Frequently Asked Questions
Field School is held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The general rhythm of the day follows this outline:
9:00-9:30 am Drop Off
9:30 Hike to Base Camp
9:40 Welcome Circle and Snack
9:50 Main Lesson + Exploration
11:00 Talk as group about exploration findings
11:30 Lunch
12:00 Nature Journaling
12:15 Games
12:45 Closing Circle - Gratitude
1:00 Pick up
For 2023-2024, tuition is $120 per month for 1 day per week and $200 per month for 2 days per week. There is a 30% sibling discount as well. Enrollees can choose between one day or both days. Tuition is paid monthly, although if preferred, it can be paid in full. If paid monthly, tuition is due by check on the first class meeting of the month. For information on scholarships, please contact us.
Helena Field School is a drop-off school. However, to keep our tuition affordable, we rely heavily on parental involvement. Parents will be required to volunteer as assistants each month. The number of times per month will depend on the number of students. Their role will be to help take the site down, assist the facilitator as necessary in activities, and be another available adult to the learners when needed.
For the most part, yes! In order to do that, appropriate gear is necessary! Once you enroll, we will send you a gear checklist to make sure your student stays comfortable each day. In the event of severe, unsafe weather in the forecast, we will cancel class. You will be notified at least 24 hours in advance. HOWEVER, we also value other resources in our community, from organizations to personal businesses, so we will occasionally be inside for part of a day during a field trip.
We use our own unique place-based curriculum. Topics include physical and cultural geography, ecology, hydrology, biology, geology, history, and art. As we explore place-based topics and use a cross-curricular approach, our projects overlap core academic subjects, such as science, language arts, mathematics, social studies, physical education, and art. To see a sampling of projects we have done, visit our Projects page.
Classes take place in various public and private nature destinations throughout the Helena Valley and surrounding mountains and hills. Environments include wetlands, streams, forests, grasslands, and mountains. Locations are chosen based on the seasons, weather, naturally occurring events in nature, and group interests. Therefore, our schedule and locations are subject to change. Enrolled families will be emailed on Sunday before 6:00 pm for the week’s location.
You can download an enrollment form on our Field School Page. If you have trouble downloading it, just email us, and we will send one to you.