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Frequently Asked Questions

🌿 About Village Roots

What is Village Roots Collective?

Village Roots Collective is a cooperative microschool and enrichment community for home-based learners offering programs for children ages 3–14. Children come together to connect, create, collaborate, and learn through hands-on, developmentally appropriate experiences in mixed-age environments.

We’re designed to support families with home-based learners by providing community, connection, and meaningful learning experiences.

Village Roots is an enrichment program for home-based learners.

Families handle core academics at home, while children come to Village Roots for hands-on learning, creativity, social connection, and meaningful shared experiences.

This is not intended to be a full school replacement – it is designed to complement what your family is already doing at home.

🌿 Cooperative Microschool vs. Traditional Homeschool Co-op

What’s the difference between a cooperative microschool and a traditional homeschool co-op?

Village Roots is not a traditional homeschool co-op where all parents remain on-site every session and sign up to teach classes.

We are a cooperative microschool and enrichment community for home-based learners, meaning we blend both models:

The cooperative piece → parents volunteer in the classroom (typically once per month) and contribute through a Parent Job.

The microschool piece → skilled, experienced educators thoughtfully hold the space, facilitate learning experiences, and support children through play, creativity, collaboration, and exploration.

Outside of your monthly volunteer day, most class days are drop-off.

Many families love this structure – especially those balancing home based learning with work, younger siblings, or other responsibilities. It offers consistency, support, flexibility, and meaningful community.

Our Executive Board is also made up of parent and caregiver members of Village Roots, meaning families are directly involved in things like:

  • Hiring staff
  • Adding programs
  • Planning the school year
  • Supporting the growth of our community

Each family also holds a Parent Job, helping keep Village Roots running smoothly behind the scenes.

Mostly, yes!

Village Roots operates as a cooperative microschool, which means families participate in the classroom through a rotating volunteer schedule (typically one day per month). Outside of your volunteer day, most class days are drop-off.

Parents are always welcome to stay and be part of our community, especially during transitions or if a child needs additional support.

Village Roots is cooperative in nature, meaning families help make our village possible.

Parent involvement includes:

  • Classroom volunteering
  • Holding a Parent Job 

What volunteering looks like:

Younger classes: more hands-on classroom support

Older classes: supporting projects and serving as an additional adult presence

❤️ Is VRC Right for My Family?

Is Village Roots a good fit for my child?

Children who typically thrive at VRC:

  • Enjoy learning through play, exploration, creativity, and hands-on experiences.
  • Benefit from a relationship-centered environment with consistent routines and caring adults.
  • Are curious, kind, and willing to learn alongside others.
  • Can participate safely in a cooperative group setting with support from teachers and parent volunteers.
  • Enjoy building friendships, collaborating, and spending time outdoors.
  • Appreciate a flexible learning environment that honors their individual pace of development.

Because we are a small nonprofit cooperative:

  • Our teachers are not able to serve as one-on-one aides or behavioral therapists.
  • We do not provide special education, therapeutic, or behavioral services.
  • If a child requires ongoing individualized support to participate safely, a parent or designated adult may be asked to remain on-site as that child’s dedicated 1:1 support person.

Yes – we’re a secular co-op open to families of all backgrounds and beliefs. We do not require a statement of faith, and we strive to create a community where every child and family feels respected, valued, and welcomed.

Possibly! Every child is unique.

We encourage families to contact us before enrolling so we can have an honest conversation about your child’s individual needs and whether our cooperative model is likely to be a good fit. Some children with additional support needs thrive at Village Roots, while others may require a level of individualized support beyond what our program can reasonably provide.

Our goal is always to work collaboratively with families.

If we find that a child requires more support than our cooperative model can reasonably provide, we’ll communicate openly with the family to discuss concerns, possible supports, and next steps. Depending on the situation, a parent or designated adult may be asked to remain on-site as the child’s dedicated 1:1 support person. In some cases, Village Roots Collective may determine that we are not the best fit for a family’s current needs.

🌱 Programs & Learning

What classes do you offer?

We group children by age in mixed-age classrooms:

Maples (ages 3–5) – play-based early childhood learning

Redwoods (ages 5–8) – elementary enrichment

Willows (ages 8–11) – upper elementary enrichment

Sycamores (ages 11–14) – middle school project-based learning

If your child falls between groups or you have a preference, we’re always happy to talk through placement.

Sometimes – we look at the whole child. If you have a preference, we’re always open to talking it through.

A lot! Just not always in traditional ways.

Children learn through:

  • Hands-on projects
  • Creative exploration
  • Collaboration with peers
  • Real-life experiences
  • Meaningful connection

In Redwoods and Willows, teachers incorporate science and social studies learning goals alongside strong social-emotional development. Classes also rotate in art, music, and Spanish.

We do not provide formal, sit-down instruction for core academics.

Families typically handle those subjects at home, while Village Roots focuses on:

  • Applied learning
  • Critical thinking
  • Communication
  • Social-emotional growth

We also offer optional tutoring and academic support, typically on Fridays, for families wanting additional support in those areas.

It means children learn by doing.

Rather than worksheets and long periods of sitting still, children are:

  • Building
  • Creating
  • Exploring
  • Asking questions
  • Collaborating with others

There is structure – it just may not look like traditional school.

Each class follows a gentle rhythm rather than a rigid schedule.

A typical day may include:

  • Free play or connection time
  • Group gathering or circle
  • Snack + story
  • Hands-on projects and activities
  • Outdoor exploration (daily!)

Sycamores blends intentional discovery, collaboration, and meaningful project work.

A typical rhythm may include:

  • Connection & community-building
  • Project-based mini lessons
  • Research, discussion, and hands-on projects
  • Creative problem-solving and collaboration
  • Outdoor exploration and movement
  • Reflection and sharing

Our educators are experienced, creative, and deeply relational. They are chosen because they align with our philosophy and connect meaningfully with children. Check out our Meet the Team page to learn more about them!

👨‍👩‍👧 Family Experience

Can I stay with my child?

Yes.

Parents are welcome to stay, especially during transitions or if a child needs additional support. We meet children where they are and allow comfort and confidence to build over time.

We maintain clear expectations around:

  • Kindness
  • Safety
  • Respect

We address challenges directly and coach children through social situations rather than using shame, punishment, or yelling.

Our goal is to help children build meaningful social-emotional skills in a supportive environment.

  • Lunch
  • Snack
  • Water bottle
  • Change of clothes
  • Weather-appropriate clothing

We spend time outdoors every day.

Yes! We typically have a field trip or forest day once per month.

Examples may include:

  • Brown County hikes & nature programs
  • Eagle Creek Earth Discovery Center
  • Cool Creek Park
  • Homestead visits
  • Animal programs (like Silly Safari)
  • Ice skating
  • Planetarium visits

Field trips and forest days are typically scheduled on Fridays.

✏️ Enrollment

Can we try it before enrolling?

Yes – we offer trial days.

A trial day includes:

  • Your child attending a full class day
  • A parent staying on-site
  • A chance for everyone to experience the environment

Yes! Some families choose to enroll and see how it feels before making a longer-term decision.

If Village Roots doesn’t feel like the right fit, families may withdraw at any time with a 30-day written notice, as outlined in our Member Agreement.

Because enrollment is limited and many classes maintain waitlists, once a withdrawal is processed, your child’s spot may no longer be available if you later decide to return.

  • Absolutely! Many of our families are brand new to homeschooling.

    Village Roots offers:

    • Community
    • Support
    • Connection
    • A place for children to learn and belong

Tuition is billed monthly based on the number of days your child attends.

We are approved vendors for:

  • Indiana ESA (Education Scholarship Account)
  • Braintree Academy

Yes! We offer summer camps in June and July.

  • Open to enrolled and new families
  • Led by VRC teachers, staff, and guest instructors
  • A wonderful way to experience the program

đź’š Why Families Choose VRC

What makes Village Roots different?

Village Roots is:

  • Relationship-centered
  • Flexible and child-centered
  • Community-focused
  • Rooted in connection, creativity, and collaboration

Children are known here. Families are supported here.

  • Not a full-time school replacement
  • Not a traditional sit-down classroom
  • Not a private school
  • Not daycare
  • Not strictly Montessori

Village Roots is a cooperative microschool and enrichment community for home-based learners designed to complement your child’s learning through connection, creativity, collaboration, and meaningful experiences.

đź“© Still Have Questions?

We’d love to connect!

👉 Review our Member Agreement

👉 Attend an Open House

👉 Reach out anytime: [email protected]