Pre-K through 12 in Exmore, a decade of learning.

Broadwater Academy sits on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, teaching pre-K through grade 12 under one roof. The school pairs a challenging curriculum with talented instructors and a diverse student body. Children here grow into respectful, civic-minded leaders and productive citizens.

Early classrooms are set up in zones: a rug for stories and songs, low tables for art and puzzles, shelves children can reach themselves. The day moves in a steady rhythm of group time, quiet play, outdoor running, and lunch. Teachers sit at eye level and talk with children, not at them.

Visitors often notice how much of the day children spend doing things with their hands and with other children rather than listening only. Teachers ask questions and wait for answers. Art projects hang on the walls, and older students help younger ones in the hallways. Boarding students live in a house off campus with a host parent, where meals are home-cooked or brought in.

Breakfast is served from 7:15 to 7:45, and children come in and find their seat. A teacher helps with coats and bags, and a child may put a comfort item in a cubby before the day begins. Talk to the teacher at the door about how your child slept and ate, and that news goes into the room with them.

Classes start at 8:10, with group time, small-group work, and play in between. Children eat lunch, rest or nap, and go outside when the weather allows. Rooms usually hold a quiet corner, a place to build, and a table for art. Children wash hands, help set out mats, and learn to wait a turn.

In the afternoon, children finish projects and tidy the room before they gather their things. After school, older students head to sports, rehearsals, club meetings, or studying until 6:00. Parents pick up at the end of the day and hear what their child did, ate, and rested. Ask your child's teacher what was hard and what went well.