You’re here because you’re searching for something different—something that feels like home.
You're seeking a learning environment where your child can grow in a way that nurtures their spirit, curiosity, and love for life. Where creativity, wonder, and a deep connection to the natural world are at the heart of every day.
At Raphael Springs Academy, we believe children should be free to explore, move, create, and develop at their own pace—unburdened by the pressures of an overstimulated world. If you want your child to love learning, feel deeply connected to nature, and be surrounded by a supportive community that values childhood as a sacred time, you’re in the right place.
What makes us different
Wellness & mindfulness
The RSA community’s passion for health and wellness inspired us to create a salt therapy room right here on campus—making us the first, and currently only, school in North America to have one.
Our children visit this space as part of their weekly rhythm to breathe in salt mist and practice self-regulation techniques such as breathwork and meditation, learning to find stillness within themselves.
The salt’s natural minerals help purify the airways, support skin health, and balance the body’s energy field, while halotherapy—the gentle mist of microfine salt—creates a naturally antibacterial and anti-inflammatory environment that nurtures overall wellbeing.
Personal development
We believe in cultivating confidence, self-reliance, and whole-brain development. With that in mind, we designed this obstacle course—in collaboration with our onsite occupational therapist—to support every child’s growth through purposeful movement and play.
Each climb, swing, and leap invites children to meet a challenge—and watch themselves grow as they master it.
Built with intention, the course strengthens grip, balance, coordination, and problem-solving—all vital to neurological and motor development. As confidence builds in the body, focus deepens in the mind.
It’s physical challenge, mental strategy, and emotional resilience in one joyful space.
And best of all? Our students can’t wait to get to school—ready to conquer the course, and themselves.
Entrepreneurialism
At Raphael Springs Academy, we cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset by helping children recognize their unique gifts and learn how to share them in meaningful, self-reliant ways. Through hands-on experiences—crafts, our garden harvests, the biodynamic farm, and soon, eggs from our livestock program—students explore how to bring their creations and services to life.
They learn about audience, presentation, and exchange in age-appropriate ways, discovering the joy of offering something of real value. These experiences nurture not only creativity and initiative, but also the confidence to engage, contribute, and participate in a thriving, values-driven community.
Nature & stewarship
We believe children thrive when they understand their connection to the natural world, our biodynamic farming program brings rhythm, reverence, and real-life learning to the heart of our school.
Here, students work the soil, plant seeds, and tend to growing life with patience and care—learning not only where food comes from, but how everything in nature is interconnected.
Guided by biodynamic principles, they observe the cycles of the sun, moon, and seasons, discovering how energy flows through all living things. These lessons nurture stewardship, gratitude, and a grounded sense of belonging to the earth.
Whether gathering vegetables for a classroom meal or tending the compost that nourishes next season’s garden, our children experience the quiet joy of participating in the great rhythm of life.
Our campus
Set on five acres of beautiful natural land in Dripping Springs, our campus feels like a breath of fresh air. Mature oak trees offer shade for swinging, climbing, and endless imagination, while open meadows invite exploration and play.
Our hand-built classroom cottages are designed to feel like home—warm, creative spaces that inspire comfort and curiosity. A rustic barn-style building serves as the heart of our campus, housing our functional fitness and occupational therapy room, administrative offices, and upper-grade classrooms on the second floor.
Nearby, a repurposed shed has been lovingly transformed into our Himalayan salt therapy room—a tranquil space that embodies our commitment to wellness and mindfulness. A charming restroom building provides plenty of room for our growing community. We’re also expanding with a livestock area featuring a chicken coop and run, where students will help care for animals and experience the rhythm of real, hands-on learning.
Every corner of our campus is designed with intention—a place where movement, imagination, and connection to nature come alive each day.
Our beginnings
Raphael Springs Academy was founded in 2020 by a dedicated group of parents and teachers committed to creating an educational environment where children could learn freely and authentically. Guided by a shared vision of fostering independence, personal growth, and a love of learning, they united to build something truly special. More than just a school, Raphael Springs Academy is a community rooted in independent thought, integrity, and purpose-driven education. It stands as a testament to what can be achieved when passionate individuals come together with courage, conviction, and a deep dedication to the well-being of children.
