As tornadoes tore through Tallahassee in May 2024, they toppled trees and destroyed the roofs of both buildings at the Grassroots Free School, in the Grassroots community off Old St. Augustine Road.
The 53‑year‑old alternative school faced an uncertain future. “The storm took a lot,” said Kim Weinrich, the school’s longtime director.
The school was in need of major repairs and closed for the 2024 summer season, when it usually hosts a camp.
But alumni, parents and community supporters rallied, raising money for repairs and helping the private, nonprofit educational institution get back on its feet.
The school raised $27,327 on GoFundMe for repairs, insurance and operating costs.
It reopened in August of that year, just in time for the start of the new academic year, in a temporary building added to the site for the semester.
Now nearly two years after the destruction, Weinrich said the school is doing better than ever and gearing up to start summer camp in June.
“I was determined, if possible, to save the buildings,” Weinrich said. Both buildings maintain their original charm but have new roofs.
The school, seen in this file photo, was buried under fallen trees after three tornadoes ravished the state capital in 2024.
She added that the school is now focusing its recovery efforts on the outdoors space, with $10,000 worth of repairs and replacements for jungle gyms and other playground equipment. The additions will be covered by money the school already received from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Now, as Grassroots works to rebuild its physical environment, staff and families say they are also recommitting to the unconventional educational philosophy that has defined the school from the beginning.
How Grassroots stays true to its own roots
The school was founded by Pat Seery in 1972 after he was inspired by the democratic Summerhill School in England.
Seery designed Grassroots with an emphasis on student choice, self-governance and shared decision making, casting aside traditional grading and coursework.
Kim Weinrich, executive director at Grassroots School, details the various ways students learn, Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
A free school is an alternative schooling model that emphasizes student-led learning. On the Grassroots campus, students get to lead their own education, choosing to engage in art, computers, reading or any other activity they choose.
“It gives them autonomy and control of their education,” Weinrich said of the model. “Humans are natural learners and we learn what we want and when we want to, and that applies to kids too. Allowing them to decide what they want to learn gives them the power to say, ‘I can learn because I want to – not because I have to.’ “
There is no set curriculum or accreditation oversight other than its own board. School regulations and rules are established by students and parents. On a wall at the entrance of the school are the main rules for students, prohibiting lying, cheating and threatening others.
A student at Grassroots School works on a drawing Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
The student body of about 30 kids, enrolled either full time or part time, ranges from 5 to 18. Some students roam the campus barefoot and play on swings, explore the school garden or play with the resident chickens on the property that spans four acres.
The school has an annual operating budget of about $400,000. There are no teachers officially on staff. Instead, parents, volunteers and former students teach at the school.
M. Dorsey, a Grassroots parent, board member and volunteer teacher, said the school’s relaxed model takes pressure off the students and teachers when compared to the standardized testing model in public schools.
“I grew up with the implementation of standardized testing and saw the stress teachers were put under and the ineffectiveness of it as a kid myself who loved learning but struggled under testing pressure,” Dorsey said.
“It’s really been great being here and rediscovering a love for learning and fostering it for my own child.”
M. Dorsey shares why she enjoys volunteering at Grassroots School, Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
Alaijah Cross covers children & families for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at abrown@tallahassee.com.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Grassroots school recovers after 2024 tornado damage