Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Owl's Nest School Right for My Family?

How do I know if The Owl's Nest is the right fit for my child?

The best way to find out is to come visit.

While we can tell you about our philosophy, programs, and approach, nothing compares to experiencing The Owl's Nest in person. We encourage prospective families to book a tour, explore our spaces, meet our educators, and ask questions.

Children don't need to fit a particular mould to thrive here. Some arrive adventurous and eager to jump into every activity. Others are cautious observers who prefer to take things in first. Some love being outdoors. Others discover that connection over time.

What matters most is finding a learning environment where your child feels supported, challenged, valued, and excited to grow.

What makes The Owl's Nest different?

At The Owl's Nest, we believe education should nurture the whole child.

Alongside strong academic foundations, we intentionally foster confidence, curiosity, creativity, resilience, leadership, critical thinking, emotional well-being, and meaningful relationships.

Learning doesn't only happen at a desk. It happens in the forest, by the creek, around the lunch table, while caring for animals, through community projects, and during the everyday moments that help children make sense of the world around them.

We aren't trying to recreate school on a farm or in the forest.

We're creating a place where children can grow into themselves.

Is The Owl's Nest only for children who struggle in traditional school?

Not at all.

Some families come to us because their child was struggling in a traditional setting. Others come because their child was doing well academically but they were looking for something different.

Our families are often seeking smaller learning environments, stronger relationships, more time in nature, meaningful learning experiences, and a more personalized approach to education.

The Owl's Nest is not designed for one particular type of learner. We welcome children with a wide range of strengths, interests, personalities, and learning styles.

"Your child will learn to read and write. Any school is capable of that. The Owl's Nest is so much more. It cultivates creativity, strengthens friendships and helps us to raise truly thoughtful confident people that I believe will contribute to making the world a better place!"

— Taylor and Keenan Mason

Academics & Learning

Are academics still a priority?

Absolutely.

Strong literacy and numeracy foundations are a top priority at The Owl's Nest. Students participate in intentional, evidence-informed instruction led by Ontario Certified Teachers and experienced educators.

At the same time, we believe academic success is strengthened when children feel connected, confident, regulated, and engaged in their learning.

We don't see academics and whole-child development as competing priorities. We believe they work best together.

Do students follow the Ontario Curriculum?

Yes and not exactly. We have our own curriculum that is a working document. While it mirrors the Ontario Curriculum, it is more comprehensive and tailored to our programs and spaces.

Our students learn the knowledge and skills outlined within the Ontario Curriculum, but we don't simply follow curriculum documents page by page.

Over the years, we have carefully reviewed, restructured, and adapted curriculum expectations to create learning experiences that are meaningful, engaging, and relevant to the children in our community. We intentionally blend explicit instruction with hands-on, experiential learning opportunities that help students build deeper understanding, stronger retention, and authentic connections to what they are learning.

Our approach is evidence-informed and continually evolving. Rather than treating curriculum as a checklist, we view it as a working document that guides learning while allowing us to respond to the needs, interests, developmental readiness, and real-world experiences of our students.

In short, we teach the curriculum but we do so in ways that make sense for our learners, our environment, and the world they are growing up in. 

How do you assess student progress?

At The Owl's Nest, assessment is ongoing, individualized, and focused on the whole child. We look not only at academic growth, but also at the development of learning skills, executive functioning, social-emotional well-being, confidence, independence, and problem-solving abilities.

Rather than relying solely on grades or test scores, we use a variety of assessment tools, including observations, conversations, student work, projects, portfolios, and regular documentation of learning. This allows us to gain a deeper understanding of each child's strengths, challenges, growth, and next steps.

Families receive detailed narrative report cards that tell the story of their child's learning journey. These reports often include photographs, student quotes, examples of learning, educator observations, and individualized feedback. Many families find they provide far more insight into their child's development than a traditional report card alone.

As students grow older, we intentionally introduce more formal assessment practices and help students develop the skills needed to navigate them successfully. We explicitly teach executive functioning skills such as organization, time management, study habits, self-reflection, and goal setting, while providing the support and strategies students need to build confidence and resilience.

Our goal is to ensure that students leave The Owl's Nest with strong academic foundations, a deep understanding of themselves as learners, and the ability to adapt successfully to future educational opportunities.

Below is an example of one of our learning-story report cards (example versions are not real students to protect privacy), which reflects the rich and individualized way we document student growth and learning.

How do multi-age classrooms work?

At The Owl's Nest, we see tremendous value in learning within a community of mixed ages.

Just like in families and communities, younger students benefit from observing and learning from older peers, while older students develop leadership, empathy, responsibility, and mentoring skills.

Our educators intentionally plan learning experiences that meet students where they are developmentally, while fostering meaningful relationships across age groups.

Can students transition back to another school?

Yes. While many of our families join The Owl's Nest with the intention of staying long-term, students can successfully transition to other educational settings when needed.

Our goal is not only to support academic growth, but also to help students develop strong learning skills, confidence, adaptability, problem-solving abilities, and independence. These skills serve students well wherever their educational journey takes them.

Because we mirror the Ontario curriculum while providing individualized instruction, students continue to build academic foundations alongside social-emotional and executive functioning skills. As with any school transition, each child is unique, and we work with families to support a smooth transition when possible.

That said, many families choose The Owl's Nest for the long term and hope to continue with us through Grade 8 and beyond as our future programs evolve.

What does a typical day look like?

No two days look exactly the same, and that's part of what makes The Owl's Nest special.

For students enrolled in our Academic Program (MWF), we are generally focused on literacy, numeracy, writing, and other core academic learning. These days provide the structure, explicit instruction, and foundational skills that support student growth and confidence; while still offering nature, projects and hands on learning.

Our Forest & Experiential Program (T/Th) offer opportunities for deeper exploration through science, social studies, environmental education, leadership, community connections, project work, and hands-on learning experiences. These days often take us into the forest, creek, gardens, greenhouse, and wider community as we connect learning to real-world experiences. these days this past year led us to woodworking, foraging, orienteering, agriculture, arts workshops and more. 

Together, our Academic Program (MWF) and Forest & Experiential Program (T/Th) were intentionally designed to complement one another. While each program can stand on its own, together they create a rich, well-rounded educational experience that supports the full breadth of our curriculum and philosophy.

While each day has a different rhythm and focus, our approach and routines remains consistent. Learning is active, meaningful, and connected. Students move, create, collaborate, explore, and engage with their environment while developing both academic skills and life skills.

Our preschool programs follow a similar flow throughout the week, blending play-based learning, outdoor exploration, early literacy and numeracy experiences, creative expression, social-emotional development, and opportunities to build independence, curiosity, and confidence.

Part-time options are available across all age groups and can be a wonderful way for families to begin their Owl's Nest journey. However, as children grow and develop deeper connections with their peers, educators, and learning experiences, many families find that their children begin asking to attend more frequently.

One of our greatest successes is that children genuinely enjoy coming to school. It's common for students, particularly around Grades 2 and 3, though sometimes earlier or later, to begin expressing a desire to participate in additional days as their sense of belonging and connection grows.

Whether we're building reading skills, exploring the creek, planting in the garden, caring for animals, or working through a project together, our goal remains the same: to create meaningful learning experiences that help children connect with themselves, others, and the world around them.

How much time do students spend outdoors?

Quite a bit. While elements can influence they do not hinder our time spent outdoors. In warm and dry months we spend up to the entire day outdoors. In colder or wetter months we still spend around 2-3+ hours outdoors.

Nature is an extension of our classroom, not a separate subject.

Students spend time outdoors in every season, exploring our forests, creek, greenhouse classroom, gardens, and farm spaces. We also have indoor learning environments available throughout the day as needed.

We believe time spent outdoors supports physical health, emotional well-being, self-regulation, creativity, curiosity, and learning.

What if my child doesn't love being outdoors?

That's okay.

Children arrive with different interests, experiences, and comfort levels. Some students can't wait to jump in the creek. Others prefer to stay close to the group and observe.

Our goal isn't to create outdoor enthusiasts. Our goal is to help children build confidence, resilience, curiosity, and a connection to the world around them.

Many families are surprised by how much their child's comfort and confidence outdoors grows over time.

The sense of curiosity that the girls have (built)and the desire to explore, embrace and learn new things is incredible to watch. The experiences they have are wonderful. There is so much hands on and intentional learning. The connections they make with their teachers, school staff and other students are amazing. We have found our community. The Owl’s Nest is a huge part of the village that is raising my children.

-Colleen Hall 

What are your school hours?

Students may be dropped off between 8:45-9 a.m., with the school day ending at 4 p.m.

Before and aftercare options may be available depending on family needs and staffing availability. Please reach out if you'd like to discuss your situation.

What happens when the weather isn't ideal?

We believe there is great value in experiencing the changing seasons and spending time outdoors year-round.

That said, safety always comes first. We have indoor classrooms, a greenhouse classroom, forest shelters, a yurt classroom and other covered spaces that allow us to adapt to weather conditions as needed.

We encourage families to dress for the weather so children can comfortably enjoy the many benefits of outdoor learning throughout the year. If school buses are cancelled due to inclement weather, as a rural country school, we also close. We have credits embedded in tuition to support this.

Community & Student Support

How do you handle behaviour and conflict?

We view behaviour as communication.

Rather than focusing solely on consequences, we work to understand what may be happening beneath a child's behaviour. Children are still learning how to navigate emotions, relationships, conflict, disappointment, frustration, and the many challenges that come with growing up. Our role as educators is to help them develop the skills they need to be successful, both now and in the future.

At The Owl's Nest, we place a strong emphasis on self-regulation, relationship-building, and creating environments that support success. We recognize that children thrive when they feel safe, connected, and understood. This doesn't mean there are no expectations or boundaries. In fact, we believe the opposite.

Children need clear expectations, consistent routines, predictable boundaries, and caring adults who are willing to guide them through challenges. Structure creates safety. Relationships create trust. Together, they create the conditions for learning and growth.

When conflicts arise, we take time to understand the situation, support regulation, facilitate problem-solving, and help students repair relationships when needed. We don't believe every child or every situation should be approached in exactly the same way. Each child brings their own personality, experiences, strengths, challenges, and developmental needs. Our educators work to understand the individual child while maintaining clear expectations for how we treat ourselves, others, and our shared spaces.

One of the advantages of our small class sizes is the ability to truly know our students. This allows us to be proactive, responsive, and intentional in the support we provide. We can build meaningful relationships with children, notice patterns, celebrate growth, and help them develop the skills needed to navigate challenges successfully.

Our goal is not simply to manage behaviour in the moment. Our goal is to help children develop self-awareness, self-regulation, responsibility, empathy, communication skills, and the confidence to contribute positively to their community long after they leave our program.

How involved are families in the school community?

Families can be as involved as they would like to be. Some parents enjoy being highly involved in school events and initiatives, while others need to step back during busier seasons of life. Both are welcomed and respected.

That said, we often find that the more families engage with the community, the more connected they feel to their child's learning, the educators, and the village we are all working to create together.

Throughout the year, there are many opportunities to connect, including:

• Welcome Back BBQ and Meet the Teacher Night

• Parent education and involvement sessions (6–8 per year)

• Parent Council meetings every six weeks

• Seasonal Work Bees and community events

• Potlucks, chili cook-offs, movie nights, and other gatherings

• Hot lunch opportunities where families can share a favourite homemade meal with the school community

Families who drop off and pick up regularly also benefit from daily opportunities to connect with educators, ask questions, and build relationships. In addition, documentation and communication are shared regularly so families can stay connected to their child's learning journey.

Whether you're looking to dive in with both feet or simply stay informed and connected, there is a place for you at The Owl's Nest.

Programs & Enrollment

What ages and grades do you serve?

The Owl's Nest offers programs for children and families from infancy through the teen years.

For our youngest community members, we offer parent and child programming where infants, toddlers, siblings, and caregivers can connect, learn, and grow together.

Our preschool program is designed for children in the years before kindergarten. While every child develops at their own pace and readiness is about much more than age alone, students typically begin preschool around 2½ years old. We recognize that each child is unique, and enrollment decisions are made with developmental readiness and individual needs in mind.

Our school programs currently serve students from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 8.

We have also supported high school-aged students through individualized programming and are actively exploring the development of Perch Academy, a future high school program designed to extend the Owl's Nest approach into the teen years.

If you're unsure which program may be the best fit for your child, we'd be happy to connect and discuss your family's unique needs.

Do you offer full-time and part-time options?

Yes. We recognize that every family has different needs, goals, schedules, and comfort levels when choosing an educational path, so we offer a variety of program options.

Families can choose from:

• Full-Time (5 Days): A comprehensive program that combines academic learning, nature-based experiences, community building, and individualized support throughout the week.

• Part-Time Academic Program (3 Days): Our Monday, Wednesday, Friday program focuses on literacy, math, inquiry, and core academic skills.

• Part-Time Experiential & Forest Program (2 Days): Our Tuesday and Thursday program emphasizes nature connection, hands-on learning, science, social studies, executive functioning, life skills, and community experiences.

We also offer a "Dip Your Toes In" program, which allows families to experience The Owl's Nest in 10-week blocks before committing to a full school year. This can be a wonderful option for families who are exploring alternative education and want the opportunity to ensure it feels like the right fit.

One thing we like to be transparent about is that many students who begin part-time eventually ask to attend more days. As children build relationships, develop a sense of belonging, and become more invested in the learning and community, they often become curious about what happens on the days they aren't here. It is not uncommon for families to increase attendance over time as their child grows more connected to the program.

While every child and family is different, we encourage families considering a part-time option to keep this possibility in mind. We are always happy to discuss what program structure might be the best fit both now and in the future.

If you're unsure which option may be right for your child, we'd love to connect and explore the possibilities together.

Can my child start mid-year?

Yes, provided we have space available and feel that The Owl's Nest is a good fit for your child and family.

While mid-year enrollment is certainly possible, our preference is always to welcome students at the beginning of the school year whenever possible. September is a special time in our community as students build relationships, establish routines, develop a sense of belonging, and grow comfortable with the expectations and rhythms of the program.

Because our programs are nature-based, students also gradually build confidence and comfort with spending time outdoors through changing seasons and weather conditions. Children who begin in September have the opportunity to develop these skills over time alongside their peers.

That said, life doesn't always follow a school calendar. Families relocate, educational needs change, and sometimes a child simply needs a different environment than the one they are currently experiencing. We understand that these transitions can happen at any time of year and are happy to explore whether a mid-year start might be a good fit.

If space is available, we work closely with families to support a successful transition into the community. Tuition is prorated based on the student's start date and program selection.

If you're considering joining us part-way through the year, we encourage you to reach out. We'd be happy to discuss current availability and whether The Owl's Nest may be the right fit for your child.

Programs & Enrollment

How much does tuition cost? 

Tuition varies depending on the program selected.

We invite you to visit our Tuition & Fees page for current tuition rates, program options, registration information, and additional details about what is included in your child's educational experience.

If you have questions about tuition, payment options, or finding the right program for your family, we'd be happy to connect.

Is financial assistance available?

Yes, while we are not publicly funded, we do our best to make The Owl's Nest as accessible as possible for families.

We encourage families to review our Tuition Philosophy and Tuition & Fees pages to better understand how tuition supports our programs, educators, and learning environment. As an independent school, we rely primarily on tuition and community support to operate, which can create unique opportunities as well as challenges when it comes to affordability.

To help increase accessibility, we currently offer a variety of supports, including:

• The Sunshine Fund

• Sibling discounts

• Lump-sum payment discounts

• Occasional tuition assistance opportunities and promotional programs

In addition, our charitable partner, Roots and Wings Foundation, was created to help expand access to holistic education through scholarships, financial assistance, and community-supported initiatives. As the foundation grows, we hope to increase the support available to families seeking alternative educational options.

If tuition is a concern, we encourage you to reach out. While we cannot guarantee assistance, we are always happy to discuss available options and help families explore what may be possible.

School Information

Is The Owl's Nest School Registered?

Yes.

Our school program operates as a private school in Ontario and is listed with the Ontario Ministry of Education as a private school operating in the province. Families can find information about Ontario private schools through the Ministry's public directory.

Our preschool program operates as an unlicensed child care program. In Ontario, unlicensed child care programs are permitted to operate under specific regulations and limits established by the province.

As a private school, The Owl's Nest maintains student records, follows Ontario requirements for private schools, and provides individualized educational programming designed to support the whole child.

If you have questions about how private schools operate in Ontario or whether our programs may be the right fit for your family, we'd be happy to connect and answer them.

Who teaches at The Owl's Nest 

Our team is made up of passionate educators who bring a variety of experiences, backgrounds, and strengths to our learning community.

Depending on the program, students learn alongside Ontario Certified Teachers (OCTs), Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs), and specialized educators with expertise in areas such as literacy, child development, nature-based learning, wellness, movement, and experiential education.

At The Owl's Nest, we believe that meaningful relationships are at the heart of learning. Our educators take the time to truly know each child; their strengths, challenges, interests, and goals, allowing us to provide individualized support and create learning experiences that are engaging, responsive, and developmentally appropriate.

We are committed to ongoing professional learning and regularly deepen our knowledge in areas such as literacy, mathematics, executive functioning, social-emotional development, behaviour support, and holistic education.

We also believe that learning happens best when children can see meaningful connections between what they are learning and the world around them. Throughout the year, students have opportunities to learn from guest educators, community partners, parents, and skilled members of our community who share their knowledge, passions, and expertise. This may include experiences such as wood shop, martial arts, arts, farming, entrepreneurship, environmental stewardship, public speaking, and other hands-on learning opportunities.

By bringing a variety of voices, perspectives, and real-world experiences into the learning environment, we help students see the purpose behind their learning and develop meaningful connections between academics and everyday life.

Most importantly, our educators and community mentors are caring, reflective, and deeply invested in helping children grow into confident, capable, and compassionate learners.

To learn more about the individuals who make up our team, visit our Meet Our Team page.

Still have questions?

We'd love to connect.

The best way to learn about The Owl's Nest is through conversation. Book a tour or send us an email. We'd be happy to answer your questions and help you determine whether The Owl's Nest might be a good fit for your family.