A new school focused on nature and art saw its charter approved by the school board on Tuesday.

The Juniper Ridge Community School submitted its charter back in early October, meeting with the district several times before the charter passed on Tuesday.

The school is inspired by the Waldorf model of schools, using music, story and nature to teach kids the regular curriculum.

For organizers, this is the first big step to getting the school opened by the fall.

"I kind of joke sometimes when people say aren't you excited, and I'm like I'm very excited, but now the work begins, because all this is really doing is giving us permission to now work and open our school,” chairman of the steering committee Patrick Ebel said.

Juniper Ridge now has to find a site for the school by February 1 and submit a lease to the board of education by March 1. During that time officials will also work to hire "highly qualified" teachers and other staff. The school hopes to open in the fall with about 160 students in grades K-5.