Renaissance School is an outgrowth of Village School. As such, it is part of Village School's tax-exempt corporation and is governed by Village School's Board of Directors. The Village School Board of Directors includes the two corporate officers, Jamie Knorr and Proal Heartwell, the co-founders of Village School. Aside from the legal corporate structure, Renaissance School will operate independently from Village School. It will be managed by our Head of School, Patterson Haden Cunningham, and our core faculty and staff.

Is Renaissance School a charter school?

No, but we serve as a model for a charter school. We support the Charter School idea, and believe that we effectively demonstrate a fundamentally new way to organize and empower learning, representing a successful model of what a charter school can be.

Why is the school not an all-girls school?

High school is a time when social interaction among boys and girls is an important part of growing up. A coeducational high school learning community is thought to foster healthy social interaction and development among young adults.

Where is the school located?

Renaissance School will be located on or near the Downtown Mall, so as to avail ourselves of the downtown's abundant resources. We are in the process of investigating several options.

Does the school offer AP classes?

The school's integrated curriculum allows building knowledge and mastery of material such that, by their junior and senior years, students are receiving instruction that is at least equivalent to, and often has moved beyond, the requirements of traditional advanced placement course work. In addition, those students interested in specific AP exams may choose a faculty mentor to facilitate their AP work. Faculty approval is required for this option.

How will the school utilize the resources of UVA?

Opportunities and links with UVA exist, and additional opportunities will be explored. Special projects and seminars that involve UVA professors and graduate students will be conducted. We are developing strong ties with the UVA Curry School of Education, and we will continue to explore with them ways in which Renaissance School can facilitate field research in high school reform. We will take advantage of the libraries and research facilities at the University. We believe that partnerships with the University will be mutually beneficial.

What is the tuition? Are scholarships offered?

One of our primary goals is making Renaissance School as accessible as possible. Because of this, we strive to offer the community a very competitive tuition. Tuition for the 1999-2000 school year is $6,800, including books. Some scholarship funds will be available.

By how much will tuition increase each year?

We plan to maintain low tuition costs while providing an exceptional learning experience. Those students fortunate enough to enter Renaissance School during its first year should expect a modest tuition increase each year of only $100 each year for the duration of their enrollment.

What are the school's financial resources and financial plans?

As a 503c3 non-profit educational institution, Renaissance school is building a limited endowment. We have received a three-year matching grant to help cover operating expenses. The school plans to acquire additional funds sufficient to keep tuition costs low and maintain a scholarship fund. Plans are underway to offer summer seminars and other programs that facilitate community outreach.

How can I be assured of the school's academic rigor? I want to be confident the school will graduate students into the finest colleges and universities.

Renaissance School provides a very rigorous college preparatory curriculum. Our exceptional staff, integrated curriculum, and unique organizational structure act to accelerate learning and ensure academic excellence. Our number one commitment is to our students' ongoing academic leadership and achievement. We will work with college admissions offices to ensure that our graduates are highly competitive in the applicant pool. In addition, Renaissance School will develop a School Profile for inclusion in college application materials; support Advanced Placement testing; and offer college guidance counseling.

Is the school accredited?

Not initially, due to the requirements of the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS). VAIS does not accept applications for accreditation until a school has been in operation for five years. We are hoping, however, that our affiliation with Village School, which is in its fourth year of operation, will accelerate Renaissance School's accreditation. All course work will meet or exceed all standards of learning set forth by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Please describe the 9th Week and Senior Thesis Programs.

The 9th Week Program is an opportunity for students and teachers to explore more deeply subjects of particular interest and links among subjects. The 9th Week Program will begin in the Spring of our first year. Each quarter, students may pursue special interests. These may include detailed investigations of particular subject matter, exploration of subject matter linking academics and the arts, or a special project that synthesizes particular subject matter across disciplinary boundaries.

The Senior Thesis Program is intensive and cross-disciplinary, leading to a major presentation or exhibition of work. As seniors, students are allowed more freedom to explore particular areas of interest. Guided by a faculty mentor, seniors explore a particular subject in-depth, carrying out much of their work independently. During this time, seniors are able to engage discovery, creativity, and analytical thinking, demonstrating their abilities to integrate, synthesize, experiment, excel, and learn. The senior thesis is the culmination of each student's integrated focus of study during Grades 11 and 12.

Is this a performing arts school?

No. The Renaissance Schools is a unique college preparatory learning environment that integrates the arts into the curriculum. It is more than "just" an arts school, and more than "just" a college preparatory high school. It is an empowering college preparatory learning environment that fully incorporates the arts into the curriculum.

Can students major in a subject?

Yes. As students move through the curriculum, becoming increasingly learner directed, they will select an emphasis on a subject area in the arts. Students in Grades 11 and 12 will focus on this area in preparation for their Senior Thesis. The 9th Week Program provides additional opportunity to explore individual interests. Our unique and flexible organizational structure provides ample opportunity for individual attention and mentoring.

How do the two levels of music work?

There are two levels of musicianship, as determined by a placement test prior to enrollment. Level 1 is designed for students with little or no prior training in music performance. Meeting on Mondays and Wednesdays, this workshop emphasizes the building of basic musicianship skills and the development of competency in musical notation. Students are required to participate in written, singing, and rhythmic exercises. In addition, keyboards are used to help facilitate the learning process. Level 2 will work towards establishing the Renaissance School Orchestra, with an extended rehearsal on Friday afternoons. Students will also meet Mondays and Wednesdays for other brief rehearsals, both as a group and in smaller sections. Music theory will be incorporated as pertaining to the pieces we are practicing. Private instruction on an instrument is recommended for advancement in technique.

My child plays the (flute, guitar, drums, etc.). Can she study this instrument as part of the music program?

We encourage students to pursue whatever musical instrument interests them. However, at Renaissance School, students in Grades 9 and 10 will study either keyboarding (Level 1) or a stringed instrument (Level 2). In Grades 11 and 12, students will be given the opportunity to participate in the Renaissance School Orchestra and/or pursue special topics in musicology.

Is there a sports program?

No. Our movement/dance program promotes our students' physical health. The school will make every effort to facilitate our students' participation in community sports programs.

Please describe the dance program. Are all students required to study dance?

Our movement program is designed to foster physical education and to broaden cultural awareness. All students participate in the movement program, but dance does not have to be a major focus. The movement program includes the Alexander Technique, muscular strength and flexibility, and aerobic conditioning. For students with a special interest in dance, an extra-curricular Saturday class will be offered in ballet, modern, jazz, and tap. Students in Grades 11 and 12 may elect to emphasize dance as part of their artistic curriculum.

How will technology be incorporated into the curriculum?

Technology is integrated into most curricula, and is available to empower students and broaden and deepen learning experiences. There will be computers in every classroom, networked and internet-accessible.

Where will students have lunch?

We encourage students to bring their lunch to school, as the lunch break is only 30 minutes. The school will provide kitchen space and a common area for convening at lunchtime. Students may go outside during the lunch period, but will be required to be back in the building after 30 minutes.

Is there a school guidance counselor?

Yes. We have budgeted for a position dedicated half time to general guidance counseling and half time to college counseling. The college counseling will include college selection and admission guidance, coordination of college entrance testing, and arrangements for attending college fairs. In addition, our faculty will be more directly involved in student guidance than is possible in other settings. There is a modest fee for college counseling services.

Why is the school offering French and not (Spanish, German, etc.)?

French is the most pertinent living language to our integrated curriculum. French is a language of culture and refinement that has contributed immensely to the human quest for knowledge and beauty, through its philosophers, writers, artists, and rulers. French scholarship has been and continues to be an important contributor in many fields of research in the Liberal Arts. There is an historical bond between France and America; the ideals of the enlightenment that originated in France with Rousseau and Voltaire were the catalysts that precipitated the French and American Revolutions and that ultimately led to the creation of modern democratic states.

Is transportation offered?

No. Students will need to have their own transportation to and from school.

Please describe your community service program and how it fits into the curriculum.

The community service program provides opportunity to:

1. nurture links between Renaissance School and persons and institutions in the local and regional community
2. instill a stewardship ethic among students, faculty, and parents that encourages giving of oneself and sharing with others

• Students are required to help develop and participate in one community service project before graduation. These projects emphasize stewardship and may include work to help the needy, protect the environment, or establish responsible social infrastructure.
• We hope to conduct seminars in the arts, sciences, language, and music during the summer, open to the Charlottesville community.
• Student internships with small businesses, and community organizations provide opportunity for learning, working, and contributing to the community.

How does the grading system work?

As presently conceived, the grading system is based on the traditional 4.0 grading scale:

• 4.0 Mastered (91% - 100%):
  Student demonstrates and articulates thorough factual and conceptual understanding of course material with consistent ability to integrate concepts with other disciplines. Students performing at the Mastered level will be encouraged by their teacher to initiate independent work outside normal course material to further their ability to apply and integrate course concepts. Distinctions will be listed with the course grade for the semester in which they are brought to noteworthy completion.
• 3.0 Learned (81% - 90%):
  Student demonstrates factual and conceptual understanding of course material with some ability to apply concepts.
• 2.0 Achieved (71% - 80%):
  Student completes assignments and demonstrates consistent understanding of course material.
• 1.0 Completed (65% - 70%):
  Student completes assignments but does not otherwise demonstrate understanding of course material.
• 0.0 Failed (Below 65%):
  Incomplete assignments and failure to understand course material.
• Incomplete:
  A temporary status for students with enough excused absences to justify the conclusion that they need extra time (after the normal end of the semester) to complete assignments or exams before being assigned a grade.