Born to address the need of the community, our values continue to guide everything we do.
Beginning as a community youth organization in 1977, The Community School has grown under the leadership of founder Tom Culotta into the full four year, state certified high school program it is today. We started as a neighborhood-based effort in Remington to lower the area’s high school dropout rate, but there was an evident need for a full school program.
In 1982 a one-room schoolhouse was launched in the basement of Guardian Angel Church. We used supplies donated from the community and had a single, unpaid teacher. Over time, the program grew from basic education, to a GED program, to a GED and college prep program. In 1997 we took over the building of the former Remington People’s Food Co-op, a double storefront rowhouse where we remain today. After operating as a program for over 30 years, we became a state certified nonpublic high school in July 2013.
Throughout this time we remained committed to serving students for whom the public school system does not work well. Above all, The Community School is an act of love. Love from the community members who support us, and love for the students who choose to learn with us. The work that has gone into making The Community School great is only matched by the effort our students put into their learning experience. We rely on supportive community members and committed students to continue to grow and thrive as a school that truly changes the lives of everyone involved.
Our values stem from the original mission of the school – to give all students who want to learn a leg-up to improve their lives and make a difference for others. These values are present in everything we do – from our curriculum, our interactions with others, and everything in-between.
Here are some of the ways we manifest our core values every day:
