The Discovery Difference
Discovery School was founded in Mansfield, Ohio in 1975 out of a desire to offer a place where students could step away from their desks, ask questions, explore their world, and learn academic skills in creative ways. This little independent school was situated right in the middle of the woods.
Jump forward 50 years to the present day, and you’ll still find us thriving, inquiring, exploring, and continuing to approach academics creatively. Though much more development has occurred around us, our campus remains on the 40-acre oasis of old growth forest situated between the Mansfield Art Center and Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian Center. We are now proudly designated as an International Baccalaureate World School, offering the Primary Years Programme, and serving more than 150 students in Preschool through Grade 6.
Our mission is: To provide each child the educational opportunity to discover, with perseverance and imagination, the joy of learning and the interconnectedness of our world, and we take that work very seriously.
Our vision is: to bring inspiration and innovation to children through a dynamic educational experience; one where learners ask questions, develop academic skills in creative ways, and are active and responsible citizens of the world.
Our values are: adventure, innovation, community, inclusion, integrity
We believe in constructivist learning - meaning that our students are discussing their ideas together, working to build understanding as a class. Through the use of classroom agreements and the I.B. Learner Profile we share a vision of what it means to be a learner, now and lifelong. Our students make learning take action by evidencing learning in many different ways, being active participants in assessment, and through project based learning that not only builds their understanding of the world, but also creates partnerships in learning between students, classes, the school, and the wider community.
We prioritize outdoor learning from the environment around us, taking full advantage of the 40 acres of woods surrounding the school. Discovery students benefit from that idea of being balanced learners with a full academic morning centered around core subjects like reading, writing, mathematics, and the IB Program of Inquiry, moving to three related specialist subjects in the afternoon including woods, genius hour, STEM, visual art, music, library, Spanish, physical education, and health. Enrichment classes on Friday afternoons allow teachers and community members to share their passions and knowledge with students who choose from those offerings they are most interested in. Past offerings have included board games club, comic book clubs, art club, salsa dancing, urban farming, meditation, and more.