Southwest Preparatory School

Southwest Prep was established in 1998 by Jim Neal and Gary Short, who had been teachers together at Roosevelt High School. Neal had experience providing alternative education to at-risk students for Alamo Heights ISD and Judson ISD. He adapted two of the features of the alternative school—character education and self-paced learning—and incorporated those into the charter application for Southwest Prep.

For over 25 years, the school district has taught students to be self-motivated, self-reliant, and optimistic about learning and growing. The overarching vision of Southwest Prep is to do profound good in the community by providing an adaptive educational program that better meets the needs of our youth and prepares them for the future. In today’s world, teaching traditional American values to our youth is more important than ever, so Southwest Prep teachers and staff are guided by a set of core values that create an environment to prepare students to succeed in the real world through academic achievement, career readiness, developing good character, and a civic purpose.

Full Day Pre-K

All of Southwest Prep’s elementary schools offer a full-day pre-K program for four-year-old students. The Northwest Elementary campus also serves three-year-olds in its pre-K program. The program is free for those who qualify; for families who don’t qualify, the tuition rate is less than half of most daycares.

The Frog Street curriculum focuses heavily on social-emotional development and managing big feelings in new situations. Students receive a solid foundation in academic skills that set them up for success in kindergarten and beyond.

Children learn through discovery and exploration during independent play, whole-group activities, and small-group instruction to promote a love of learning. The program is designed to encourage family involvement and for teachers to build relationships with the students that last through elementary into middle and high school. The pre-K teachers are focused on whole child growth and development.

Media Education Design Academy (MEDA)

The Northeast campus offers a Media Education and Design Academy (MEDA) to provide students with the tools, knowledge, and work ethic needed in the media industry. Students master various software tools and industry-based skills through real-world professional experiences and partnerships. Students have certification opportunities as Certified Associate Premiere Professionals.

Students are prepared for success and ready to lead the way in the rapidly changing multimedia landscape. The MEDA program is a partnership with Alamo Arts Academy and is open to students in grades 6–12.

Early College High School

The Northwest campus offers an Early College High School program where all students can earn up to 60 college hours at no cost to the family. The students attend classes earning high school and college credit, saving the student and the family time and money. Students can work on essential, real-world proficiencies like developing their work ethic and time management skills.

The Northwest Early College High School is unique because it is housed on the Texas A&M University—San Antonio campus. This allows the students to fully immerse in the college experience by attending classes and events offered by the college.

Capturing Kids’ Hearts

Southwest Preparatory School believes building positive relationships with all staff and students is key to the overall success of the students. Southwest Preparatory Schools are proud to implement a program called Capturing Kids’ Hearts (CKH). The CKH program provides training and support to schools in creating a positive and supportive school culture.

The program emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships between teachers and students and focuses on creating a positive and safe learning environment. It includes activities, tools, and strategies for improving communication, reducing disciplinary incidents, increasing student engagement, and addressing challenging behavior.

The program is designed to be used by schools, teachers, and administrators, and it helps Southwest Preparatory School create a positive and supportive culture that promotes student success and well-being. 

College and Career Scholarships

The Southwest Winners Foundation’s College and Career Scholarship Program is designed for dedicated students in grades 6–12 committed to working hard to achieve their future career goals. Through this program, students can earn up to $4,200 in scholarship funds. Since its inception in 2012, the program has awarded our graduates over $250,000 in scholarships. These funds aim to support their educational pursuits, whether in College, University, Trade, Tech, or Vocational schools.