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~Forest Friends Admissions~

 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN OUR NATURE-BASED HOLISTIC EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR

PRESCHOOL, KINDERGARTEN & HOMESCHOOLED CHILDREN

We are excited to announce that we will be working in conjunction with Fern Gully Forest School to provide an Afternoon Education Program from 1 - 5pm,

Monday - Friday at our Beloved Fern Gully Forest on the East Side of Olympia. 

Forest Friends Provides Holistic Education for the Whole Child in the Supportive Arms of of Nature.

 

        Holistic Development in Children is about Supporting and Growing the Whole Child, in all Areas of Development.

            -Physical, Social, Emotional, Spiritual as well as Intellectual-

We offer this Support to Children while they are Immersed in Nature....Evolving as they have for Thousands of years... Learning through Play within the Rhythms of Nature. 

Program Details:

We are a Full Nature-Immersion Program and will be Spending ALL of our Time Outside, Rain or Shine. You will either find us down in Fern Gully exploring amongst the trees, playing on our numerious play structures up on the bluff overlooking the forest or working on our micro-farm harvesting, planting or taking care of our animal friends. 

We have numerous covered areas to seek shelter from the elements. 

Our Teeny House provides cover and warmth for rest, books and quiet time with our resident Guinea Pigs.  On extra cold days we have heaters available and ways to enclose spaces so the children can warm up.

Our clan of chickens and kitties, help to round out our children's experience here on our little micro farm.  By modeling how to responsibly care for our animal friends with gentle kindness we help tosupport our children's growth in communicating with humans and animals alike. 

DAILY RHYTHM ~ 1:00 - 5:00 PM

1:00  - 1:30  PM Arrival and Free Play/Group Game

1:30  - 2:00  PM Welcoming Circle/Songs/Body Warm-up/Emotional Check-in and Goals for the day

2:00  -  3:00 PM Forest Adventure & Exploration

3:00  -  3:30 PM Substantial Snack (Either at the School or in the Forest)

3:30  -  4:40 PM  Activities/Art/Free Play/Additional Forest Exploration Play

4:40  -  4:55 PM  Clean Up

4:55  -  5:00 PM - Closing Circle/ Pick - Up​

Additional Information:

To be eligible for the upcoming school year, students should be potty trained and at least 3 years old by September. ​All students should be comfortable using a toilet with minimal teacher assistance prior to the start of class.

Students must bring a water bottle, hearty snack & appropriate all-weather gear, including a waterproof rain suit, rubber boots, and warm layers. More information will be given at the time of registration on appropriate gear for the rainy season. 

CLASS SIZE: Right now because we are a Growing Program, we have 1 teacher with under 6 children per day. This is a special time for the children to get more one-on-one attention and really get their passions, strengths and interests recognized and catered to as our program evolves. 

 

As the program develops, we will generally keep a 6 :1 child to teacher ratio. Children are in small “clans” of two teachers and up to 12 children per day. 

Our mixed ages approach benefits children in numerous ways, helping us build a community that models team work and cooperation using a strength based approach.  Allowing for the younger children to learn from those who are older while the older children are given a chance to teach and recognize their power as positive role models. 

PROGRAM REGISTRATION

An in-person tour is required before registering. Please contact us to set up a date and time!

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY HAD A TOUR AND ARE READY TO JOIN OUR FOREST FAMILY, PLEASE DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION PAPER WORK BELOW.  

 

​​TUITION:

Here at Forest Friends, we believe that Life is meant to be Abundant and there are Enough Resources to go around for Everyone in our Community to Thrive. Because of this, we use a Three-Tiered Sliding-Scale Pricing Model that helps those with a Little Extra to Support those with Financial Need.

 

Thank you for your Honesty and for Supporting all those in our Community to have Access to High-quality Education. 

Some Scholarships are also available, please contact us for more information. 

THREE TIERED PRICING MODEL:

  Supported  - Families who are Financially in Need 

  Sustained   - Families who are Financially Stable and able to Pay the True Cost of the Program  

  Supporting - Families who are Financially Abundant and able to Pay more to Support Others In Need

RECURRING MONTHLY PAYMENTS: (Sliding Scale)

         

  1 Day  per week ______$200/$250/$300 Monthly  

  2 Days per week______$400/$450/$500 Monthly

  3 Days per week _____$550/$600/$650 Monthly

  4 Days per week _____$650/$700/$750 Monthly

  5 Days per week_____ $750/$800/$850 Monthly​

Registeration Details: 

  -PLEASE SCHEDULE A TOUR  BEFORE YOU ARE REGISTER. 

   -  THERE IS A $100 NON-REFUNDABLE REGISTRATION & ADMINISTRATION FEE TO REGISTER YOUR CHILD. 

   -  YOUR CHILD WILL BE OFFICIALLY REGISTERED AFTER PAYNG THE DEPOSIT, FIRST MONTHS TUITION AND        SUBMITTING THE REGISTRATION PAPER WORK IN FULL. 

    - A SUPPLIES FEE IS INCLUDED IN YOUR MONTHLY TUITION/NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT.

   -  A 10% DISCOUNT WILL BE GIVEN IF YOU PAY CASH OR CHECK IN FULL FOR THE YEAR.

   -  WE FOLLOW THE OLYMPIA SCHOOL DISCTRICT CALENDER AND OBSERVE  ALL THE SAME HOLIDAYS,            START AND END DATE. 

   - ALL CHILDREN MUST BE ABLE TO INDICATE BATHROOM NEEDS WITH MINIMAL ASSISTANCE. 

​​​PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS:

Tuition is due on the first of each month. If needed, alternative payment arrangements can be made to pay on a different schedule. Please contact us for more information. 

If you prefer cash or check, tuition and all fees must be paid by mail or in person by your child's first day of school. Please let us know what works best for your family. 

 

We know that providing the best quality education for your child represents a financial commitment. We also believe that every child and family should have equal access to programs and services.  If you would like to apply for financial assistance, please contact us.

We are a collective of women cultivating community. Families who enroll in our school are invited to share their talents and contribute throughout the year through volunteering for class events, forest conservation or restoration efforts and work parties, or helping with projects at home for future use at school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY HAD A TOUR AND ARE READY TO JOIN OUR FOREST FAMILY, PLEASE DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION PAPER WORK HERE! PLEASE CLICK BUTTONS BELOW. 

The enrollment form can be emailed back or printed, while the liability waiver must be printed and returned by the first day of school. Once we received your $100 non-refundable registration fee, a $200 deposit and your admissions paperwork your spot will be officially secured for our program.

Three students playing in the forest together
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