Join Our Family

Applications for the 2023 - 2024 school year are open! Apply today for a seat in Kindergarten - 5th grade.

in-person-hub-cover.jpg
 

 The Gathering Place is an award-winning, first-of-its-kind free public school that develops innovators through real-world, hands-on learning.

 

Fill out the quick form below to talk with a team member at The Gathering Place and find out if TGP is right for you! hint, it probably is! 😉

Phone
What is your preferred way to be contacted?
Do you have a child in Kindergarten - 5th grade?

Testimonials from Current Families

Our daughter is thriving at this school! The incredible teachers/staff, hands-on learning approach, and emphasis on social emotional learning are just a few of the many things we love about TGP.

Ginger - TGP Caregiver

The amount of effort that this school puts into each student is amazing!!! Every child is given so much support in so many levels and it is obvious on their faces every day. They have support for families and caregivers and the communication is the best. I’m so thankful for this school! It’s changed my granddaughter’s life in such a positive way already!

Mariel - TGP Caregiver

I can not speak enough about the staff at TGP! They are very patient and kind and show true respect and love! They love every child there as if they were their own, and are also very supportive of the arch caregiver and the family unit of the child(ren)! They allow each child to be THEMSELVES, and cater to their individual needs. I recommend TGP with ever fiber in my being. I couldn’t be more happy with the people there and who they are and represent!

Cherokee - TGP Caregiver

TGP has gone above and beyond AGAIN for us and we cannot even express our gratitude adequately; there are not enough words to explain how much we love this school and the entire TGP family. We had a kinder seat and were super excited. For personal reasons we unfortunately had to give up that seat and try online school for our little one. The TGP family still checked in on us, cared about us, and made sure that we knew we could always reapply when things changed and we’d be welcomed with open arms, as long as there was room, and they’d do everything they reasonably could to accommodate us. My daughter was excited to go to school…SO excited. Sadly, two weeks in with the online school, and she lost her passion for learning in a huge way. It was absolutely devastating to see her go from a kid that was vibrant and confident, full of joy and brilliance, creative and imaginative, to a kiddo that wasn’t confident anymore and who flat out said she thought she wasn’t “smart enough” to even go to school at all. Online teachers have a hard job. I get it. But online Kinder kids have it even harder. Especially imaginative, hands on learners like ours who need positive reinforcement and who shrink when they’re around negativity; negativity from educators…destroys a kid. I saw it unfold in two weeks. Heartbreaking for my baby and for all the other kids and parents who experienced the same sad situation. I didn’t think we could reapply until second semester and was about to pull my child and “try” to homeschool; enter TGP…we were able to start at TGP this semester and have been supported every step of the way. My daughter lit up when she found out she would be going to “her favorite school with all her friends” in person literally NOW. TGP helped us overcome challenges we had that made it hard to attend in person, and the personal love and support we had even when we could not choose TGP as we wished at the beginning of the school year shows just how passionate and kind the TGP family is…love and support for everyone, even those of us with challenges who can’t BE on campus, even though we wished we were. I am grateful and I am proud to be a part of this amazing community filled with other humans who are passionate about education and passionate about social justice for all…people who love everyone, always. THIS is an amazing school. All are welcome here. I can’t imagine being anywhere else and I also cannot say thank you enough for everything you’ve done to give my baby a home away from home. Thank you.

Jasmin - TGP Caregiver

I love this! By far the best school my children have attended! My 9 year old daughter started here completely unable to write her name or really anything else and unable to read due to various reasons and for Mother's Day she actually wrote me a card. The school is leaps and bounds more amazing than I had imagined! Both of my children go here and they absolutely love it and we're sad they aren't going back until August.

Brandi - TGP Caregiver

We are incredibly honored and humbled to be part of a community of caregivers and educators that care so deeply for our children and family. Our child is thriving in this setting. I’m continuously impressed by the care that goes into how communication is handled. It’s refreshing to have such a deep understanding of what our children are working on through exhibits, weekly updates, and messages from the teachers.

Dena - TGP Caregiver

My nephew has been going to this school for 2yrs and he absolutely loves this place. The staff is super supportive and I definitely see a big difference in him compared to his last school. His teachers are extremely patient with him and it’s been super fun seeing how much he has learned.

Mark - TGP Caregiver

So my son has been at the gathering place for going on 2 years. Personally I can not say how happy we are with having him at The Gathering Place. After a terrible experience with a regular public school, this place is unbelievable! We have seen our son grow so much that it’s so amazing to watch him grow! We are looking forward to staying at The gathering place for many years to come!

John - TGP Caregiver

We hesitated a little to move our boys mid school year but my youngest was having a miserable year with a teacher who didn't believe in him and my older son had an incredible teacher but they just wanted him to hold still. The boys jumped right in at TGP and have loved every minute of it. My youngest has always fought about going to school but now gets up and ready without complaint. The boys come home each day telling me about what amazing things they explored that day. They have explained to me several times how they love having a shorter school day (y'all, it's actually an hour longer but they are so involved, it just flies by!). All of the staff are so kind and helpful. They have dealt with my older sons ADD issues a couple times in an extremely competent and gentle manner. We could not be more grateful for TGP

Cherie - TGP Caregiver

Words can’t explain how amazing it is to have my daughter in a school where it’s all about the KIDS. They take the time to know each student. I look forward to see what the future holds for The School and Each Student!

Veronika - TGP Caregiver

This school has been a godsend! It should be called “Life School”, because that’s how they operate, by showing how everyday life can be a learning and growing experience. Our son attended K&1st at a college prep charter. His schedule was more packed than mine, full of worksheets, testing and homework, and with only 20 mins recess. TGP is NOT like that! Kids turn their interests into lessons and learn by experience. They learn mindfulness, nutrition and how to work out their problems with others, just like real life

Briana - TGP Caregiver

This school is everything I’ve wanted in a school for my kids but never thought we’d be able to afford it! The truly whole child approach to education is what every child deserves. My kids don’t realize how much they are learning and are far happier to go to school now that we are at TGP. They definitely take a different but very developmentally appropriate approach to eduction and I have zero concerns that they will be “behind” by any standards. My favorite things about TGP - project based learning, emphasis on social justice, heavy focus social and emotional learning, lots of outdoor time, restorative justice approach to discipline, lots of art in all forms, yoga, cooking/gardening, I could go on! It’s magical and we feel so lucky to have found this place

Ellyn - TGP Caregiver

My daughter went to an SAISD dual language charter for the first quarter, virtual instruction. The curriculum was very repetitive, involved many videos, and the children weren't encouraged to speak unless they were answering a question. They also tested my child 6 times and planned to test her 12 more times during the school year. She is five. She started saying she "hated school", and I knew I had to change her. The Gathering Place has been a complete 180. They don't believe testing is the gauge of a child's academic ability. They don't grade. They don't give homework. Children are encouraged to speak and interact and learn about what interests them. I don't have to make my daughter do her virtual classes any more. She has loved all the teachers she's had at TGP. They make her feel included and important. This is a great school if social-emotional learning and love of learning are what you are trying to instill in your child.

Laura - TGP Caregiver

This our first time having one of our kids go to a charter school. We were nervous at first, but TGP has truly done the best! Our other two older kids have always gone to the NISD schools we are zoned for. If we had TGP back then, we would have sent our older two kids here. We have been looking for a public school that has an active learning model, instead of a "teach to the test" model. If all major public school districts would incorporate an active learning model into their daily curriculum, and get rid of the "teach to the test" model. I believe, our kids would be more prepared for the "real" world when they graduate high school. We highly recommend TGP!!!!

Crystal - TGP Caregiver

Best charter school in San Antonio! My kid loves it and we love it too! They are very inclusive, the staff is amazing and their curriculum is the best! They truly care about their students and their families. The fact that they have yoga, art, theater, gardening, cooking, nutrition and so much more is the best thing in the world.

Gaby - TGP Caregiver

If you’re interested in a school that focuses on letter grades and test scores...this is not your school. If you’re interested in your child focusing on critical thinking, problem solving, and social equity....WELCOME HOME!

Corin - TGP Caregiver

Come See What Everyone Is Talking About!

Sign Up For A Free Tour Today

To sign up for a free tour, click one of the dates below with a blue circle around it and select the available time slot that works with your availability.

 
 

Traditional Schools

Test Centered - Most of what happens during the day is about preparing kids for standardized tests.

Passive Learning - Kids sit most the day listening to their teacher and completing worksheets or problems from a textbook.

Limited Offerings - Most schools only offer a few classes because they are focused on standardized test scores.

The Gathering Place

Child Centered - What happens during the day is focused around each child and their individual development and passion.

Active Learning - Kids learn more deeply by working hands-on with activities and projects that connect to their community and life.

Arts & Enrichment - Kids have dance, music, culinary arts, makerspace learning, digital fluency, visual arts, and outdoor learning.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you handle behavior?
Our first priority is to build a community of kindness. We focus on teaching social and emotional skills to help kids handle tough situations.

Do you have before and after care?
Yes! We have free before school care for all families and after-school care on a sliding scale.

Are the teachers qualified?
They most definitely are. In fact, schools like us (charter schools) have amazing teachers.

 

Is this restricted to only some people?
We’re open to all kids. We do not screen anyone.

Do kids have to audition since you’re an arts school?
No need to audition. We’re open to anyone.

Is there a fee to attend?
No, we are a free public school.


“The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: artists, inventors, storytellers — creative and holistic ‘right-brain’ thinkers whose abilities mark the fault line between who gets ahead and who doesn’t.” - Daniel Pink, educational researcher and author.