One of the many things that makes Community School unique is our non-graded approach to education. We believe students learn best when they feel supported, understood, and excited about their learning. Our non-graded model is designed to foster curiosity, confidence, and connection, while honoring each child’s individual learning journey. Why a Non-Graded Model Works A […]
Written by Student Council Members Emily X. and Samih B. Community School Middle School has started a student council this year, focused on improving the campus and organizing student events. The student council delivered a successful bake sale on December 10, 2025. In one of their first big events, the student council held the most […]
Dear Community, As Executive Director, I get to do many things around campus, but one of my favorites is recess duty. Every day, in all kinds of weather, preschoolers to middle schoolers race across the Little Woods, play pretend in the Fairy Garden, organize soccer games, or build “rivers” after it rains. No matter their […]
Our staff gathered in June for one of our favorite traditions: choosing the theme for the upcoming school year. It was a lively exchange of ideas and a reminder that even as one year came to a close, our staff was already building excitement for the next. We are excited to share that our theme […]
Reflections from our Executive Director Katrina Hill Our theme this year was Building Foundations. And of course, we looked towards the rising building on our campus, knowing that when it is ready, it will be a foundational learning space for all of our students. In our classes, we learned that the most important foundations are […]
Middle Elementary classes participated in a Cultural Exchange with Springhouse Community School this Spring Since January, Middle Elementary students have been participating in a cultural exchange with Springhouse Community School in Floyd, VA, which includes 11 Spanish-speaking students. This partnership has provided our students with opportunities to build meaningful cross-cultural friendships, practice conversational Spanish in […]
Middle School students take the lead in planning and hosting the annual Mini-Strawberry Festival While Elmwood Park fills with parent volunteers, strawberry shortcakes, and festival-goers each May, a smaller, but no less joyful celebration takes place back on campus. On the Friday of the Strawberry Festival, our Middle School students host their own Mini-Strawberry Festival […]
Community School’s Middle School program launched its first robotics team this year! The team joined the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Chesapeake League, which includes students in grades 7-12, and competed this season against teams from Virginia, Delaware, and Maryland. The team’s name is F.R.O.G., which stands for FIRST (Tech Challenge) Robotics Outreach Group. The team […]
Excerpt from Board Chair Cassie Hunt’s Celebration Speech Over the last few weeks, the Community School Class of 2020 graduated from high school—a ceremony particularly meaningful for their parents, as their CS graduation was canceled by COVID. In August, our graduates will enroll at JMU, Wake Forest, Auburn, Virginia Tech, Fordham, VCU, Mary Washington, and […]
Elevator to be Donated and Installed in School’s New Building [Roanoke, VA] — Community School announced today that the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) has gifted an elevator to the school’s new building project. The new building, which broke ground last fall, will house the middle school and enrichment classrooms as well as administrative […]
