Nittany Valley Charter School

Nittany Valley Charterr School is guided by it's mission statement. The core beliefs of the staff and fammilies at NVCS are: each learner is an individual with different strengths and challenges; parents are a vital part of each child's education; involvement in the community enhances learning; and an understanding of and respect for the environment is necessary for the future. Respecting each child's individualism preempts a promise of knowledge and skills in a given time frame. However, providing a comprehensive curriculum along with instruction in skills necessary for future learning prepares each child based on his or her abilities. Each child should be prepared to progress with an education based on the state mandated standards. At a minimum, each child will be prepared to grow toward a life that realistically represents their ability level. Foreign language, art, music, and physical education are all a part of this education.
--Submitted by Carolyn Maroncelli, a administrator

This is a small, informal learning community devoted to the whole child's development - cognitive, social, emotional. Our oldest (4th grade) is in his third year. The teachers are devoted to individualized learning, very accessible. Penn State student teachers bring interesting science projects, and there are lots of field trips and hands-on learning. Lots of different sports are represented as well as music and art. Being small resources are somewhat limited but this is more than made up for in creativity. Parents are required to volunteer some time at home and/or school to be involved in their child's learning, and are deeply involved in decision-making. Math and language arts are approached with sound educational philosophy. Gifted, special needs, and in-between kids are all strongly represented; classroom size and school culture mean that kids w/ behavior problems don't take away from the learning process and develop good self-management skills.
--Submitted by a parent