Community is an independent elementary and preschool in St. Louis, Missouri, serving families with children from age 3 through sixth grade. From then until today, students excel in a balanced, challenging and joyful environment. Community sets the academic bar high. The 7:1 student/teacher ratio allows personalized attention for each student. Community teaches students not what to think, but how to think. Area secondary schools have long been impressed with how well Community School prepares its graduates to move to higher levels of learning. Last year, Community’s students outscored 96% of other independent schools across the nation on achievement tests. Music, art, physical education, drama, woodshop, and foreign language complement and integrate with the academic program, creating a rich learning experience. Community students feel at ease in front of others , and understand how to think and act on their feet. Community School develops character excellence from the very beginning, with strategies and programs that foster personal responsibility, teamwork, sportsmanship, cultural sensitivity, and a commitment to the environment. Through community service projects, students grow in social awareness and experience the satisfaction of helping others. All this takes place on a beautiful 16-acre semi-secluded wooded campus with a pond, nature trail, playing fields, and playgrounds, which provides infinite opportunities for discovery, observation, discussion, creativity and recreation.