A private school on a wide-open desert campus — where every child is known by name, learning is joyful and purposeful, and the world itself is the classroom.
More than a classroom — a living community. Four promises shape how we show up for one another every single day.
We bring our whole selves — curious, present, and ready to take part in the day's work and wonder.
Kindness leads. We tend to each other, to our space, and to the world with real attention and heart.
We chase big questions, take creative risks, and let curiosity carry us past the edge of the familiar.
Mixed ages, shared meals, real mentorship — we rise together, and no one is left under the rain.
"The purpose of education is not to fill a bucket, but to light a fire. We don't raise children to fit into the world as it is — we raise them to build the world as it should be."
Small, mixed-age groups let teachers move at each child's pace while older students mentor younger ones — a single campus that carries a child from their first letters to their last lap before graduation.
Phonics, number sense, and play-rich days that root a lifelong love of learning from the very beginning.
Reading and math fluency take hold, with curiosity and confidence growing taller every day.
Like aspens sharing one root system, this group grows together — deeper academics, real projects, and the space to find their own voice.
Independence, leadership, and readiness for what's next — academically and as thoughtful young people.
Real learning isn't memorizing facts. It begins the moment a child learns to focus — and builds, quarter after quarter, into mastery they can actually use.
First, master attention
Then learn the skill
Use it in real projects
MAP shows what's mastered
We tailor the next step
Three focused session days anchor the week, with a journey around the world on Wednesdays and clubs and discovery on Fridays.
Our special programs aren't fixed. We follow the students, the season, and the world — so learning stays alive, surprising, and deeply human.
One week origami and miso soup in Japan; the next, carnival and rainforest in Brazil. Students travel the globe through culture, food, language, and art.
From Ancient Egypt to the Space Race, students step into the past through roleplay, debate, cooking, music, and story — and feel history from the inside.
Every Wednesday is a themed immersion and field day — desert, makerspaces, museums, and the wider community become the lesson.
Financial literacy, emotional regulation, public speaking, conflict resolution, and household skills — woven through every week, not bolted on.
Core subjects are taught through hands-on, project-based, and rotational learning — so children don't just memorize, they make, build, and discover.
Each quarter, students take the MAP assessment — a measure of individual progress, not a letter on a curve. The week after, we meet with families to celebrate growth and set new goals.
Math and literacy run on a rotational model of independent practice, partner work, and 1:1 teaching — with a dedicated math specialist, literacy specialist, and lead teachers on campus to give every child targeted support.
We check in with MAP Growth three times a year. Because its RIT scale measures progress in equal steps at every level, we can see real growth — not just a grade on a curve.
Those results guide how we re-form skill-based cohorts and choose each child's next steps, so the work always meets them right where they are. (Example shown — every child's path is their own.)
Lunch here isn't just a meal — it's a daily celebration of nourishment, community, and gratitude, led by our chef, Cassie.
Choose the rhythm that fits your family. Every option is Arizona ESA-eligible, and we help with ClassWallet setup and quarterly invoicing.
Curious before you commit? Request a single day to experience Umbrella firsthand. Children must be at least 5 years old, a signed waiver is required, and all drop-in days are subject to approval.
ESA contributions shown are estimates for grades 1–12 (~$7,000); kindergarten ESA is approximately $4,000, and eligibility is based on age as of January 1. We'll confirm your family's exact numbers during enrollment.
Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) redirects a portion of state education funds into an account your family controls — and it can be used toward tuition at Umbrella Academy.
Applications are submitted through the Arizona Department of Education and are typically processed in a few weeks.
The best way to understand Umbrella Academy is to walk the grounds, meet the team, and watch a day unfold. We welcome families on tour year-round and enroll on a rolling basis as space allows.
Tours now booking for Fall 2026 — applications reviewed in the order received.
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Life doesn't come without hard days. Questions without easy answers. Moments that feel too big, too fast, too much.
We've never believed in building walls around children to keep the world out — because the world is exactly where they're headed.
An umbrella doesn't stop the rain. It gives you the confidence to walk through it.
That's what Umbrella Academy is. Not a place that removes challenge, but a place that prepares children to meet it — with knowledge in their minds, courage in their hearts, and a community at their back. We bring together many ways of learning, many kinds of thinkers, many paths forward — and hold them all under one intentional, nurturing space.
Because when a child knows they are seen, supported, and equipped, they don't fear the storm. They walk right through it.
First, fill out our quick interest form — you'll be able to schedule your tour right after.