Meet our Team
Dana Dillard-Jackson is a Lead Teacher at Flourish Schools. She brings many years of experience from the classroom and school leadership, having served in both teaching and administrator roles. Before joining Flourish, Dana spent 20 years at Smithson Craighead Academy, a K–5 charter school in Madison, Tennessee.
She began her career there as a classroom teacher before becoming assistant principal and later principal, leading a faculty of 44 and serving 320 students. Prior to her work at Smithson Craighead Academy, Dana taught in Orleans Parish Schools, and UNO Charter Schools.
Dana holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Southern University New Orleans and an M.Ed. from Tennessee State University. She has completed 14 hours of certification at the Tennessee Academy for School Leaders and holds an ILL-P Professional preK–12 Administrator certification.
Among her many professional strengths, Dana is proudest of her “superpower” — the ability to make meaningful connections with families and the community.
Dana Dillard-Jackson is a Lead Teacher at Flourish Schools. She brings many years of experience from the classroom and school leadership, having served in both teaching and administrator roles. Before joining Flourish, Dana spent 20 years at Smithson Craighead Academy, a K–5 charter school in Madison, Tennessee.
She began her career there as a classroom teacher before becoming assistant principal and later principal, leading a faculty of 44 and serving 320 students. Prior to her work at Smithson Craighead Academy, Dana taught in Orleans Parish Schools, and UNO Charter Schools.
Dana holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Southern University New Orleans and an M.Ed. from Tennessee State University. She has completed 14 hours of certification at the Tennessee Academy for School Leaders and holds an ILL-P Professional preK–12 Administrator certification.
Among her many professional strengths, Dana is proudest of her “superpower” — the ability to make meaningful connections with families and the community.
Selena Ayala is Operations Specialist at Flourish School. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she is the “glue” that ensures each school-day offers students and families an amazing experience. She loves working with students of all ages and their families.
Before joining Flourish, Selena was in Operations and was a front-office Receptionist for Republic High School. She managed attendance, front-office staff, event planning, and was the first-line liaison between the school and parents.
Prior to Republic, Selena was the front office Manager at KIPP Antioch Elementary School, responsible for welcoming students, overseeing attendance, covering recess and managing school supplies inventories.
Selena has many superpowers, but Flourish most appreciates her real-time multi-tasking and problem-solving!
Selena Ayala is Operations Specialist at Flourish School. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she is the “glue” that ensures each school-day offers students and families an amazing experience. She loves working with students of all ages and their families.
Before joining Flourish, Selena was in Operations and was a front-office Receptionist for Republic High School. She managed attendance, front-office staff, event planning, and was the first-line liaison between the school and parents.
Prior to Republic, Selena was the front office Manager at KIPP Antioch Elementary School, responsible for welcoming students, overseeing attendance, covering recess and managing school supplies inventories.
Selena has many superpowers, but Flourish most appreciates her real-time multi-tasking and problem-solving!
John Danner
John Danner
CEO of Flourish Schools
CEO of Flourish Schools
John Danner is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Flourish Schools. He has a storied career as a pioneer and thought leader in education innovation. Before Flourish, John built several education technology companies including Project Read and SparkSpace, which provide reading and writing instruction using AI for elementary and middle schools. Before that, John co-founded and was CEO of Rocketship Public Schools, the first blended elementary school network in the country (2007).
John Danner is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Flourish Schools. He has a storied career as a pioneer and thought leader in education innovation. Before Flourish, John built several education technology companies including Project Read and SparkSpace, which provide reading and writing instruction using AI for elementary and middle schools. Before that, John co-founded and was CEO of Rocketship Public Schools, the first blended elementary school network in the country (2007).
Today, Rocket ship operates 25 schools in 5 states serving 12,000 students per year, with many of its schools ranking at the academic top in their states, despite serving an average of 84% free and reduced meal students. Before Rocket ship, John was a public school teacher in Metro Nashville Public Schools (Donelson Elementary and Glengarry Elementary). John began his career as a tech entrepreneur: he founded and was CEO of NetGravity, the world’s first Internet advertising company.John holds a B.S. and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and an M. Ed. From Vanderbilt University.
John’s superpower is adaptability (although he prefers the term, scrappy).
Today, Rocket ship operates 25 schools in 5 states serving 12,000 students per year, with many of its schools ranking at the academic top in their states, despite serving an average of 84% free and reduced meal students. Before Rocket ship, John was a public school teacher in Metro Nashville Public Schools (Donelson Elementary and Glengarry Elementary). John began his career as a tech entrepreneur: he founded and was CEO of NetGravity, the world’s first Internet advertising company.John holds a B.S. and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and an M. Ed. From Vanderbilt University.
John’s superpower is adaptability (although he prefers the term, scrappy).
Adam Nadeau
Adam Nadeau
CAO of Flourish Schools
CAO of Flourish Schools
Adam Nadeau is co-founder and Chief Administrative Officer at Flourish Schools. His entire career has been focused on delivering innovation into K-12 classrooms. Adam started asa founding teacher at KIPP Academy Nashville. He then joined Rocketship as a Humanities teacher and went on to open multiple Rocketship campuses and regions as principal, including Rocketship Nashville. Adam then became the VP of Achievement & Personalized Learning for the entire Rocketship school network.
Adam Nadeau is co-founder and Chief Administrative Officer at Flourish Schools. His entire career has been focused on delivering innovation into K-12 classrooms. Adam started asa founding teacher at KIPP Academy Nashville. He then joined Rocketship as a Humanities teacher and went on to open multiple Rocketship campuses and regions as principal, including Rocketship Nashville. Adam then became the VP of Achievement & Personalized Learning for the entire Rocketship school network.
With experience in building school models from early childhood through high school, Adam is eager to continue to explore how schools employ emerging tools to prepare children for life in the 21st century. Adam holds a B.A. from Middle bury College, and an M.Ed. and M.B.A. from Vanderbilt University. Adam’s superpower is problem solving.
With experience in building school models from early childhood through high school, Adam is eager to continue to explore how schools employ emerging tools to prepare children for life in the 21st century. Adam holds a B.A. from Middle bury College, and an M.Ed. and M.B.A. from Vanderbilt University. Adam’s superpower is problem solving.
“Flourish allows students to grow, develop, and learn at their own pace!”
Evelyn, Parent
7th Grade
How to apply for Flourish
Flourish accepts students via a rolling admissions process, based on available spaces in each class and grade.
We also conform to deadlines from the Tennessee Educational Savings Account (ESA) calendar.
We are currently accepting applications for the school term starting in January, 2026
Applying for admission to Flourish includes the following steps:
Fill out an application
Start the process online in just a few minutes here.
Schedule a school tour and interview
Meet our team and see the classrooms in action here.
Confirm tuition payment method
Choose the plan that works best for your family. Learn more.
Flourish notifies families of admission decision
We’ll send your acceptance and next steps.
Families enroll Students
Complete enrollment forms and get ready for Day 1!
“Flourish allows students to grow, develop, and learn at their own pace!”
Evelyn, Parent
7th Grade
How to apply for Flourish
Flourish accepts students via a rolling admissions process, based on available spaces in each class and grade.
We also conform to deadlines from the Tennessee Educational Savings Account (ESA) calendar.
We are currently accepting applications for the school term starting in January, 2026
Applying for admission to Flourish includes the following steps:
Fill out an application
Start the process online in just a few minutes here.
Schedule a school tour and interview
Meet our team and see the classrooms in action here.
Confirm tuition payment method
Choose the plan that works best for your family. Learn more.
Flourish notifies families of admission decision
We’ll send your acceptance and next steps.
Families enroll Students
Complete enrollment forms and get ready for Day 1!
“Flourish allows students to grow, develop, and learn at their own pace!”
Evelyn, Parent
7th Grade
How to apply for Flourish
Flourish accepts students via a rolling admissions process, based on available spaces in each class and grade.
We also conform to deadlines from the Tennessee Educational Savings Account (ESA) calendar.
We are currently accepting applications for the school term starting in January, 2026
Applying for admission to Flourish includes the following steps:
Fill out an application
Start the process online in just a few minutes here.
Schedule a school tour and interview
Meet our team and see the classrooms in action here.
Confirm tuition payment method
Choose the plan that works best for your family. Learn more.
Flourish notifies families of admission decision
We’ll send your acceptance and next steps.
Families enroll Students
Complete enrollment forms and get ready for Day 1!
Tuition
Although we are a private school, we strive to make Flourish accessible for all families. Annual tuition for the 2026-27 school year at Flourish is equivalent to scholarships available in the State of Tennessee Educational Saving Account (ESA) program: $9,788.
Families can apply for school vouchers to either the ESA or Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) programs and use those vouchers to cover tuition at Flourish. Flourish also offers a small number of scholarships to qualifying families.
Learn more about ESA funds and whether your family qualifies.
Although we are a private school, we strive to make Flourish accessible for all families. Annual tuition for the 2026-27 school year at Flourish is equivalent to scholarships available in the State of Tennessee Educational Saving Account (ESA) program: $9,788.
Families can apply for school vouchers to either the ESA or Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) programs and use those vouchers to cover tuition at Flourish. Flourish also offers a small number of scholarships to qualifying families.
Learn more about ESA funds and whether your family qualifies.
Where Learning is a Joy
Find out how our school can help your middle schooler flourish
Where Learning is a Joy
Find out how our school can help your middle schooler flourish
Where Learning is a Joy
Find out how our school can help your middle schooler flourish
Where Learning is a Joy
Find out how our school can help your middle schooler flourish
What Parents Ask The Most
You’ve got questions; we’re here to help.
Is Flourish accredited?
We are approved as a Class 1 independent school by the state of Arizona, and have our preliminary accreditation through Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSA), one of the country’s leading accreditors of independent schools. We expect to finalize MSA accreditation this Fall.
I know Flourish is a private school. What is the tuition?
Tuition at Flourish is $12,500 per year, with scholarships decided by each school. Families can apply Arizona ESA funds toward tuition, and we’ll help you through the process.
How large is the school, and what grades does it serve?
Flourish is intentionally designed as a small school and serves approximately 60 students in grades K–8 per school.
What are the school hours?
Flourish’s school day is 8:15–3:15pm
Is there Before Care & Aftercare?
Before and after care is available at all of our sites.
Is there a dress code or uniform?
There is no uniform, and students are permitted to express themselves however they wish through their choice of outfits. We do have a small set of restrictions in our Parent Handbook, which are focused primarily on minimizing distraction.
What curricula does Flourish use?
Flourish combines two things: One on One Learning, where every student masters academics at their own pace with AI and one-on-one time with a teacher, and SuperPowers, the human, character, cognitive, and vocational skills students build through biographies, case studies, novels, and projects. We don’t use textbooks, worksheets, or packets.
What role does technology play?
The modern classroom should be infused with technology, but minimize screen time. Flourish measures SuperPowers by recording classroom conversations with parent consent, throwing away the audio, and keeping transcripts. Our AI model scores students daily on SuperPowers with a 5 level rubric in each skill. But none of that involves students on computers, it all happens in the background, the way we believe AI will have the most impact on the classroom.
Will there be a daily recess or sports? What about enrichments?
Despite our small school model, we think it is critical to offer enrichments and organized physical activity that meets students’ interests. With that, we will be partnering with coaches, artists, & other community members to offer Clubs three days a week. Clubs will reflect student interests and curiosities, and will rotate every 9 weeks to remain fresh. Clubs could include focus areas like pickleball, 3v3 soccer, guitar, stained glass artistry, calligraphy, and cooking, to give a few examples. We will also be partnering with local sports leagues to give students an option for organized sports with their friends, including soccer, volleyball, basketball, and lacrosse.
How is Flourish similar to Montessori?
Flourish and Montessori both compress academics into a fraction of the day so the rest can go to something bigger. Montessori does it with self-paced materials, Flourish with about an hour of One on One Learning. What fills the freed time is the real curriculum: practical life and independence at Montessori, 24 SuperPowers at Flourish. Both call the adult a guide, not a lecturer. The structures are similar too. Both run small, 60 students per Flourish site, and both sit outside the district system by design. And both measure what tests miss through sustained observation: Montessori by teacher record, Flourish by nightly AI scoring of SuperPowers on a five-level rubric.
What Parents Ask The Most
You’ve got questions; we’re here to help.
Is Flourish accredited?
We are approved as a Class 1 independent school by the state of Arizona, and have our preliminary accreditation through Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSA), one of the country’s leading accreditors of independent schools. We expect to finalize MSA accreditation this Fall.
I know Flourish is a private school. What is the tuition?
Tuition at Flourish is $12,500 per year, with scholarships decided by each school. Families can apply Arizona ESA funds toward tuition, and we’ll help you through the process.
How large is the school, and what grades does it serve?
Flourish is intentionally designed as a small school and serves approximately 60 students in grades K–8 per school.
What are the school hours?
Flourish’s school day is 8:15–3:15pm
Is there Before Care & Aftercare?
Before and after care is available at all of our sites.
Is there a dress code or uniform?
There is no uniform, and students are permitted to express themselves however they wish through their choice of outfits. We do have a small set of restrictions in our Parent Handbook, which are focused primarily on minimizing distraction.
What curricula does Flourish use?
Flourish combines two things: One on One Learning, where every student masters academics at their own pace with AI and one-on-one time with a teacher, and SuperPowers, the human, character, cognitive, and vocational skills students build through biographies, case studies, novels, and projects. We don’t use textbooks, worksheets, or packets.
What role does technology play?
The modern classroom should be infused with technology, but minimize screen time. Flourish measures SuperPowers by recording classroom conversations with parent consent, throwing away the audio, and keeping transcripts. Our AI model scores students daily on SuperPowers with a 5 level rubric in each skill. But none of that involves students on computers, it all happens in the background, the way we believe AI will have the most impact on the classroom.
Will there be a daily recess or sports? What about enrichments?
Despite our small school model, we think it is critical to offer enrichments and organized physical activity that meets students’ interests. With that, we will be partnering with coaches, artists, & other community members to offer Clubs three days a week. Clubs will reflect student interests and curiosities, and will rotate every 9 weeks to remain fresh. Clubs could include focus areas like pickleball, 3v3 soccer, guitar, stained glass artistry, calligraphy, and cooking, to give a few examples. We will also be partnering with local sports leagues to give students an option for organized sports with their friends, including soccer, volleyball, basketball, and lacrosse.
How is Flourish similar to Montessori?
Flourish and Montessori both compress academics into a fraction of the day so the rest can go to something bigger. Montessori does it with self-paced materials, Flourish with about an hour of One on One Learning. What fills the freed time is the real curriculum: practical life and independence at Montessori, 24 SuperPowers at Flourish. Both call the adult a guide, not a lecturer. The structures are similar too. Both run small, 60 students per Flourish site, and both sit outside the district system by design. And both measure what tests miss through sustained observation: Montessori by teacher record, Flourish by nightly AI scoring of SuperPowers on a five-level rubric.
What Parents Ask The Most
You’ve got questions; we’re here to help.
Is Flourish accredited?
We are approved as a Class 1 independent school by the state of Arizona, and have our preliminary accreditation through Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSA), one of the country’s leading accreditors of independent schools. We expect to finalize MSA accreditation this Fall.
I know Flourish is a private school. What is the tuition?
Tuition at Flourish is $12,500 per year, with scholarships decided by each school. Families can apply Arizona ESA funds toward tuition, and we’ll help you through the process.
How large is the school, and what grades does it serve?
Flourish is intentionally designed as a small school and serves approximately 60 students in grades K–8 per school.
What are the school hours?
Flourish’s school day is 8:15–3:15pm
Is there Before Care & Aftercare?
Before and after care is available at all of our sites.
Is there a dress code or uniform?
There is no uniform, and students are permitted to express themselves however they wish through their choice of outfits. We do have a small set of restrictions in our Parent Handbook, which are focused primarily on minimizing distraction.
What curricula does Flourish use?
Flourish combines two things: One on One Learning, where every student masters academics at their own pace with AI and one-on-one time with a teacher, and SuperPowers, the human, character, cognitive, and vocational skills students build through biographies, case studies, novels, and projects. We don’t use textbooks, worksheets, or packets.
What role does technology play?
The modern classroom should be infused with technology, but minimize screen time. Flourish measures SuperPowers by recording classroom conversations with parent consent, throwing away the audio, and keeping transcripts. Our AI model scores students daily on SuperPowers with a 5 level rubric in each skill. But none of that involves students on computers, it all happens in the background, the way we believe AI will have the most impact on the classroom.
Will there be a daily recess or sports? What about enrichments?
Despite our small school model, we think it is critical to offer enrichments and organized physical activity that meets students’ interests. With that, we will be partnering with coaches, artists, & other community members to offer Clubs three days a week. Clubs will reflect student interests and curiosities, and will rotate every 9 weeks to remain fresh. Clubs could include focus areas like pickleball, 3v3 soccer, guitar, stained glass artistry, calligraphy, and cooking, to give a few examples. We will also be partnering with local sports leagues to give students an option for organized sports with their friends, including soccer, volleyball, basketball, and lacrosse.
How is Flourish similar to Montessori?
Flourish and Montessori both compress academics into a fraction of the day so the rest can go to something bigger. Montessori does it with self-paced materials, Flourish with about an hour of One on One Learning. What fills the freed time is the real curriculum: practical life and independence at Montessori, 24 SuperPowers at Flourish. Both call the adult a guide, not a lecturer. The structures are similar too. Both run small, 60 students per Flourish site, and both sit outside the district system by design. And both measure what tests miss through sustained observation: Montessori by teacher record, Flourish by nightly AI scoring of SuperPowers on a five-level rubric.
What Parents Ask The Most
You’ve got questions; we’re here to help.
Is Flourish accredited?
We are approved as a Class 1 independent school by the state of Arizona, and have our preliminary accreditation through Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSA), one of the country’s leading accreditors of independent schools. We expect to finalize MSA accreditation this Fall.
I know Flourish is a private school. What is the tuition?
Tuition at Flourish is $12,500 per year, with scholarships decided by each school. Families can apply Arizona ESA funds toward tuition, and we’ll help you through the process.
How large is the school, and what grades does it serve?
Flourish is intentionally designed as a small school and serves approximately 60 students in grades K–8 per school.
What are the school hours?
Flourish’s school day is 8:15–3:15pm
Is there Before Care & Aftercare?
Before and after care is available at all of our sites.
Is there a dress code or uniform?
There is no uniform, and students are permitted to express themselves however they wish through their choice of outfits. We do have a small set of restrictions in our Parent Handbook, which are focused primarily on minimizing distraction.
What curricula does Flourish use?
Flourish combines two things: One on One Learning, where every student masters academics at their own pace with AI and one-on-one time with a teacher, and SuperPowers, the human, character, cognitive, and vocational skills students build through biographies, case studies, novels, and projects. We don’t use textbooks, worksheets, or packets.
What role does technology play?
The modern classroom should be infused with technology, but minimize screen time. Flourish measures SuperPowers by recording classroom conversations with parent consent, throwing away the audio, and keeping transcripts. Our AI model scores students daily on SuperPowers with a 5 level rubric in each skill. But none of that involves students on computers, it all happens in the background, the way we believe AI will have the most impact on the classroom.
Will there be a daily recess or sports? What about enrichments?
Despite our small school model, we think it is critical to offer enrichments and organized physical activity that meets students’ interests. With that, we will be partnering with coaches, artists, & other community members to offer Clubs three days a week. Clubs will reflect student interests and curiosities, and will rotate every 9 weeks to remain fresh. Clubs could include focus areas like pickleball, 3v3 soccer, guitar, stained glass artistry, calligraphy, and cooking, to give a few examples. We will also be partnering with local sports leagues to give students an option for organized sports with their friends, including soccer, volleyball, basketball, and lacrosse.
How is Flourish similar to Montessori?
Flourish and Montessori both compress academics into a fraction of the day so the rest can go to something bigger. Montessori does it with self-paced materials, Flourish with about an hour of One on One Learning. What fills the freed time is the real curriculum: practical life and independence at Montessori, 24 SuperPowers at Flourish. Both call the adult a guide, not a lecturer. The structures are similar too. Both run small, 60 students per Flourish site, and both sit outside the district system by design. And both measure what tests miss through sustained observation: Montessori by teacher record, Flourish by nightly AI scoring of SuperPowers on a five-level rubric.
What Parents Ask The Most
You’ve got questions; we’re here to help.
Is Flourish accredited?
We are approved as a Class 1 independent school by the state of Arizona, and have our preliminary accreditation through Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSA), one of the country’s leading accreditors of independent schools. We expect to finalize MSA accreditation this Fall.
I know Flourish is a private school. What is the tuition?
Tuition at Flourish is $12,500 per year, with scholarships decided by each school. Families can apply Arizona ESA funds toward tuition, and we’ll help you through the process.
How large is the school, and what grades does it serve?
Flourish is intentionally designed as a small school and serves approximately 60 students in grades K–8 per school.
What are the school hours?
Flourish’s school day is 8:15–3:15pm
Is there Before Care & Aftercare?
Before and after care is available at all of our sites.
Is there a dress code or uniform?
There is no uniform, and students are permitted to express themselves however they wish through their choice of outfits. We do have a small set of restrictions in our Parent Handbook, which are focused primarily on minimizing distraction.
What curricula does Flourish use?
Flourish combines two things: One on One Learning, where every student masters academics at their own pace with AI and one-on-one time with a teacher, and SuperPowers, the human, character, cognitive, and vocational skills students build through biographies, case studies, novels, and projects. We don’t use textbooks, worksheets, or packets.
What role does technology play?
The modern classroom should be infused with technology, but minimize screen time. Flourish measures SuperPowers by recording classroom conversations with parent consent, throwing away the audio, and keeping transcripts. Our AI model scores students daily on SuperPowers with a 5 level rubric in each skill. But none of that involves students on computers, it all happens in the background, the way we believe AI will have the most impact on the classroom.
Will there be a daily recess or sports? What about enrichments?
Despite our small school model, we think it is critical to offer enrichments and organized physical activity that meets students’ interests. With that, we will be partnering with coaches, artists, & other community members to offer Clubs three days a week. Clubs will reflect student interests and curiosities, and will rotate every 9 weeks to remain fresh. Clubs could include focus areas like pickleball, 3v3 soccer, guitar, stained glass artistry, calligraphy, and cooking, to give a few examples. We will also be partnering with local sports leagues to give students an option for organized sports with their friends, including soccer, volleyball, basketball, and lacrosse.
How is Flourish similar to Montessori?
Flourish and Montessori both compress academics into a fraction of the day so the rest can go to something bigger. Montessori does it with self-paced materials, Flourish with about an hour of One on One Learning. What fills the freed time is the real curriculum: practical life and independence at Montessori, 24 SuperPowers at Flourish. Both call the adult a guide, not a lecturer. The structures are similar too. Both run small, 60 students per Flourish site, and both sit outside the district system by design. And both measure what tests miss through sustained observation: Montessori by teacher record, Flourish by nightly AI scoring of SuperPowers on a five-level rubric.
Want to join the team redefining middle school?
Imagine teaching where you get to know every student. Where creativity matters more than test scores. Where AI enhances teaching instead of replacing it. We’re building the middle school you’ve always wanted to teach in.