Community School was founded in 1973 to provide students with an outstand-ing independent education. Surrounded by mountains, Community School is located in historic Sun Valley, Idaho and enrolls students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Its standard-setting academic program together with creative arts and athletic programming and a renowned Outdoor Program instill confidence, self-reliance, teamwork skills, and leadership qualities. Students are encouraged to actively pursue their passions, whether on the stage, the field, the slopes, or in the wilderness. Special programs include the Outdoor Leadership Academy (OLA), Sun Valley Ski Academy (SVSA), and Creative Arts Academy (CAA). A thriving Residential Program, founded in 2011, attracts mission-aligned students from around the nation and the world.

ENGAGED LEARNERSCommunity School fosters engaged learners who collaborate with their peers and thrive on caring, respectful relationships with their teachers.

INDEPENDENT THINKERSCommunity School produces independent and critical thinkers who become creative problem solvers.

AVID ADVENTURERS Community School classrooms include rivers, forests, and mountains and encourage a healthy respect for adventure and for the wilderness.

PREPARED TRAVELERSCommunity School prepares students for excellent colleges and universities while encouraging them to lead impactful and purposeful lives.

COMMUNITY SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE

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SCHOOL PROFILE

From our campus to the wilderness, Community School’s mission is to inspire students to think critically, engage confidently, embrace challenges, and lead impactful, purposeful lives.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTSGraduation requirements include the following:

12 terms of English in grades 9, 10, 11, 12 9 terms of Social Studies 9 terms of Mathematics in proper sequence 9 terms of Science in grades 9,10,11 9 terms of World Language (nine in one language or six in one and six in another) 3 terms of Art or Music 1 term of Research Methodology and Thesis 1 term of Writing Across the Curriculum 1 term of Computer Science 9 additional terms of Social Studies, Mathematics, World Language, or Science, up to three terms from a single department 7 additional terms of elective courses

Upper School FacultyThe Upper School faculty consists of 27 full and part-time teachers, 20 of whom hold advanced degrees (20 Master’s Degrees and two Ph.Ds). Our student-to-faculty ratio of eight to one permits both a personalized and intimate classroom atmosphere and an academic program that supports a range of learners.

Academic TermsCommunity School divides its curriculum and programs into four seasonal “terms” (fall, winter, spring, and summer) in the Upper School. The summer term gives our competitive winter sport athletes and others the ability to design their coursework so that they may compete and travel during the winter term without compromising the quality and rigor of their academic experience.

Course Load (and Winter Term)Students in grades nine through twelve are required to take six courses per term. During the second and third term, seniors may reduce their course load to five courses. Important Note: It is common for our competitive winter athletes to carry three to four courses during the winter term, having already fulfilled the course load requirements by taking one to two core courses during the summer.

Grade Point AverageGrade point averages are calculated for grades nine through twelve using a standard 4.0 scale. Students who earn honors credit in a course will receive a .33 point increase to their letter grade per term in grade point average calculations. Individual grades are not weighted on student transcripts, but are reflected when the GPA is calculated.

Class RankA Community School class is comprised of approxi-mately 45 qualified students. Since small differ-ences in GPA can result in a significant difference in class standing, the school does not assign class rankings. In place of school rankings, we provide distributions of GPA and test scores to colleges and universities.

HonorsIn the Upper School, students who wish to delve more deeply into the course material may, with approval of the instructor, earn honors credit. A student must earn a B+ or better in each respective course taken for honors to earn an honors designation on his/her transcript. In past years, honors courses have been offered in every department.

Advanced PlacementCommunity School does not offer Advanced Place-ment courses. Individual students who elect to take AP exams are given faculty support and guidance, and may take the exams on Community School’s campus.

ENGAGED LEARNERS & INDEPENDENT

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AVID ADVENTURERS & PREPARED TRAVELERS

Senior Projects - Spring Term During the spring term, seniors can elect to undertake a Senior Project in lieu of traditional classes if they are academically in good standing and their project proposal is approved by the Senior Project Commit-tee. The primary goal of the program is to provide every senior an opportunity to create and carry out a capstone intellectual experience that synthesizes all of the essential skills that have been developed through Community School programs. Senior Projects include a written research and reflective component, a learning log, documentation of 90 hours of work, and a 20-minute presentation to the school community on one’s project. They are assessed on a pass/fail scale and earn a trimester credit for successful completion.

Outdoor ProgramCommunity School’s Outdoor Program is one of the most comprehensive outdoor programs in the country and has been an integral part of the school since its inception in 1973. The Outdoor Program provides challenging and inspiring outdoor experiences in the fall, winter, and spring for all grade levels, pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Each school year begins with a three-day camping trip for grades six through twelve, and components of the yearly curriculum include weeklong experiences in the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, the Canyonlands in Utah, and on the Salmon River in Idaho. Trips are planned and organized by the Outdoor Program team and staffed by faculty and professional guides.

Residential ProgramCommunity School’s Residential Program was established in 2011. The program offers students in grades 9-12 outstanding academics and character development reinforced by outdoor and winter sports experiences. Residential students include talented and creative students from across the country and around the world. The program capitalizes on the close student/faculty relationships that Community School students and families have long valued. A new 25,085 sq. foot, three-story residential facility, the Ketchum Campus, opened in January 2017 with a maximum capacity for 36 students. This new com-munal hub for campus life includes six student suites, a 65-seat dining hall, media center and game room, and a 3,200 sq. foot fully-equipped gym.

Sun Valley Ski AcademyCommunity School established the Sun Valley Ski Academy in 2011. Our partnership with the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation offers promising athletes access to world-class coaching, train-ing, and competition, combined with Community School’s excellent college preparatory program. Our SVSA Academic Coordinator provides individual and group academic support on campus, and periodical-ly on the road to ensure students have the help they need to stay on track academically.

Co-Curricular Requirements • Eight seasons of after-school activities (four or more activities directly linked to Community School program offerings). • Presentation of a Senior Speech at assembly. • Satisfactory participation in the school’s Outdoor Program: all outdoor trips or make-up trips, as approved by the Outdoor Program Director, must be completed.

Outdoor Leadership AcademyEstablished in 2010, the Outdoor Leadership Academy (OLA) provides Upper School students with the opportunity to develop authentic leadership skills that can be transferred to any future endeavor while fostering a love for wild places. Students earn outdoor certifications and develop the outdoor skills needed to lead outdoor trips. Core requirements must be completed in addition to focused studies in either Mountain and Rock, River, Backcountry Winter Travel, or Wilderness Travel.

Creative Arts AcademyLaunched in 2016, the Creative Arts Academy allows students to pursue their passion for the arts in order to foster and grow their potential as artists and performers. Students focus on one of three disci-plines: drama, visual arts, or music. The curriculum combines pre-professional training in the arts with the school’s comprehensive academic program.

Athletics and RecreationCommunity School’s athletic programs involve 79 percent of the student body. Sports include soccer, cross-country, volleyball, basketball, tennis, golf, and track. A significant number of students also compete for the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation’s alpine, cross country, freestyle, and snowboarding teams. Individual students participate in figure skating, hockey, lacrosse, mountain biking, equestrian events, and more.

Emory 3Evergreen State 1Fordham 6Fort Lewis 2Georgetown 2George Washington 3Gonzaga 5Gustavis Adelphus 1Harvard 1Harvey Mudd 1Hobart-William Smith 2Humboldt State 2Johns Hopkins 1Johnson & Wales 2Kenyon 1Lafayette 2Lehigh 1Lewis & Clark 7Linfield 2Loyola Marymount 7MIT 1Miami U. of Ohio 2Michigan State 1Middlebury 9Montana State 30New York University 3Northeastern 6Occidental 1Oregon State 2Pace 2Penn State 2

Pitzer 3Portland 6Princeton 1Quest (Canada) 4Reed 1Rocky Mountain 2Roger Williams 2St. Andrews 1St. Lawrence 9St. Mary’s (CA) 2St. Michael’s 1Santa Clara 7Scripps 2Seattle University 11Sewanee U-South 2Sierra Nevada 3Skidmore 1Southern Methodist 3Syracuse 1Trinity 2Tufts 4Tulane 2Union 1Univ. of Aberdeen 1Univ. of Colorado 40Univ. of Denver 36Univ. of Michigan 1 Univ. of Montana 5Univ. of Nevada 1Univ. of New Hampshire 2Univ. of Oregon 17

Univ. of Pennsylvania 2Univ. of Puget Sound 19 Univ. of Redlands 1Univ. of Richmond 1Univ. of San Diego 2Univ. of San Francisco 3USC 10Univ. of Utah 4Univ. of Vermont 27Univ. of Virginia 2Univ. of Washington 8UC Berkeley 4UC Davis 5UC Irvine 2UC Los Angeles 5UC San Diego 6UC Santa Barbara 7UC Santa Cruz 9Utah State 1Vassar 2Wake Forest 2Washington St. Louis 2Washington State 12Wesleyan 4Western Washington 7 Westminster 18Whitman 5Willamette 12Williams 3Worcester Poly Tech 1Wyoming Tech 1

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Post Office Box 2118 | One Community School DriveSun Valley, ID 83353 | tel: 208.622.3955 | fax: 208.622.3962 www.communityschool.org

AVERAGE GPA SENIOR YEAR

2017 3.56

2016 3.54

2015 3.56

2014 3.55

2013 3.45

SAT MEAN SCORES

2017 1185 (New SAT)

2016 1794

2015 1777

2014 1795

2013 1750

HISTORICAL PROFILE • 2013-2017

American 1Amherst 1Arizona State 3Barnard 2Bates 6Boise State 2Boston College 4Boston University 6Bowdoin 6British Columbia 2Brown 3Bucknell 3Cal-Poly SLO 13Carleton 1Carrol College 2Champlain 8Chapman 13Clarkson 3Colby 4Colgate 4College of Charleston 1Colorado College 7Colorado School of Mines 1Colorado State 5Connecticut College 4Cornell 2Dartmouth 6Davidson 2Duke 2Edinburgh 2Embry-Riddle 1

college entrance100 percent of Community School students who apply are accepted for admission to college. Between 2013-17, Community School graduates were accepted at the following colleges and universities:

CUMULATIVE GPA JUNIOR YEAR

4.0-4.18 9

3.5-3.99 27

3.0-3.49 7

2.43-2.99 1

SAT MEAN SCORES JUNIOR YEAR (FIRST ROUND, 33 STUDENTS)

Mean 300’s 400’s 500’s 600’s 700’s

CR 639 0 0 11 14 8

Math 595 0 1 15 15 2

CLASS OF 2018 PROFILE • TOTAL CLASS SIZE 44

ACT MEAN COMPOSITE SCORES

2017 27.8

2016 26.4

2015 27.2

2014 27.5

2013 23.4

CEEB/ACT Code:130-307

HEAD OF SCHOOLBen Pettitbpettit@communityschool.org

UPPER SCHOOL HEAD Matt Barnesmbarnes@communityschool.org

COLLEGE COUNSELINGBags Brokaw bbrokaw@communityschool.orgChauncy Gardnercgardner@communityschool.org

ADMISSIONSKatie Robinskrobins@communityschool.org

SUN VALLEY SKI ACADEMYJonna Mendes jmendes@sunvalleyskiacademy.org

DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICSRichard Whitelawrwhitelaw@communityschool.org

REGISTRARMary Hallmhall@communityschool.org

SCHOOL CONTACTS

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