Who We Are - Sprouting Seeds
Sprouting Seeds School is a parent-created, non-profit cooperative program where parents, teachers, and children learn and work together. The school began in 2002 when a small group of Columbia Kids Preschool families gathered to create a kindergarten program that was a continuation of the cooperative educational experience they had enjoyed as families in the preschool. We are unique in that we serve both as an enrichment program for children enrolled in public schools and as a core class for home-schooled children.
Our school continues to grow and change every year, and the 2023-2024 school year finds us with students enrolled in Kindergarten through middle school. Public school and home-school students from Southwest Washington area School Districts attend or have attended our program. For many years, our school has also engaged with distance learners from the Seattle area -- a Seeds family who moved from our area but enjoy and appreciate the continued learning connections with us. This family engages in thoughtful independent work at home with our studies and travels to attend our school and teach lessons when time allows.
In Philosophy we value:
showing children the wonder of the world and learning
continuity within a small, multi-age learning community
preserving the joys of childhood
embracing and celebrating similarities, and respecting differences
the nurturing of responsible citizens, resourceful thinkers, and creative problem-solvers
the nourishing of each child’s self-esteem
drawing on, and giving back to our community
our living Earth
teamwork and cooperation
integrated unit studies
extended, in-depth exploratory projects
creative processes as well as products
the creation of vital connections among people of all ages
peaceful conflict resolution
cultural diversity
parent education and support
What we do together
Each year is a different year for us as we change and grow. This process is overseen by each year’s dedicated group of families who continue to co-create the school together. This year our schedule is as follows:
Smaller family, multi-age groups:
Tuesday afternoons (12:30-4:00 p.m.)
Smaller family, multi-age groups:
Wednesday afternoons (12:30 to 4:00 p.m.)K – Middle School:
Friday afternoons (12:30-4:00 p.m.) - This allows us to plan and coordinate our unit study work within a large multi-age group.
In terms of a learning model, we are known in educational research as a mini-learning community. Once a quarter, we meet as a cooperative group of parents and teachers to discuss and develop approximately ten-week integrated curriculum unit studies that include long-term, in-depth projects that encompass all major content areas. We also focus on reading, writing, mathematics, and science during our afternoons. Parents develop projects and work alongside teachers in our program, and older children mentor younger children. We value the concept of being teachers and learners together.