Two Rivers Community School

What Two Rivers Community School does

Two Rivers Community School is a tuition-free, public K-8 charter school located in Boone, North Carolina, serving families in Watauga County and the surrounding High Country region. Founded in 2005 by a group of local parents and educators under the North Carolina Charter Schools Act of 1996, the school delivers instruction grounded in the Experiential Learning framework and Expeditionary Learning design principles, integrating Learning Expeditions, the Mountain Adventure Program with Buffalo Cove Education Center, a Garden Program, Brain Gym movement work, and a Passage Portfolio capstone for 8th graders. Distinctive programs include SPARK behavior guidelines (Supportive, Produces Quality Work, Attentive & Aware, Respectful, Knowledge-seeking), Student-Led Conferences, and an emphasis on environmental stewardship that earned the school NC Green School of Quality recognition in 2015-16.

The school operates a lottery-based admissions process with weighted priorities for educationally disadvantaged students (free/reduced lunch qualifiers, IEP students, homeless students, English language learners, immigrants/migrants), and admits any NC resident eligible for public school enrollment without admission tests. Revenue is derived primarily from per-pupil state and federal funding (noted at a 28% gap versus traditional public schools, roughly $430,000 for a school of this size), supplemented by community donations and fundraising (grocery rewards programs, AmazonSmile, a Two Rivers Endowment managed via the North Carolina Community Foundation), and sliding-scale before/after school care fees. The organization is structured as a 501(c)(3) non-profit governed by a parent-and-community board with 11-50 employees, operating a single campus at 1018 Archie Carroll Rd.

Name

Two Rivers Community School

Legal name

Two Rivers Community School

Website

https://tworiverscommunityschool.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Two Rivers Community School is a tuition-free, K-8 public charter school in Boone, North Carolina, serving High Country families through an Experiential Learning framework with outdoor programming, community partnerships, and lottery-based admissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor Education & Adventure Programs (School-Run) (EDAJAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Extended Learning Time Programs (After-School/Summer Intervention) (EDAJAGAK), Community Service & Service-Learning Programs (School-Run) (EDAJAJAI)

Keywords

• K-8 charter education
• Experiential learning programs
• Outdoor education curriculum
• Project-based learning
• Public charter schools

Headquarters

HQ city

Boone

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil State and Federal Funding: Public charter schools receive state and federal funds based on enrollment. The state allocates the same average per-pupil allotment given to the local district. Additional funds are granted for children with special needs and limited English proficiency.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Two Rivers relies heavily on community donations and fundraising campaigns. The school is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Donation programs include Lowes Foods School Rewards, Ingles Tools for Schools, Harris Teeter School Rewards, Carolina West Wireless donations, Regear Outdoors consignments, and AmazonSmile. Annual fundraising campaigns support classrooms, supplies, and facility upgrades.
3. Before and After School Program Fees: Fee-based before and after school care program operating Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 3:15-5:30pm and Wednesday 1:15-5:30pm. Early drop-off from 7:30am. Students qualifying for free/reduced lunch receive reduced rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Two Rivers Community School is a tuition-free public K-8 charter school in Boone, North Carolina that delivers academic instruction grounded in an Experiential Learning framework inspired by Expeditionary Learning design principles. Its core offerings include twice-yearly integrated Learning Expeditions, the Passage Portfolio capstone for 8th graders, Student-Led Conferences, the SPARK behavior framework, and a comprehensive Outdoor Education Program featuring the Mountain Adventure partnership with Buffalo Cove Education Center, a Garden Program, and Adventure Fitness. The school supplements classroom learning with fee-based before and after school care programs and provides specialized Exceptional Children services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-8 Charter School Education Program Tuition-free K-8 public charter school education for North Carolina residents using the Experiential Learning framework with twice-yearly Learning Expeditions, Student-Led Conferences, and integrated project-based curriculum. Open to any NC resident eligible for public school enrollment with admission determined by lottery.
• Before School Care Program Early drop-off care from 7:30am with students escorted to classrooms at 8:00am. Held in the Kindergarten room on a pay-as-you-go basis at $5/day.
• After School Care Program Fee-based extended care program operating Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 3:15-5:30pm and Wednesday 1:15-5:30pm. Sliding scale fees ranging from $5-200+ based on family economic status and days attended. Snacks provided past 4pm. Reduced rates for families qualifying for free/reduced lunch.
• Exceptional Children (Special Education) Program Special education services for K-8 students with disabilities under IDEA. Implements Child Find process to locate, identify, and evaluate children with disabilities, and supports IEP implementation in the least restrictive environment with comparable services for transferring students.
• Outdoor Education / Mountain Adventure Program Comprehensive outdoor education including the Mountain Adventure Program in partnership with Buffalo Cove Education Center (overnight trips beginning in 3rd grade, culminating with a 3-day Back-Country Adventure in 8th grade), an on-campus Garden Program, Adventure Fitness, and environmental service projects. Day trips for K-2, with overnight and back-country progressions through 8th grade.

Quantifiable outcome

• Honor School of Excellence recognition 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 - one of only two schools in Watauga County to achieve this recognition
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Buffalo Cove Education CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Buffalo Cove Education Center for the Mountain Adventure Program. Every student participates in this program. Buffalo Cove provides outdoor education experiences including overnight trips beginning in 3rd grade. Donation amounts of $75 create opportunities for 3 students to attend Buffalo Cove Educational Outdoor Center.
• Stickboy BreadminorOthersLocal business sponsor listed on school sponsorship page. Sponsors support the Two Rivers Way through donations and community support.
• Hatchet CoffeeminorOthersLocal business sponsor listed on school sponsorship page.
• Center 45minorOthersLocal business sponsor listed on school sponsorship page.
• Appalachian Mountain Brewery (AMB)minorOthersLocal business sponsor listed on school sponsorship page.
• Gaijin Noodle BarminorOthersLocal business sponsor listed on school sponsorship page.
• FootsloggersminorOthersLocal business sponsor listed on school sponsorship page.
• The Tapp RoomminorOthersLocal business sponsor listed on school sponsorship page.
• Clean EatzminorOthersLocal business sponsor listed on school sponsorship page.
• Plan BminorOthersLocal business sponsor listed on school sponsorship page.
• Lowes FoodsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSchool Rewards program: Families link rewards card to Two Rivers Community School. A portion of savings is donated at end of each calendar year.
• Ingles MarketsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTools for Schools program: Families link Advantage card to Two Rivers Community School. A portion of purchases donated at end of each calendar year.
• Harris TeeterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSchool Rewards program: Families link VIC card to Two Rivers Community School. Harris Teeter donates a portion of savings. School code: 5860.
• Carolina West WirelessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity fundraising partner: Customers can donate 3% of their bill to Two Rivers Community School.
• Regear OutdoorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGear consignment program: When customers consign gear with Regear Outdoors using the Two Rivers Community School account, money from sales is donated to the school.
• AmazonSmileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazonSmile charitable program: Customers set Two Rivers Community School as their AmazonSmile organization. A portion of each purchase benefits the school.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Emerson Waldorf School: Experiential, nature-integrated private K-12 school in Chapel Hill, NC. Comparable on experiential pedagogy and outdoor education emphasis, but operates as a private tuition-funded school rather than a public charter.
• Carolina Friends School: Progressive, Quaker-influenced preK-12 school in Chapel Hill, NC. Comparable on experiential/project-based pedagogy and small-community ethos, but private tuition-funded rather than charter-funded.

Direct peers

• Woods Charter School: NC public charter school (Chapel Hill, NC) with lottery-based admissions and project-based/experiential curriculum orientation. Comparable on charter governance, funding model, and educational philosophy.
• Magellan Charter School: NC public charter school operating under the same state charter framework with lottery-based enrollment, weighted priorities, and per-pupil funding — directly comparable on regulatory model and GTM mechanics.
• Summit Charter School: Public charter school in Cashiers, NC serving a similar small mountain community. Comparable NC charter with lottery admission, per-pupil funding structure, and rural-mountain catchment.
• Odyssey Community School: Project-based, experiential K-8 charter school in Asheville, NC. Closest functional peer — public charter with expeditionary learning, small class sizes, and integrated outdoor programming in the same Western NC market.
• Arthur Morgan School: Outdoor, experiential boarding middle school in Burnsville, NC operating in the same Western NC mountain region. Comparable K-8 (specifically middle-school) outdoor/adventure-based curriculum with a similar mission-driven, small-community ethos.

Others

• Buffalo Cove Education Center: Outdoor education center in Blowing Rock, NC and a core strategic partner of Two Rivers. Not a competitor — an enabling/ecosystem partner that delivers Mountain Adventure programming for Two Rivers students.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/two-rivers-community-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Two Rivers Community School