Campuses
Our Campuses
Headwaters School comprises three campuses—each embedded within their own neighborhood, yet inextricably linked to one another.
Springs Campus
6305 Menchaca Road
Tucked beneath a canopy of shady live oaks, our Early Childhood campus was designed with one thing in mind: young children need room to wonder. Three intimate classroom buildings are home to three toddler (YCC) classrooms and three Pre-K (Primary) classrooms. Each classroom opens onto its own private courtyard, giving every class a sense of place that's entirely their own. The peace garden provides quiet moments for reflection and discovery, while the spacious playground and movement yard give children room to express big, joyful energy. And when the whole community comes together, it's around a huge farm table, because at Headwaters, even the smallest learners belong to something bigger.
Creek Campus
9607 Brodie Lane
Spread across four acres and shaded by a generous canopy of trees, our Elementary campus gives kids room to run, dig, build, and grow. Six classroom buildings support learners from kindergarten through fifth grade, with two age-appropriate playgrounds designed for exactly where kids are developmentally. Students play and compete on our soccer field, dig into hands-on discovery in a garden made for learning, and gather in Austin's first commercially permitted yurt, a one-of-a-kind space that's become a signature part of the Headwaters experience. It's a campus built for exploration, at every age and every stage.
The Bird’s Nest
Located directly west of the Creek Campus, the Bird’s Nest is 10.7 acres of beautiful trees, wildflower gardens, native mixed-grass prairie habitat, and one of Austin’s only low ropes challenge courses.
The Bird’s Nest is part of the Edwards Aquifer and the cave system that is south of the property, and is intended to support the natural habitats, bird species, and plant growth. It is considered an environmentally sensitive area, but one filled with natural habitats that are great for learning.
 Natural pathways wind through the Bird’s Nest, where students learn independence, outdoor skills, teamwork, and a love of nature. |  The area remains true to its natural habitat, with Texas Persimmon, Ashe Juniper, Texas Mesquite, Cedar Elm, Texas Live Oak, and Deciduous Yaupon trees. |  On the low ropes courses, change and growth are fostered through physical, social, intellectual and emotional activity. |
River Campus
801 Rio Grande Street
Just off downtown and blocks from the Capitol, our River campus turns the whole city into a classroom. Nine historic homes, each with its own character and story, sit beneath ancient live oaks, giving the campus a college-like feel that's entirely its own. Students learn in unique, character-filled spaces and gather on a spacious deck built for everything from morning meetings to full-scale performances. A food truck on campus keeps things distinctly Austin, and location does the rest: the Austin History Center, the Central Public Library, Shoal Creek, and a rich mix of local businesses and museums all sit within easy reach, turning field trips into a daily habit rather than a special occasion. It's history and heritage meeting a modern, living city, and students get to learn in the middle of it all.
Today, our students can walk to visit businesses like Facebook and Google, sit in on public sessions at City Hall and the State Capitol, and venture down to Shoal Creek to test water quality and observe ecosystems in action. And we are just getting started in thinking about how to integrate our programs with the city. Ted Graf, Head of School
The City is our
Classroom
One of the advantages of our close ties to Austin is that Headwaters students learn to be citizens of the world beyond our campus.
The scaffolding for this relationship begins on our Springs Campus, where infants, toddlers, and preschoolers build their independence and confidence while navigating our courtyards and playground. On the Creek Campus, Elementary students further spread their wings by venturing into the surrounding neighborhood to visit local parks, businesses, and our own Bird’s Nest nature preserve.
When students reach the River Campus, they are ready to engage with all of the resources and challenges of Austin to enrich their on-campus lessons. They use public transportation, navigate downtown on foot, engage with local businesses and non-profits, observe government functioning, and access museums, libraries, and parks. This level of autonomy builds self-reliance, problem-solving skills, and confidence—and our integration with the city sets Headwaters apart from other Austin-area schools.
