The River Farm Forest School

"At River Farm Forest School, nature is an integral part of the learning experience. My child thrives in the mixed-age classrooms, where older students mentor younger ones and teachers can meets students where they're at academically. It's amazing to see their emotional intelligence blossom through hands-on learning and the genuine care from the dedicated teachers. If you're looking for a school that fosters a connection with nature, celebrates collaboration, and nurtures emotional well-being, River Farm is pure magic!"

"While our child initially enjoyed attending RFFS, my active involvement in the school revealed a lack of transparency from the Board. Board members often cite their full-time job commitments as a reason for limited transparency or inability to meet school needed deadlines. Despite the initial appeal of a play-based approach to education, the promised emergent curriculum appears misleading. The dedicated teachers, while admirable, lack training in refocusing children after tangents. In my son's Kindergarten year, the emphasis was on projects and public speaking, seemingly aligned with the teacher's college coursework but not age-appropriate. Although the small size of the school fosters intimacy, some parents cross boundaries. The promised small Student to Teacher ratio at the school continually expanded over time. Moreover, RFFS does not prioritize diversity, making it less inclusive. If you do have a hair of diversity, you're in. They will take whatever they can get, then kick students out mid year, for the parents not being able to keep up with installments. I watched this happen to more than one family, mostly the families of color. The departure of the Head of School, the longest-tenured teacher, coincided with a shift towards a more relaxed setting, resembling a disorganized version of Sudbury rather than the intended Emergent curriculum. Lots of questions as to why someone who loved and believed in the school so much would leave with such little notice. The absence of clear protocols for handling bullying or emotional challenges is concerning. We had several issues with us not being notified of situations then other parents approaching us about something happening. Like a little girl trying to kiss my son, after he repeatedly said no. Despite having the lowest tuition in the area, the hidden cost involves mandatory volunteer commitments, including extensive cleaning duties or organizing activities and then being told they aren't in budget. The prevalent drinking culture at school events raises questions about professionalism. Notably, the Admissions process seems influenced by personal connections or offerings of diversity, rather than a transparent evaluation of applicants. During interviews questioning the school's operations is perceived as a red flag. The Admissions and Board are all Parent operated, this has led to more than one conflict of interest, lack of professional expertise in governance, and difficulty in maintaining objective decision-making. The turnover of Board members has easily led to the schools instability and inconsistency in decision making. In order to hire a Head Of School to actually run the school, the tuition would have to increase which no one at the school is ever willing to commit to. Want to pay for your kid to be homeschooled at a church that is being sold? Sign them up for this school, where they don't know where they will be the next year and scramble last minute to figure it out. We left two years ago and are now just letting the facts of the school settle into how disruptive it was to my sons education. My son is now thriving, he has caught up to the level he should be, it's wild how in love we were with school but the longer we are away, I am so glad we left."

"I highly endorse RFFS for parents seeking a progressive, personalized, outdoor-centric education for their children that is unmatched by other schools in the area. I currently have two children enrolled at RFFS - one who transferred from public school two years ago, and one who attended natured-based co-op preschool in the area. The shift from public school was transformative for my oldest child. RFFS centers the children and teaches them academics, critical thinking, emotional intelligence and personal responsibility. Creativity, experiential learning and individuality is encouraged. Both my children are flourishing and love going to school every single day and have wonderful teachers who they adore. The mixed-age classrooms effectively nurture self-directed academic pursuits and cultivate meaningful mentor/mentee relationships. This dynamic extends seamlessly into the school's after-school program, operating daily until 5:30 pm. My children actively engage in outdoor activities, fostering a lasting curiosity and deep respect for the natural world. Additionally, we greatly appreciate the morning yoga routine, which establishes a positive and centered tone for each day, contributing to a productive learning environment thereafter. I also want to note that I work full time and can manage the co-op aspect of the school without any significant disruption to my work schedule. I value the ability to support and stay involved with the school and its wonderful community, and, most importantly, with my children as they learn and grow. Such a gift."

"This school has been a great fit for our daughter. The smaller classroom sizes allow for more one on one time - something she rarely got in public school. The faculty is attentive and responsive. She’s made great friends here and gets to explore the outdoors almost everyday. I wish I could have gone to a school like this when I was her age!"

"I highly recommend RFFS for parents looking for a progressive, individualized, outdoor-oriented education for their children that simply can't be found at other schools in the area. The positive differences in my kids before and after attending RFFS are too numerous to count. They love going to school, being part of a vibrant community, and have blossomed in terms of both academics and their social-emotional growth. The school does a fantastic job at balancing self-paced academics, group schoolwork and projects, and lots of outdoor time and experiential learning. My kids enjoy the mixed age classrooms (some of their best friends are different ages than them), the hands-on learning in tons of diverse topics (they adore carving sticks with whittling knives, and my son even discovered an unexpected love of knitting last fall!) and of course the time outside, even in the rain and snow. Both my kids who attend RFFS are working at or above grade level in math and reading and the teachers seem to put a large emphasis on learning about other cultures, history, geography and science as well. As for me-- I not only like seeing my kids come home with smiles on their faces, but I enjoy being part of a warm and welcoming community of parents and staff, I appreciate the many opportunities to be involved in my kids' education, and I am incredibly grateful for how the yoga & meditation included in the curriculum has helped my kids become better at self-regulating their emotions."