Mission

The Community School is a private non-sectarian co-educational day school serving 30 students in grades 6 to 12. Our students are bright, highly motivated young people from 15 towns in central New Hampshire and western Maine.

We believe learning is a rigorous and joyful pursuit which calls on each individual's talents and interests, and promotes appreciation of the interconnectedness of people and places. At The Community School, our mission is to support students on their individual learning paths within a caring and respectful community.

People

2010 Faculty, left to right: Joan Hodges, Deb Wilk, Lianne Prentice, Don Fries, Brady Potter, Mark Bickford

The Community School exists because many many people have joined together to share a common dream. This is a dynamic group of people who eagerly discuss ideas in education, community and conservation.

One of our commonly shared ideas is that young people are our future. They will one day solve problems we cannot even imagine today. At this school, all of us are confident that these young people will be capable leaders tomorrow.

Board of Trustees

The Community School is overseen by a Board of Trustees. This Board consists of teachers, parents, community members, student representatives, and a faculty member. Our current Board of Trustees:

Community Members
Chris Clyne
Tom Curtin
Dawn Evans
Louise Taylor

Parent Members
Steve Fairlamb
Lisa Parker
Cynthia Robinson, chair

Faculty Member
Brady Potter

Student Members
Schyler Nutting
Grace Pease

Faculty and Staff of The Community School

Mark Bickford, Social Studies and English Teacher

  • English, B.A., Iowa State University
  • Teacher Certification Program, University of New England

    Don Fries and Anna set up physics experiment

Don Fries, Math and Science Teacher

  • Psychology, B.S., Hampden-Sydney College
  • Water Resources Management & Environmental Engineering, M.S., Villanova University

Joan Hodges, Admissions

  • English, B.A., Emory University
  • Homeschool teacher, 24 years

    • Donna Polhamus, Librarian

    Brady Potter, Farm Manager and Gardening Teacher

    • English, B.A., University of New England
    • Environmental Education, M.A., Lesley University

    Lianne Prentice, Development Coordinator, College Counseling, Senior Projects

    • English and Political Science, B.A., University of New Hampshire
    • Critical Skills, M.A.T., Antioch New England Graduate School

    Cynthia Robinson, Visual Arts Teacher

    • Studio Art, B.S., Skidmore College
    • Milton Avery MFA Program, Bard College
    • Masters of Fine Arts, Vermont College
    • MFA Program, University of Delaware

    Jenny Rowe, Director

    • German, B.A., Yale College
    • Education with a Focus on School Leadership, M.Ed., St. Michael’s College

    Suzanne Weil, English & Social Studies Teacher

    • English, B.A., Syracuse University
    • Elementary Education, M.A., Lesley College

    Raetha Stoddard, English Teacher, Advisory, Trip Leader

    • Family Studies, B.A., Granite State College
    • Maine teacher certification, K-8

    Deb Wilk, Spanish Teacher

    • Modern Languages (Spanish/French) and Education, B.A., Anna Maria College
    • K-12 Education, Curriculum Design, M.A., Plymouth State University

    Spontaneous spring jumproping

    The Community School would not exist without the support, guidance and help of many friends in the surrounding community.

    Several community members sit on the Board of Trustees, helping parents and teachers to guide the school’s legal and fiscal matters.

    Members of the community frequently visit the school or invite students to visit them to share local history, current political issues, skills and knowledge about the local environment or professions.

    Students help our neighbors to stack wood, rake lawns, prepare houses for winter, shovel snow, and do other chores that may need doing.

    Community friends have contributed several million dollars to the school since it opened in 1989 to build our facility and to support scholarships. These donors, large and small, think it’s important to teach young people about our communities and the world-renowned ecosystems in our backyards. They like our program in citizenship and community activism. Many of them also think that this community benefits from having a new choice in education for bright youngsters.

    Alumni

    Alum Andrew Jawitz presents a history of the blues during MLK Day

    With the 2009 graduation, the Community School graduated its 117th student. Many of these young graduates are now entering college. A few are in graduate school. Others are young working parents. At least one now serves in the United States military.

    Community School alumni keep in touch through the school’s biannual Muskrat newsletter. All are invited annually to Graduation on the second Saturday of June at 2 pm.

    The school maintains permanent records for its alumni. This is comprised of a transcript. Immunization records may also be maintained for a few years. All other records belong to the student and are transferred to the student upon graduation.

    If you would like to update your address, contact old friends and renew your connection with the school, please email alumni coordinator Casey Heimlich Robinson (‘01) at casey.robinson.21307@gmail.com or bearcamp@communityschoolnh.org. Or drop a note to Lianne Prentice at Community School, 1164 Bunker Hill Road, South Tamworth , NH 03883.

    The Community School | 1164 Bunker Hill Road | South Tamworth, NH 03883
    Phone (603) 323-7000 | Fax (603) 323-8240