Beech (ages 8-10)

BEECH

Full Day Nature Immersion Program for Ages 8-10*

September through May, 9:15 to 2:45pm

ABOUT BEECH

Beech is a place for children to mindfully connect with nature and one another as we playfully engage with the lessons offered by the various ecosystems and the changing seasons. The core of this program will follow the students' interests, providing opportunities to practice outdoor skills such as fire and shelter building, knife and tool use, foraging, and wildlife tracking - all while building strong friendships, practicing teamwork, and cultivating a deep love for the natural world. Beech has an 8:1 Child to Staff Ratio with a maximum of 24 children.

The program will be outdoors, rain, snow or shine unless weather is extreme and potentially dangerous (such as high winds, low wind chill, low temps and steady rain, or unsafe driving conditions), which may result in cancellation.

DAYS & TIME

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 9:15am to 2:45pm for the school year. Choose to enroll 1-4 days/week.

We encourage families to enroll children for 2 days if at all possible as this provides continuity and stability and helps children become more immersed within the program, social dynamics, skill building and activities. Often kids seem to "settle in" on their second day of the week, finding their groove more quickly. 

Aftercare is available for participants in our homeschool program from end of program to 4:00pm.

  • Current Families: Emails will be sent out with enrollment information and instructions, usually in late February.

    New/Interested Families: Please join a tour or if none are available, email enrollment@throughthetrees.org. An application will be available to prospective families after they have toured. Submitting an application doesn't guarantee enrollment.

  • We offer the option to pay tuition in monthly payments, due the 1st of each month (September through May) and automatically charged to the card used at registration. 

    A $50 application fee is required for new participants. A $15 registration fee for each day of the week you are enrolling your child, plus 4.5% (of total tuition) processing fee is due at the time of enrollment. Both are non-refundable.

    #Days/Week 9-Month Tuition     One $2,295     Two $4,590     Three $6,885     Four $9,180    

    Family Discount: Families enrolling more than one child at TTT receive 10% off.

  • We are committed to supporting and creating a community that is reflective of Maine's economic diversity. A limited number of Scholarships are available to families who are unable to pay full tuition cost. We encourage you to complete a scholarship application if full tuition pricing creates a financial hardship. 

  • If you must withdraw your child from the program a 30-day notification is required. If at least 30 days notice is given, the remaining monthly payments will be cancelled. If less than 30-days notice is given, the next month's payment is required, and all remaining tuition payments thereafter will be cancelled. Reduced Enrollment: This policy applies to reducing the number of days of enrollment. (ex. enrolling on Tuesday and Thursday, then cancelling Thursday). Notice of withdrawal/ must be emailed to transform@throughthetrees.org. The registration fee of $15 per day of enrollment and 4.5% system processing fee paid at the time of enrollment are non-refundable. 

 

*We recognize that children don’t all develop at the same rate. For children who are on the line between age groups, our staff will work with parents to make an assessment as to which group seems most appropriate based on personality, ability and group dynamics.


We can best help children learn, not by deciding what we think they should learn and thinking of ingenious ways to teach it to them, but by making the world, as far as we can, accessible to them, paying serious attention to what they do, answering their questions and helping them explore the things they are most interested in.
— John Holt