Our Mission
At Thrive Learning, our mission is to redefine school as a place for play, inquiry, community, and growth. We are committed to a student-centered philosophy, where individual developmental needs are addressed, and the autonomy of our children is respected. As changemakers in the educational field, we understand the value of an education centered on children’s developmental, cognitive, and social-emotional needs. Thrive Learning seeks to foster the rich community and environment necessary for our children to grow into confident, critically thinking, self-motivated young adults.
Our Core Values
Agency
We respect the agency and autonomy of all members of our learning community equally, regardless of age. All students, staff, and caretakers have a voice in our community and will be heard and their boundaries respected.
Trust
We trust that our students know themselves best and let them lead the way in their own learning process. We trust that humans are innately curious, and when given the space and resources, will learn incredible things.
Community
We believe the learning experience is enhanced when students come together in organic, authentic collaboration. We believe in fostering a strong community to support one another, not only in our learning, but also through the joys and struggles of our daily lives.
Sustainability
For our community and systems to last and have a positive impact on learners for generations to come, we must always consider our long-term sustainability both ecologically and systematically.
Equity
We believe in a system that not only serves all of its students, but allows each and every individual to thrive. We must regularly reflect on the systems we create to ensure we live up to this core value, and that we never find ourselves complacent in supporting oppressive systems.
Our Board of Directors
Heather Wilson, MS
Board President & Lead Administrator
Heather is a passionate educator and certified Texas teacher who has spent the last decade in STEM education, and is currently pursuing her PhD in Educational Psychology. As a mother and teacher, she has had a deep desire to create a school where children are free to be their true selves and learn in a way that aligns with the developmental needs of their remarkable brains. After years of brainstorming and refining the vision, she is excited to finally launch Thrive Learning and see it come to life.
Joan Rohloff, MAT
Board Member & Curriculum Advisor
Joan has been an elementary and middle-school STEM educator for more than 25 years. With experience in project-based learning, trauma-informed practices, and multi-lingual education, Joan’s invaluable advice and insight have helped Thrive Learning evolve from an idea into a reality, while never losing sight of the most important part of education: the student as a whole person.
Tim Wilson, PhD
Board Secretary & Financial Advisor
Tim has been teaching college and secondary mathematics for over 15 years. Since first moving to Denton in 2006, he has come to form a deep bond with this town, it’s universities, and its community. Now a father of three, Tim is looking forward to creating a space where his children and the children in our local community can have access to an education that fits their needs and respects them as individuals.