Natural Leaders Club

Our 2024-2025 Natural Leaders Club is now full. 

Who and what?

Wander & Root's Natural Leaders Club is a strengths-focused, joyful, play-based nature immersion program designed to develop the leadership skills and personal passions of homeschooling children ages 6 - 10. While immersed in the ever-changing beauty of nature and surrounded by friends, we will learn about global leaders in nature science and conservation; connect with local nature-loving leaders; discover the leader within us all through ongoing exploration and application of the 7 Habits of Happy Kids; and inspire our love of the environment through unstructured, child-led nature play. 

Given opportunity, confidence in themselves, and skills, ALL children can make valuable contributions to our world. We look forward to being a part of their life-long journey to love, enjoy, and protect the natural world around us!

Where?

Year-round learning takes place on a 50-acre private homestead in rural Jackson Springs, NC.  When you arrive, you will see our basecamp and outdoor classroom, a place for us to store our personal items, fill our water bottles, and prepare for the day’s adventures. Beyond basecamp, lies the forested cove, with splashing stream, mud kitchen, trail system, nature ninja course, fort-building area, rolling hill, campfire circle, and more. Every day, our nature walks take us even further throughout the property to enjoy fields of young longleaf pines, the orchard, the garden, chicken coop, makerspace, and our renovated antique one-room school house turned process art studio. This, and more, is our classroom. Learning has never been so fun! 

All Wander & Root programs occur outside, in all safe weather, rain or shine. During severe weather, we take shelter inside our basecamp or in our art studio barn.

When?

Natural Leaders Club will be held monthly, from 9 am to 3 pm (6 hours) on the second Friday of the month, September 2024 - May 2025. Dates include: 

September 13

October 11

November 8

December 13

January 10

February 14

March 14

April 11

May 9

How much?

Annual tuition for the Natural Leaders Club is $600. A deposit of $300 is required to reserve your space in the program (due June 1, 2024).* 

*Limited scholarships are available. Priority is given to families that reside in Eagle Springs or Jackson Springs; and/or are experiencing family challenges; and/or are eligible for Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Free or Reduced Price School Lunch, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

What do parents do?

It's not just your child enrolling; it's the whole family! We welcome ongoing parent participation, questions, and feedback. Opportunities for the whole family to play and learn in nature will be held throughout the year, including special events for students’ families (including siblings, grandparents, and other special caregivers) and field trips.

You are also welcome to sign up as a parent volunteer. All parent volunteers must pass a criminal history check and schedule their volunteer days in advance.

Our Model

Our program follows the principles of the forest kindergarten movement, and is heavily influenced by The Cedarsong Way methodology:

• Low teacher to student ratios: We maintain a 1:6 (or lower) ratio of staff to students. This is 1/3 the number of children in a typical classroom!

• All-weather nature immersion time every day: We find joy and opportunities for learning in all (safe) weather conditions. When it is unsafe to be outside, students will play and learn in our school barn.

• Child-inspired emergent curriculum: Deep learning takes place when children are engaged in something that interests them and is relevant to them. There is no whole-room, one-size-fits-all instruction here!

• Inquiry-based teaching: Educators support and guide learners to make conclusions on their own. As a result, children build their resilience, confidence, and problem-solving skills.

• Place-based education: We foster learning in a natural environment that connects children to local flora, fauna, people, places, and culture. 

• Compassion-scaffolding: Educators guide and coach children toward being respectful, mindful, aware of and empathetic towards all of nature’s living beings.

Daily Rhythm

Our days are child-led, nature-immersed, engaging, brain-boosting, and FUN. Mother Nature always has the final say, but generally, our days will include the following: 

• Free play with friends

• Morning circle with songs and mindfulness practice

• Lesson and small group work on monthly leadership- and nature-focused themes

• Nature walk

• Storytime highlighting global leaders in nature science and conservation, both current and historical 

• Lunch

• Teatime with a local leader

• Nature journals

• Goodbye circle

Enrollment

Enrollment is now open to families who are currently or have previously attended Nature School, Summer Adventures, or Play for a Day programs. To register, please text or email Brittney at britt@wanderandroot.com.

Registration will open to the community during the Summer of 2024 if spaces are still available. To be considered for enrollment, please submit an interest form.