Homeschool Pod
One option for the 2025-2026 school year is for Oak Forest Academy to open as a homeschool pod, with 6-7 students in the beautiful environment of a house adjacent to the forest.
The philosophy, opportunities, costs, and curriculum outlined elsewhere on this website are all still applicable, but scaled down to a smaller community of students working primarily with Sheri McGinnis. Read on for more details about this distinctive opportunity.
Oak Forest Academy’s Homeschool pod offers a unique and personal educational experience. Our school combines individual and classroom learning in an intentionally chosen forest environment. Within this micro-classroom community, students are supported by the expertise of a qualified and deeply committed educator. Each student’s strengths, character, intellectual curiosity, passions, and areas of growth are well known and supported because of this connection. The small size allows flexibility in collaborating with each family’s commitment for the individual student’s passions. It is a place for students to fully participate in the educational process with a teacher who engages meaningfully with each learner.
The teacher guides the small group of students in an exploration of Core themes throughout the year. They acquire thematic knowledge by experiencing, researching, discussing, listening, and engaging. Students use the forest extensively as they explore their curriculum. Students are encouraged to follow a path of passion while connecting to the core topic. A focused project of inquiry is then chosen by each student, and it culminates in a community presentation. This opportunity provides a platform to demonstrate a passionate link to learning, valorizing the student’s work.
The Core themes for 2025-2026 are the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Each element is explored through science, humanities, math, the arts, Spanish, the forest, and the larger community. Students follow the thread of the element through content connection that leads to a personal focus of inquiry related to a passion. This becomes the student’s project
Sample weekly experience:
Three days of instruction with Sheri, covering Core programing, math instruction and practice, guided and independent work. One day of instruction with Kate and other teachers, focused on Unit, Ecological work, and Math. One day of independent work to pursue extracurricular opportunities and fulfill goals.
One or more afternoons will feature hosted activities with other homeschooling groups or after school clubs to expand our programming and social circles.
