History:

The Hilltown Cooperative Charter Public School was started in 1995 by a group of local parents, artists, and educators who sought to bring an educational alternative to the rural hill towns of western Massachusetts.  These pioneers were grounded in the belief that children are our most valuable resource and schools, as a result, our most critical institution.  They felt the traditional elementary school structure did not provide what is essential to the optimal education of children: a partnership of parents, teachers, and students.  Our founders envisioned a school with the following five elements (excerpted here from the school's original charter school application

Mission:

The Hilltown Cooperative Charter Public School was founded in 1995 as a Massachusetts Public Charter School.

-To engage students in a school that uses experiential, hands-on activities, the arts, and interdisciplinary studies to foster critical thinking skills and a joy of learning.

-To sustain a cooperative, intimate community of students, staff, families and local community members, which guides and supports the school and its educational program.

-To cultivate children’s individual voices and a shared respect for each other, our community, and the world around us.