by Shawn Nowlin
When it comes to educating the youth, there is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Four years ago, the McCleod Family Foundation opened a tuition-free private school in Roanoke called “The Academy” for underserved families in the community. Because the school followed Virginia’s standard of learning, students had the same curriculum as students in the public school system.
Last year, according to the Academy’s website, 32 percent of the school’s families improved their housing situations, a quarter of families improved their employment situations, and 100 percent of the families established future goals with Academy coaches that will allow them to live a fulfilling, independent life.
Over the last 18 months, the school underwent construction, moved to a new address, and transitioned to a new leadership team. Ryan Bell, Principal of the now Belle Academy, wants people to reimagine the idea of education.
Individuals who invest in children’s education through labor or financial donations have a special place in Bell’s heart because his late father, Carlton Bell, was a longtime Roanoke Valley educator.
“My father was everything that a man should be. He was compassionate, hard-working, direct, and extremely selfless,” he said. “Those are the attributes I intend on utilizing every day that I walk through the school’s doors.”
Located off Belle Avenue, approximately 65 students between kindergarten and the fourth grade are currently enrolled at the Belle Academy. In addition to the academic curriculum, students also learn important life skills such as hygiene, budgeting, and gardening.
“When the school first opened in 2018, there was just one kindergarten class. The next year was the start of the worst pandemic of our lifetime. When I came on board this past July, my name and the location of the school made for a cool play on words. We are committed to increasing the enrollment and awareness of the school,” Bell said.
He added, “We are very intentional about being unique. We teach our young scholars more than what can be learned from simply reading a textbook. We teach confidence. We teach money management. We do this because it’s never too early to equip kids with information that will bode well for them later in life. We just took our third and fourth-grade students to Radford University to expose them to a different environment.”
Leighann Banks, Bethany Ward, Elizebeth Brown, Amber Farrington, and Na’Aousha Campbell currently comprise the Academy’s teachers. No class features over 17 students which enables pupils to receive more one-on-one teaching.
Being that the Belle Academy just opened last month, Bell acknowledges there will inevitably be some growing pains. “One of the main challenges was getting into the new location. With the pandemic, a lot of things slowed down, and that includes construction,” he said. “We almost didn’t think we would be able to open our doors on August 23 because we were pushed right against the wall. Everything worked itself out, but we still have some areas to sharpen.”
Beyond grateful for this opportunity, Bell encourages the community to reach out if they have any questions. The Belle Academy’s number and website are 540-685-2605 and theacademyatbelle.org.
