Meeting the individual needs is a core value for Northstar Academy and Career Center, Central Virginia’s premiere school for students who have learning differences. Valuing individual needs was foundational to the dream of parents and pediatric professionals who envisioned a safe and inclusive learning space three decades ago. It was a guiding light for Northstar as it moved from a one-room classroom into a hodge-podge of train cars and finally to a two-building, 10-acre campus in Glen Allen. And, over the years, the Northstar community consistently held as a priority students’ individual learning needs and provided them forward despite the challenges along the way.

A private school and a nonprofit, Northstar is unique. This is a look at its 30-year journey.

Northstar: The First Decade

Growing up can be hard to do!

Learning how to read, tell time, dress, and make friends are typical childhood milestones along the journey into adulthood. Families tend to approach these milestones in similar ways, and public school systems use standard strategies to progress students from one grade level to the next.

But each person’s experience differs depending on how well they are equipped for the journey and the support they receive. For students who learn differently and face academic, social, and emotional challenges, this journey is anything but typical – and often difficult.

“It’s not traditional and is often traumatic,” said Northstar’s Founder, Candace David, in an interview from Naples, Florida. “The schools don’t know what to do with these children. Often they’re trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.’’

Standard teaching for the masses was common practice in the 1990s, explained David, when worked with families providing diagnostic, counseling, and placement services. Frequently, parents described similar issues with a one-size-fit-all approach. She also experienced difficulty placing students. One day, David recalled,  she threw her hands in the air and told a parent, “I don’t know what else I, or we, can do but start a new school.”

Not long afterwards, pediatric urologist Dennis Garvin held a meeting with David and several parents in a West End living room. “We talked and talked about the need for a place for children who learn differently, and shared stories of how children were segregated and often left out of social activities.” The conversation led to a vision for an inclusive learning and social environment. David spent 1995 looking for space in churches and traveling as far as Massachusetts and Arizona to visit innovative schools. Out of this determined and innovative spirit came Northstar Academy, one of the first schools of its kind in the Greater Richmond area.

 

Vision to Reality

Northstar Academy opened at Epiphany Lutheran Church at Monument and Horsepen roads on September 19, 1996, with David serving as its first Head of School and Garvin as chair of the first Board of Directors. David worked from a janitor’s closet filled with mops and cleaning products, while 13 children sat nearby in a Sunday school classroom. Her daughter, Whitney Sears was a teacher and provided instruction. A $6,000 annual tuition was “enough to pay for a teacher and teaching resources,” she added.

With 28 students the next year, Northstar moved into Congregation Or Atid on Parham Road. Northstar quickly outgrew this shared space too and found it needed more classrooms, teachers, and resources. Parent Rick Witty, a local businessman and currently part-owner of Peter Blair, Ltd., took David to see Victoria Station. The former steak restaurant-turned-daycare center on Shrader Road was vacant and  “the price was right,” David said. But she broke down on the depot steps and told Witty, “it’s too small. We need a gym, a science lab and more classrooms.”

Chuck Sweeney, a successful Richmond entrepreneur, came through to help fund the purchase of the Shrader Road property. A former baseball player in the New York Yankees system, he owned Richmond-area Shoney Big Boy and Captain D’s Seafood restaurants. “It was a start,” said David, who knew she’d the sweat equity of every family before she could open for the school year.

Donna Bower, a former parent and board member during those early years, remembered David’s message to families who gathered for a dessert event.  “The expectation was you will do as much as you can for the school,” recalled Donna during a chat at Brick Road Coffee Co., now located in the former school. “I remember hearing it loud and clear.”

Armed with supplies and hope, parents cleaned and painted the interior black walls with softer colors and remodeled a kitchen “that really needed a lot of work,” laughed Bower. The local community donated furniture, lockers, a large receptionist-style work station and old computers later refurbished by a seventh grader.

“We had to roll up our sleeves and do everything we could,” said Bower, who received Northstar’s 2025 Navigator Award for Enduring Support. “We had to have a school for our kids and for the kids to come.”

 

Fundraising Begins

The train depot’s purchase was the first stop in the founder’s vision mapping for more classrooms, an indoor multi-purpose facility, and a science-technology lab. Northstar’s community began fundraising soon after move-in. Bower and former parent Beth Daly led the effort and were supported by a newcomer Meg Medina. “I worked her really hard,” Bower said of Medina, Northstar’s first grant writer/development director. “She had so many talents and I put them to work.”

Asking for financial help was “a lot of work,” said Medina, who didn’t have a lot of development experience and was quietly writing her first novel. But she “did it” because the school’s needs were “acute.” “I was really early in the game; there was no funding,” said Medina.

But Northstar had a different sort of riches.

“Even in the early days, the school had some really wonderful people on staff. True gems. People who loved and respected children deeply,” said Medina, the author of 14 books for children and young adults that celebrate Latino Culture, and a John Newbery Medal winner. She served as the 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.

Over the next few years, a fundraising mindset took root at Northstar and its vision materialized. A “Raise the Roof” campaign led to the building of a 5,000-square-foot multi-purpose room and gymnasium or “gymacafetorium” as students called it. Galas and annual giving campaigns followed. A “Building Blocks” campaign raised $425,000 to build a 3,450-square-foot upper school building with six classrooms and a technology lab funded by Verizon Wireless. Volunteers built a ramp from the school to the “gymacafetorium,” creating a better connected community for students to learn, play, and discover their talents.

 

It’s Working!

Northstar made good on its promise to provide students with opportunities to learn, discover their talents and participate in typical childhood activities. “The students had the same things that public school students had, which was really important, ” said Nancy Creecy, former parent and Northstar teacher.

Parents, teachers, and staff joined forces to ensure students got the extras too. They held dances, proms and Homecoming celebrations, and chaperoned basketball, soccer, and cheerleading activities. Students learned music, sign language, and Italian. They even participated in the school newspaper and yearbook.  “The students learned a lot,” Creecy said. “They had a lot of fun.”

Before long, Northstar graduated its first seven students including Creecy’s son Austin, and Forrest Austin, Ryan Bailey, Caryn Bare, Eva Carlisle, Tim Crowl and Brian Vial. The first graduation in June 2002 is David’s most cherished memory. “I was so proud of those kids because they actually made such academic progress,” she said. “It felt really good seeing the delight on those parents’ faces when they saw their kids being included in regular childhood activities and making memories. I was seeing their joy that ‘it’s working, it’s working.’”

As 2006 approached and Northstar completed its first decade in operation, the school graduated seven more students. The leadership also changed as John G. Myers, Jr., succeeded Gavin as board chairman and Patricia “Pat” West became the new Head of School.

Northstar: The Second Decade

 

Uniquely Northstar

Northstar grew significantly and upped its game on many fronts under West’s tenure from 2004-2017.

When West joined Northstar she already had 26 years experience in the Henrico County Public School System and a master’s degree in special education from the University of Virginia. With her signature “can-do attitude” and a commitment to excellence, she set about transforming the school’s operations, curriculum and professional stature.

“Dr. West tried to get the best out of everyone,” said Admissions Director Miranda Gerhard, who was a teacher under West’s leadership. “The example she set was a constant reminder that we are all here for the students.”

The school added kindergarten, launched after-school programs, and established a Transition Program to help upper school students prepare for life beyond Northstar. Fundraising efforts include two golf tournaments. The first, held at the Crossings Golf Club, raised over $18,000 for student scholarships, and the second raised another $25,000.

Northstar used a mix of curriculums to enable students to learn at their own pace. But there was a growing awareness that students needed strategies for managing social and emotional challenges that came with their disabilities, explained Catie Huennekens, Assistant Director of Northstar Career Center. “Social-emotional learning provides important life skills to resolve conflicts, engage in conversations, and cope with big feelings,” said Huennekens, who joined Northstar as a teacher in 2005.

West reached out to Peter D. Patrick, a renowned neuropsychologist at the University of Virginia’s Kluge Children’s Rehabilitation Center, and partnered in creating the school’s signature social skills program. “The focus on social-emotional learning was 一 and remains 一 a priority and daily focus within the Academy and the Career Center,” said Huennekens, who collaborated with colleagues to bring the project to life.

Around the same time, The Community Foundation provided a grant to create a transition program for high school juniors and seniors called Countdown to Employment (CTE). The program developed students’ skills to search, apply and interview for jobs, and acquire practical experience through partnerships with local businesses. Although Northstar’s career preparation has grown tremendously, the tenets of this program are still used to prepare students for employment and independent living.

 

Restructuring and Updating

A financial crisis in 2010 and wrecked the national and local economy significantly impacted Northstar’s operations. The student body temporarily dipped below 80 students, and many who remained needed tuition assistance to attend. In an attempt to reduce overhead, the school let go of teaching assistants. Leaders went back to the drawing board to problem solve and develop a new plan.

The strategic planning process identified reading and math as areas that needed new approaches. Innovative and new at the time, the Lindamood-Bell Learning Process™ integrated sight-word recognition, contextual fluency, oral vocabulary and comprehension. Russell Parker, III, board chairman from 2011-2013, went to California to learn firsthand how the process worked. Teachers were trained when a local opportunity presented itself. As a result, a custom program that met the school student’s needs became permanent in the 2012-2013 school year.

“When I started, there was definitely this feeling of rebuilding and restructuring,” said Wanda Ramsey, Assistant Head of School, who joined Northstar as a high school math teacher in 2010.

The overall upgrading continued as Northstar added Promethean boards, Kindles, and iPads 一 making assistive technology available to students, and leaders began requiring special education licensing for all teachers. The changes helped Northstar earn an accreditation from the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS).

In order to remain in a student-first mode, the Northstar community consistently asked itself, “what do we need to do so that our students 一 all of our students 一 leave us with options,” West explained in a 2014 interview. “We give parents hope.”

David Rosko, a teacher and the parent of two children on the autism spectrum, found that hope at Northstar. His daughter had seemed “lost” and “isolated” at school. He first home-schooled her, then enrolled her in Northstar in 2013. That’s when the family’s world changed, he said.

“Parents were supposed to put in a certain amount of volunteer hours at the school helping with fundraisers, landscaping, and other things. I tutored students in math,” Rosko said. When a position teaching math opened up he immediately took it. “I love it here,” said Rosko. “I absolutely love it here.”

The support for Northstar’s students doesn’t stop when they become young adults.

In 2014, Northstar opened a full-scale vocational training center for students aged 16–24. The Career Academy now called Career Center, was initially housed separately on Staples Mill Road. It provided training in Hospitality, Materials Handling, Construction & Maintenance and Business Technology. A year later, Northstar included a Veterinary Assisting. With a new grant Northstar purchased two vehicles to transport the students into the community, and it soon became a Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) vendor.

Today, instructors continue to build new pathways to employment by empowering students to gain industry experience, and achieve professional credentialing to improve employability and increase productivity. Instructors also focus on life skills in areas such as work-flow management and independent living, plus opportunities to earn nationally recognized industry credentials for specific jobs.

“It’s always a transition for students moving from high school to the workplace, or even advancing from the Academy to the Career Center for training,” said Cynthia Izac, who instructs students in Business Technology and Materials Handling. Learning to set goals, track work progress, and use executive functioning skills is important to becoming a productive citizen,” said Izac, who formerly taught academics at Northstar. “The goal is to be employed, but my hope is that they have an opportunity to have a fulfilling life in a job, volunteering, and in their chosen social activities,” Izac added.

By 2015, Northstar’s light was shining bright. “Word has gotten out about how wonderful Northstar is,” said Rosko, who takes every opportunity in the community to sing its praises.

The community embraced a whimsical and youthful identity with a mascot “Navi the Navi-Gator.” The alligator remains the school’s beloved mascot and a character that connects its past and present. “Navi epitomizes the spirit of our Northstar community,” said a fellow staff member. “We are serious in our commitment to help students be the best they can be, and we approach this work with a creative and spirited mindset.”

Northstar’s operating expenses reached $2.6 million during the 2015-2016 school year. Along with its annual fund campaigns, galas, and mix of fundraising tactics, it turned to a state tax credit program to help increase enrollment and scholarships for qualifying students. Virginia’s Neighborhood Assistance Program Credits (NAP) gave individuals and businesses who donated to nonprofits like Northstar tax credits that reduced income tax liability. The incentive helped Northstar raise the additional funds needed.

By the time Northstar celebrated its 20-year anniversary in 2016, it also had acquired accreditation from the Virginia Association of Independent Specialized Education Facilities (VAISEF), and was named a “School of Excellence” by the National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET). The school has earned the designation each year for the past decade.

 

Northstar Academy: The Third Decade

 

Big, Bold Aspirations

Crystal Trent became Head of School when West retired in 2017 and brought her own set of high standards and expectations for students, families and the community.

In 2019, Northstar sought a feasibility study for a capital campaign that would eventually enable Northstar to acquire a permanent location with room to grow. But first, they had to weather a global pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

But Northstar did one of the things it does best 一 it innovated, remained focused on the student-first approach and provided students with continuity in an uncertain world. Staff adopted quickly and instituted remote  一 and later 一 asynchronous learning. When the initial threat had passed and school started to normalize somewhat, Northstar kicked off a major capital campaign and purchased a 21,000-square-foot school on Nuckols Road vacated by Strayer University.

While renovating and raising $13.5 million for a second building, students, faculty and staff moved into the spacious $4.5 million facility. A  transformational move, Northstar was able to consolidate the Academy and Career Center under one roof. In 2024, Northstar broke ground on a gymnasium and community center next to the classroom building. Within months, students and staff signed several steel beams before they were lifted into place.

Beyond the physical manifestations of a safe, strong, and successful environment, students feel their community’s support in everyday activities. When a peer asked fellow middle school student what success looks like at Northsar, he responded: “The teachers help me and everyone is accepted,” then added, “we have people in walkers, crutches, and wheelchairs.”

School counselor Kristin Hughes sees the success at every turn. She credits Northstar’s supportive community. “I love the fact that Northstar really works with students in meeting their needs academically, emotionally, and socially.”

In April 2025, the school held a ribbon-cutting for the 16,000-square-foot gym, a symbol of both stability and possibility. Trent addressed the almost 300 people who gathered in the new gymnasium.

“It is not lost on me just how far we’ve come since our founding in 1996. Northstar has always been guided by one central mission 一 to promote educational excellence and career opportunities for students with disabilities who have academic, physical, or social challenges. This gymnasium is not just a new building. It’s a powerful symbol of what we believe our students deserve 一 spaces that inspire, include, and empower.” Trent told students, families, donors, and community members.

A few months later, when Trent left Northstar after an eight year tenure, the school named its playground “The Crystal Trent Playground” in her honor. Several celebratory events recognized her for her strong leadership through the global pandemic, a transformational move from Shrader Road to Nuckols Road, and a major capital campaign.

When asked what attributed to her success she credited colleagues and a supportive community. “I work with an incredible group of individuals who support each other and help take care of each other so that our students are served in the best way possible,” said Trent.

 

New Leader. New Possibilities.

As it celebrates its 30th Anniversary this year, Northstar already has started a new era that is full of possibilities.

In July 2025, Bethany Raffanello became Northstar’s latest and fourth Head of School. With a plethora of credentials including an MBA from Quinnipiac University, a master’s degree in education from Simmons College, and was a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

Raffanello also amassed 20 years of experience with The New England Center for Children (NECC) where she worked her way from a classroom teacher to Director of Student Administration. Her portfolio made Raffanello a “clear choice to lead Northstar into its next chapter,” according to a joint statement by directors. They cited her “professional expertise, warm and engaging personality, and alignment with Northstar’s mission,” with making an impression.

The school made an impression on her too.

“I’ve been inspired by the passion and commitment I’ve seen across the Northstar community, and I am eager to listen, learn, and work alongside you as we build on the school’s strong foundation and move forward together,” Raffanello said not long after joining the team.

Raffanello has a clean slate in designing a future for Northstar 一 well-educated faculty members, professional staff, and a school with such a stellar reputation that families are moving to Virginia to place their children there.

The school also has an expanded, inviting campus, said Ramsey, who has been pivotal in helping Raffanello assimilate over the past four months. “It opens the door to a lot more community connections,” Ramsey said. “It will be exciting to live in this space and see what it does.”

Richard Bennett, Board Chair from 2023-2025, also sees endless opportunities to engage the community, build new relationships, and renew old ones including the school’s alumni.

“What a unique resource it truly is for the Richmond area,” Bennett told 250 plus attendees who attended the 2025 Illumination Gala last March. “Northstar opens its doors to families who are looking for a different educational home for their student 一 a place where they are accepted and celebrated for all they can do!”

One former student put it this way: “Northstar is just the best place in the world.”