From the moment you arrive at Blaze School’s ranch campus, there is a sense that learning here moves at a different pace. Set on 96 acres in Bee Cave and serving grades K-8, Blaze offers an environment where education extends beyond the classroom and into daily life. Since its founding, the school has focused on forming students academically, morally, and spiritually, guided by Christian ethics, American values, and personal responsibility.
Dr. Jasmine Joy Welch-Ptak, known as Dr. J, has been part of Blaze since the beginning. Holding a Doctorate in STEM Education from the University of Texas, she brings experience in differentiated instruction, curriculum integration, and faculty coaching. Her perspective reflects the heart of Blaze and the intentional culture shaped each day.
Blaze School emphasizes Christian ethics, American values, and accountable education. How do these principles shape the culture you create for students each day?
The mission of Blaze School is to ensure scholars reach their highest intellectual, creative, and moral potential. We are each made uniquely different from every other person on the planet, and the journey of life will be different for everyone. At Blaze, we believe it is our duty to help each scholar discover their own unique God-given gifts and talents, help them cultivate those, and explore how they can best be of service to the community. With the shared understanding that we each have our own journey and a valuable contribution to make, Blaze scholars become compassionate, positive, encouraging, and gracious young humans.
The American values of hard work, personal integrity, and community service are evident in the way Blaze scholars show up every day.
With a 7:1 student-to-teacher ratio, how does Blaze help each child reach their full potential?
A low student-to-teacher ratio ensures that every child is known by teachers and classmates. When children feel seen, heard, and supported, they are more likely to push themselves out of their comfort zones to reach increasing levels of academic achievement and creativity. They learn to encourage and support one another in and out of the classroom because they trust their teachers and peers to do the same.
Blaze’s 96-acre ranch campus offers a unique learning environment. How does it support students?
The campus is more often tied to opportunities for exploration and problem-solving than to confidence or character. From the moment you turn onto the winding entrance, there is a sense of serenity. Research shows the positive impact spending time in nature has on well-being. Natural lighting and frequent opportunities for fresh air help quiet minds and calm bodies, allowing scholars to return to the classroom with greater focus and engagement.
Learning extends beyond the classroom as often as possible. Scholars not only learn about nature but regularly work in it. Whether rehabilitating acreage to attract native pollinators, completing outdoor math scavenger hunts, building a drip-line irrigation system for the garden, or planning a rainwater catchment system, scholars apply their knowledge through hands-on projects around the ranch.
What opportunities are available for families interested in learning more?
Blaze offers info sessions several mornings a month, inviting families to visit the ranch, learn about the program, meet teachers, ask questions, and tour the campus. Visitors often enjoy joining the morning opening around the flagpole, where scholars take turns leading announcements, the Pledge of Allegiance, the Texas Pledge, and a quote or song to begin the day in community.
In addition to regular info sessions, Blaze hosts community events throughout the year. A drive-in movie night held in October has become a favorite, and another community gathering is planned for February. Families curious to learn more can stop by the campus at 10114 Crumley Ranch Rd, Austin, TX 78738, call (512) 592-0109, or follow along on Instagram @Blaze.School and on Facebook at Facebook.com/BlazeSchool.
“At Blaze, we believe it is our duty to help each scholar discover their own unique God-given gifts and talents.” - Dr. Jasmine Joy Welch-Ptak