The Laurel School to Open This Fall in Chesterfield County

The Laurel School, a new independent nonprofit school serving students in kindergarten through fifth grade, will welcome its inaugural class on September 8, 2026, at 7800 Salem Church Road in North Chesterfield.

Founded by educators Dr. Johnathan G. Harris and Dr. Courtney Hughes-Harris, The Laurel School reflects their combined more than 45 years of experience across public, independent, and higher education. The school was established to provide an intentionally small elementary school experience where children are deeply known, academically challenged, and encouraged to grow through meaningful relationships, purposeful learning, and daily engagement with the natural world.

The Laurel School will operate from the educational facility of Webber Memorial Baptist Church. The property spans more than 10 acres and is located just a few miles from Route 288 and Route 10. The church building encompasses more than 20,000 square feet, including an approximately 10,000-square-foot educational facility that will serve as the school’s home.

The Laurel School operates separately from the church’s ministry and operations. The campus includes classrooms, gathering areas, and wooded outdoor spaces that support the school’s commitment to daily outdoor learning and nature study.

“We are deeply grateful to the leadership and congregation of Webber Memorial Baptist Church for welcoming The Laurel School with such warmth and open arms,” said Dr. Johnathan G. Harris, founder and headmaster. “This campus and church have become our home. It is a place where children will be known, families will belong, and a new school community will take root.”

The Laurel School will initially open with two mixed-age learning communities: Young Explorers, serving kindergarten through second grade, and an upper-elementary community serving grades three through five. The school will open with a six-member faculty and staff and will limit enrollment to 30 students during its inaugural year, reinforcing its commitment to intentionally small learning communities and individualized instruction.

As enrollment grows, The Laurel School plans to transition from its initial mixed-age learning communities to individual classrooms for each grade, beginning with separate kindergarten, first-grade, and second-grade classrooms and continuing through the upper grades. The school also plans to expand one grade level at a time through eighth grade.

“Our goal was not to create the largest school,” said Dr. Courtney Hughes-Harris, co-founder of The Laurel School. “We are building an intentionally small school where teachers understand each child’s strengths, needs, interests, and temperament. Strong academics matter, but so do belonging, confidence, curiosity, and the preservation of childhood.”

The school’s academic program includes structured literacy, reading, writing, spelling, mathematics, science, social studies, nature study, language, music, art, and wellness. Students receive explicit instruction and guided practice while also learning through conversation, observation, exploration, and meaningful work.

Outdoor learning is integrated throughout the school day, with the campus’s wooded areas serving as extensions of the classroom for scientific inquiry, nature observation, field journaling, movement, and exploration.

The Laurel School uses narrative progress reports, student work samples, and family conferences to provide a comprehensive picture of each child’s academic development and personal growth.

Tuition for the 2026–2027 academic year is $11,000 per student, with an additional $750 annual activity fee.

The Laurel School’s guiding commitments—Purpose, Belonging, and Growth—and its motto, “Quietly Remarkable,” reflect the founders’ belief that meaningful education is built through thoughtful teaching, strong relationships, and consistent attention to the individual child.

The school is currently accepting applications for the 2026–2027 academic year. Families are invited to tour the campus, explore classrooms and outdoor learning spaces, and meet faculty and staff during the school’s Admissions Open House on Saturday, August 8, at 2:00 p.m.