After three successful years as a hybrid homeschool program, Flying Trees Academy is expanding to officially become a private school at the Poland Presbyterian Church.
Jaelyn Farris
In 2021, Jaelyn Farris startedFlying Trees Academy to nurture Mahoning Valley students’ healthy development and academic achievement.
Farris said after three successful years as a hybrid homeschool program, 2025 is the right time to expand to officially become a private school.
“At Flying Trees Academy, our students gain strong ‘roots’ in academics, personal development and citizenship, while also growing ‘wings’ to soar into the world as capable, confident individuals. This is why we’re called Flying Trees Academy,” said Farris. “Our data showed that students loved being part of Flying Trees Academy, and their academic progress far exceeded expectations. We knew our method was ready to benefit more families.”
What is Flying Trees Academy?
Farris is a developmental psychologist and longtime college professor from New Castle, Penn. Throughout her career, she’s shown future teachers techniques for healthy development and prevention of negative outcomes in children and adolescents.
“In 2016, I accepted a faculty position at Youngstown State University,” she said. “While leading community-based focus groups in my first research initiative at YSU, I heard a recurring theme: families were dissatisfied with how schools were addressing children’s developmental and academic needs. This feedback wasn’t about individual schools—there are some really great schools in our area—but about the outdated structures of the U.S. educational system as a whole.”
Around the same time, Farris said she was navigating similar concerns as a parent when her own child starting preschool.
“It became clear that my research focus needed to expand—from empowering parents to also reimagining how schools can nurture young people’s healthy development and academic achievement,” Farris said. “By 2017, the concept for Flying Trees Academy was taking shape.”
She said she was inspired to start Flying Trees Academy to introduce a new curriculumtailored to today’s learners.
Although the pandemic delayed Flying Trees Academy’s initial progress, the hybrid homeschool program started in September 2021 at the Poland Presbyterian Church.
“Starting small allowed us to test, refine and ensure that our approach would have a meaningful, positive impact. I believe in delivering education that’s not just well-intended but rigorously evaluated, so I was very deliberate in how I rolled out this innovative method,” Farris said.
At Flying Trees Academy, instructors let students take the lead in child-directed learning, and classrooms are mixed-aged.
What’s next for Flying Trees Academy?
At Flying Trees Academy, instructors let students take the lead in child-directed learning, and classrooms are mixed-aged inside Poland Presbyterian Church. Jaelyn Farris
Farris said several positive factors contributed to her decision to transition from a hybrid homeschool into a private school, including positive responses from parents and having a solid team to back her up.
“Last year, I had the privilege of hiring Lauren McFadden as our lead mentor,” Farris said. “Lauren, who earned her bachelor’s in psychology and master’s in school counseling at YSU, has been connected to this project since its early days—her undergraduate thesis focused on Flying Trees Academy when it was still in the planning stages. She brings incredible expertise and passion to this initiative to transform education, and I’m confident she will help me take Flying Trees Academy to new heights.”
The Ohio Department of Education also recently expanded eligibility for the EdChoice Scholarship Program for private schools.
“We are in the final stages of securing our private school charter from ODE. Once completed, families whose children have been accepted for admission to FTA will apply for EdChoice scholarships through our academy,” Farris said. “Becoming a private school and an EdChoice provider is allowing us to open our doors to families for whom tuition would have been a barrier.”
The Farris Method
Flying Trees Academy students have a flexible four-day-per-week school, no homework and hands-on experiences outside of school.
“Whether it’s visiting museums, exploring local science centers, spending time at the library, or engaging in enriching online courses, this approach fosters a deeper, real-world understanding of the material, making education not only relevant but also memorable and ideal for busy families,” Farris said.
Lessons follow a one-of-a-kind evidence-based framework called The Farris Method.
“I developed The Farris Method through my scholarly work,” she said. “It is tailored to today’s learners, focusing on essential 21st century skills like curiosity, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and emotional resilience. We provide a comprehensive, interdisciplinary curriculum rooted in traditional disciplines while encouraging real-world application through hands-on projects, gamified lessons and authentic learning experiences.”
For more information, contact Farris at FlyingTreesAcademy@gmail.com or text or call (330) 412-1912.
Learning about what’s next for Flying Trees Academy in Poland Jaelyn Farris
