School Discovery Day Series 2024–25 Where Families Can Meet 40 Schools + Free Day at Zoo
San Antonio Charter Moms kicks off 2024-2025 School Discovery Day Series! Popular events are back and better than ever, with more than 40 schools participating at the city’s most kid-friendly landmarks.
Fall is here again, and while some families are getting back into the school-year swing of things, others are already considering education options for next year. Parents and caregivers in the latter camp are right to be proactive–San Antonio has more than 180 schools of choice, and enrollment season for 2025–26 is fast approaching. While San Antonio’s varied and growing education landscape makes finding that perfect fit for every student more attainable than ever, local parents may be overwhelmed with options, from neighborhood public schools to charters, magnets, online providers, and homeschooling resources. With a lawsuit currently blocking Texas schools from releasing recent campus performance data in easily understandable letter-grade format, the journey to finding the best local schools is even more difficult.
Thankfully, the nonprofit San Antonio Charter Moms (SACM) exists to help parents and caregivers navigate the overwhelming options, and there’s hardly a better place to dive in than the organization’s increasingly popular, free School Discovery Day series, which kicks off on October 19 with their wildest event yet at the San Antonio Zoo! Considered the leading local school search authority on all learning models, SACM provides easy access to extensive, unbiased school resources including online discussion groups, informative articles and videos, and enrollment guides. The annual, in-person School Discovery Days gather representatives of more than 40 school networks to answer questions about what learning models they offer, what makes their school unique, how to schedule a visit, and how to apply for enrollment. SACM staff are on hand to advise on how to do a school search, the school search timeline, and finding schools for unique learners. Participating schools range from charter schools to PreK4SA campuses to private schools and homeschooling consultants, and include truly innovative options like the Will Smith Zoo School, Celebrate Dyslexia, and the Bezos Academy, the Jeff Bezos-founded network of Montessori-inspired preschools in under-resourced areas.
Although most attendees come for education, many stay for entertainment. Each School Discovery Day is packed with partner activities including dancing to beats provided by young DJs with The AM Project, face painting by JoiBugSA, animal visits courtesy of Once In A Wild, and much more! While the Discovery Days are free and open to the public, it’s recommended that interested families register ahead of time as space is limited. The first 1,000 families to register for the San Antonio Zoo and/or DoSeum events will receive free admission to the Zoo or DoSeum! There’s no need to be shy about attending all of these events to meet as many participating schools as possible during their open enrollment windows: parents can attend the October 19 event to get the lay of the land and apply to schools with early deadlines; make decisions during peak enrollment season at the DoSeum School Discovery Day on January 25; and get more questions answered and find schools with enrollment availability at the Hemisfair School Discovery Day on March 1.
Families can see the list of participating schools, learn more about the fun activities planned for the day, and find parking information by visiting https://sachartermoms.com/school-discovery-day/ to learn more. A snapshot of the series is listed below.
SCHOOL DISCOVERY DAY AT SAN ANTONIO ZOO Attendees Enjoy Free Day at the Zoo!
When: Saturday, October 19, 2024, at 11 AM–2 PM
Where: San Antonio Zoo, 3903 N. St. Mary’s St., San Antonio, TX 78212
What: The San Antonio Zoo opened in 1914, occupying a 50-acre campus in Brackenridge Park. Now, the celebrated zoo is home to over 750 species, and there’s even a zoo preschool, making it the perfect place to kick-off SACM’s School Discovery Days! Come for the information provided by over 40 schools and SACM staff, and stay for a fun day at the Zoo, the first 1,000 families registered will receive free admission! Guests can also enjoy beats by the young DJs of The AM Project, get creative with face painting, and enter for a chance to win a raffle prize. In addition to school representatives, local children’s and educational groups like Boy Scouts of America Alamo Area Council, the Magik Theatre, and Futuro San Antonio will have a presence as well.
SCHOOL DISCOVERY DAY AT THE DOSEUM Attendees Enjoy Free Day at the DoSeum!
When: Saturday, January 25, 2025, at 9 AM–12 PM
Where: The DoSeum, 2800 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209
What: School Discovery Day at The DoSeum is the series’s flagship event, as it takes place during National School Choice Week. The first 1,000 guests who register will not only be able to meet more than 40 schools, but will also have access to The DoSeum’s 68,000 square feet of wow-worthy galleries designed to cultivate curiosity, ignite learning, and discover the power of play through interactive fun. School representatives will be located throughout the DoSeum, and The AM Project will perform next to the cafe for families needing to recharge. SACM team members will be on hand to help greet and guide attendees to school tables. Guests who participate in the scavenger hunt can enter a raffle to win a prize.
SCHOOL DISCOVERY DAY AT HEMISFAIR
When: Saturday, March 1, 2024 at 11 AM–2 PM
Where: Yanaguana Garden at Hemisfair, 434 S. Alamo St., San Antonio, TX 78205
What: Families visiting School Discovery Day at Hemisfair can enjoy the fantastic amenities of Yanaguana Garden inside Downtown’s landmark Hemisfair Park, including a splash pad, sand play area, table games, swings, climbing structures, picnic area, restaurants, and more. More than 40 schools will be participating, and SACM staff will be on hand to answer any lingering questions about school search and enrollment. The AM Project will host a dance party, Joibug SA will be face-painting, and attendees can enter to win a raffle prize!
For more information visit www.sachartermoms.com.
About San Antonio Charter Moms
San Antonio Charter Moms (SACM) began as a blog in 2012 when Founder and Executive Director Inga Cotton was inspired to help San Antonio families more easily find good information about high-quality school options, especially new open enrollment public charter schools coming to San Antonio. Since 2018, San Antonio Charter Moms has been a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides trusted information about education to parents, caregivers, and policy makers so that children can go to high quality schools that are the right fit for them. With access to knowledge about searching for all types of school models and learning models, every family in San Antonio will have the opportunity for their children to receive a great free education at a school that is the right fit for their needs and that prepares them for a life filled with choices, including college, career, and military. Their programs include online resources, such as a website, an online community, and social media accounts, and in-person events like school fairs and seminars. For more information, visit sachartermoms.com or follow them on Facebook, their Facebook group, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and TikTok.
