Mission and History

The Mission of Renaissance School is to provide curious & engaged students a rich, interdisciplinary learning environment focused on critical thinking, creativity, civic engagement, and collaboration.

Through small class sizes, a dynamic curriculum, and differentiated teaching, Renaissance School fosters student achievement and academic success while developing a sense of independence and responsibility.

Renaissance School cultivates a diverse community of learners where differences are celebrated. The experience of diversity allows our community to build a culture that strengthens understanding and value for differences.

2022-2028 Strategic Plan
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History and mission full image
Renaissance School started as an idea shared by a group of middle school parents: to create a high school that would provide a small, academically rich, interdisciplinary learning environment. This group of parents met with Nancy Knorr, then the financial manager of Village School (an all-girls middle school located in Charlottesville, Virginia), to begin the process of turning the idea into a reality.

In 1997 Nancy Knorr, then finance manager of Village School, formed the exploratory committee that would eventually lead to the establishment of Renaissance School. Ms. Knorr recruited Lou Tanner to serve as the school’s founding history teacher, and Patterson Cunningham to serve as the founding Head of School.

Renaissance School opened its doors on the Downtown Mall in 1999 with an inaugural group of 9th and 10th graders.

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2024 Renaissance School expanded their downtown campus to include 416 East Jefferson

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  • 1999: Renaissance School opened its doors on Charlottesville’s downtown pedestrian mall. Patterson Cunningham served as the school’s founding Head of School.
  • 2007: Renaissance School moved to its current location on historic Court Square
  • 2009: Dr. Sara Johnson welcomed as Renaissance School’s second Head of School
  • 2010: The elevated icosidodecahedron was introduced as the school’s logo. Read more about our logo here.
  • 2019: The Raven was adopted as the school mascot as part of the 20 year celebration
  • 2023: Renaissance School expanded its campus to include an arts and humanities annex building and a faculty parking lot.
  • 2025: Renaissance School began building a new SmART Lab