Journeys School of Teton Science Schools

We love Journeys School. Full disclosure: I am an employee of the parent organization, Teton Science Schools, though I have shared honest comments about my experience as a parent, and what I see and feel about my daughter's experience. This is my daughter's first year at Journeys (3rd Grade), and this is her 3rd school in the past 5 years. It is also the first school that she is excited to go to and proud to speak about to others. She has told me many times that she wants to stay at Journeys School through High School! One day in November, her teacher called to tell me my kid was sick and I needed to pick her up. When I arrived at her classroom, she told me she didn't want to leave! I have never known a kid that refused to be taken home EARLY from school! I particularly love the Journeys School approach to Place-Based Learning. I feel it is so important for my daughter to learn in the context of our community. The classes and curriculum are taught in a way that considers the culture, economy, and ecology of our community, so my daughter understands what she is learning from real-world examples that she can relate to. To hear her tell me about the water-cycle (science class) in the context of our home water tap to the creek outside, to the Snake River to the Pacific Ocean, to the clouds, to the weather and snow on top of our mountains which feed our ground water is just so cool FOR A 9 YEAR OLD!

Journeys may be a great school if you and your child (children) are a good fit with the school. We generally found a caring environment, compassionate teachers and a decent education. However, we also experienced regular teacher turnover, a seemingly constantly changing curriculum and we were generally disappointed with the academics and school leadership. Given the cost of tuition and the constant fundraising requests we felt that the value proposition didn t add up for our family.

Both of my children have attended Journeys School since they were three years old. It has been the perfect combination of challenging academics, a whole-child approach, and incredibly nurturing teachers. My children have flourished in this extraordinary and innovative learning environment.

My daughter and son, now in grades 10 and 6, have been Journeys School students since kindergarten. They are doing really, really well - as learners, as gracious young people, as leaders among their peers and friends, and as emerging citizens. The Journeys School's attention to individual kids' needs, the motivated faculty, and the integration within the family of Teton Science Schools has made this School an inspiring contributor to my children's growth. The use of the International Baccalaureate curriculum challenges my kids on an internationally significant level. To have all of this grounded in place-based education, using Jackson Hole and the Greater Yellowstone area as an outdoor classroom lets my kids and their classmates grow up as ecologically literate people - they are gaining a kind of insight into the world that will be in high demand. The cooperation with sports, speech and debate and other Teton County School District services keeps them anchored and engaged in the whole community. Journeys School makes me wish I could go back and do my own K-12 education all over.