Open houses for a planned independent community school in West Philly begin this Saturday, Oct. 1.

Set to open in Fall 2023, the Roots and Branches School is recruiting kindergartners and first graders, according to experienced West Philly educator and the school’s director Rowan Machalow.

“Our vision is providing a broad and balanced elementary education to children from a range of cultural and financial backgrounds in the West Philadelphia community,” Machalow wrote in an email. “Our educational model supports educating the whole child through investigation and exploration in our academic curriculum and daily arts, music, and foreign languages, and movement.”

Machalow, who holds a Ph.D. in education and an MBA, said that the school is still searching for a location.

“We’re committed to serving the West Philly community, so we’ll certainly be within the West Philly area, but our exact location is still to be determined,” they wrote.

The school is also hiring teachers and teaching fellows.

In-person open houses will begin this Saturday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at University City Arts League (4226 Spruce St.) and online information sessions – held on Zoom – begin Oct. 6.