Yes! We accept the Step Up Scholarship (https://www.stepupforstudents.org/). SOL is an approved provider on the Step Up Marketplace, which means you can pay for enrollment and tuition directly with your scholarship funds. If your child has the scholarship, please indicate that on your enrollment form, and we will send you the Step Up payment link.

For children aged 4 and under, we ask that parents stay on-site to ensure a smooth and comforting experience for their little ones. For children aged 5 and above, parent attendance is optional, allowing you time for yourself while your child develops independence and social connection within a safe, village-like community.

Yes, we encourage parent involvement and welcome parent contribution! Each session, we will ask for Parent Volunteers to assist with maintaining a safe and nurturing environment during class time. The more engaged we are in the learning experience, the more our children will inspired to be as well. We also believe in the power of children learning from and interacting with a diverse community of people. If you have a special skill or passion you'd like to share with the children, please reach out to connect@sol.community to discuss how we can plan and integrate your lesson into class!

Our class limit is set at 25 students, and we maintain a 5:1 child-to-adult ratio at all times. This means that alongside our lead teacher, we rely on 3-4 parent volunteers to be actively present during each of our sessions. Parents play an important role in assisting with activities, ensuring safety, and offering personalized support. This collaborative approach not only strengthens our community, but also enriches the learning experience for every child.

If you can’t make it to class one day, that's okay—attendance is encouraged but not required. While attending every session helps your child stay connected with their peers and fully engaged in the learning journey, we offer flexibility and understanding. If you know in advance that your child will miss a class, please let us know so we can make any necessary adjustments. We do not offer refunds for missed classes, but we will provide you with any missed activities that can be done at home!

Children should come dressed for the season and ready for outdoor exploration. We recommend bringing a water bottle, a healthy snack, a yoga mat or blanket, and and a basket or bag to hold nature treasures and craft projects. Unless otherwise instructed, we do discourage bringing any toys from home, as this can create tension between the children. Our goal is to show them that nature provides all the fun and adventure that they need.

We do not impose rigid academic standards on children, as we believe their true gifts and intellect cannot be measured by conventional means. Every child needs the time and space to develop at their own pace, and our focus is on nurturing a deep sense of wonder and curiosity. Research shows that children primarily learn through play until around age 7, and we honor this by offering a play-based, experiential learning environment that supports natural development without the pressure of strict academic benchmarks. At the same time, we do believe in creating a strong foundation for future academic learning, so we’ve designed our integrative curriculum to provide ample opportunities for your child to discover fundamental concepts in literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies simply by engaging with the materials and activities.

Assessment at SOL is holistic and ongoing. We observe and document each child’s growth across academic, social, emotional, and physical domains. We share these insights with parents through seasonal reports and parent-teacher meetings, focusing on each child’s unique journey of growth and development.

We believe in the importance of outdoor play and learning in all weather conditions, but will also take proper precautions when necessary. In the case of rain, the location for our class has ample pavilions and covered areas that can be utilized. In extreme weather, we will adapt our plans to ensure safety, rescheduling if necessary.