Notchcliff Homeschool Cooperative

Not all classrooms have four walls! The Notchcliff Homeschool Co-op is for families who want to balance home school or online learning with social play and nature connection in a small group setting.

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This drop-off program is for the full year to support your homeschool journey. Read on to learn about our class options. 
 

2023-2024 Forest [Home] School Co-op
Sept. 6, 2023 - May 24, 2024 from 9 - 1 p.m.

Monday: Hands-on Science and Social Studies Inquiry (K-2nd)
Tuesday: Language and Literacy Exploration (K-2nd)
Wednesday: Wild Math and Outdoor Cooking (K-2nd) CLASS FULL
Thursday: Creative Nature Arts: Music, Art, and Dramatic Play (K-2nd)
Friday*: Wilderness Survival and Nature Play (3rd-5th)

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Note: Because the Wednesday class is full, remember you must select Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday classes if you register for a 2- or 3-day option. You may opt to join the waitlist if you prefer. 

Classes meet entirely outdoors, rain or shine! You will receive complete details about gear and policies when you register. Your child must be five (5) years old by September 1st to meet the age requirement. (If your child is NOT five by Sept. 1st of the enrollment year, they are eligible for the forest preschool.) Early registration is strongly recommended; spaces are available a first come, first serve basis. Additional policies related to outdoor learning, gear, etc. are provided upon registration in your confirmation email.
 

Each day provides a different daily focus, allowing teachers to balance intentional learning experiences with emergent, child-driven explorations. We reference MSDE’s curriculum standards to ensure that children meet homeschool requirements (see MSDE’s homeschool info or components of homeschool instruction video here).

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What about Homeschool Portfolio Reviews?

The children’s nature journals, photos, and other learning artifacts will provide you with documentation to support your child’s learning adventures at Notchcliff. While much of the children's time is devoted to nature play, we also translate our adventures into activities that align with grade level expectations and standards. We use Storypark to document learning and communicate with families. This makes it easy to print out and share during your homeschool review.

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Parent Commitment in the Co-Op
By joining the co-op, a parent from your family agrees to volunteer with the class. (This includes a mandatory orientation and prior background check). Parents provide helpful support to teachers and get a bird’s eye view into their child’s learning experiences. You will select your volunteer dates in advance. Volunteer slots are based on enrollment. For example, if your child attends on Mondays and there are 12 children in the class, you will volunteer every 12 weeks in the Monday class. If you are also enrolled on a Thursday and there are 10 children in the class, you will volunteer every 10 weeks on a Thursday. For this reason, we will give detailed information about your volunteer commitment in August during our the Sunset Parent Campfire event.

Have questions about the co-op? Contact Leah Balkoski for more information.