1973: Community School was founded by educator Sam Hazard and a group of dedicated parents to provide students in grades 7 through 12 with a quality, independent education. With Mr. Hazard as the school’s first Headmaster, students gathered in the basement of a local church and at a series of other temporary locations.

1977: The school moved to its current location, the eight-acre Trail Creek Campus in Sun Valley. Facilities were initially shared with the Sun Valley Center for the Arts, owners of the site at that time. The first class graduated in this year.

1986: The school purchased the eight-acre Trail Creek Campus from the Sun Valley Center for the Arts.

1987: The new Headmaster, Jon Maksik, was appointed. At the time, there were approximately 80 students in grades 7 through 12, with 21 faculty members.

1988: The Community School merged with The Mountain School, a local K-6 independent school. Also in that year, a successful capital campaign raised $2 million dollars to construct buildings to house the elementary and middle schools. Enrollment had reached 188 students taught by 37 teachers.

1991: The library, which was located in the Upper School building, was expanded to accommodate additional shelves and tables, a special children’s section, and computers.

1994: The school grew to 252 students and a faculty of 51. In order to provide a student center (a gymnasium and a theatre), a fine arts building, and to expand the Middle School, Campaign 2000 was launched with a goal of raising $6 million. The school also established a Beginning Class for Pre-K students. Due to a lack of appropriate space on the Trail Creek Campus, the Beginning Class was located off-site in Elkhorn.

1996: Engl Hall, which includes the fine arts and other classrooms, opened. Renovation and expansion of the Dumke Middle School was also completed. The gymnasium portion of the Student Center opened, and the Beginning Class moved from its Elkhorn location to Ketchum.

1997: The Student Center was completed with the opening of its 208-seat theatre. Campaign 2000 concluded, having reached its goal of $6 million. In addition to providing the funds to build the Student Center and Engl Hall and to expand Dumke Middle School, the Campaign also raised $2.8 million to increase the school’s endowment to $3.5 million.

1998: The Community School experienced a watershed event when the Dumke family, long-time supporters of the school, gifted the 30-acre Sagewillow Farm in Elkhorn to the institution. Sagewillow Farm offered a marvelous opportunity for The Community School to expand its facilities and to enrich the educational experience it offers, both on the Trail Creek Campus and at the Sagewillow location.

2000: After an extensive planning process, a Steering Committee composed of faculty; board members and administrators recommended moving the Elementary School, (including the Pre-K program) to the Sagewillow Campus site.

2002: The school submitted a request for a conditional use permit from the City of Sun Valley to build a new Elementary School at the Sagewillow Campus. Fourteen public hearings were held over a period of 15 months.

2003: The City of Sun Valley granted design-review approval and a conditional use permit for a proposed Elementary School at the Sagewillow Campus. However, legal action by neighbors of the campus and further challenges to the proposed design prevented the project from moving forward.

2004: A committee comprised of board members, parents, faculty and staff developed a five-year strategic plan for the school. During this process the Board of Directors decided to pursue a dual strategy regarding improvements to its campuses:
1. Continue to resolve the legal issues related to the Sagewillow Campus; and 2. focus in the near term on making much-needed improvements to the Trail Creek Campus. The Board of Directors studied the feasibility of conducting a capital campaign to fund improvements to Trail Creek and to increase the endowment. The Board also charged the Facilities Committee to create a comprehensive plan to improve and expand the Trail Creek Campus.

2004: Jon Maksik announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2005-2006 school year.

2005: After reviewing the Facilities Committee’s recommendations for the Trail Creek Campus and receiving favorable results from the capital campaign feasibility study, the Board of Directors voted to move forward immediately with $8.7 million in improvements to the Trail Creek Campus. In July, the City of Sun Valley granted design-review approval to the plan for improvements to Trail Creek. The Sun Valley Company sold The Community School one acre adjacent to the Trail Creek Campus for the school to expand its parking area.

2005: In November, the Board of Directors announced the appointment of Andy Jones-Wilkins as the new Head of School to succeed Jon Maksik upon his retirement in June 2006.

2006: In January, The Campaign for Trail Creek established a goal of raising $11.2 million, with $2.5 million allocated to the School's endowment. In June, Jon Maksik led his final commencement ceremony, and on July 1st Andy Jones-Wilkins became the new Head of School. On August 28th, the 2006-2007 school year began with a brand new 16,500 sq.ft Upper School & Administration building. On September 14th, The Campaign for Trail Creek officially launched the public phase of the campaign with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of the new building.