About Koan

Schedule: The school day is 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. After school care is available until 5:30 pm for an additional fee. Drop-off is available starting at 8:15 am. We don’t currently offer early drop-off. Examples of daily class schedules are included in our school profile.

Calendar: School starts on the last Tuesday every August and ends on the last Friday of May.

Curriculum: In order to provide a holistic curriculum for our students, we provide integrated academics in mixed-age, mixed-grade level classrooms with an equal emphasis on fluency and inquiry-/project-based learning, as well as personal and social education, including community service opportunities, and cultural and arts education. Koan School’s learning environment promotes independence, critical and creative thinking, and global awareness.

World Languages: We currently offer Spanish for PK-12 and Japanese for grades 8-12.

Supplies: The supplies & subscriptions fee covers all regular school supplies, except a pair of rain or farm boots to keep at school. Teachers may request other items throughout the year for special projects. High school students may be required to purchase textbooks for dual credit or AP classes.

Homework: Elementary students don’t typically have any work to do at home. Middle school students may be asked to complete reading assignments at home. High schoolers, particularly dual credit or AP students, will have more work to complete independently, but they also have a dedicated study hall each day. We want the students to have time after school to spend time with family and friends and to participate in the activities not offered at our school, such as organized sports, music lessons, or faith-based programs.

Tests: None of our students are required to participate in standardized testing outside of the high schoolers who take the TSI, SAT, or ACT for college or dual credit admissions. Elementary and middle school students will complete periodic reading and math assessments to ensure they are making academic progress.

Food: Students bring their own snacks, lunches, and water bottles every day.

Outdoors: Students go outside regularly for sunshine, fresh air, and physical activity. Students interact with the animals and plants in various ways depending on their age group. For example, kindergarteners may be responsible for collecting eggs each day, while high schoolers may help muck out the donkey enclosure.

Family Involvement: Families participate in the ways that they can. Some family members serve as a Family Classroom Coordinator, coordinating classroom activities and teacher gifts. Other family members may only have time to attend the parent-teacher conferences twice a year. All families are asked to volunteer a collective 6 hours a school year. Since our school doesn’t send home a lot of the paperwork you might get at a traditional school (graded homework, tests, report cards), these volunteer hours help families feel more connected to their child’s learning and school environment.

Electives & Clubs: Students take electives as part of their weekly schedule. Clubs are offered after school for an additional fee. Examples of recent electives & clubs include: art, theater, D&D, chicken club, Girls’ Engineering Club, STEM Workshop, homesteading, small engine repair, woodshop, camp club, creative movement, yoga, and PE.

Field Trips: Students normally take regular field trips related to their learning. Younger students go on shorter, local trips. Older students may have out of town trips, extended trips, and even study abroad opportunities. Students take the van on most domestic field trips. We have car seats available for students who need them. **Upcoming field trips are postponed for age groups that are not yet eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine.**

Study Abroad: Our high schoolers sometimes have study abroad opportunities through Koan School and other organizations. So far, they’ve been to France and Japan. Some of our students have also participated in the YES Abroad Program and Youth Ambassadors, programs through the U.S. State Department that sponsor student travel and learning.

AP Classes: We offer AP classes every year depending on the needs and interests of our students. AP classes we’ve offered include: Art History, Biology, Environmental Science, Physics 1, Comparative Government, Japanese, and English Language and Composition. Students take AP exams on campus.

Dual Credit: Eligible and interested students can take dual credit classes at the Texas Woman’s University campus or online. Koan School students can take core classes, which are listed here. To find the equivalent of TWU core classes at other Texas colleges and universities, search the TCCNS.

College: Most of our graduates choose to attend a 4-yr university after high school. We’ve had students attend The New School, Georgetown University, Mount Holyoke College, Lewis & Clark, Beloit College, University of North Carolina - Asheville, Hendrix College, University of Dallas, University of North Texas, & Texas Woman’s University. All of our college-bound graduates have received generous scholarship packages.

Accreditation: We are accredited through Cognia, which represents three of the six regionally recognized K-12 accrediting bodies and together have been accrediting institutions for 125 years. Credits earned at Koan School transfer to other K-12 schools and colleges. Diplomas earned at Koan School are accepted at universities and colleges worldwide.

Payment Plans: We do offer payment plans. Most families make tuition payments across 9 to 10 months.

Therapeutic Services: Koan School does not provide therapeutic, counseling, or nursing services on campus, at this time.

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