self-supported school with 89 students in Kindergarten through Grade Six.

In 1979, Canterbury expanded to Kindergarten through Grade 8 and, in 1980, moved to its present Covington Road campus.


The High School began in 1983 on the Covington Road campus. Canterbury’s first High School class graduated in June 1987. Following that first graduation in 1987, the High School relocated to a 60,000-square-foot facility on a 40-acre campus on Smith Road, just southeast of the Covington Road campus.

Today the school enrollment is more than 930 students, with 110 full and part time faculty and administrators. Average class sizes range from 17-19 students.