New Village Academy brings unconventional high school model to Annapolis Mall

A new tuition-free public charter high school inside Annapolis Mall is nearly ready to welcome its first students.

New Village Academy is scheduled to open its doors Aug. 25, transforming space in the former Lord & Taylor department store into a school built around a less traditional approach to high school.

"High school done differently"

Months ago, the space was largely empty. Now, school leaders and teachers are putting the finishing touches on a campus designed around the school's motto: "High school done differently."

"We didn't want desks in rows. We didn't want classrooms sealed off, so we have lots of open space here," Principal and Executive Director Romey Pittman said.

Students will find open work areas, restaurant-style booths for small group work and collaboration, and individual study spaces with what Pittman described as a college library feel.

The physical space is just one part of the school's different approach.

New Village Academy's curriculum is built around real-world problems in the Annapolis community, with students using those issues to develop skills such as critical thinking and problem solving.

"Instead of saying we're all sitting here in rows in science class, we're going out to understand why there is flooding in downtown Annapolis and what are we doing about it," Pittman said.

Students will also have opportunities to participate in internships and community projects, connecting what they learn in school with potential careers and issues affecting the community.

New Village Academy's directive  

The model is designed to give students more control over their education and allow them to explore their individual interests.

"Students are able to be in control of their education and lean into how they learn and what they're interested in," math and STEM teacher Latoya Mitchell said.

Mitchell said New Village Academy gives teachers more opportunities to build relationships with students and their families.

"That's one of the things that I was missing in a traditional classroom, was not having the time to really connect with students, learn their families, where they came from, learn what their interests are and where they want to go," Mitchell said.

New Village Academy is a public school of choice within Anne Arundel County Public Schools and is open to students in grades nine through 12 who live anywhere in the county. The school plans to remain intentionally small, eventually growing to serve about 270 students.

The location at Annapolis Mall was also chosen with the school's model in mind. School leaders say its proximity to businesses, public transportation and community organizations can help create opportunities for internships, partnerships and projects outside the school.

When WJZ first visited the site last year, the school was still largely a vision. Pittman said at the time that the goal was to get students more excited and engaged in their education through community projects, apprenticeships and real-world problem solving.

Now, with opening day approaching, teachers are preparing to put that vision into practice.

"We want our students to get in there and have access to the real world doing internships and these community projects," Pittman said. "And be able to navigate the world as it is and make it a better place."

New Village Academy will hold a ribbon-cutting celebration Aug. 18 before welcoming students for the first day of school Aug. 25.