Will Smith Zoo School
Natural Start is thrilled to host this year’s conference in partnership with the Will Smith Zoo School at the San Antonio Zoo.
Concurrent sessions on Thursday and Friday, June 25-26, will take place at the Zoo School. Lunch and plenary sessions will be held at The Ralston, a brand new event space at the San Antonio Zoo.
Transportation will be provided to and from the Kimpton Santo Hotel and Will Smith Zoo School and between the school and The Ralston.
About Will Smith Zoo School
Founded in 2004, Will Smith Zoo School (WSZS) is a fully licensed, NAEYC-accredited, nature-based preschool. The school was named to honor the late Will Naylor Smith, who loved animals and the outdoors.
As one of the only programs of its kind in San Antonio, WSZS uses nature as the connecting thread that shapes our philosophy, teaching practices, classroom design, and outdoor learning spaces.
Will Smith Zoo School currently serves children in preschool and kindergarten. In the 2026-27 school year, WSZS will expand to First Grade, with the goal of building a complete elementary school program in the future.
LEED Certification
Will Smith Zoo School was awarded LEED Platinum Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the first for a preschool in the country and second in the world.
About The Ralston
The Ralston offers a truly unique experience to our conference attendees. The large space includes a balcony where attendees can look out over the 2-acre Congo Falls gorilla habitat and hear lions roaring from below.
About San Antonio Zoo
The zoo is home to a wide variety of animals representing 750 species on 56 acres, of which 34 acres are public pathways. More than 1,000,000 guests visit the San Antonio Zoo annually – 13,155 of those being children participating in education programs and 80,000 school children coming on field trips.