School Discovery Day

School Discovery Day at The DoSeum is the flagship event of our series because it happens at the start of National School Choice Week, January 26–February 1, 2025, a celebration of opportunities for all families to choose the educational options that best fit their children. Guests who pre-register for School Discovery Day at The DoSeum will not only be able to meet over 40 schools and organizations, but will also have exclusive access to The DoSeum’s 68,000 square feet of wow-worthy galleries designed to cultivate curiosity, ignite learning, and discover the power of play through interactive fun.

The DoSeum will be reserved for our exclusive use from 9 AM until 12 PM for School Discovery Day. Families will come in through the main entrance to the lobby and be greeted by SACM team members for check in. Each family will receive a free tote bag with goodies and information, while supplies last. They will also be able to scan a QR code for a digital map of the schools and organizations at School Discovery Day.

Representatives from schools of choice will be set up at tables in spaces across The DoSeum, including the Theater, the Welcome Gallery, Imagination Station, and Explore. School models at the event will include public charter schools, in-district charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, preschools, and homeschooling. Also, families will be able to investigate many learning models, including child-centered learning, classical education, STEM, dual language, college and career readiness, culturally responsive schools, functional needs schools, and credit recovery schools. Guests who participate in the scavenger hunt and interact with lots of schools can enter a raffle to win a prize. Team members with SACM will be on hand to answer questions about school search.

In addition to schools, we are also hosting organizations that promote learning. Young DJs trained by The AM Project will be spinning tunes. The Alamo Area Council of Scouting America will share about their outdoor activities. Once in a Wild mobile petting zoo will bring animals to interact with. Two FIRST in Texas robotics teams, FTC 5243 Waffle Warriors and FTC 5189 Wolves, will demonstrate the fun side of STEM education. AIM Educate will help families understand special education evaluations and services. Futuro San Antonio will connect with families to help them become strong education advocates.

Here’s what you need to know before you go. It’s important to pre-register for this free event by signing up everyone in your family who is at least one year old. You can sign up for tickets for up to ten people in one group. On the day of the event, free parking will be available at The DoSeum’s parking lots and street parking in the neighborhood. Come to the main entrance of The DoSeum; the doors will open at 9:00 AM. Once you are inside the lobby, go to the front desk, open your electronic tickets, and show the QR codes to an SACM team member to check in. Any adults who come without being accompanied by a child will need to present a valid driver’s license and submit a brief automated background check before entry. After checking in, each family will receive a free tote bag, while supplies last. Your family will receive wristbands to allow you to participate in the scavenger hunt and enter the raffle. Also, you’ll be able to scan a QR code for a digital map of the event. At our SACM table upstairs, you can spin a wheel to win a prize, and that’s where we will hold the raffle drawing at 11:40 AM.  

We are expecting high demand for tickets to School Discovery Day at The DoSeum. Here are some policies we have in place to manage attendance and provide a good experience for all guests. If the building reaches maximum capacity (1,000 guests), we will ask incoming guests to queue outside the entrance until other guests leave the event. If you try to pre-register for the event but you find that the registration system is closed, that means we have reached our maximum for pre-registrations. We will not be accepting walk-ins at this event. At 11:30 AM, we will stop admitting guests to the event; after that point, there will not be enough time left for guests to engage with schools and experience the galleries before everyone packs up and the event closes at 12:00 PM. Guests will need to leave The DoSeum promptly at 12:00 PM so that our team can clean up and The DoSeum can be made ready to open to the public at 1:00 PM.  

Here is a map showing where to find free parking near The DoSeum.

Hemisfair is a landmark park in downtown San Antonio. Families visiting School Discovery Day at Hemisfair can enjoy the fantastic amenities of Yanaguana Garden, including a splash pad, sand play area, table games, swings, climbing structures, picnic area, restaurants, and more.

At each School Discovery Day there will be over 40 schools will be in attendance. These schools will represent a range of school models: open enrollment public charter schools, in-district charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, homeschooling, and early childhood education programs. Staff from these schools will be ready to answer questions about what learning models they offer and what makes their school unique. They can also explain how to visit their campuses and how to apply for enrollment. The event descriptions below will list the schools coming to each event.

Team members from San Antonio Charter Moms will be at School Discovery Days to answer your questions about how to do a school search. We can offer advice about the school search timeline and explain how to set up a school search consultation.

School Discovery Days are designed to be fun for the whole family. We hold them at great locations like the San Antonio Zoo, The DoSeum, and Hemisfair. Young DJs from The AM Project will be spinning tunes, JoiBugSA will be offering face painting, and Once in a Wild will be presenting animals for show-and-tell. The event descriptions below have details for the amenities and partners at each location.