Welcome to Rural Community Academy

Sponsored by Ball State University

Welcome to the RCA website, Indiana's first rural charter school.   Whether your child is attending our school for the first time or whether you are a parent who understands that the most important people are the students, we take our responsibility seriously to educate and help them become the best they can be.  We believe that smaller is better and, therefore, limit our class sizes to 19 students to give students more individualized instruction.  In our 5^th-8^th grade classes, students are placed in math and language arts classes where they are ready to learn in a more differentiated environment. 

Our school strives to meet the individual needs of students by teaching the basics and then supplementing that curriculum with people, places and things through community partnerships both inside and outside the four walls of the classroom.   For example, second graders may go outside to study their unit on butterflies and then come back to the classroom to track their migration with instruction from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.  Fourth graders may do a unit on Indiana history and then go visit the statehouse or the rich history of Vincennes while bringing in people in formal early American costume to discuss a unit.   Sixth graders may go down to the creek and take water samples as part of the Riverwatch Program, then turn the statistics into the state.  Eight graders may learn how to make noodles from a community member and the science behind cooking.  Instead of dissecting a frog, perhaps a science class may learn how to cut up a chicken.  Life's lessons of people, places and things enrich the lives of students and make learning more fun. 

The school started in 2004 and has a great academic record since its inception.  The staff is great and we have so many people who truly care about your children.  We believe that parents and teachers need to share the responsibility for a child's education.  We want open communication and encourage parent involvement to maximize learning potential. 

We hope you have an opportunity to spend a little time exploring and obtaining an insight into the life of the school which includes students, parents, grandparents and the wider community. Please enjoy the site, read the articles, view the photographs, tell your friends, and we will be delighted to welcome you back again and again.

Quick Links 

Enrollment Application

Application for Free and Reduced Assistance

Parent/ Student Handbook

Harmony

Online Payments

Harmony for Teachers

Pearson SuccessNet

The Story of Rural Charter Schools

typing.com

Reading Eggs

Study Island

Accelerated Reader

Rural Community Academy:
Sullivan County's
3rd Public School Corporation

• No tuition, state supported
• Class size limited to 19 students
• Free and Reduced milk, breakfast/lunches, textbooks
• School buses
• Open to all students regardless of where they live-no tuition
• Students can enroll anytime of year
• Leveled classes where students are ready to learn
• Hands-on learning
• Focus on community partnerships
• Focus on giving back to the community  

Come to the Edge

     "Come to the edge."
     "It's too high." 
     "Come to the edge." 
     "We might fall."
     "Come to the edge." 
     And they came.
     And he pushed them. 
     And they flew. 
                     -Apollinaire

     It is our desire that through this webpage you will understand the passion that we have for teaching our students the needed skills to prepare academically and socially for their lifelong "flight."

"...And he pushed them. And they flew."