PACE ACADEMY · NORTH CHESTERFIELD, VIRGINIA · PREK–12
Room for curiosity.
A path to purpose.
At Pace, children are known, trusted and challenged. On fifteen acres of forest, small, mixed-age studios give learners room to follow their curiosity, build strong skills and take increasing responsibility for their own work.
Come see what that looks like on a normal school day. Bring your child. Meet the guides. Walk the forest.
Accredited
Middle States Association
15 acres
Of forest, used daily
PreK–12
Pre-kindergarten through graduation
AP test site
Approved by the College Board
Every family has a story.
We often meet parents looking for more room for their child’s questions, ideas and growing independence. These are a few of the things Pace families shared when they first asked to visit.
"He finishes his work in a couple of minutes and spends the rest of the day drawing or on the Chromebook."
Parent of a kindergartener, 2026"I'm watching her curiosity dwindle and her perfectionism intensify. She frequently sits with nothing to do."
Parent of an 8-year-old, 2025"He needs to know the why behind what he is doing. In public school he can't deep dive into what excites him."
Parent of a Discovery learner, 2025Freedom, with responsibility.
Learners at Pace make meaningful choices about their day. They set goals, track progress and work through challenges with support from guides and peers. That freedom grows alongside the habits that help children use it well.
Pace is a small school with a general education program and no specialist staff on site. We work with every family individually to understand whether our model and staffing are the right fit for their child. Every learner does trial days before anyone commits.
What learners practice each day
Choosing purposeful work and sticking with it
Setting goals and tracking progress
Working through a disagreement with a peer
Spending real time outdoors, in real weather
Asking for help when they are stuck
A day at Pace.
Personal goals. Real projects. Time in the forest.
Math and reading move at each learner’s own level. Projects connect ideas to something real. Studio discussions ask learners to listen, think and make a case.
Guides hold a steady rhythm while learners practice directing more of their own work. Outdoors is part of that rhythm, with time in the forest every day.
Morning
Launch. A question with no easy answer. Learners share ideas, listen carefully and learn to make a case.
Core skills
Their own goals. Math and reading at each learner's own level and pace, against goals they set and track themselves.
Afternoon
Quest. Real projects, shared work and a public exhibition of what learners have discovered.
Every day
Outside. Real time in the forest, in real weather. Space for exploration, play and discovery.
Learning beyond the classroom.
The world is our classroom. From debating a live bill in the Virginia State Senate to measuring biodiversity at Pocahontas State Park, learners connect ideas with real experiences. Each session ends with an Exhibition of Learning, where they share their discoveries with families.
Five studios. A place to grow.
From PreK through graduation, learners belong to small, mixed-age communities. Younger children learn from older ones, and older children learn to lead.
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Spark 1
PreK and Kindergarten
Hands-on Montessori work, unhurried play and daily time in the forest. A gentle beginning to independent learning.
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Spark 2
Grades 1 to 3
Growing independence through Montessori mastery, friendship and hands-on exploration. Children build the habits of purposeful work.
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Discovery
Grades 4 to 6
Personal goals in core skills. Shared projects in art, science and history. Learners discover what they can do and begin to lead.
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Explorer
Grades 7 and 8
Real-world challenges, thoughtful debate and increasing responsibility. Learners have the freedom to try, stumble, reflect and try again.
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Launchpad
Grades 9 to 12
A purposeful path to graduation. Apprenticeships, a Virginia Advanced Studies Diploma and AP exams on site help learners connect their work to the wider world.
High school with purpose.
Launchpad connects rigorous academics with the work learners want to do in the world.
A Virginia Advanced Studies Diploma
AP exams here on campus
Apprenticeships and professional collaborations
Launchpad Founders Scholars
Small by design, with room for learners ready to shape what comes next.
Families enrolling at Pace for the first time in Launchpad may apply for an award of up to 25% of tuition.
Choosing the right fit, together.
Families who thrive here
Want their child to take more responsibility
Are comfortable with productive struggle before an adult steps in
Value character and agency alongside academics
Welcome time outdoors, in real weather
Worth talking through on your visit
You are looking for daily grades, nightly homework and a fixed syllabus
Your family needs a fast transition rather than time to learn a new way of working
A traditional sports program is a priority
We’ll be candid with you, and we welcome your questions. Trial days help all of us decide before anyone commits.
Practical answers.
Tuition
$14,500 a year for 2027-28, billed monthly, with sibling discounts available. Starting mid-year this year is $13,400. Your rate is locked to the year you join and rises only with inflation after that, so it does not jump as the posted rate does.
Where
1510 Courthouse Road, North Chesterfield, VA 23236. Fifteen minutes from Midlothian and Chesterfield Towne Center.
Hours and calendar
The school day runs 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Our calendar follows Chesterfield County Public Schools closely, so siblings in CCPS are off on the same days.
Coming from homeschool?
Many of our families did. Pace is often the middle path: community, accountability and other children, without a return to desks and bells.
Mid-year starts
Possible where there is a seat. Every learner does trial days first, so both of us find out before anyone commits.
When to apply for next year
Now. Seats fill between January and May, and some studios fill first.
Come see Pace for yourself.
The best way to understand Pace is to spend time here. Walk the studios while learners are at work. Meet the guides your child would learn alongside. Finish with a walk in the forest.
Bring your child. Their questions and first impressions matter, too.
Choose a time to visit.
Come explore, with your child.
Try real studio days before anyone commits.
Prefer an Open House?
Friday, November 13, 2026
1:00 to 2:30 PM
Tour the studios and meet our guides. Children are welcome.
Not ready for a tour?
Download the info kit and we'll leave you alone until you get in touch.
1510 Courthouse Road
North Chesterfield, VA 23236