TULSA, Okla. — A new charter elementary school wants to give kids a learning experience different from the standard curriculum.
What will set this school apart is its nature-focused curriculum, which uses the outdoors to engage kids in their learning and emotional development. This week, Tulsa Public Schools' Board of Education approved the application for it from Under The Canopy, an area charter school nonprofit.
The Board recommended the old Park Elementary School in West Tulsa as a potential site for the new school, which focuses on getting kids in touch with nature. Walking trails are a stone's throw away from the site, which is near Lookout Mountain.
The leader of Under The Canopy told 2 News she thinks more alternatives to individualized learning should exist at the elementary level.
"I believe that connecting children to the outdoors is essential and raising children that are aware citizens and a part of their communities, creating environmental stewards, people that can actually use inquiry to engage with their learning," said Margaritte Arthrell-Knezek, the executive director.
"I also believe that nature and art are wonderful ways to engage students in their academics," she said. "So, it's not just doing some extra fun things on the side. It's really using those tools to engage learners."
Under The Canopy started in 2016 in the form of an after-school nature enrichment program, subscribing to the Waldorf education philosophy.
Now that their full-day school has the stamp of approval, Arthrell-Knezek said they're creating paths toward funding, which includes applying for the Charter School Program grant.
She said this approval is a major win for students and families.
"I feel like, in general, most public schools are taught a way that's like, 'Here is the model and this is what we're doing,'" she said. "And why these sort of these charter alternative schools exist, is to give opportunities for that more individualized instruction."
According to the executive director, the school doesn't plan to open its doors until Fall 2025. In the lead-up to that, it said it will train teachers for this learning model, prepare facilities, and teach the community about its mission.
"This is going to be a beautiful opportunity for families, and not only for the children — but for the community," Arthrell-Knezek emphasized, "because community building is a huge part of our program."
They will only offer prekindergarten through third grade for the time being. She said they're looking at potentially adding fourth grade that first school year and then adding a new grade level each following year.
She said they're only focused on elementary school right now. Although, she left the door open to eventually expanding into middle school.
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