Project Based •
Ecowellness •
Social Emotional Learning •
Project Based • Ecowellness • Social Emotional Learning •
Our Mission
Austin Discovery School is an academically rigorous public charter dedicated to fostering compassion, collaboration, and critical thinking through engaging the natural world.
Our Vision
Austin Discovery School will be a model for promoting passionate learning in all students and excellence through innovative and engaging education.
More About Austin Discovery School
Austin Discovery School is a tuition-free, innovative charter school serving children in grades kindergarten through sixth.
A small, community oriented school, Austin Discovery School offers spacious, naturally lit, beautiful classrooms. Classrooms are full of movement and social interactions as learners work cooperatively and share their knowledge with one another.
Austin Discovery School features hands-on math and science and integrates literacy across the curriculum. All students attend an essentials class daily, which include Eco-wellness, Physical Education, Music, and Art.
Students in our program master the skills necessary to demonstrate social responsibility, good health, and environmental responsibility while creating and pursuing rigorous academic goals.
There is a natural harmony when we come to appreciate and respect others, ourselves, and the environment we live in. By focusing on the whole child, Austin Discovery School benefits our whole society.
Our History
Austin Discovery School was envisioned by a group of parents, educators, and an educational psychologist who were brought together through their common interest in Children’s Discovery Center in Austin.
Each saw the needs of many children and parents who were growing frustrated in their search for a school that would excite children about learning and empower them to become lifelong learners.
Pooling their experience and research in child and brain development, educational theory, and child-centered curriculum, they applied for a charter in 2004 from the Texas Education Agency.
Austin Discovery School was awarded a charter and opened its doors in 2005 to 160 students in Kindergarten through fourth grade, and added fifth grade the next year.
Currently, Austin Discovery School serves 230 students in grades kindergarten through sixth.
Our Program
Hours of Operation:
The school opens at 7:30 a.m. each morning. Students must be in the classroom promptly at 7:50 a.m. to avoid being tardy. Classes end at 3:45 p.m. Students attend school Monday through Thursday and are off on Fridays. However, we do provide full day after care on Fridays for those students who need it.
At Austin Discovery School, important community-building activities happen first thing in the morning, and it is essential that students are present to participate. The classroom community isn't the same without your child's presence, so please arrive on time.
Austin Discovery School follows state compulsory attendance laws.
Students must be enrolled in Aftercare to attend the Aftercare program, which runs daily from 3:45– 6:00 p.m.
Philosophy & Instruction
At Austin Discovery School, teachers focus on individual students' growth and development. Teachers, parents, and students work together to identify individual goals. Areas for potential growth are presented through aligned projects, setting and monitoring student goals, and assessments based on objectives. We believe that students should master a concept prior to advancing to a more difficult one. Therefore, teachers assess students and record their mastery as it relates to a developmental continuum in each subject area.
Guided by teachers, students become aware of where their learning is on the continuum and are partners in their education—knowing what skills they have mastered and those they will learn next. Assessments are helpful in guiding instruction and providing data to show growth and development.
The Educational Program at Austin Discovery School is modeled on brain-development research and best practices in learning theory. Explore the topics below for more information on various aspects of the program, including curriculum and instructional practices.
Collaborative Learning
Amplify Texas Literacy Program
Eureka Math
Great Minds Science
Social Studies
Class Hikes
Physical Education
Eco-wellness
Art
Music
Social & Emotional Intelligence
Conscious Discipline
Essentials Programs
Our weekly essentials program includes the following classes:
Art
Eco-wellness
Music
Physical Education
Hands on Approach
Our 2023-2024 Art Teacher, Annie McArdle, created a video that highlights the hands-on learning approach in our Essentials classes. In collaboration with the entire school, Annie led a project where students collected bottle caps to create a stunning piece of artwork. We felt it was important to highlight this project because it beautifully embodies Austin Discovery School’s commitment to eco-consciousness and earth stewardship.
