History

The Grove School is a Montessori-based public charter school located in Redlands, California

Redlands, California

Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 68,747, up from 63,591 at the 2000 census. The city is located east of downtown San Bernardino.- History :...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The Grove School serves grades 7-12 on two distinct but inter-dependent campuses. Based on Montessori theory and practice, the Grove School offers families in the Redlands School District, and those in surrounding communities, a unique educational option for their adolescent children. This small school (approx. 200 total enrollment) provides a unique community where students work together as they pursue academic, civic and community projects, both on and off campus. Community service, internships, sports and memberships in leadership organizations help provide opportunities that encourage these young adults to become productive citizens at the same time giving them unique opportunities that help prepare them, and make them competitive, for a wide variety of college programs (approximately 98% of the graduating class in the past two years have enrolled in higher education immediately after high school).

The high school (grades 10-12) was founded in 1998 and is on the campus of the Montessori in Redlands school. The farm school campus (grades 7-9) was founded in 2003 and is a working farm, run by students. The classrooms are housed in the old farm house and its associated out buildings. The land is part of the Heritage Park Historical Distric in Redlands and includes facilities for small livestock and basic agricultural crops. The Farm campus now includes the historic Barton School House; built in 1901, it is one of the oldest buildings in Redlands. It was moved from its original location on Alabama St to its Heritage Park location on the Farm School campus. It is slowly being renovated for use as a school building. Ninth grade farm students are slowly incorporated into the high school community over the course of the year.

Academics

The Grove School follows the Montessori philosophy that students learn best by “doing”. To that end, the two campuses associated with Grove are designed to be developmentally appropriate for each stage of a student’s development.

The farm is an optimal setting for 12-15 year old students that combines rigorous intellectual work with meaningful applications. The land provides a laboratory where math, science, history and culture come together to feed the creative and growing minds and bodies of adolescents.

The high school focuses on the standard University of California A-G college-prep curriculum as well as working to deepen the understanding of its students about the world at large. Teachers utilize a variety of teaching and evaluation methodologies that encourage both individual excellence and cooperative group work. Numerous AP classes are offered each year as well.

The average SAT score for The Grove School is 1320, and the average ACT score is 17.

Redlands Daily Facts

The Grove School has been mentioned several times in The Redlands Daily Facts, a local newspaper, for the farm's activities. Participating in the school's sports teams, working at the Barton School House, and working with the Grove Community work towards their required community service hours, internship hours, and PE credits. They often have community field trips such as their locally known wheelchair trip, where the students who attend have to stay in a wheelchair for the day and go to the nearby shopping center.

Clubs

• 4H
• FFA
• STAR (Support The Artistic Ravens)
• SOAR (Support Our Athletic Ravens)
• National Honor Society