There is no doubt that the teaching philosophy at Virginia Chance School is exceptional. However, parents need to be aware that the school will not accept siblings of enrolled students unless you commit in writing to sending your children through the entire 9 year program. Having a child already enrolled in Chance does not secure your other children a place at the school. In our situation, our second child was denied a place at the school because we wouldn't explicitly commit to staying through the entire elementary program. I have also been told that we're not the first family to experience this. I know of no other school with this policy and in my opinion it reflects a desperate attempt to corner parents into keeping their children in a school that is struggling to keep kids enrolled. read more

This is a different kind of school. The students get a say in what/how they learn by picking themes, being able to move around in class, having the ability to think outside the box, and they learn how to think critically and solve problems with direction rather than being taught to sit down, be quiet, and do exactly as told. They have some choice in how things go and learn in a slightly off-beat way, making this great for kids with attention issues, kids who do not fit into a cookie-cutter mold, and parents who want a less traditional experience. The school has a "whole-child" approach meaning they do not focus solely on academics but also on things like kindness, diversity, proper health, etc. There is no cafeteria so students must bring their own lunch and those lunches are expected to be healthy. Many of the lessons are hands-on, especially in science. The preschool program is really top-notch and results in students learning reading skills and math in a quicker and more efficient way. Class sizes are small and the school itself is quite little. The big downsides are the price and location. Its not conveniently located by much of anything but this allows for a huge lot to play on, learn on, and use for gardening/greenhouses, and cross country running. The school has large windows and does not cover them with blinds so kids cannot see outside--there is more freedom than that here. The tuition is HIGH and this is not a place most can afford which is very unfortunate as so many kids could benefit from it. Of course, much of that tuition goes to the "higher ups" and results in huge salaries and you do get quite a lot of the private/independent school politics here. read more

I want to note that, yes, Chance School does vet for a long-term commitment, but that is due to full enrollment, not a lack of enrollment. Chance School is looking for families that want the full experience, not leave friendships (families and children) 1/2 way through; that's hard for everyone and restricts a full program committed family from entering in preschool when the program starts. read more