EnCompass Academy

We wanted to give families a quick enrollment and waitlist update as we prepare for the 2026–2027 school year.

Our current waitlist is now over 170 families, but availability looks different by classroom. Some programs have immediate openings, some have limited spots, and some are still being worked through as classroom space and staffing are finalized.

Kimberly, our Family and Student Support Specialist, and one of EnCompass Academy’s founders, has been personally connecting with waitlist families as openings become available. We have heard from so many families about how meaningful those conversations have been. Kimberly brings a rare mix of clarity, compassion, and steadiness to this process. She listens well, makes space for hard stories, and helps families feel informed and cared for, even when the answer is not immediate.

Some families have already been scheduled for tours or observations, while others may not hear from us for a while as she continues working through the list thoughtfully.

Families already on the waitlist do not need to reapply. Thank you for your patience and trust as we work to make sure each student is considered for the right classroom, support level, and fit.

This is one of the hardest conversations we have at EnCompass Academy.

Every week, families call us because they are desperately searching for a different educational environment for their child. Many have exhausted every option and finally feel hopeful after learning about EnCompass.

Then we have to talk about finances.

Many of these families are not yet eligible for sustainable funding programs such as MO Scholars. With time, guidance, and the right circumstances, many may qualify in a future school year. But children cannot put their education on hold while families work toward eligibility.

Children cannot get that time back.

That’s why we’ve created The Wayfinder Bridge Fund.

This fund helps bridge the gap for families who have found the right educational environment for their child but need help getting started today while they work toward long term funding solutions.

One statistic that stopped us in our tracks was this: nearly 1 in 4 of our current families have shared that a parent was able to return to work after their child enrolled at EnCompass. When a child has access to the right educational environment, the impact extends far beyond the classroom. Families regain stability. Parents can return to work. Children begin to thrive.

If you’d like to help a child start now instead of waiting another year, we’d be incredibly grateful for your support.

Donate here: https://givebutter.com/the-wayfinder-bridge-fund-cd2qxk

💙 A quick Givebutter tip: Givebutter automatically adds an optional tip to support their platform. You can adjust or remove this tip before completing your donation if you prefer your entire gift to go to EnCompass Academy.

If you would rather donate by check, you can mail your gift to:

EnCompass Academy
2733 E. Battlefield Rd., Box 600
Springfield, MO 65804

Please note “Wayfinder Bridge Fund” in the memo if you’d like your gift designated to this campaign, or “General Donation” if you’d like us to use it where it is needed most.

Thank you for believing that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive in the right environment. Together, we can help Wayfinders start now.

The Wayfinder Bridge Fund By Encompass Academy

We’ve been celebrating a lot lately.

A new home at First & Calvary in the heart of Missouri State’s campus. More room to grow. More opportunities for students. More Wayfinders.

But there is another number that means a lot to our team.

This year, we ended the school year with 100% student retention.

Every student who finished the school year at EnCompass Academy is returning for the 2026–2027 school year.

For a school, that’s a big deal.

Not because of the number itself, but because of what it represents.

It represents families who trust us with what matters most to them.

It represents students who found a place where they can be challenged, supported, and celebrated for who they are.

It represents teachers and staff who show up every day believing in kids and refusing to give up on them.

We know families have choices. The fact that every family who finished the year with us chose to continue their journey at EnCompass is something we don’t take lightly.

To our students, families, staff, board members, donors, and community partners, thank you.

Thank you for believing in this mission.

Thank you for helping us create a place where students can grow, build confidence, develop grit, and discover strengths they may not have known they had.

As we celebrate the families who chose to stay, we’re also excited to welcome new Wayfinders into our expanded space this fall. Thanks to our new home at First & Calvary, we’ll be able to serve even more students and families in the year ahead.

Buildings matter. Programs matter. Growth matters.

But people will always matter most.

Here’s to another year of learning, growth, and helping students discover who they are and what they’re capable of.

More Room. More Opportunities. More Wayfinders.

For the first time in several years, we have room to grow.

Thanks to our new home at First & Calvary, EnCompass Academy is now enrolling for the 2026–2027 school year and has 20+ openings across age groups, with some immediate openings available.

While many families find us because their child has unique learning needs, we believe fit matters more than labels. EnCompass is often a great fit for students who benefit from small class sizes, relationship-based support, flexible pacing, individualized learning, and a strengths-focused approach.

Our students include learners with a wide variety of strengths, interests, and goals. We believe every student deserves to be known, challenged, supported, and held to high expectations.

If your child is not thriving in their current educational setting, we would love to have a conversation.

Join the wait-list using the QR code below. Our Family Support Specialist is actively reaching out to families and will contact you to schedule a phone intake call when an opening that aligns with your student’s needs becomes available.

We are incredibly grateful to First & Calvary Presbyterian Church, our staff, families, donors, and community partners for helping make this next chapter possible.

Ages 4–21