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Mountain Community School
Mountain Community School, nominated by Place Network of Teton Science Schools, is an elementary/middle school in Donnelly, Idaho, that describes itself as a public charter school serving learners from a primarily rural area.
Location Donnelly, Idaho
Governance Public Charter School
Grades Elementary, Middle
Students 50
Locale Rural
Head of School Jenny Schon
Demographics
Percentage of students*
5%
English Learners
30%
Free/Reduced Lunch
15%
Students with Disabilities
African American or Black 5%
American Indian/Alaska Native 5%
Asian —
Hawaiian or Pacific Islander —
Hispanic or Latino 5%
White 85%
2+ Races —
Why Mountain Community School was nominated
MCS dedicates each afternoon to rigorous Community Projects that integrate ELA, science, social studies, and often art and ELA. These projects are built around the intersection of standards and student interest, thus being student-centered at their core. Additionally, each student also has time weekly to work on a Personal Projects where they pursue their own interests and passions. These opportunities are provided to *ALL* students, thus promoting equity across the school.
Student experience design
Mountain Community School is a personalized, project-driven, free, public charter school that creates active, engaged thinkers who participate in their own education. We develop curious and confident children who grow to make the world a better place. Students engage in Community Projects, that focus on addressing an issue or question the student's are interested in from an interdisciplinary approach and culminating in a public sharing of their results. They also participate in Personal Projects, where students select a topic they are interested in to delve deeper on and work through goals to present on their progress twice a year.
Core Practices
| Core Practices | Length of Use |
|---|---|
|
Assessments For Deeper Learning |
3-4 years
|
|
Competency/mastery-based Education |
3-4 years
|
|
Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics |
3-4 years
|
|
Project-based Learning |
3-4 years
|
|
Students Develop Projects |
3-4 years
|
All Practices
Advancement On Mastery
Student Advisories
Apprenticeships
Assessments For Agency And Self-directed Learning
Assessments For Social-emotional Skills
Community And Workforce Partnerships
Flexible Staffing & Alternative Teaching Roles
Grading Policies Focus On Mastery
All Courses Designed For Inclusion
Individual Learner Profiles
Individual Learning Paths
Mental Health Services
1:1 Mentoring
Multi-age Classrooms
Peer To Peer Support
Performance Based Assessment
High Quality Instructional Materials
Reallocation Of Resources For Students Most In Need
Restorative Practices
SEL Curriculum
SEL Integration School-wide
Service Learning
Students Access Their Own Data
Student-led Goal Setting
Self-paced Learning
Universal Design For Learning
key reasons for innovating
Improve academic achievement
Improve student mental health
Increase student agency
Date Updated: 4/1/2026
*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.