Guide to Enrolling in Somerset Academy / Brooks Academy Charter Schools in San Antonio for 2023–24

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Brooks Lone Star Academy -6859 reading library

Somerset Academy of Texas is a network of charter schools that offer a family-oriented culture and unique educational models at each campus. On November 1, 2022, Brooks Academies began accepting applications for enrollment for the 2023–24 school year. Open enrollment continues until February 13, 2023, and the lottery will be held the week of February 15, 2023. We have put together a guide to help you learn more about Brooks Academy charter school campuses in San Antonio and take steps to enroll your child.

About Brooks Academies of Texas

The purpose of Brooks Academies of Texas is to promote a transformational culture that maximizes student achievement and the development of accountable, global learners in a safe and enriching environment that fosters high quality education. The principals and teachers know that each student needs to be guided on their own personal educational path; therefore, they take the time to build and foster relationships with students and their families to best support their academic, social, and emotional needs.

To support student academic learning and growth, the administration and faculty are committed to reviewing, studying, and acting upon data from state, district, and campus sources. They look for learning trends and then provide students with independent learning paths that provide either intervention or enrichment.

Each Brooks Academies of Texas campus has unique facilities, but they share some common features, including outdoor learning spaces, indoor gyms, and large playgrounds and athletic fields. Students have the technology, including laptops and hotspots, to equitably access educational opportunities.

To read more about Brooks Academies of Texas in the news, we recommend that you click on the articles linked at the bottom of this post. Also, we invite you to join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group on Facebook and ask questions; the group includes current Brooks Academy families who can comment with answers based on their own experiences.

Brooks Academy of Science and Engineering -5791 Salas

Brooks Academy Charter Schools in San Antonio

During the 2023–24 school year, Brooks Academies of Texas will have four campuses in San Antonio: two larger campuses (BASE and BCA) that are K–12, and two smaller campuses, with Lone Star serving grades K–5 and Oaks serving grades K–6. The 2022–23 school calendar shows that Brooks follows a traditional academic calendar. On the district’s most recent school report card from the Texas Education Agency, they earned a B rating. The list of Brooks school campuses below includes links to each campus’s school report cards.

Download the free San Antonio Charter Schools app for an interactive map that includes these campuses and many more. You can also find campus information about Brooks Academy charter schools (and many other schools of choice) on our page Guide to Charter Schools in San Antonio.

Brooks Lone Star Academy -6829 playground

Application Dates and How to Enroll

Families can apply online to enroll their children at Brooks Academies of Texas. Open enrollment for 2023–24 began on November 1, 2022 and continues through February 13, 2023. During the week of February 15, 2023, Brooks will hold a random lottery. Students who are selected will receive an email inviting them to register; the remaining students will be placed on waiting lists, and will be notified if a spot becomes available.

Families can call each campus, as listed on the landing page of the enrollment portal, to ask questions and set up a tour. Each campus website has an interest form—here are the links for BASE, BCA, Lone Star, and Oaks. Once a family fills out the online form, a representative from the campus will reach out to them.

Events and tours are posted on social media. We recommend following these Brooks social media accounts:

In addition, please join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group on Facebook to post questions and search previous discussions about Brooks Academy school communities.

Brooks Collegiate Academy -6588 Almazan

Facts About Brooks Academies of Texas

Each Brooks campus has a special focus. We spoke with the principal of Brooks Lone Star Academy about what makes their campus unique. Brooks Lone Star offers two language tracks: a Spanish language program and a dual language program. In the Spanish language program, students study Spanish twice a day, in an oral Spanish class and in social studies class, with certified bilingual teachers; the other subjects—English language arts, math, science, P.E., art, and music—are taught in English. The dual language program has a 50/50 model; students take English language arts, math, and science in English and Spanish language arts, math, and social studies in Spanish. All students enjoy P.E. and recess daily. Their art and music activities are blended into the day to day curriculum.

In addition to foreign language instruction at Brooks Lone Star, students also develop a global perspective by creating projects that celebrate cultures around the world. The principal explained that, in December, groups of students focus on different winter holidays around the world, like Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. During the school year, they have lessons to observe Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Dia de los Muertos, and Korea Day.

Brooks Lone Star Academy -6890 sensory hallway

To help students learn social emotional skills, students at Brooks Lone Star start each day with 15 minutes of mindfulness practice. In this guest post, Paula Turner, Social-Emotional Learning Coordinator at Brooks Academies of Texas, explained how teachers use a sequence of poses from the Yoga 4 Classrooms card deck, as well as breathing exercises, to strengthen students hearts as well as their minds. These Mindful Moments have academic benefits for students, and they also help them focus on the present moment and work skillfully with their thoughts and emotions. In another guest post, Paula explained how gratitude practices improve our capacity for positive thinking.

The Brooks Lone Star community comes together for fun events. Events that went outdoors or virtual are now back in person, including Trunk or Treat for Halloween, Reading Under the Stars, and Snow Day—with machine-made snow. Parents and caregivers get involved in planning community events and share feedback at monthly Coffee with the Principal meetings. Brooks Lone Star uses ParentSquare and Facebook to share information, and there is an active parents group on Facebook.

Brooks Academy Oaks -7806 Wilson

Brooks Academies of Texas is affiliated with Somerset Academy and Academica Southwest. Mater Academy San Antonio is a proposed charter school that also has ties to Academica.

If you like what you have learned so far about Brooks Academy charter schools, we recommend that you apply for enrollment now. You are also welcome to join the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group to learn more and interact with current Brooks families.

Charter Moms Chats

Watch Bonnie Salas, Principal of Brooks Academy of Science and Engineering, Monique Almazan, Principal at Brooks Collegiate Academy, and TaLisa Wilson, Principal of Brooks Academy Oaks, speak with Inga Cotton on Charter Moms Chats on November 8, 2022 at 4:00 PM Central live on Facebook and YouTube.

Bonnie Salas is the Principal at Brooks Academy of Science and Engineering. Mrs. Salas was born and raised in the Southside of San Antonio. She comes from a family of educators, therefore beginning her career in education was a natural process. An alumna of Our Lady of the Lake University, she began her teaching career in 2007 and has served in different Instructional Leadership roles throughout her school year. Mrs. Salas was fortunate enough to be accepted in the elite Leadership Cohort at Trinity University where she earned her Master’s in School Leadership. Mrs. Salas attributes her success to her parents who instilled a love of learning and high expectations from an early age. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her family and friends.

Monique Almazan is the Principal at Brooks Collegiate Academy. Ms. Monique Almazan has been a school leader at Brooks Collegiate Academy since January 2019. Previously, Ms. Almazan served as the district’s Athletic Director and has been a physical education teacher and coach with the district since 2012. Ms. Almazan obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Education from Texas A&M San Antonio and received a Master of Education in Education Administration in January 2021. 

TaLisa Wilson is the Principal at Brooks Academy Oaks.

Read More About Brooks Academies of Texas 

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