Homeschool Enrichment Program
for elementary-aged children
Child-led, nature-based, heart-centered approach
We believe every child is born whole and complete with their own unique gifts to share with the world. Our desire is to keep each child’s inner spark aflame as we cultivate sacred containers for authentic self expression. We encourage each child to explore their own inner depths and find ways to connect with others and be fully expressed.
What We Offer
A twice weekly drop-off enrichment program for elementary children ages 5 to 10 which meets on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30am to 3:15pm. Activities typically include writing, creative arts, storytelling, hiking, yoga, music, movement, meditation, nature exploration, and unstructured play.
The flow of our days together is interwoven with our intention to allow our children to grow up deeply supported in who they are while being encouraged to discover and become their best selves.
In putting social-emotional learning at the forefront, we see our children building empathy and connecting their inner and outer worlds through play, conversation, creative expression, movement, and shared discovery.
There is so much magic happening in the small moments here.
Our Philosophy
We believe learning is richest when it is experiential, nature-based, hands-on, and self-directed.
We strive to prepare an environment of abundance where children have access to a multitude of big, beautiful ideas. Drawing inspiration from various progressive pedagogies, including John Holt’s vision of unschooling, the Reggio Emilia approach, Waldorf education, and the Montessori method, we create a holistic learning experience.
We see the role of the educator as preparing a safe environment for exploration and acting as a trusted facilitator and guide for the children in their care.
Our days together move through moments of contraction and expansion, balancing intentional containers for creating and connecting as a community with opportunities for unstructured, child-led, nature-based free play and exploration.
Over the last five years, we’ve continued to refine and adapt the flow of our days as our spaces, mentors, and students have shifted, grown, and changed. We believe the best learning environments become almost like living, breathing organisms, truly adaptive through reflective, inquiry-based practice. Amid all the shifts and changes, we have remained anchored by our core intentions and values.
Our Intentions & Values
Our anchoring intention is to nurture our relationship to self, our relationships with others, and our relationship to the Earth.
Respect
We hope to instill in each child respect for oneself and one’s community. We nurture each child’s instinctive appreciation of the natural world. Lessons of love and respect are in how we treat each other, how we treat ourselves, and how we treat our environment. We set and respect boundaries and honor each other’s autonomy and personhood.
Diversity
We value diversity in all its forms and we welcome families from all different backgrounds. Our goal is to help our children to know that they are cared for and deserving of love. They were born perfect, whole and complete.
Peace
Roots and Wings Village is built on a foundation of peace and as a community we strive to practice nonviolence. We use nonviolent communication and peaceful conflict resolution. As guests at Shanti Mandir, Temple of Peace, we abide by vegetarian-only diets while on the property (no meat or eggs, please).
Courage
We will practice courage by showing up authentically and letting ourselves be seen. We will learn how to be vulnerable ourselves and to honor vulnerability in others. We will practice self-compassion and embrace our own imperfections. We will face fear and grief together, allowing ourselves to feel pain. We will share our stories of struggle and strength. We are all lifelong learners and embrace a growth mindset.
Belonging
We believe we are all worthy of love, belonging, and joy. We will allow others to see us and strive truly, deeply see one another. As a community, we practice inclusion, consent, and anti-racism. We long to create meaningful connections and forge lasting bonds of friendship.
Gratitude
Together we will practice gratitude. We recognize that we will all make mistakes and we will work to make amends. We will choose to feel joy and be filled with the knowledge that we are enough.
Admissions Process
Interested to learn more about our program or ready to apply?
Fill out our questionnaire or send an email to request a link to a recording of our most recent virtual information session and our current price list.
We also offer in-person open houses several times per year, usually in the weeks before our spring and fall sessions.
When you are ready to submit a formal application, please contact us by email at rootsandwingsvillage@gmail.com. We will send an invoice for our non-refundable one-time application fee of $100. Once paid, we will send out a link to our formal application for your family to complete.
We will review your application and let you know our admissions decision within 2 weeks of submission. We will offer rolling admissions, as long as there is space in our programs.
In some cases, especially with older elementary and middle school age children, we may request your family comes for a trial day so that we can ensure that our program is a mutually good match for your family’s needs.
Finances
We strive to offer our unique programming at an affordable rate for families while continuing to grow our community and realize our larger vision. We see our tuition as an investment our families make in the future of Roots and Wings Village.
We are committed to welcoming families from diverse backgrounds. To make our programs more accessible, we are pleased to offer several payment plan options. Please reach out to us at rootsandwingsvillage@gmail.com to receive our current price list.
