Learn more | Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy

A tuition-free Pre-K-6 school for Jefferson and Berkeley County families who want something more You know what your child is capable of. You're looking for a school that sees it too. Most schools in the area will teach your child. Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy was built to know your child. There's a difference, and families across Jefferson and Berkeley County are figuring that out. EPPA is a tuition-free public charter school in Kearneysville serving Pre-K through 6th grade. The academics are strong. The character development is real. And every child here is treated like he or she matters. Because every one of them does.

Recognized as a high-performing public charter school in the Accel network, with Gold Tier and Emerald School recognition and a Best Overall Rural School distinction
Leadership and character education are woven into the school day
Strong academics aligned to state standards with Chromebooks and Smart Boards in every classroom
Extra support in reading and math for students who need it
Creative Media, Physical Education, Art, and Performing Arts, plus a science lab, outdoor classroom, community garden, and a full clubs program
A full-time nurse on staff

See what enrollment looks like for your child.

Get Your Child's Enrollment Info

It takes about 60 seconds. Here's what makes this school feel different from anything else in the area. Your child won't be a number on a roster. He or she will be known. By name, by personality, by strengths and struggles alike. The teachers here don't just deliver instruction. They pay attention.

Recognized for results, not just relationships

EPPA has been recognized as a high-performing public charter school in the Accel network, earning Gold Tier School and Emerald School recognition along with a Best Overall Rural School distinction. Students here are showing strong growth in both math and reading, proof that the relationships EPPA builds with families go hand in hand with real academic results.

A school built around who your child becomes

Most schools measure success by test scores alone. EPPA measures it by the kind of person walking out of 6th grade. Leadership skills. Confidence. The ability to persevere when something gets hard. Character education and social-emotional learning are part of the daily schedule, not a quarterly assembly. That doesn't mean academics take a back seat. Students work with Chromebooks and Smart Boards. Teachers use data to adjust instruction to each student's level. If your child is behind in reading, he or she gets targeted support. If your child is ahead, he or she gets challenged. Nobody coasts.

More than a classroom

Your child will have access to things most schools in the area don't offer under one roof: an art room, science lab, music room, outdoor classroom, community garden, basketball court, and a full playfield. Clubs run the range. Tutoring. Outdoorsy. Performing Arts. Art Club. Pep Team. Kindness Club. Student Council for those ready to lead. Young Men's Mentorship. Sports include cross country, softball, and baseball. And once a month, Principal Demetrius Blue hosts Knights of the Breakfast Table. Parents sit down with the principal over breakfast and talk about what's going on at the school. No formal agenda. Just a conversation between the people who care most about the students.

A community, not just a school

Parents here don't just drop off and pick up. They volunteer in classrooms. They decorate the school for seasonal celebrations. They show up for the Halloween Parade and the Parent and Me Valentine Dance. The PTO runs events and fundraisers throughout the year. The school's philosophy is simple: when a child feels like he or she belongs, everything else follows. Respect. Positivity. Perseverance. "We believe in our students, and that belief helps them believe in themselves." For families in the Eastern Panhandle who've been wondering if there's a school that actually sees their child, this is the one worth looking at.

Everything you just read? It costs nothing.

No tuition
No enrollment fees
Free breakfast and lunch for qualifying families
Before care starting at 7:00 AM; after care until 5:30 PM (fee-based, financial assistance available)
Uniform assistance for families who need it
Weekend Power Packs providing food support for qualifying families
Full-time nurse on staff

Enrollment is open for preschool (age 4 by July 1) through 6th grade. Kindergarten requires age 5 by July 1. Your child is growing up right now. The school he or she attends shapes who he or she becomes. If you've been looking for a place where your child is challenged, known, and genuinely cared about, this is the conversation to start. You've read what this school is. Now find out if it's right for your child.