Elk Hill – Harambee Day School

Harambee School at Elk Hill serves students in grades 6 to 12 on Elk Hill's rural Goochland campus, a family farm donated by a Richmond philanthropist. Elk Hill began here in September 1970, when a handful of staff started working with eight boys, and it has since grown into a regional nonprofit offering specialized schools, community-based services and residential treatment.

Harambee is one of four accredited and licensed Elk Hill day schools in Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. Students are referred to us because serious emotional or behavioral challenges have kept them from succeeding in other schools. Each student has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) with specialized instruction.

Mental health services are built into the school day, alongside individualized academics, special enrichment and workforce development. Our education work centers on reading intervention to build literacy and comprehension, and on workforce skills such as problem-solving, communication and critical thinking.