How would you describe your fine arts program?

Our art teachers are Kathryn Caine and Ann Cheeks. Ann has a studio at McGuffey and her mixed media paintings focus on the natural world. She has exhibited widely and has a great deal of experience teaching children. Kathryn has a degree in art history and painting from the College of Charleston, and her work has been exhibited locally. She is also a songwriter and performer, and to date, the Kathryn Caine Band has released three CDs. Kathryn also teaches music appreciation at Village School.

Lana Young is our drama teacher. Lana is a working actress with over twenty-five years experience on stage and in front of the camera. She is co-founder and co-director of the Hollywood Theatre Lab, which offers classes to children and adults in our area.

Village School students are exposed to several areas of dance. Our modern/jazz teacher, Mariah Johnson, has over fifteen years of classical ballet training and five years of modern dance/jazz training. Mariah has considerable teaching and performing experience, and she nurtures an active interest in performance arts, drawing, painting, creative writing, and photography.

Lori Madden, the Executive Director of the Blue Ridge Irish Music School (BRIMS), leads students in Irish step dance. Lori has been providing instruction in Irish Step, Irish Social, Ceili, and Set Dance to children and adults for ten years through BRIMS. Lori has performed with the Humorous Abandon Irish Dance Ensemble at Floyd Fest and the Lake Eden Arts Festival.

Mary Reitsma leads the Village School woodwind choir. A graduate of Calvin College, where she was a French major and music minor, Mary is an active member of the Charlottesville Flute Choir and the Charlottesville Municipal Band. Mary also teaches private flute classes at Village School.

Emily Rosson, our orchestra director, has a B.A. in Music Education and Music Performance with concentrations in Conducting and Horn from Virginia Tech. Emily has much conducting experience, having led a multi-aged ensemble at the Music Education Center in Earlysville for many years. Previous to that, Emily directed a middle school orchestra in Tidewater, Virginia. She is also the orchestra director at the Charlottesville Waldorf School.

The Village School chorus is directed by Nancy Paulson. The mom of a Village School alumna, Nancy has been involved with vocal performance and choral ensembles since her own middle school years. She has sung with multiple choirs throughout the past 25 years, including the Paul Hill Chorale in Washington, DC, the Blacksburg Chorale, and the Charlottesville Oratorio Society. Currently, she teaches private voice lessons, directs an 8-member girls’ choir called SPARK, and serves on the advisory board for Kansas State University choirs.

How would you describe your physical education program?

Physical education and development are stressed at Village School. Our P. E. teachers are Anne Clark Hathaway and Emily Umberger, who also teaches Health. Emily holds a M.E. in Exercise Physiology. She has worked as a fitness specialist, personal trainer, and community educator in Charlottesville for the past ten years. Anne Clark is a Village School alumna from 2005, who has
been pursuing a Chemistry degree at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. Currently she is taking a year off from school to explore possible career paths. Village School girls play on inter-grade lacrosse and field hockey teams that compete against other schools. Also, four Village School basketball teams play in the county YMCA league each year.

How is technology utilized at Village School?

The use of computer technology figures prominently in daily life at Village School, where a ratio of one computer for every two students is maintained. At Village School, students become comfortable using computer software and hardware as tools to express their curiosity and creativity. Our students learn basic skills such as word processing, spreadsheets, internet research, and Windows file management. They also learn to use a scanner, a digital camera, and a digital camcorder. They study web design and video editing. In our multi-media lab, students become discriminating viewers of mass media. At the same time, they learn how to use power point and slide shows for class reports and presentations. Village School girls employ modern technology as a conduit to help them find their voices as learners.

How would you describe community service at Village School?

Research indicates that children who dedicate time to helping others develop an enhanced sense of self-esteem and self-confidence. We believe strongly in the advantages gained through an awareness and understanding of others. Consequently, community service is an integral part of our school, and being downtown provides us many community service opportunities. For example, every week our students help two downtown churches with their soup kitchens. Our students are also involved in a number of special projects. Students knit and distribute scarves to cancer patients at the Martha Jefferson Hospital, and provide toys and clothing for children at the Shelter for Help in Emergency. Each year, we hold a canned food drive for the Emergency Food Bank, and Village School students donate to charity a percentage of funds earned at our annual Middle School Girls Holiday Craft Fair. Village School also actively supports “Pennies for Peace,” a fundraising effort of the Central Asia Institute.

What is your admissions policy and process?

Because Village School welcomes diversity in its student body, enrollment is open to qualified students of any race, color, religion, or national or ethnic origin. We admit girls with varied interests and backgrounds who are intellectually curious and have the maturity and character to benefit from the Village School experience. Students are encouraged to apply for admission in the fall and winter prior to the desired academic year entrance. The application includes a questionnaire, school transcripts, teacher recommendations, an interview, and an admissions test. There is an application fee due with the questionnaire. Admission decisions are made beginning in February, and applications are considered as long as space is available. We require all applicants to visit Village School and to spend part of an academic day with us.

What is the tuition?

Tuition for 2012-2013 is $12,000. Tuition can be paid in full or in three installments of $4,000 each due August 1, 2012, October 15, 2012, and February 1, 2013. In addition to the tuition, there is a $650 book and activity fee due upon admission to Village School. While the Village School scholarship fund is limited, we make every effort to provide financial aid to those who qualify. Please contact the school for additional information on scholarship funds.