KoSchool

Disclaimer: I have relatives who attend Ko school. I had the opportunity to observe a section of students involved in Socratic discussion, one of the primary learning activities at Ko school, and I was amazed. I have a PhD in the humanities, but I saw students half my age and without my nine years of university education having discussions and trading ideas in a cogent and civilized manner that would be the envy of most graduate level seminars. The students were highly engaged in their discussions of a difficult text, and I could see how the intentional construction of a community of learning, as envisioned by the founders, had contributed to an intellectual fertility that would be extraordinarily difficult to find in conventional educational formats. I have had some experience in those conventions, so I should know. If you care about your child’s succeeding in more dimensions than those measured by our broken and increasingly myopic educational system, if you believe that education is more than being force-fed a stale and tasteless "soup" of information, I would highly recommend that you set up an interview with the directors at Ko School and Incubator. Check 'em out.

When it came time to look for a middle school for our son, we were so fortunate to come across KhabeleStrong Incubator (KSI). It was in it's first year, so we were hoping that it would at least come close to the ideals espoused by the founders and staff. We are in our second year now, and I can say with confidence that it is all we could hope for our child. It is the peaceful, inspiring, safe, and challenging place that I wish all students could experience. Co-founder Michael Strong is a visionary leader that has never disappointed us in demonstrating that education is a fluid process that each student has to engage in through nurturing their own innate curiosities and interests. The atmosphere and level of conversation in the school is beyond any middle school I have seen. I can say that our son loves KSI and is happy to be there. It is really ideal to have him in a place where we know he will be encouraged rather than contained. He has been exposed to new experiences at the school like Socratic dialogue, parkour, and innovative sustainable technology like aquaponics. I see my son gaining confidence in his ideas and learning to listen to the ideas of others. I see the school as being primarily for students who are self motivated and don't need too much direction to move forward. That might be challenging for some to adapt to. The campus is located on the site of Casa de Luz, which is such a beautiful and peaceful place. Because of their location, they are able to access the trail, Zilker, and the lake on a regular basis. That to me is such a wonderful way to connect to Austin's natural beauty.The student body is small, but considering all of the changes that happen in middle school, that is my preference. I feel like I can trust my son is in a good environment for growth. I highly recommend KSI.