Open Road School

Individualized activities in small

groups with mixed ages are real
world and project based. Built on
the model of a professional
children’s school, our school has
no tests or standard curricula.
Curricula and activities are custom designed by team leaders with
their group of kids and with feedback from parents. Leaders are
professional artists, film directors, skateboarders, architects, and
musicians currently at work in their field.
Teams travel from place to place and work on active, creative
projects. They travel to public schools, to community groups like
Afro-Punk and Bro-Sis, to Woodward Camp, and to Universities to
teach cooking, lead events, and build green skate parks and gardens.
Studies are interdisciplinary, project based and real
world, in partnership with Cornell, Cooper Union, and
public universities.
Each group of 1 leader and 5 kids meets 3hrs a day, 20
weeks a year, on a schedule individualized for that team
Teams are mixed ages, 5 kids and one leader each.
Some kids also attend public school, for others this is
their only school. Kids that attend public school are in
groups that meet after. Each group meets 20 wks/year,
15hrs/wk on a schedule set up for that team.
Our real world work:
1. Political advocacy, organizing + design/build
of public parks and gardens
2. Skateboarding and BMX biking with pros
3. Artists and musicians producing work with kids
Sponsors cover full scholarships for kids in need. Tuition is 375/wk.
A team of 5 kids is 1,875/week, providing 1,000 for the instructor
and 875 for supplies, travel, site rental and reinvestment.