The mission of the Blacksburg New School is to serve its students, teachers, and parents by providing a cooperative educational environment. We are committed to academic and civic excellence, to individual and community responsibility, and to the love of learning. The school instills in each child the desire to learn by letting each child progress at his/her own rate using positive reinforcement; emphasizing how to work with one another and to enjoy each other's talents; stressing development of critical thinking and inquiry rather than rote learning; having parents participate in school activities and participate in the daily running of the school; avoiding competitive, racist, or sexist mindsets; making school work a challenge, not a frustration; giving students and teachers the opportunity to set goals, develop projects, and evaluate them jointly; encourage the mixing of age levels within the school so that children can help one another; and stressing that with freedom comes responsibility, both to oneself and to others. ...read more