What is Forest School?
Forest School is a child-centered inspirational learning process, that offers opportunities for holistic growth through regular sessions. It is a long-term program that supports play, exploration and supported risk taking. It develops confidence and self-esteem through learner inspired, hands-on experiences in a natural setting.
What is a quality Forest School?
(from the forest school association)
Quality Forest School is delivery which holds to all six key principles that shape and govern the Forest School ethos. There are many forms of outdoor education and all have enormous value, however, Forest School is unique in its reach, delivery and effect. These six principles are:
Forest School is a long-term process of regular sessions, rather than one-off or infrequent visits; the cycle of planning, observation, adaptation and review links each session.
Forest School takes place in a woodland or natural environment to support the development of a lifelong relationship between the learner and the natural world.
Forest School uses a range of learner-centered processes to create a community for being, development and learning.
Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.
Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.
Forest School is run by qualified Forest School practitioners, who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice.
It is only when we see the 6 principles working together do we truly see the value of Forest School.
Underpinning our principles are some positive core beliefs. These can be summarized as, learners are all:
• equal, unique and valuable
• competent to explore & discover
• entitled to experience appropriate risk and challenge
• entitled to choose, and to initiate and drive their own learning and development
• entitled to experience regular success
• entitled to develop positive relationships with themselves and other people
• entitled to develop a strong, positive relationship with their natural world
What if it's raining?
If there's rain in the forecast, it's time for some fun puddle jumping! Ingrained is an all-outdoor program. We do not believe that rain is bad! As long as we dress appropriately, weather can be our best learning tool- mud, dirt, and water are vital learning resources.
Children do not get sick from the rain or cold. On the contrary, research tells us that children who spend more time outdoors, in all weather, are less likely to become sick!
It's important to make sure your child is dressed appropriately with layers, a rain jacket, and rain boots. Don't forget to bring extra clothes (and socks!) just in case.
Site assessments will be done in heavy rain, trail closures do happen. Families will be notified
24-hours in advance for location changes.
In severe cases we will close the program
for the day.
What is the ratio?
We are happy to have a low ratio of 1:6 and 2:12 for ages 2-6. Safety is our number one priority. This is because establishing close relationships is essential to our work as educators. We work closely alongside the children throughout the day.
What if we miss class? Do we pay during holiday breaks?
Your child's tuition saves their spot and tuition is charged during holiday breaks to pay our staff a living wage and cover the fees of licensing & insurance.
If students miss class we do our best to accommodate up to 3 make up days per month ONLY during the month in which class was missed. Makeup days do not carry over to the next month and we can only add a makeup day if we have room on our roster. We will not reimburse for missed days to pay our staff a living wage and cover the fees of licensing & insurance.
If a student is asked to leave because of severe behavior issues or if a family decides to cancel their enrollment after the first day, an entire semester's tuition will still be charged as staffing has already been set in place to take care of our little ones. And we pride ourselves on paying our staff a living wage. We maintain a 6 to 1 ratio at all times.
When do I pay tuition?
A 50% down payment of tuition is due at enrollment, and the remaining balance is due by the first day of school 2025 (or January 2026 for Spring semester). Monthly payments can be made through square with a guarantee that the entire semester's tuition will be paid even if a child drops out of our program early.
What does my child need to bring?
Well fitted backpack
Water bottle - full please!
Snacks and lunch
Extra clothes and socks x2
Hat & Sun Shirt
Sunscreen (apply to your child before you drop them off and we will reapply throughout the day)
Pick-up and Drop Off
Drop-off is at 9:15 am
We will meet as a group and wait for everyone to be dropped off before we begin our adventures. Please ensure your child is on-time; I will give about 10 minutes to wait for all students to arrive before heading to our spot for the day.
Pick-up is at 12:15 (half day) 2:15 pm (full day)
Parents should be on site around 12:10/2:10 and honor the time of our mentors
Please arrive no later than 12:15 pm (half-day) 2:15 pm (full day) to pick-up your child from school.
If you would like to discuss other arrangements, please email me at itsingrained@gmail.com
Behavior Policy
Generally children are excited and happy to participate in our programs, and we don’t really have behavior issues. We keep kids involved, inspired, and their needs both physically and emotionally are met by caring attentive staff. If anythings does happen, we will report extreme behavior to the parents and come up with a solution on a case-by-case basis. Families and children need to be able to trust staff and admin to make sound judgements on their behalf in the betterment of the group as a whole.
What if the weather is extreme?
We typically enjoy whatever weather comes our way, but sometimes conditions are not safe for one reason or another and we need to cancel. Site assessments will be done in heavy rain, trail closures do happen. Families will be notified 24-hours in advance for location changes. In severe cases we will close the program for the day.
Safety
At Ingrained, the safety of all children is our top priority; we take this very seriously. Our forest school program may include activities that are considered high risk. We monitor risk by following guidelines and procedures. These include site assessments, tool training, and proper equipment. Taking risks is an important part of learning. We provide a supportive environment for children to manage risk.
What about snakes, ticks, mountain lions and other wild creatures?
During our programs we teach the kids nature awareness. We do tick checks regularly, and we learn to keep our eyes open and our feet and hands in view. Usually large groups of kids send wildlife scampering for hiding.
We do have wildlife in our area. Wildlife includes deer, bobcats, raccoons, coyotes, opossums, gray foxes, and mountain lions.
Protocol for wild animal sightings is to back away and give space. Tips if you encounter these animals while hiking with your children:
Mountain lions
Make yourself as large as a possible by standing tall and holding out your arms. Pick up children to appear larger. Do not run or make any sudden moves.
Coyote Encounters
Keep a safe distance. Back away slowly.
Keep small children and pets close and in boundaries.
Make loud noise—yell, clap, blow a whistle.
Make yourself look bigger (e.g. wave your arms)
Let the coyote leave the immediate area on its own.
Contact the Rangers who are on site
Snakes
We have 33 species of snakes in California.; of those snakes, six of those are
venomous rattlesnakes.
We have one species in our area.
CROFAB
Rattlesnakes are generally not aggressive but can strike when threatened or provoked. We teach the kids to be aware that snakes are here, not afraid. Fear can make an encounter with a snake very dangerous.
We teach about how to identify rattlesnakes, where they live, and how to hike cautiously. If we see a snake, we back off and give them room to retreat. They don't want to mess with you!
Ticks
Please ensure your child has a bath after school, check them for ticks. Your child's risk of developing Lyme disease after being bitten by a tick is very low. To be safe, though, you'll want to remove the tick as soon as possible. The risk of infection rises 24–48 hours after the tick attaches to the skin. The tick can be sent to a lab for testing.
Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.
Pull upward with steady, even pressure. ...
After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
Never crush a tick with your fingers.
Ojai Valley Community Hospital: Emergency Room
1306 Maricopa Hwy, Ojai, CA 93023
Licensing and Accreditation
This is not a licensed or accredited preschool, as existing regulations only apply to indoor childcare facilities. Our Outdoor Enrichment program is not a “school”. Forest schools now have a path to accreditation in Washington State; however, California does not yet have institutional oversight of outdoor education programs but will be ecstatic once they do.
Our tutors are credentialed educators and current or prior classroom teachers, as recognized by the state of California
To meet state homeschooling requirements, families are responsible for supplementing their child’s education with a formal curriculum. We are happy to use your curriculum in our tutoring sessions.
Can Special Needs or Students with an IEP join?
Ingrained is not an accredited school, and at this time, cannot accommodate students with special needs who require additional support.
What is the commitment to the program?
Our goal is to work in partnership with you, the parents, on the holistic development of your child. Only families who can commit to the complete one full semester or a full "school" year (September- June), and partnering in the homeschooling responsibilities, should inquire.
Curriculum
The homeschool enrichment curriculum is designed to follow the child's lead and diving into their interests. We take these interests and provide a comprehensive and engaging learning experience that connects students to their local environment.
Through hands-on exploration of local ecology, students will investigate ecosystems and their relationships while learning about plant use and identification, including the medicinal and culinary benefits of native species.
We take care of our local community garden and partner with local schools and ranches.
We also explore the rich history and culture of the area, encouraging students to appreciate indigenous practices and local traditions.
Animal tracking activities foster an understanding of wildlife behavior and habitat, while crafts allow for creative expression using natural materials.
Our literacy components - which incorporate nature-themed literature and creative writing and journaling exercises, encouraging students to express their thoughts and observations in meaningful ways. This holistic approach promotes a deep connection with the environment, creativity, and a sense of community.
Tutoring
Our kids have the opportunity twice a week to be tutored by a math specialist and reading specialist in a group setting. Our team is happy to help your little one work on materials brought from home from their own curriculum or to be assessed and weekly build on skills that they learn from us. If you would like private tutoring instead, that can be arranged (for an additional fee).
If you have more questions about this or would like to schedule individual tutoring (an additional hourly fee applies) please email us at itsingrained@gmail.com