Ritter Academy grew from conversations among parents who had adopted children through foster care. Again and again, similar classroom struggles came up. Families knew their children’s strengths and potential yet saw how early adversity and disrupted attachment could make learning, relationships, and everyday school routines difficult.

A shared question emerged: What would school look like if connection and an understanding of these experiences were built into the classroom from the beginning?

For founder Andreya Lund, a mother of seven whose family includes four children adopted through foster care, these conversations reflected familiar experiences. Learning about Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) prompted her to explore how its relationship-centered principles could inform a school designed around these needs.

The Heart Behind Our Name

Ritter Academy is named in honor of Mary Jo Ritter, who fostered 101 children over 32 years—including founder Andreya Lund’s son. She remains in contact with 13 of those children.

In her home, three large frames hold small photographs of every child she has cared for. When she speaks about them, she says, “Each one has a story.”

Those words capture what we want every family to feel at Ritter Academy: your child will be seen as a whole person, with a story worth understanding, strengths worth nurturing, and a future full of possibility.

The school is still in development, shaped by listening to families and learning from educators and specialists. Our hope is to create a place where children are known beyond their struggles, families feel heard, and strong academics grow alongside consistent, caring relationships.

This vision began with experiences shared by several families. It is being built with many more children and families in mind.

Mary Jo Ritter