If you visited Red Mountain Community School (RMCS) today, you’d walk into a warm, inviting space chock full of textures, rich colors, and trinkets from nature. The funny thing is, it might not look that different from the classrooms of our first school year - 2005-2006. What has changed is our community of learners. We’ve grown from a group of 9 students and two teachers to 90 students and 16 teachers and staff, and can celebrate 29 graduates spanning the country who continue to live out the unique postures, habits, and sensibilities of RMCS.
For a fifth of a century, this secret treasure nestled in Avondale has sought to bring an affordable, simple, independent school for all of the people of Birmingham. Recognizing that many current educational practices actually deter from the hope of nurturing students who are full participants in all of life, we committed ourselves to an unhurried, liberal arts, locally-based education that fosters a community-minded, collaborative spirit. The most surprising thing about this work is that since we started, we’ve seen article after article, book after book, essay after essay affirm us.
An emphasis on Hospitality, Participation, Presence and Attention, Mystery, Suffering and Resilience, Rhythm and Ritual, and Fearlessness - habits that have been core tenants of RMCS since our earliest days - have now emerged as vital practices of children’s education.
Over the last 20 years, we are proud to celebrate:
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29 graduates who have gone on to attend Auburn University, Birmingham-Southern College, Savannah College of Art and Design, University of Colorado at Denver, Warren Wilson College, Indiana University, Toronto Film School, St. John’s College in Annapolis, MD and the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
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85% return rate for teachers, including two teachers who are celebrating their 15th year at RMCS;
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Socioeconomic, racial, religious, and culturally diverse community;
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Rich and unique offerings and schooling for parents, with much needed guidance and familial support such as retreats, reading groups, and more;
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Enriching and long-standing relationships with Birmingham conservation sites such as Black Warrior River Keepers, Freshwater Landtrust, and Alabama Audubon; and
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Annual trips to the Equal Justice Initiative and collaborations with the Klein Wallace Arts Organization who are committed to challenging racial and economic injustice, and helping our community understand how they can disrupt systems of oppression and contribute to a more just, equitable Birmingham.
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As we look to the next 20 years, we seek to ensure the sustainability of our organization, foster a second work by 2030, and add to our student base by providing flexible scholarships to those who might not otherwise be able to afford tuition.
To enable this, RMCS has set a fundraising goal of $50,000. Though we will be working towards this goal throughout the school year, our efforts are primarily focused on a two-day 20th Anniversary celebration in February 2025! We invite you to be a part of this unique event series which will kick off with a costume gala on Thursday night, and end on Friday with interactive talks from advocates in Birmingham (a returning event we call RedTalks) and a dance for students in our new library space.
Would you consider supporting this work and celebration?