Posted 11:21 AM, July 26, 2025 and last updated 11:22 AM, July 26, 2025

Written by: Katerine Gerasimenko, TN Firefly

Editor's Note: This story has been updated from its original version to include the latest developments.

The Tennessee Nature Academy, a Nashville-based public charter school, has secured a permanent 23-acre campus in Davidson County, thanks to a transformative $2 million land donation from the McGowan family. The new site, located in the Carothers Farm neighborhood near Cane Ridge Park, will allow the school to expand its enrollment and deepen its unique focus on outdoor-based, hands-on education.

The donation accelerates the timeline for building a permanent home for the school, which serves the Antioch-Cane Ridge community with a nature-based model that emphasizes experiential learning in natural settings. The new campus is rich with educational opportunities, featuring a seasonal wetland, forested land, a stream, and space for agricultural use, all of which will be incorporated directly into the school's curriculum.

“This donation is a game changer for our community,” said Jay Renfro, founding and executive director of Tennessee Nature Academy. “It accelerates the timeline for building a nature-based campus that reflects the identity and values of the families we serve.”

As a tuition-free public charter school, the academy provides an educational model that is often only available in private or homeschool environments. The school, which was approved by the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, opened in the fall of 2023 serving fifth and sixth-grade students. With the new campus secured, school leaders plan to gradually expand to serve students in grades 5 through 12.

“Our goal is to offer this to families of all backgrounds, tuition-free, so that more students can benefit from outdoor learning that supports cognitive, physical and emotional development,” Renfro said.

The land donation will fast-track the school's ability to build a campus that is fully aligned with its mission and hands-on pedagogy. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for July 30, 2025, marking a significant step forward for the school and the families it serves.

Tennessee Nature Academy Receives $2 Million Land Donation for Permanent Nature-Based Campus in Davidson County