Voyagers’ Community School « newjerseyreggionetwork.org

Voyagers’ Community School

Voyagers’ Community School is located in Eatontown, a suburban community in Monmouth County in New Jersey. We are situated on three privately owned acres with a fenced in yard and playground. Within a mile of our location we have access to an arboretum and various natural habitats that provide an amazing learning laboratory.

Democracy, community and culture are key elements of our foundation therefore we are drawn to the richness of resources around us including painters, writers, scientists, healthcare experts, shop owners, public service personnel, farmers and others as children’s interests become evident. Our students travel from 17 surrounding towns and two counties to be with us each day.

Open since 2004, we offer a Reggio inspired and progressive academic space for toddler through high school age children. Our environment, including an l’atelier, S.T.E.A.M. Lab and Science Center, is rich in materials and resources, with an eye toward learning with children in provocative, innovative and aesthetically engaging conditions. We are inspired by the theories and practices held by Reggio Emilia practitioners as well as those espoused by John Dewey, Sylvia Ashton-Warner, Caroline Pratt and Jerome Bruner.

We teach traditional academics in non-traditional ways, welcoming children. Our studies are driven by children’s interests, which provide the outline for specific classes such as physics, history through music, multi genre writing, the study of money, storytelling, botany, woodworking, movie making and computer coding. Through these classes we consider big ideas and delve into sources and our own minds for answers. Children are supported as they think critically and problem-solve each day.

Groups of children move from class-to-class based on personal choice and in and out of study groups and activities based on personal interest. We are more reflective of a family than of a school. Together we enjoy cooking and focusing on the environment through composting, gardening, the use of natural cleaning products and the reduction of paper waste. Finally, we often engage in causes that address issues of social justice and sustainable living. We see ourselves as global citizens.

The foundational concepts in our school include the image of the child as a powerful, resourceful and competent person who learns and teaches; the vital contribution documentation makes when embraced as a tool for reflection; and the need to intentionally grow and sustain community and democracy.

The Voyagers Community School
215 Broad Street
Eatontown, NJ 07724
(732) 810-0112

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