Bear Creek Academy

Welcome!

Bear Creek Academy is a therapeutic day school for students ages 11- 18 with learning and emotional disabilities. Our curriculum combines the general education courses required by the state for each grade level with a variety of engaging electives, community enrichment projects, and therapeutic activities designed to help our students achieve academic and emotional success. When learning is interactive and provides opportunities for personal growth, students become invested in their personal education and in turn begin to take ownership of their future.

Each classroom is staffed with an instructional teacher and a therapeutic advocate/teacher's aide. The daily classes will be in a small group setting, no more than 8 students per class, and provide students with needed accommodations and attention to meet their academic goals with success. The goal of the classroom is to provide students with a comfortable, safe environment for learning. Our small class sizes and in-school counseling interventions focus on helping our students learn social and emotional coping skills that they can utilize to learn more efficiently and to support their own personal growth.

In addition to our traditional academic classes, our teachers and therapeutic advocates engage in individualized and personalized instruction that utilizes diverse methods in environments beyond the classroom, from service learning opportunities within the community to powerful experiential outdoor adventures.

We are proud to be located in the Cumberland County Community Center, near the intersection of Route 45 and Highway 60. Our location in the heart of the county means that Cumberland, Buckingham, Prince Edward, and Powhatan counties now have affordable local access to private special education day school services. We believe that as a locally owned, community-based school we can effectively meet the educational, cultural, and economic needs of our community.

Latest News

For all the latest BCA news, check out our 2011 Newsletter (PDF, 536 KB).

BCA Conservation Corps Featured on VA State Parks Web Site

Bear Creek Academy's Conservation Corps was featured this month on the Virginia State Park's Blog. BCA student Cody G. prepared a short essay about the Conservation Corps' weekly trips to the park and what it means to him:

"Every Wednesday we go out and help the rangers keep the park in good condition. We always try our hardest to clean up any trash, fallen limbs, and any overgrown weeds. My friends and I love working for the park. When my friends and I work in the park it makes us feel like we are making it a better place for others to visit. We are trying to keep the park clean because one day we might not have it. I think that some people sometimes take nature for granted. Conservation of the park is important to me because I love being outside and helping people realize that being outdoors is one of the best things you can do."

BCA Students Experience History

Students enrolled in history classes took a trip to Colonial Williamsburg last semester. All of the students took an active role in colonial life - some by participating in simulated court trials and assembly meetings, others by engaging in everyday activities such as carrying water, splitting firewood, and making candles.

Earlier last year, one of our summer school groups traveled to the National D-Day memorial located in Bedford,VA. During the guided tour they learned all the details about the planning, implementation, and outcome of the Allied invasion on the beaches of Normandy. Students came away with a deeper understanding of the sacrifices made by the brave soldiers involved in the operation.