If you have children in both age groups, you will arrive for Root to Rise at 11am for the 0-3yr class. During the first hour, your older child will be one of the "Junior Teachers" assisting with the younger child class.

At 12pm, you will go on the nature walk with your younger child while your older child joins the 4-7yr class for opening circle and nature journaling.

Both groups will come back together just before the 1pm closing circle for the 0-3yrs. Your family will stay and play for the 1-2pm hour to finish up the 4-7yr class.

We technically do not offer a one-day option, as the full benefit of our curriculum and community depends on our two-day structure. However, you can email us at connect@sol.community with the request for one-day, and if there are still spots available after enrollment is complete, we can discuss possible options for your family.

We will have one free trial class before the season starts during our Open House in September. This event will be held at Sacred Forest Farm on Sunday 9/21. If you're interested in joining, please fill out the contact form on our website requesting details for Open House.

We also offer drop-in classes once the season has started. These classes are priced at $25/day and are limited to 2 per season. Please contact us at connect@sol.community to request a day.

Yes, we accept the Step Up Scholarship (https://www.stepupforstudents.org/). SOL is a direct 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.

If you do not have the scholarship and are in need of financial aid, please email us at connect@sol.community to discuss options.

For children aged 3 and under, parents are required stay for class to ensure a smooth and comforting experience for their little ones.

For children aged 4 and above, parent attendance is optional, so you can choose whether to drop-off or stay for class. We aim to have at least 2-3 parents volunteers per class. A sign-up sheet for this will be available before the season starts.

Our class limit is set at 25 students, and we maintain a 5:1 child-to-adult ratio at all times. Each class will have one lead teacher, one co-teacher, and 3-4 parents volunteers to assist with activities, ensure safety, and offer 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, healthy snacks, a blanket, 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.