Field & Brook

COMING IN FALL 2025

Nestled on Mt. Hood, we are offering a more holistic way for children to spend their days. Field & Brook will be a waldorf-homeschool hybrid dedicated to cultivating wonder, connection, and creativity in children. Imagine a mixture of forest school, farm school, emphasis on useful life skills and connection with the natural world, and field trips for older children.

Here, education will bloom in harmony with the rhythms of the earth and the innate curiosity of childhood.

Our Vision

At Field & Brook, we believe in a holistic approach to education that nurtures the head, heart, and hands. Our mission is to build more than just a school—we are building a community. Choosing not to follow the mainstream is a courageous path, and moving away from the collective consciousness is challenging without the support of like-minded individuals. We are here to foster that connection and support.

We believe that children are natural learners who thrive when they are nurtured, connected to nature, and in touch with their own hearts. Our goal is to help them grow into whole, confident humans who can shine in their individuality and community.

What We Offer

  1. Kindergarten (Ages 3-6): A cozy and nurturing environment where the youngest learners are encouraged to explore through play, storytelling, song, and nature-based activities.

  2. Grades Circle (Ages 7-13): A thoughtfully designed curriculum that integrates academics with hands-on experiences, art, craft, and movement.

  3. Homeschool Enrichment: Crafting and nature-rich classes for homeschoolers to join and learn alongside peers. Families can select from a variety of offerings, including things like gardening, pottery, building, cooking, earth studies, and more.

Our Approach

  1. Outdoor Learning: Children spend the majority of their time outdoors, immersed in activities like gardening, building, playing, and learning from the land. We see the natural world as both teacher and classroom.

  2. Hands-On Education: Practical skills like planting seeds, crafting tools, and building shelters are woven into the curriculum, fostering resilience, creativity, and a sense of accomplishment.

  3. Rhythm and Ritual: Inspired by Waldorf traditions, our days follow a gentle rhythm, with rituals and seasonal celebrations that connect children to the cycles of the year.

The Kindergarten

3-6 year olds

We are creatures of rhythm. Our hearts beat, our blood pulses, and our lungs move to a steady rhythm. We nourish children in their healthy development by being mindful of a young child’s need for rhythm and offering them the comfort of knowing what comes next as we move through our days, weeks, and years.

Names of the days of the week are a meaningless abstraction for young children, but children in Waldorf environments quickly come to know that soup day is followed by millet day. They may not be able to tell you it’s Thursday but they can tell you it’s bread day and that bread day is orange day and they get to wear their orange shirt. They know that on millet day we paint and soup day we chop vegetables.

It is all part of the Rhythm of the Week and creating comfort and safety for our children.

Each day we have our activities and snacks to rely on, but children are welcome to use play time for useful work. For example, on soup day, any child that wants to help chop vegetables to prepare our soup snack is welcome to. Sometimes we may do yoga, decide to build fairy houses, or observe mini beasts crawling into the bug hotel.

Our Rhythm

9:00 Arrival/Purposeful Work

9:45 Art

10:15 Snack

10:30 Play

11:30 Lunch

11:45 Story Time

12:00 Nature play

1:30 Snack

1:45 Tidy Up

2:00 Pick Up

The Grades Class

Our Waldorf Grades Classes offer a holistic and hands-on approach to education, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and a deep connection to the world. Each class is inspired by the Waldorf philosophy, integrating academics with art, storytelling, music, and movement to meet children where they are developmentally.

Highlights of our classes include:

  • Main Lesson Blocks: Immersive learning experiences focusing on subjects like history, science, and literature through storytelling, art, and practical activities.

  • Art and Handwork: Opportunities to explore watercolor painting, clay work, knitting, and other crafts that develop fine motor skills and patience. Homeschool enrichment classes will be a part of the grades days.

  • Nature and Outdoor Learning: Emphasis on connecting with the rhythms of nature through outdoor exploration and seasonal activities.

  • Music and Movement: Incorporation music and movement to bring learning to life through rhythm and harmony.

Our small class sizes ensure that each child receives individual attention while thriving in a supportive and inspiring community. These classes nurture the whole child—head, heart, and hands—helping them grow into confident and compassionate individuals.

Homeschool Enrichment

Our homeschool enrichment classes are designed to provide children with hands-on, nature-centered, and creative experiences throughout the year. These classes nurture curiosity, imagination, and a deep connection to the natural world while fostering practical skills and artistic expression, giving parents a break from knowing and doing it all. Families can check out our calendar and sign their children up for any classes.

Throughout the year, we offer a diverse array of classes, such as:

  • Herbalism: Exploring the healing properties of plants through foraging, creating herbal remedies, and connecting with the rhythms of nature.

  • Clay Work: Hands-on sculpting and pottery projects that inspire creativity and teach patience and craftsmanship.

  • Regenerative Gardening: Learning sustainable gardening techniques, composting, and cultivating a love for the earth.

  • Fiber Arts: Engaging in knitting, felting, and weaving projects that develop fine motor skills and a sense of accomplishment.

  • Fermenting Foods: Hands-on lessons in making sauerkraut, pickles, yogurt, and other fermented foods, combining science, tradition, and nourishment.

  • Building and Craftsmanship: Exploring basic woodworking, shelter building, and other practical skills that instill confidence and a spirit of collaboration.

Building Field & Brook

Field & Brook is a vision for a better way of nurturing our children. As we embark on this journey, we’re inviting families like yours to be a part of something special. Together, we can create a space where children thrive in nature, connect with their hearts, and grow into their full potential.

Why We Need Your Support

Starting an alternative school requires heart, courage, and the backing of a community that shares our values. To make this dream a reality, we need your help to build the foundation—literally and figuratively. From outdoor classrooms to gardening spaces, materials for crafting, and the resources to bring inspiring teachers on board, every contribution helps us shape the new world we envision.

How You Can Get Involved

  • Spread the Word: Every conversation helps us grow our community.

  • Join the Fundraising Campaign: We will run a fundraising campaign this summer to help us launch in the fall.

  • Volunteer Your Time or Talents: Do you love to garden, build, or craft? Have a skill or resource you’d like to offer? Let’s collaborate!

  • Be a Founding Family: Enroll your child in Field & Brook and be part of the pioneering group that helps shape our school’s culture and traditions.

  • Become a Team Member: We are looking for a teacher and assistants. Please get in touch.

Imagine The Possibilities

Children don’t need desks and ipads. Picture children spending their days immersed in nature, their hands in the soil, their imaginations running wild in creative play. Imagine a community of families coming together to celebrate seasonal festivals, support one another, and share in the joy of raising whole, confident humans. This is the vision of Field & Brook —and it’s within reach, with your help.

About Us

We are a family passionate about re-imagining education and building a supportive community where children and families can thrive. With years of experience and a shared love for Waldorf-inspired learning, we bring a personal and heartfelt approach to everything we do.

We believe in education that nurtures the whole child—head, heart, and hands—and empowers families to embrace learning as a lifelong journey. Field & Brook is the culmination of our vision: a space where children spend their days outdoors, exploring gardens, building projects, and connecting with their hearts and the natural world.