House Mountain Learning Community

10/12/2026

10/09/2026

🌟We're SO close! 🌟 This fall we set out to raise $8,000 for our scholarship fund by the end of October, and thanks to our very generous supporters, we're at $7,350. Just $650 to go!

Our scholarship fund covers the gap between what a family can pay and what it costs for their child to be part of our programs, ensuring that HMLC is open to all families.

Help us cross the finish line before October 31: https://rawlearning.info/fundraisers/

Thank you to everyone who has given already - we are endlessly grateful for your generosity and commitment to what we're building at HMLC.

10/07/2026

What a whirlwind these first six weeks have been! We've been busy learning, making, exploring our community, and spending lots of time together outside. Here's a peek at what fall looks like at HMLC.

10/06/2026

A huge thank you to Washington and Lee University for donating three computers and a document camera to our learning space!

Our learners are already putting them to work, planning routes for our Great American Road Trip project and researching elements on the periodic table.

Grateful to have W&L as a neighbor 💛

09/03/2026

We welcomed learners to our outdoor learning space this week when our new Elementary Program met for the first time! Led by Raw Learning board president Stacey Noffsinger, this program for grades 1-4 meets Wednesdays for a day of hands on math, literacy, Spanish, and plenty of outdoor play. We can't wait to see how this group grows throughout the year!

09/03/2026

A kid told us last year that they like coming to HMLC because when they walk in, everyone is happy to see them.

That sounds like a small thing. It isn't. A kid who knows they belong somewhere will take intellectual risks, say the thing they're not sure about, and stay with a hard problem past the point where it stops being fun. Belonging is what makes that possible.

So yes, our adults moderate discussions, give math instruction, and assign Independent Work. But that's not the most important work they do. They know each kid well. They model how we treat each other and hold everyone to it, themselves included. They build the kind of room where a learner can walk in and know they're wanted there.

09/01/2026

A new year of HMLC started yesterday. We're loving our new learning space!

08/30/2026

We've been nominated for Best Private School in the The News-Gazette, Lexington, Va's Best of Rockbridge context! Vote for us (every day!) here:

Vote in any or all categories once per day August 26th through September 23rd EDT! Choose wisely! Votes are locked-in and can not be changed after 10 minutes. For your votes to be counted, make sure to vote in at least 3 categories.

08/29/2026

We still have a couple of spots available in our electives for middle schoolers! We meet Fridays in downtown Lexington and our first meeting will be September 4th. This trimester we're offering Book Club, Zine Making, and Excursions - come for one or join us for all three!

Looking for more social opportunities for your homeschooled middle schooler? That's exactly what our Friday electives are for!

Book Club is small enough that every kid actually gets to talk, and we're starting the year with Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor.

In Zine Making, learners will spend the trimester learning the history of this art form, making their own zines, and then building a group zine together, with every kid contributing pages.

Excursions takes learners into downtown Lexington every single week to learn about our community and meet the people who make it run: government officials, journalists, artists, business owners, service providers, etc.

And right in the middle of the day, we have a free lunch and study hall, open to any middle schooler who wants to come eat, play games, and be with friends.

Ages 11 to 14. Take one session or all of them! Registration is open now: https://rawlearning.info/electives/

08/21/2026

Middle School Book Club starts in two weeks! We still have a couple spots left - come join us!

⭐Middle School Book Club for homeschoolers starts this fall⭐ Our first book is ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY by Mildred D. Taylor.

First meeting: Friday, September 4
Where: Downtown Lexington, VA
Who: Homeschoolers ages 11-14

Message us for details!