Vibrant Minds Charter School was created out of a belief that schools can do better when they are designed around scholars, not systems.
After working in traditional public schools for nearly 30 years, our founding director developed a deep commitment to serving scholars and a deep respect for teachers and staff. The leadership team saw firsthand how difficult it can be to respond quickly or try new approaches in large systems, even when scholars clearly need something different.
When decision-making is slow, families feel it. Teachers feel it. And most importantly, scholars feel it first.
Vibrant Minds was created to be a place where learning could move faster, go deeper, and respond to scholars in real time through a strength-based approach to teaching and learning.
Our Mission
Our mission is to develop well-rounded, self-confident, community-conscious, high-achieving scholars who are prepared to succeed in higher levels of education and contribute positively to their communities.
We do this through a strength-based academic program that combines strong instruction with enrichment in the arts, STEAM, life skills, and service learning. This mission guides how classrooms are designed, how relationships are built, and how decisions are made across our school.
Why a Charter School?
Vibrant Minds is a tuition-free public charter school, open to all scholars in Grades TK-6. We are fully authorized by the Anaheim Elementary School District and supported by the Orange County Department of Education and the California Department of Education. We are proud to be locally authorized, and we are the only charter school in Anaheim that has been given this endorsement.
What sets us apart is how we use the charter model to better serve scholars.
As a charter school, we are able to:
- Design programs around how scholars actually learn and grow
- Make decisions on campus so we can respond quickly to scholars’ needs
- Build a team of educators who are here by choice and deeply committed to students
- Offer meaningful Project Based Learning and enrichment beyond traditional worksheets and approaches
- Provide after-school programs and enrichment at no cost to families
This flexibility allows us to align our daily practices with our mission, rather than navigating layers of approval.
Built By a Community That Cares
Vibrant Minds is not just led by educators. It is co-created with staff, parents, and even older scholars who help shape the culture of the school.
Because we’re not tied to a union or tenure system, we’re able to build a team of educators who are here by choice — passionate, skilled, and deeply committed to helping students grow. That passion shows up in every classroom, after-school program, mentoring moment, and the day-to-day support our scholars receive.
Families are active partners in the school community, helping shape a culture where scholars feel safe, supported, and encouraged to grow.
Our History
Vibrant Minds opened its doors as the first public charter school in Anaheim on August 17, 2015, with the approval of the Anaheim Elementary School District. Our mission was to do things differently.
As the school thrived, we renewed our charter in 2020 for an additional eight years and restructured our governance system. Our transformation gave us even more flexibility to focus on what scholars need most: strong academics, meaningful enrichment, and a school environment where scholars are known for their unique strengths and supported.
What We Focus On
At Vibrant Minds, we help scholars build strong academics, and so much more.
Our school is designed to:
- Discover and build on each scholar’s strengths
- Help scholars love learning and explore their interests
- Provide mentoring and character development
- Stay small by design, so each scholar is known and supported
We currently serve 336 scholars in the 2025-2026 school year and will gradually grow to 468 when we move to our new campus at 330 W. Broadway in Anaheim.
Built to Last
Vibrant Minds was first opened with the approval of the Anaheim Elementary School District in 2015. Our charter was renewed in 2020 for another eight years, reflecting strong confidence in our leadership, academic program, and long-term vision.
For the past 11 years, we have proudly served families who want something more from their scholar’s education.