Discovery School

At Discovery School, we were founded nearly 50 years ago because we see education differently. We believe in doing the basics well, and then using them as a springboard for interdisciplinary learning that takes action! 

All students from Preschool through 6th Grade learn Spanish as one of their Specials.

Our vision is to bring inspiration & innovation to children through a dynamic educational experience; one where learners ask questions, develop academic skills in creative ways, and are active & responsible citizens of the world. We are a unique school both in the area and across the country. Our distinctive offerings include the International Baccalaureate curriculum, a strong outdoor education program where our students explore our 40 acres of woods, two specials classes each day, strong community partnerships with organizations like the Mansfield Art Center, and at least 90 minutes each day spent outside. 

Founded and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit on July 4, 1975, Discovery School began as a place to reimagine what education in Richland County could look like for curious and engaged students and their families. As an independent school we operate under the direction of our dedicated board of governors guiding our staff of 19 full-time employees, 5 part-time employees, and over 150 students. The school is an excellent steward of funds where every dollar counts. We plan carefully, crafting a caring community with wraparound support for students and families. With an annual budget of around one million dollars, we maintain our facilities with two buildings and hold classes and educational programming for students eleven months of the year. 

Flexibility in learning is at the core of what we do.
We are able to maintain and continue to grow our standards for academic excellence while offering these unmatched educational opportunities in and outside of the classroom because of generous philanthropic support from our community. Along with tuition, we rely on annual giving, our endowment fund, fundraising and events, and grants to offer our unique and top-tier learning experiences. Your support is integral to the work we do at Discovery as an investment in our learners and community's future. 

While we are busy Each year our Take Action board fills up as students share how they've made their community better!building our communities future leaders every day, we also strive to be a bigger part of the Richland County community. As a part of our Take Action ideals, our students take their Unit of Inquiry ideas and turn them into a plan that betters the school or the community. 

                                            This year we have added new community outreach by hosting the Mansfield Richland County Public Library Bookmobile during our studAll students PS - 6th grade took part in tree planting last springent-led parent-teacher conferences, as well as each class creating a snowman for display with Kingwood Center as part of the winter decorations for the season. We have partnered with a range of community organizations, including: CACY - Community Action for Capable Youth - to teach a two-month long series of lessons in problem solving and social emotional wellness and the YMCA with their Y on the Fly program to teach 5-week sessions in physical education to each grade level. 

Our Intercultural Fair in April is a great way to learn and build camaraderie

These are on top of our in-school events like family literacy and math nights, our Annual Intercultural Fair, Veteran's Day assembly, Early Learning Center Fall Festival, Trunk or Treat, Spring Evening for the Arts, Winter Concerts, and more.

Our goal is to offer the best value in education for our family's tuition dollars, and as you can see, we take that goal very seriously! In order to do all of these wonderWe love learning outdoors!ful things, we rely on a combination of tuition, annual giving, and fundraising efforts to meet our annual budget. Since our inception, financial gifts from generous donors in the community have been essential to the operation of Discovery School. We appreciate your support and look forward to continue to serve our students. families, and the community by teaching future leaders and continuing to reimagine education. Thank you for considering a gift to Discovery School to help keep the fun and learning growing!

The mission of Discovery School is to provide each child the educational opportunity to discover, with perseverance and imagination, the joy of learning and the interconnectedness of our world.