Scholars Thrive at Middleburg Community Charter School

Scholars Thrive at Middleburg Community Charter School

By Linda Roberts

The untiring and relentless efforts of parents, volunteers and the community, over an expanse of time, kept an elementary school operating in Middleburg when its future looked bleak almost ten years ago.

With enrollment figures low at that time, the Loudoun County School Board was eyeing Middleburg Elementary for potential closure, meaning elementary-age children in the Middleburg district would be bussed elsewhere in the county for class.

“Parents and this community really wanted the school to stay open,” said principal Stephen Robinson, adding that meetings, town hall events and the ongoing efforts of many enabled the school to become the first public charter school in Northern Virginia, and one of just a few in Virginia.

With no pause in the academic cycle, Middleburg Elementary became Middleburg Community Charter School beginning with the 2014-2015 school year. With an average class size of 24, the school is now operating at a full capacity of 144 students.

Principal Stephen Robinson and a group of Middleburg Charter School student safety patrol offcers.

Photo by Linda Roberts

Every five years, the school goes through a thorough inspection and the Loudoun County School Board votes on its continuance as a charter school. A lottery system is used each year for enrollment with current students guaranteed placement and their siblings given preferential status.

After that, Middleburg area children and then those in the district are considered. The school is governed by a board of directors composed of a balance of parents and volunteers from the community who come from all walks of life. Students are often referred to as scholars, holding them to a higher standard of learning.

Robinson noted that the school’s scholars learn the meaning of the three R’s— respect for others, property and yourself.

The board, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to finding skilled and experienced leaders to help continue its work in providing scholars from across Loudoun County a unique educational experience centered in the philosophy, life, and learning of Leonardo da Vinci. A project-based learning school with a focus on math, literacy and the arts, its scholars develop problem-solving abilities, social-emotional intelligence, and global citizenship skills through integrated, thematic instruction to develop their full potential.

“Our board is very supportive,” said Robinson, who knows every student by name. “My role is to ensure our staff is supported and that our scholars are supported each day in their work. Our staff wants them to know that they are loved.

The school’s goal is to cultivate in each child a love of reading, the ability to write clearly and speak confidently. The school targets the development of life-long learners who are curious, caring, reflective and who are productive members of the community.

To reduce the erosion of skills over the traditional summer vacation, the school uses a modified year-round calendar, which provides additional learning opportunities between quarters. Parent participation is also encouraged.

By partnering with local businesses and organizations, the school integrates the rural, historic culture with the high-tech innovation of Loudoun County into its curriculum.

Curriculum specialist Katie Charnley gets excited when asked questions about the academic platform.

Charnley explained that students frequently partner with local businesses and organizations to integrate real life practices with classroom studies. As an example, she pointed out that a study on the Chesapeake Bay and its water sources is combined with a field trip to the town’s water treatment facility to learn how water is treated before it is piped to homes and the school.

Because of the school’s close proximity to town, students on field trips are often a common sight on Middleburg’s sidewalks.