Since opening in September, the Bezos Academy Kent Valley has gone off like a (Blue Origin) rocket.

Children in Kent between ages 3 and 5 who are enrolled in the academy at the Kent Valley Early Learning Center have spent several weeks learning at their own pace by gaining fine and gross motor skills, basic skills like cleaning, food preparation and plant care (just to name a few) and learning in an environment that is enriched with cultural stories and activities.

On Friday, Nov. 8, the newest Washington-based Bezos Academy had an official ribbon cutting, where Kent School District administrators and employees could tour the academy and see the environment where Kent’s youngest learners spend their weekdays.

Kent School District Superintendent Israel Vela and Deputy Superintendent Wade Barringer were present at the open house, with Barringer saying a few words before the ribbon cutting.

“The Kent School District is super happy and proud to be a partner with Bezos,” Barringer said. “We started the conversation the fall of 2021 […] not knowing exactly what it was going to turn out to be and it was going to take three years to actually come to fruition. […] We’re always looking to meet the needs of our families, but also our youngest learners.”

The Bezos Academy has a Montessori-inspired approach, which are inspired by Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos’ own childhood. According to the Bezos Academy website, the Montessori approach “allows every child to develop naturally — to learn and grow at their own pace.”

The Bezos Academy has schools in Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Texas and Washington.

The Kent Valley academy operates 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The academy is now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 school year, where children who are 3 or 4 years old as of Sept. 1, 2024, will be accepted.

According to the academy website, admission is free and preference is given to income eligible children who are “experiencing homelessness or living in foster care, siblings of Bezos Academy students, children of Bezos Academy employees, and students transferring from another Bezos Academy location.”

To learn more about eligibility and other restrictions, visit bezosacademy.org/schools/kent-valley-wa. The Kent Valley academy is at 317 Fourth Ave. S., in downtown Kent.

Teachers at the academy are encouraged to make their classrooms their own. Photo by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing.

Bezos students get to learn how to take care of plants as part of their curriculum. Photo by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing.

To help students learn fine and gross motor function, they are taught to prepare their food during meal times and set tables.

For youngsters who may becomes overstimulated or need a moment to themselves, these little nooks are available in the hallways of the academy.

The hallways also provide small sitting areas where students can become familiar with picture books. Photo by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing.

Bezos students can learn early writing skills by tracing the letters in this laminated Maya Angelous poem. Photo by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing.