Opening August 2027 · Grades K–5
Where curiosity leads.
Every child is made with something in them worth following. At Lupine, we help children discover those strengths and learn through them — building reading, writing, and math into the work they're genuinely drawn to.
The model
Five things we build the school on
Not a longer school day. A different one — where skills get practiced for a reason, not just because it's Tuesday.
The project is the point
Children choose real projects and see them through — a game, a garden, a business, a repair. Reading, writing, and math get practiced inside the work, where a child can feel why they matter.
A settled body first
Before a child can think, their body has to feel safe. We teach children to notice what's happening inside them and what helps — so a hard moment becomes something they can move through instead of something that ends the day.
Skills for a real life
Cooking, money, repair, planning, and how to have a hard conversation. The ordinary competence that makes a capable adult, practiced early and often enough to stick.
Thinking alongside AI
These tools will be part of our children's whole lives. We teach them to use them well, question what comes back, and stay the one doing the thinking.
The town as faculty
Makers, tradespeople, farmers, musicians, and engineers come in and teach what they actually do. A child should get to meet the grown-up version of the thing they love.
A day here
The rhythm
Every day has the same shape, so nobody has to guess what's coming. Predictability is part of the curriculum.
Every child is made with something in them worth following. We help children discover those strengths and learn through them — building reading, writing, and math into the work they're genuinely drawn to.
Our mission- Arrival, prayer, and settlingWe start together with a short prayer, then whatever a body needs to land — movement, quiet, or a check-in. Nobody learns before they've arrived.
- Skill blocksReading and math at each child's real level, in small groups. Short, direct, unhurried — and never in front of an audience.
- Project studioThe long block. Children build, test, revise, and get stuck — with an adult nearby who lets them stay stuck just long enough to work it out themselves.
- Outside and lunchReal time outdoors every day, in most weather. Bodies that move think better.
- Workshop or a visitorMusic, making, science — or someone from town teaching the thing they do for a living.
- Close the loopShare what moved forward, name what's next. The day ends finished rather than abandoned.
Who's teaching
Hi, we're the Luppens
I'm Cassie. I've taught in area schools for the last eleven years, and I kept noticing the same thing: school has a way of turning a child's biggest strength into their biggest problem.
The child who won't stop asking questions becomes disruptive. The one who goes so deep on a subject he forgets the worksheet becomes off‑task. The one who has to move in order to think becomes a behavior plan. These aren't broken children. They're children whose best quality doesn't fit the box we handed them.
Lupine is the school we kept wishing we could send them to. Small enough to actually know a child. Structured enough that the learning is real. Calm enough that a nervous system can settle down and get curious.
This is a family project. My husband Geoff is building it alongside me, and our own son will be here from the first day — so every decision we make about this school is one we're making for our kid, too. That's the standard we're holding it to.
- Missouri-certified K–12 educator, 11 years in the classroom
- Sound therapist and nervous-system regulation practitioner
- Credentialed in Polyvagal Theory and the Neurosequential Model
- Built a classroom regulation system with OT and PT colleagues
Questions
The things families ask first
What grades do you serve?
We open with kindergarten through 5th grade. We add a grade level when our oldest cohort needs it, through 8th — so families who start with us can stay with us. We'd rather grow with our students than take on more than we can do exceptionally well.
Where will the school be?
We're finalizing a location in the Blue Springs / Lee's Summit area. Join the interest list and you'll be the first to know when it's confirmed.
What does tuition cost?
Tuition details will be shared with families on the interest list ahead of enrollment opening. We're also looking into Missouri's MOScholars scholarship program as a possible option for families.
Is this a good fit for a child who's struggled in school?
Often, yes. Small groups, a predictable day, and interest-led work help a lot of children who've had a hard time in a bigger classroom. That said, we're a small school with two teachers — we don't provide special education services, therapies, IEPs, or one-to-one aides. If your child needs those, let's talk honestly about whether we can serve them well.
Is Lupine a religious school?
We're an independent school with Christian roots. We open each morning with prayer, and we talk openly about the idea that every child was made on purpose, with strengths that are theirs for a reason. We don't run daily Bible study and we don't preach. Children from any background are welcome here, and no child is asked to believe anything to belong — a child who'd rather sit quietly during prayer can, and no one makes a thing of it.
How do I know my child is actually learning?
We assess where each child starts, track progress through the year, and share it with you plainly and regularly — no mystery, no waiting until a report card in November. You'll know what your child can do and what we're working on next.
Can I visit before enrolling?
Yes, and we'd encourage it. We'll host information nights and family visits beginning in early 2027. Join the interest list to get invited.
Join the list
Be first to know
We're opening in August 2027 with 15 seats. Families on the interest list hear about information nights, tours, and enrollment before anyone else — no obligation, and you can leave the list anytime.