Holler Creek School Of Appalachian Ecology Inc

HOLLER CREEK SCHOOL OF APPALACHIAN ECOLOGY IS A SMALL SCHOOL SERVING CHILDREN IN K-6TH GRADE. WE ARE LOCATED IN CARROLL COUNTY, VA, JUST BELOW THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY IN AN EXTREMELY RURAL AND UNDERSERVED PART OF OUR STATE. WE USE PLACE-BASED EDUCATION TO CONNECT CHILDREN TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND ENGAGE THEM IN THEIR ACADEMIC, SOCIAL, AND EMOTIONAL GROWTH. WE PROVIDE A COMPLETE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR 11 ELEMENTARY AGED STUDENTS. FAMILIES HAVE COMMENTED ON HOW HOLLER CREEK AND PLACE BASED EDUCATION HAVE BEEN LIFE CHANGING FOR THEIR CHILDREN. 2/3 OF OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE AT LEAST A HALF-TUITION SCHOLARSHIP TO ATTEND. OUR PEDAGOGY IS A RADICAL WAY OF ENGAGING STUDENTS WITH WHERE THEY ARE, TEACHING THEM THAT THEY CAN LEARN FROM A PLACE, SPECIFICALLY THIS PLACE, IN A DEEP WAY. WE CONDUCT TRIWEEKLY FIELDWORK TO LEARN ABOUT THE NATURAL, CULTURAL, AND HISTORICAL RICHES OF OUR AREA, WHETHER IT BE COUNTING THE THOUSANDS OF HAWKS THAT MIGRATE THROUGH OUR AREA, BAGGING OYSTERS TO REHABILITATE THEIR POPULATION IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY, OR PARTICIPATE IN ORCHARDING THAT IS THE MAIN ECONOMY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. LAST YEAR, OUR STUDENTS KEPT PORTFOLIOS TO DOCUMENT EACH OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE AREAS OF READING, WRITING, MATH, AND PROJECT WORK, WHICH ENCOMPASSES THE ARTS, SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES AS WELL AS OTHER ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES. IN ADDITION TO THESE PORTFOLIOS, STUDENTS PRESENTED THEIR PROJECTS MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THROUGH PROJECT SHARES WITHIN OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY OF STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND FAMILIES, OR IN OUR LARGER COMMUNITY. PARENT CONFERENCES TOOK PLACE TWICE DURING THE YEAR, AND NARRATIVE PROGRESS REPORTS WERE ISSUED BY TEACHERS AS FURTHER MEANS OF EVALUATION AND DOCUMENTING STUDENT GROWTH. HOLLER CREEK STUDENTS TOOK THE IOWA TEST OF BASIC SKILLS IN ORDER TO TRACK THEIR PROGRESS AND REPORT TO THEIR DISTRICTED PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 9 OUT OF 11 OF OUR STUDENTS WERE AT OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL IN ALL AREAS, AND ALL DEMONSTRATED SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN THEIR SKILLS THROUGH OTHER MEANS (PORTFOLIO, PRESENTATIONS, PROJECT SHARES). OUR STUDENTS MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS IN THEIR ACADEMIC, SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL, AND ARTISTIC SKILLS OVER THE COURSE OF THIS PROGRAM'S FIRST YEAR. BECAUSE OF OUR SCHOOL'S PROGRAM OFFERING TO THIS COMMUNITY, 11 STUDENTS BECAME PART OF A CLOSE-KNIT COMMUNITY OF FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS, LEARNED ABOUT THE PLACE IN WHICH THEY LIVE, AND LEARNED IN THE WAYS THAT WORKED BEST FOR THEIR STRENGTHS AND NEEDS. IN ADDITION TO LEARNING MATH, READING, WRITING, AND THE OTHER STANDARD SCHOOL SUBJECTS, THEY DEVELOPED THEIR OBSERVATION AND INQUIRY SKILLS, BECAME MORE COMFORTABLE READING MAPS AND ANALYZING DATA, AND CONNECTED WITH STUDENTS ACROSS DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS THAT THEY OTHERWISE WOULD NEVER HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW. EACH ONE OF OUR STUDENTS TRULY THRIVED AT HOLLER CREEK IN OUR OPENING YEAR, AND THAT CANNOT BE SAID AT MANY SCHOOLS.