[5] In 1943, with the closing of nearby Franklin and Marshall Academy for Boys, the Shippen School changed its charter to become coeducational and adopted its current name.

Bordering the seal is LCDS' motto in Latin, "fax mentis et cordis incendium gloriae," meaning, "the spark that kindles the mind and heart illuminates a lifetime."

[11] Country Day's lower school (preschool through fifth grade)[4] includes skill-based grouping for math and reading, and emphasizes art, music, and physical education in parallel with academics.

[13] In middle school,[4] Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, and Latin are offered, and students are encouraged to participate in the fine and performing arts.

[15] Upper school foreign language courses include Latin, Chinese, and Spanish, all of which continue to advanced levels.

[16] Originally developed at Phillips Exeter Academy, the Harkess table method is used to encourage students to challenge their reasoning and discussion skills with minimal teacher intervention.

[citation needed] Open discussion and collaboration between students is common for all courses at LCDS, but the Harkness method is most often used in the humanities.

[15][19] LCDS competes in District III of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association[4] (PIAA) and is a member of the Lancaster-Lebanon League.

The capacity of Gardner Theatre means the school is able to host performances, graduations, recitals, and speakers, and that the whole student body is able to view these events together.