EnCompass Academy expands into larger space near MSU

Facing a waiting list three times the size of its enrollment, EnCompass Academy secured a larger space for the 2026-27 year.

The private school founded in 2020 will move from The Venues church at 2616 E. Battlefield Road – where it could serve a maximum of 50 students – to First and Calvary Presbyterian Church next to the Missouri State University campus.

Nacy Tai Ryerson, founder and superintendent, said the school signed a two-year lease and will begin by using six classrooms plus office space at 820 E. Cherry St.

“The lease includes flexibility that allows us time to move into the space, welcome additional students and grow enrollment,” she said. “As a nonprofit organization, that kind of thoughtful planning and stewardship is incredibly valuable.”

Ryerson said the school will serve up to 75 students – ages 4 to 21 – this year. The goal is to eventually serve 150 students. The current waiting list is 160.

She said the mission is to provide personalized learning that supports the strengths, gifts and potential of each child.

Approved by the Missouri Nonpublic School Accrediting Association, Ryerson said the academy has been a magnet for diverse learning, including students who are academically gifted or diagnosed with dyslexia, autism or, Down Syndrome. The school also works to provide a safe, supportive space for those who have experienced trauma.

The academy offers small classrooms, a whole-child approach, and social-emotional learning, plus academics. The 2026-27 year will start Aug. 31.

“Our long-term goal isn't simply to operate a great school,” Ryerson said. “We want to help Springfield become a model community for how individuals with a wide range of strengths and needs are supported, educated and empowered to contribute their unique strengths.”

Ryerson said in addition to full-time teachers and staff, the school is open to teachers in training from MSU. The school partners with therapy providers.

“We see ourselves as a teaching school and a case study. We can take what we learn and improve our systems outward,” she said. “That is our ultimate goal, to be able to support our school systems as a whole.”

She said the highest demand is for placement in the transition classroom, which offers a higher level of support and additional staff. They also serve students who have sensory needs.

Ryerson said the school is geared to serve students who may not have excelled in traditional schools and require individual learning and flexible pacing.

The monthly tuition is $775 for elementary grades, $825 for middle and high school and $850 for the transition classroom.

Ryerson said the academy is active beyond the classroom and provides family support, educator training, partnerships and workforce development.

“We believe that when we invest in understanding and supporting today's learners, we're investing in the future capacity of our entire community,” she said.