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At Anne Frank Inspire Academy, Students Reach Self-Mastery Through Self-Management

This article has been republished from The Learning Ledger.

Across San Antonio, families searching for something different—something delightfully out-of-the-box—often stumble upon Anne Frank Inspire Academy and discover what feels like an educational hidden gem. With just over 540 K–12 students across two campuses, the school has quietly built a model where curiosity is not an add-on to instruction; it is the engine that drives learning. And as the school grows, that gem is becoming a destination for more families who want an environment where students learn to know themselves, manage themselves, and take ownership of their future.

Superintendent Justin Johnston describes the school’s vision by pointing back to its namesake. “Anne Frank, even as an adolescent, had the courage to track and record her own journey,” he says. “What we want to do is believe in that adolescence. We want to focus on those soft skills. And our innovative technique is giving control back to our kids.”

A Learning Environment That Trusts Students—And Builds Their Capacity

The result is a school environment intentionally designed to be less supervised—and more purposeful—than traditional models. Students are given space to navigate choices, manage their time, and take responsibility for their actions. They do make mistakes, Johnston notes, but that is precisely the point. It is far better for students to learn how to self-correct at 13 or 14 than to encounter that experience for the first time years later in college or the workforce.

“We’re working on not only the academic skills, but also the work skills,” Johnston says. Self-management, collaboration, planning, and reflection are not accessories to Anne Frank’s learning model—they are the core outcomes.

“We’re working on not only the academic skills, but also the work skills.”

Learning That Begins With Questions, Not Worksheets

Anne Frank’s inquiry-driven approach asks students to follow their natural curiosity and make meaning across content areas. Rather than teaching isolated subjects, teachers focus on essential questions that bridge learning and life.

“What is the connection between my basketball team and my future workplace? Between my family and my city? Between my city and the federal government?” Johnston asks. When students begin making these connections, school becomes not just a set of tasks—but a lens for understanding the world.

Multi-Age Pods That Spark Leadership, Confidence, and Community

One of the most distinctive elements of Anne Frank Inspire Academy is its cross-grade “learning pods” at the elementary level. Kindergarteners and first graders learn foundational reading skills together, while third through fifth graders learn “to read to learn” side-by-side. These intentional groupings create natural mentoring moments and leadership opportunities.

Parent Laurie Miner sees the impact every day. Her third grader, learning alongside older students, “has taken an interest in higher-level math and pushed herself to learn material she probably wouldn’t have learned otherwise.” Meanwhile, her fifth-grade son is discovering what it means to lead: “He has been a leader; I have watched him grow in empathy and compassion for the students that are younger than he is.”

A School Growing With Purpose—and Making Room for More Families

As demand has grown, the school has begun expanding its campus footprint. Construction is already underway on a new building that will welcome an additional 150–175 third through fifth graders next school year. What remains unchanged, however, is the school’s commitment to developing students who are both academically prepared and deeply self-aware.

“What separates us,” Johnston says, “is the belief that kids should be involved in the process—and the belief that the student can meet whatever expectations you set in front of them.”

“What separates us is the belief that kids should be involved in the process—and the belief that the student can meet whatever expectations you set in front of them.”

A Future Shaped by Students Who Know Themselves

At Anne Frank Inspire Academy, students aren’t just learning content; they are learning to navigate complexity, work in community, and chart their own path. As the school grows, so does its promise: a model where self-management leads to self-mastery, and where students leave not only knowing more—but knowing themselves.

Families interested in admissions can learn more at AnneFrankIA.com.