By Cameron Reichenbach / The Jambar
Flying Trees Academy celebrated its continued growth with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and community open house Feb. 6 at its new location in Boardman.
Founded in September 2021, Flying Trees Academy is a private school for students in kindergarten to seventh grade. The school was created by developmental psychologist and educator Jaelyn Farris, professor of psychology at Youngstown State University. The academy was created to reimagine education through research-based practices in child development.
The ceremony celebrated both the school’s exhumation and its transition into its fifth year of operation. According to Farris, the event represented the academy’s growth from a small program into a fully established school.
“We started out as a tiny program intentionally small so that we could make sure we were doing things right before we grew,” Farris said. “This ribbon cutting is really marking our growth and our transition into a thriving private school where we can welcome more and more students every year.”
The 2025-26 academic year marks Flying Trees Academy’s first year operating as a private school. Before this year, the academy was a hybrid-homeschool program. Farris said the shift allows students to qualify for Ohio’s EdChoice Scholarship, which helps make tuition more accessible for families.
“That’s a huge help to families making this education accessible,” Farris said.
The event opened up with a ribbon cutting, followed by tours of the school. An information session held afterwards provided families and community members with details about the school’s curriculum.
Farris said the open house was designed to give families the opportunity to see the academy’s educational approach in action.
“What we’re doing is so different and so unique,” Farris said. “We wanted parents of prospective students and the community in general to be able to see firsthand what we’re doing and to know that we’re ready for our next phase of growth.”
Flying Trees Academy is located within Millcreek Community Church at 4570 Lockwood Blvd. in Boardman, near Mill Creek Park.
The facility includes large classrooms that allow students to move throughout the day rather than remain seated for extended periods. Students are grouped based on individual ability levels, allowing mentors to adjust instruction in subjects such as math and reading.
“Some kids might be higher in math but lower in reading or vice versa,” Farris said. “This space allows us the flexibility to move them around to get exactly the education they need.”
At the center of the academy’s curriculum is the Farris Method, an evidence-based educational approach developed by Farris through years of research in psychology, neuroscience and education.
The method emphasizes human development, self-regulation, curiosity, critical thinking and developmentally appropriate instruction. According to Farris, the approach is designed to teach students how to learn rather than focusing solely on memorization.
“In some ways, it’s like a 21st-century Montessori approach,” Farris said. “We’re teaching students how to learn and to love learning so they become lifelong learners.”
Farris said the school uses translational research, applying findings from academics learned in psychology to the classroom.
Flying Trees Academy also uses a blended learning model. Students complete approximately two-thirds of their instructional hours in the school’s brick-and-mortar classrooms, with the remaining hours completed at home with family support.
Families are provided with monthly themes, projects and academic expectations, including reading and math work. According to Farris, authentic learning experiences completed outside the classroom also count toward instructional hours.
“Learning doesn’t just happen when students are being talked at,” Farris said. “Learning is happening everywhere.”
During the information session, families received an overview of the Farris Method, how it is implemented at Flying Trees Academy and what to expect from the school’s blended learning model. Applications for the 2026–27 school year were given to parents and classroom visits for prospective students were scheduled for prospective students.
Flying Trees Academy is currently accepting students who will be in kindergarten through seventh grade for the upcoming school year.
“This has been an intense and rewarding journey,” Farris said. “Seeing the growth of the students who come through this program has been incredibly meaningful.”
Flying Trees Academy founder Jaelyn Farris cut the ribbon during a ceremony and open house, Friday Feb. 6 at the school’s new location in Boardman. The event marked the academy’s transition into its fifth year of operation and its first year as a private school.