Parent Testimonials
“The New River Gorge Learning Co-op is as unique as this community nestled in the mountains of West Virginia. It represents a different way of thinking and of preparing for the future. The kids at the Co-op are learning to be productive citizens of the world. They are learning to be problem solvers, to think independently, to work together, and to embrace challenges. They are learning to take care of themselves, each other, their community, and this planet.”
-- Kim Maxwell, founding parent and mom to Beehive student Edan (10).
-- Kim Maxwell, founding parent and mom to Beehive student Edan (10).
“Enrolling our child at the NRGLC has proven to be a great decision for our family. Although we anticipated this going into it because of the great group of people involved with the school, our experience there so far has far surpassed those initial expectations.
The educational aspect of it for Owen has been excellent and we have have seen him grow in many regards from his experience in the classroom. Having little knowledge and experience with the Montessori approach to teaching going into it we have certainly been impressed so far.
In addition, the community aspect of the school has been a huge bonus. The amazing group of people involved including the kids, their families, the teachers, and the administrators have all added to a very worthwhile and beneficial experience for our family. The emphasis on the outdoors and play for the kids is awesome as well, especially given the area where we live. We look forward to many more years attending this great community school.”
-- Kenny Parker, dad to Owen (4), Children’s House student since Jan 2017 and co-owner of Waterstone Outdoors, a successful Fayetteville business since 1987
The educational aspect of it for Owen has been excellent and we have have seen him grow in many regards from his experience in the classroom. Having little knowledge and experience with the Montessori approach to teaching going into it we have certainly been impressed so far.
In addition, the community aspect of the school has been a huge bonus. The amazing group of people involved including the kids, their families, the teachers, and the administrators have all added to a very worthwhile and beneficial experience for our family. The emphasis on the outdoors and play for the kids is awesome as well, especially given the area where we live. We look forward to many more years attending this great community school.”
-- Kenny Parker, dad to Owen (4), Children’s House student since Jan 2017 and co-owner of Waterstone Outdoors, a successful Fayetteville business since 1987
“We moved our son to NRGLC when he grew to Kindergarten age, and we’re thrilled with the results. He did well enough in preschool, but we always had the sense that he could do better in an environment that gave him some ownership over his education and time to explore his world. When we learned NRGLC’s model of learning and its plans for its future, we were impressed and we jumped on board. And oh, my goodness. The amount of focus he has for his school work and the creativity he’s displaying blows us away. Aside from strides in math and science, he has fallen in love with writing and illustrating his own books. We have dozens of them at home now—a whole shelf filled with his work.
Listen, by any measure of success in education, West Virginia is close to or at number 50 in the nation. We are not good at this. And true to form, every game in our area is either stagnating or floundering…except one. Only the New River Gorge Learning Co-Op seems interested in and capable of growing, of evolving, of being better than it is, and in so doing, of truly serving our community.”
-- Jay Young, dad to Lincoln (6), Children’s House student since fall of 2017
Listen, by any measure of success in education, West Virginia is close to or at number 50 in the nation. We are not good at this. And true to form, every game in our area is either stagnating or floundering…except one. Only the New River Gorge Learning Co-Op seems interested in and capable of growing, of evolving, of being better than it is, and in so doing, of truly serving our community.”
-- Jay Young, dad to Lincoln (6), Children’s House student since fall of 2017
“My 11 year old daughter loves going to the Co-op. She wakes up psyched to go every day. She takes responsibility for her work and shows pride in it. I believe the Montessori method used at the Co-op is the reason for her success and happiness at school.”
-- Rachel Babkirk, founding parent and mom to Jade (12).
-- Rachel Babkirk, founding parent and mom to Jade (12).
“We are so grateful to have the Co-op in our community and can't imagine sending our daughter anywhere else. It's so comforting to drop her off at school when we know she will be surrounded by people who love and care about her -- especially since she was feeling a little nervous about going to school without her mom and dad! We also really appreciate that the Co-op encourages kids to develop a sense of independence and fosters their natural curiosity. We feel like our daughter is getting a truly holistic education that emphasizes the joy of learning and the value of a healthy mind and body.”
-- Anne McConnell and Tom Saladyga, parents to Audie (4) who has been in the Children’s House since the fall of 2016.
-- Anne McConnell and Tom Saladyga, parents to Audie (4) who has been in the Children’s House since the fall of 2016.
“The NRGLC is a local treasure, and we're lucky to have it. I love how the Montessori teaching model incorporates classic learning and education into life skills and social development, tapping into every child's innate desire to learn and figure out the world. It's a time-tested method, and one can't argue with the results. Better educated kids make better adults.”
-- Ken Kruger, dad to Sammy (5), a Children’s House student since 2016.
-- Ken Kruger, dad to Sammy (5), a Children’s House student since 2016.
“My daughter has attended this school since the age of three, and I couldn't imagine a better academic or social environment. Her standardized test scores reflect the academics, and her respectful behavior and excitement about school reflect the school's loving, community-oriented approach.
I have attended most of our school field trips over the years and we consistently get feedback about how smart, helpful, engaged and compassionate our kids are. I'm thrilled that such an opportunity exists in such a small town, and it is a huge selling point for potential residents. This school is truly a gem!”
-- Ginger Danz, mom to Zora (12) who has been going to NRGLC since day 1.
I have attended most of our school field trips over the years and we consistently get feedback about how smart, helpful, engaged and compassionate our kids are. I'm thrilled that such an opportunity exists in such a small town, and it is a huge selling point for potential residents. This school is truly a gem!”
-- Ginger Danz, mom to Zora (12) who has been going to NRGLC since day 1.
“We are thrilled to have Maddox at NRGLC. We're well aware that emotional intelligence is a bigger indicator of success than IQ. It's great to see him interacting with other children and building vital social and collaborative skills, while at the same time laying a solid educational foundation.
--Tom and Kathy Gerencer, parents to Maddox (3), Children’s House student since January 2018
--Tom and Kathy Gerencer, parents to Maddox (3), Children’s House student since January 2018
“My husband and I have been splitting our time between Summersville, WV (25 miles from school) and Switzerland since 2010. We started our family in 2013 and now have two boys aged 5 and 2. As soon as our first son, Sterling, was born we started to talk about our schooling options, considering both our unusual living arrangement and our access to alternative education opportunities. We were aware of the New River Gorge Learning Co-op (NRGLC) before having children but the NRGLC came to the forefront of our minds as our community of friends and our family started to grow.
Looking in from the outside, my husband and I were excited of the access to an educational community that always seemed to be growing and to be child based. In the fall of 2016 our then 3 year old started in the Children's House and it wasn't until then that we realized the real magic of this beautiful community. The kindness and respect the teachers have for their students, the learning method and tools, and the dedication of everyone involved are just a few examples of what so strongly draws us to this school. Because of NRGLC we spend more time in WV then we probably would otherwise.
Sterling took quite a while to be comfortable walking straight into the classroom when he stared at school. The never-ending patience he (and I) were shown morning after morning did not go unnoticed and made for an easier transition for everyone.
This year in Sterling's classroom they were studying a lot on book design and page layouts. I'll never forget the day he was looking through a book on his own at home and said "MOMMA, it's a fold out! That's where the author sometimes puts their dedication!" (4 years old!) Or, when he came home and said "Dad, do you know what empathy is?" and proceeded to explain it to us. We now talk about empathy a lot in our home.
At NRGLC they give the children a learn through doing curriculum, the freedom to be who they are, and a concentration on the student as a whole. We are beyond inspired to be a part of the NRGLC family and are looking forward to the exciting growth planned for our future.”
-- Elizabeth Tomlin, Children’s House parent since 2016
Looking in from the outside, my husband and I were excited of the access to an educational community that always seemed to be growing and to be child based. In the fall of 2016 our then 3 year old started in the Children's House and it wasn't until then that we realized the real magic of this beautiful community. The kindness and respect the teachers have for their students, the learning method and tools, and the dedication of everyone involved are just a few examples of what so strongly draws us to this school. Because of NRGLC we spend more time in WV then we probably would otherwise.
Sterling took quite a while to be comfortable walking straight into the classroom when he stared at school. The never-ending patience he (and I) were shown morning after morning did not go unnoticed and made for an easier transition for everyone.
This year in Sterling's classroom they were studying a lot on book design and page layouts. I'll never forget the day he was looking through a book on his own at home and said "MOMMA, it's a fold out! That's where the author sometimes puts their dedication!" (4 years old!) Or, when he came home and said "Dad, do you know what empathy is?" and proceeded to explain it to us. We now talk about empathy a lot in our home.
At NRGLC they give the children a learn through doing curriculum, the freedom to be who they are, and a concentration on the student as a whole. We are beyond inspired to be a part of the NRGLC family and are looking forward to the exciting growth planned for our future.”
-- Elizabeth Tomlin, Children’s House parent since 2016
“I think the co-op is important on so many levels. It's important as a place of learning. I've seen first hand how the way children learn at the Co-op translates into real-world interaction. The foundation of what students learn at the NRGLC is amazing. As students have moved on they've gone on to excel in other educational environments. For our daughter, the Co-op has been a place for the last eight years where she can be herself and dig into learning on her terms. I also think of the Co-op beyond my family and the resource for expanding horizons for our community, children and adults alike.”
-- Jonathan Danz, to Zora (12) who has been going to NRGLC since day 1.
-- Jonathan Danz, to Zora (12) who has been going to NRGLC since day 1.
