Our Story
Chapter 1. Remembering
Once upon a time, children were born and raised within villages, surrounded by nature, held in community, and guided by many caring hands. Learning was synonymous with living, woven into every facet of daily life. Villagers lived in harmony with the natural world, told stories around the fire, contributed to meaningful work, shared meals under moonlight, and maintained relationships that spanned generations.
Somewhere along the way, much of that wisdom and practice was lost.
Forests were paved down to make room for cities. Villages were broken up into single-family homes. Children were sent away to the confinement of classrooms. And parents were left drowning in responsibility that was never theirs to carry alone.
At SOL, we see the world waking up—curiously questioning how we got here and thoughtfully reflecting on where we go from here. We may not have the answers yet, but we do know that the only way through is together.
Chapter 2. Reclaiming
With the wisdom of our village ancestors lighting the path ahead, we are reclaiming a more connected way of life. A life rooted in relationship.
Relationship with the Earth—the soil that feeds us, the trees that give us breath, the rivers that sustain us, and the creatures among us.
Relationship with ourselves—our inner knowing, our innate gifts, our soul purpose, our authentic self.
Relationship with one another—the ones that came before, the ones that come after, and the ones that walk beside.
There is a living ecosystem all around us, waiting for us to remember that we belong within it. Not above or separate. But as an essential part of the whole.
At SOL, the Tree of Life is more than our logo. It is a living symbol for the interconnectedness of life. Like roots, our feet draw strength from the Earth. Like branches, our hands reach toward possibility. And between them flows the heart of life that beats within us all.
Chapter 3. Reweaving
Hands to the sky. Feet on the ground. Hearts wide open all around. That is the way of life we are reweaving at SOL.
Children learning beneath the trees. Families connected in circles of support. Elders, educators, artisans, and neighbors rediscovering their gift worth offering and their role worth fulfilling.
At SOL, we slow down enough to know one another. We celebrate, create, and grow together. We raise children who know that they belong—not just to a family or a school, but to a living community and a loving Earth.
Once lost, now restored. Every SOL gathering is another thread rewoven into the tapestry of the Village
The Origin Story
When my first child was born in 2019, a seed was planted in my heart to open a school by the time he was five years old—the time when most children are sent away from home to spend their day with strangers in a system that stifles their spirit.
I was a high school teacher in the New York City public school system at that time; and although teaching was (and still is) my passion and purpose, I knew that this was not the way it was meant to be.
Brick walls. Locked doors. Cramped desks. Strict rules. Rigid standards. Rampant stress. Children raised in a system so soulless that their identity became reduced to a mere score on a test. I could not condone. I did not comply. I refused to accept. So I left.
And through my journey of soul-searching my way through motherhood, I found SOL.
SOL began as a small nature school in a public park with a handful of families seeking a different way. We gathered week after week in faith of the vision: a more grounded future for us and our children.
Eight families grew to fifty + a growing waitlist by the end of year one. Parents were re-enrolling season after season, not just for their child, but for themselves, too. For the community that cured their isolation. For the connection that healed their heart.
That’s when I realized that SOL was much more than a school. Something deeper and more expansive was beginning to take root.
The Village. Once lost, now restored. Rewoven in the present day because we remembered, and we answered the call.
Today, SOL continues to grow beyond anything I could have envisioned, because that is what happens when we do this together.
With Love & Gratitude, thank you for being here.
Leah Sullo
Mother. Educator. Villager.