2025/2026 Cedar Group Registration NOW OPEN!
Fall 2025/Spring 2026 Registration Now Available!
We are excited to announce that we are partnering with Oxford Virtual Academy to offer programs to families in our area! This program is fully funded by Oxford Public Schools and is available to anyone (outside of Oxford too!). In order to participate in this program, you need to be registered with the Oxford Virtual Academy (LINK HERE TO REGISTER). They offer many flexible options for families who homeschool, Hybrid programs, and public school programs.
**Those outside the OVA program may enroll in our program but must be in the same age group and will not have access to the online learning component- see self- pay pricing below**
This program is a hybrid-style learning opportunity. Each week students will participate in online learning which includes reading, online videos, engaging activities, cross-curricular connections, and creative ventures to support what we do at our in-person sessions. Each week we will focus on a variety of outdoor skills, experiments, knowledge sharing about the living and nonliving things around us, the cycles of the earth, stewardship projects, and connecting deeply to community and ourselves.
Course description: Friend of the Woods Nature School Program provides opportunities for families to engage deeply with the natural world and its ever-changing cycles in order to develop playful and reciprocal relationships with the earth and the communities we are a part of. Within this course, students will develop an understanding and relationship to the earth and its living and non-living inhabitants, including trees, weather, insects, animals, water, fungi, plants, and minerals. Students will learn a variety of useful outdoor living skills such as firekeeping, shelter building, foraging, wildcrafting, and orienteering. Students will be encouraged to develop a deep awareness of their inner and outer worlds, to facilitate growth in a holistic way that is rooted in nature, connection to community, pursuing passions, imagination and creativity, and curious observation. Our in-person meetings will be held 100% outdoors in all types of weather at Bald Mountain State Park- see our Weather FAQ page here.
Meeting Times:
Elementary (K-5)
Monday 10am - Noon
Monday Noon - 2:00pm
Friday 10am - Noon (FULL)
Friday Noon - 2:00pm
Middle School (6-8)/ After School Program
Wednesdays 3:30-5:00pm
You do not need to be enrolled in ova for your child to join these classes but they must be in the same age groups. Our elementary classes are open for kids ages 5-11 and our middle school/after school class is for ages 11-14.
Self pay price for the semester (14 weeks) is $300 paid at the time of registration