One-of-a-kind private school in the works for the city of Arnold

ARNOLD, Pa. (KDKA) -- An educator from South Carolina now living in the Alle-Kiski Valley is making it his life's mission to provide a one-of-a-kind education and change the city of Arnold.

Matt DeHart, founder of the Teach from DeHart Foundation, is putting his heart into creating a school like no other.

DeHart first laid eyes on the former school building on Fourth Avenue in Arnold about three years ago.

"Immediately had a very clear vision of what could be: a school that revitalizes a community," DeHart said.

"I fell in love with this community, my wife is from the area," he added.

DeHart bought the building, which was most recently a halfway house. They are transforming the structure into Teach from DeHart Academy, a non-profit private 5-8 middle school.

With help from his family and former students in South Carolina, the building has been gutted inside and construction is expected to start in January.

"We're in the middle of our remodeling stage. Our goal is to have it remodeled by the end of 2025 summer. And we want to be in here in the fall of 2025 with our first set of students," DeHart said.

Dehart said they'll start the first school year with about 30 students in fifth, sixth and seventh grades, and three to four teachers who will teach core subjects and gym class.

"We follow what the state requires of us, and we try to go even above that. We want these students to be not only academically gifted but that social piece as well," he said.

DeHart said he wants kids to learn life skills and fall in love with something at an early age by getting out of the classroom and engaging with different sectors of life.

"We want to show them that the world is theirs also through travel and that will be a really cool part of our curriculum as well. That they get to learn about Rome and they go see Rome," DeHart said.

He said the school will have the newest technology and several out-of-the-ordinary features to help students dream big.

"The back of each classroom will have stadium seating," DeHart said.

"They'll have a slide in here where students can take it down to come down to the gymnacafetorium. And on this wall, we're going to have our mascot, which is going to be phoenix, the golden phoenix," he added.

Teach from Dehart Academy is going to be so much more than just a school. And it's going to benefit the students, the parents and the community.

"We want to be one of the first schools in the United States to educate both student and parent. The goal is to bring the entire family up and revitalize the community using education as the tool for revitalization," DeHart said.

Three adults have already graduated from the Teach from DeHart Foundation's program, which will expand in the new school. DeHart said they've raised about $350,000 toward an at least $3 million goal for the remodel.

He's thrilled to see excitement and support from the community already.

"A guy comes in with new ideas, fresh ideas, Arnold needs fresh ideas. They hadn't had them in so long," said Glen Vantryfle, who lives in the community.

Vantryfle can't wait to send three of his kids to the unique academy next fall.

"Imagine a school right up the block that teaches about Mount Rushmore. They teach you about Mount Rushmore here, and then take you there. There's a big difference. It's hybrid education with the right guy," Vantryfle said.

DeHart can't wait to start teaching from the heart and help turn the page for the city of Arnold and surrounding communities.

"The students can definitely see that I definitely dreamed a big dream, but we're going to get there by God's grace," he said.

DeHart said applications for students and teachers will open in January, and the first school year will begin in fall 2025. People will be able to apply on the Teach from DeHart Academy/Foundation website.

The school has a sliding scale of tuition options for families based on their income level.

Monetary donations can be made on its website and will help it complete the construction of the future school. People can assist with painting and other work.