The Aurora School

The Paxton Campus is an historic property in Northeast Leesburg formerly owned by Mrs. Rachel Paxton, a long-time parishioner and former Vestry member of St. James'. In 1922, she left her property to serve the needy children of Loudoun, establishing a Board of Trustees, as well as tasking St. James', especially the rector and a "Board of Visitors," to advise the Trustees and ensure the property met her mission. In 2005, St. James' began working with The Aurora School, which serves children from ages 2-22 with autism and other developmental and intellectual disabilities who do not succeed in traditional classroom settings, to use the Paxton Campus as Mrs. Paxton intended.

In 2008, Fr. John participated in the ceremonial "lock-cutting" of the gates of the historic property. On November 30, 2009, The Aurora School opened at the Margaret Paxton Memorial Learning & Resource Campus (Paxton Campus). In addition to The Aurora School, Paxton Campus is also now home to the ALLY Advocacy Center, a legal clinic that helps people with disabilities and their families achieve "A Life Like Yours," and Open Door Learning Center, the only preschool in Loudoun County with the mission of serving children 2-6 years old "of all abilities" (children with and without disabilities), as well as those considered "at risk."

For more information on The Aurora School, visit http://www.aurora-school.org.