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Founder of Bravion Academy outlines sports-focused charter at Caldwell District meeting
Summary
Brandon Durst told the Caldwell District board the Bravion Academy, approved by the charter commission, plans to open next fall in Canyon County as a sports-centered public charter emphasizing daily PE, rhetoric curriculum and a cohort model that uses master teachers and teachers-in-training.
Brandon Durst, founder of the Bravion Academy, told the Caldwell District board that his school — newly authorized by the charter commission — plans to begin operations next fall in Canyon County and will emphasize athletics alongside rhetoric and core academics.
Durst said the school will rest on three pillars: "ethical foundations, critical reasoning and physical development," and described a schedule that includes daily physical education and daily art. "We could be the very first public school of sport anywhere in the country," Durst said, adding the model aims to provide high-level training and access for students who otherwise lack club-sports opportunities.
The academy will use a cohort structure in which each grade is split into two cohorts led by a grade-level master teacher and supported by a teacher-in-training who will handle many routine administrative tasks. Durst described alternating teacher-directed days and reinforcement days designed to allow targeted remediation or enrichment and to give parents flexibility over in‑school and at‑home participation.
Durst also said the school plans to adopt Hillsdale College's 1776 curriculum in some subjects and will include daily formative assessments to monitor growth. He emphasized a rhetoric and argumentation strand that, he said, will teach students to "articulate their positions" and explain the reasoning behind them.
On athletics, Durst described a full-time sporting director role to recruit and train coaches, coordinate teams and find competition opportunities. "Their budget would be double whatever it is every other sport pays in the area," Durst said, explaining the program intends to secure higher-quality coaches for students who cannot afford club fees.
Board members asked about the facility and access; Durst said the school is negotiating a final site near key travel corridors and plans a transportation node near Middleton Road to improve access for families in the district. He did not present a finalized address or contract and said facility negotiations were ongoing.
No board action was taken on the proposal at the meeting; Durst answered members’ questions and said the group would return with further details as negotiations and enrollment planning continue.
