Founded in 2001, Opal School is a fee-based preschool and public elementary school in Portland, Oregon.
We invite educators to visit each year through a series of visitation workshops.
For more information about our online community, check out Opal School Online. Explore the resources on our blog.
Our mission driven professional development program serves over 1,000 educators in person each year.
We open our classrooms to observation several times a year during our multi-day workshop retreats. We are also available to create customized study tours with individual schools or districts.
We work with 125 children between the ages of 3 and 11 in six multi-age classrooms. Enrollment for our preschool is by application beginning each year in February. Our elementary school is enrolled by lottery and applications are available during the month of March each year.
Workshops
Participants in Opal School’s workshops tell us that they’re inspired by the connections they’re making – and that they’d like an ongoing platform through which to deepen their investigations.
Customized Consulting
We work regularly with schools and districts that want to explore Opal School’s resources. We can host your group or come to you.
“This is it. If you want to see complex theories in action, learning for the future taking place right now, rich, inspiring places and spaces and the real-life, hard work of collaboration that is paying off for children and their community, go to Opal.”
Drs. Louise Cadwell & Ena Shelley
Cadwell Collaborative/Butler UniversityAbout Opal School
Since 2001, Opal School has been in partnership with Portland Public Schools and Portland Children’s Museum to serve children and families in Portland, Oregon. We do our work with children for the purpose of working with educators around the world to expand imagination for the possibilities that exist for improving the quality of educational experiences and environments. Learn more about Opal School’s History.