POLAND, Ohio – Flying Trees Academy recently transitioned to a private school chartered through the Ohio Department of Education.

Achieving this milestone means the school can accept EdChoice scholarships starting in the 2025–26 school year.

Founded in 2021 as a hybrid homeschool program by Dr. Jaelyn Farris, a developmental psychologist and professor at Youngstown State University, Flying Trees Academy was inspired by local families’ feedback on education gaps. The school is located at 2 Poland Manor in Poland.

Recognizing the need for an educational approach that supports both healthy development and academic excellence, Farris envisioned a school that reimagines education.

After years of research and planning, Flying Trees Academy started small so that it could test and refine its evidence-based approach, she says.

In its first three years, students at Flying Trees Academy have exceeded expectations while thriving emotionally and socially, according to Farris.

The school has hired Lauren McFadden, a YSU graduate with expertise in school counseling, as its lead mentor. 

Its acceptance into Ohio’s EdChoice scholarship program allows Flying Trees to make private education accessible to more families.

Farris says the academy is redefining education for today’s world. Its approach to academics, with “respectful education” at its core, emphasizes empathy, compassion and validation, creating an empowering environment where students flourish, she says.

Central to its approach is the Farris Method, an evidence-based framework developed through Dr. Farris’ scholarly work. This method focuses on promoting students’ curiosity, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and emotional resilience.

In a world where everyone has a computer at their fingertips, the academy teaches students to be thoughtful and critical consumers of knowledge in a way that will prepare them for college and 21st century careers, Farris says. The school’s interdisciplinary curriculum integrates traditional academics with project-based learning experiences.