Grounds & Facilities
Our Facilities
Our classes are housed in "the schoolhouse" and "the cabin"-- well-lit, home-like spaces carefully furnished to meet the needs of preK and elementary children. They include:
classroom spaces,
well-stocked libraries,
an art studio and makerspace,
a variety of block and small world play areas
puzzles and board games
writing and drawing centers
a covered porch for gathering
large, fenced-in outdoor spaces
Outdoor Play Spaces
Children play and learn outdoors daily in one of the rich play spaces on the 17-acre property (named by the children):
"The Yard" and "The Pasture"
Children have access all day to a fenced in outdoor classroom connected to the schoolhouse and the cabin.
"Down-the-hill"
Children visit a large play area and pavilion that includes several climbing structures, den-building areas, a mud kitchen, a stage, a ball field, and more.
An Obstacle Course
Children practice balancing, climbing, and team-building on a large obstacle course.
"Nature Playground"
A wooded trail around a creek gives children access to forest adventures and creeking.
Farm Life
Our diverse, sustainable farm features everything from fruit and veggie production to free range chickens and pastured sheep, from wild harvested medicines to culinary mushrooms.
Working with Weston, our Nature & Entrepreneurship teacher, students learn to garden, forage, and process food, as well as discover value in the natural world. Real life examples stimulate interest in and reinforce lessons learned in natural sciences, entrepreneurship, art, communication, math, natural history, literature, and more.
The Grounds
The school is hosted by Solid Ground Farm (SGF) in the rolling hills of Athens County. The 62-acre homestead farm and education center models sustainable agriculture practices, environmental stewardship, and conscious management of natural resources through participation with nature. Since 2008, SGF has hosted summer day camps, outdoor recreation events, and educational workshops.
Its facilities, gardens, pastures, orchards, forests, and recreational features present a wide array of learning opportunities in all seasons and allow participants to experience and interact with nature in its many forms. SGF presents opportunities for students to engage with farm life, learn practical skills and responsibilities, develop entrepreneurial projects, and experience the rhythms of the seasons.