Community School Information

Education- A Community School education is challenging, experiential, and cooperative. We actively engage students through hands-on activities, simulations, role plays, experiments, field studies, and service learning projects. We address all avenues of development: cognitive, social, emotional, and physical. Our flexible learning environment nurtures children’s individual learning styles. Innovation- Our STEM lab to facilitates inquiry-based learning and allows all our students to enjoy a more comprehensive interdisciplinary approach to the study of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In 2007, we received a national award from the American Psychological Association for our innovative educational and employment practices. We are the only school in the Roanoke Valley to fully integrate art, music, drama, technology, and service learning into our core curriculum. We were the first school in southwest Virginia to fully adopt a peaceable school philosophy. We have taught Spanish to all our students, preschool through middle school, for 30 years. We also operate the longest-running international exchange program for middle school students of any school in the Roanoke Valley. Exploration- At Community School, children learn naturally through play, exploration, and experimentation. Our teachers design lessons that encourage students to ask questions and search for information. Our non-graded curriculum enables students to take chances and tackle challenges. The arts, Spanish, and technology classes challenge children to think and communicate creatively. Daily outdoor play inspires exploration of the environment, physical abilities, and the complex social interactions of childhood.