​Enrollment: 2 days/ week, Monday and Wednesday OR Tuesday and Thursday, 7:30am-4:30pm. 

• Starting the Wednesday/Thursday after Labor Day
• Year-round, continues through the 3rd week in August

Tuition:
When choosing Secret Forest Playschool you are making an investment in high quality care that will provide your child with valuable ​​experiences. It is known that quality child care is linked to developing a strong foundation in a child’s development. While it is important to recognize that high quality child care comes with a cost, cost shouldn’t be a barrier. Secret Forest Playschool has created a tiered or “option” pricing system to ensure that more families in our community can choose high quality care for their child’s early years. 

• Option 1- $420/month (standard rate)
  

​​*This rate reflects the cost of care you would pay in other similar programs locally

• Option 2- $385/month (median rate)
• Option 3- $350/month (accessible rate)

*the standard rate reflects the cost of high quality care in our area, it is calculated per hour (per day rates may look different as many sites open later and close earlier making for shorter days)

Having tuition “option” pricing is intended to help Secret Forest Playschool maintain financial accessibility for families in our community while providing long-term sustainability for our program. All children enrolled receive the same care and experiences, and your selected tuition option is kept confidential.

​​Enrollment process:
​When an opening becomes available it is offered to families in the following order:

1. siblings of a currently enrolled family
2. siblings of families that were previously enrolled
3. families that qualify for reserved enrollment
4. families on the waiting list

We are willing and able to make the necessary accommodations for children with food allergies. 
​
​What is a reserved enrollment opening? 

At Secret Forest Playschool we want to welcome and represent children and families from diverse racial, ethnic, *socioeconomic, cultural backgrounds and/or those that have a **disability. Our goal is to become an integrated community where everyone feels loved, safe and happy (our definition of a place of PEACE). In an effort to make this possible we have reserved space for children and families that fit one or more of the above categories. 

*for qualifying families we have scholarships available to help cover what Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) funds will not

**Meghan has a degree in Sign Language Interpreting and has had experience working as a CNA and PCA with a variety of individuals with disabilities (please keep in mind our teacher to student ratio is 1:10)

When reserved enrollment openings are filled families will be added to the waiting list.

Enrollment Eligibility:

For a child to be eligible for Secret Forest Playschool they must be 3 years old before September 1st (of the year they are attending) AND *toileting independently. 

*Secret Forest Playschool is happy to make an exception to the toileting independently requirement in order to provide equal opportunities for children that are served by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

1) Why is the age requirement 3 years old? And why before September 1st?

• The full day programming at Secret Forest can be both emotionally and physically demanding for young children. It has been found over the years that with the structure of the day, in order to keep a good balance, that a minimum age of 3 years old allows the guide to best meet the needs of all of the children enrolled. Keeping the program mixed aged (3-5yrs old), all within a similar development stage, allows the children the opportunity to work together and learn from each other in an environment that is comfortable, yet stimulating.
• The age requirement (3 years old) is set before September 1st is to align to the MN State age requirement for when a child who is entering kindergarten must be 5 years old by. Following this standard will generally allow children to be enrolled at Secret Forest for one or two years before starting kindergarten. It is not likely that a child will be recommended to stay enrolled longer than two years because for a majority of the children after two years they have mastered their environment and are ready to be challenged in new ways. 
• All incoming enrollment begins the Wednesday and Thursday after Labor Day to align similarly to the local ISD709 school calendar, but primarily to allow all children that are new to transition in together at the same time (this helps us build our new community from day one!). 

2) Why does my child need to be toileting independently? 

• With only one guide on staff at a time we are not able to provide regular attention to addressing soiled clothing without it interrupting the experience of the other children in the attendance 
• Our program spends a majority of the day outdoors and provides unique opportunities such as field trips, sleeping outdoors, extended outdoor play time, and more! All of this is made possible by children having the ability to respond to their bodies’ needs.

3) What does toileting independently (for Secret Forest Playschool) mean?

• A child is to be enrolled in Secret Forest when they recognize and can communicate their body’s need to eliminate (during play and sleep). At Secret Forest children:
• Take regularly scheduled bathroom breaks every 1.5-2 hours throughout the day
• Use indoor facilities, an outdoor sawdust composting toilet, as well as go on trail in Mother Nature. If your child is able to express their bathroom needs the guide can always help them find a place to go!​
• Should to be able to do the following independently: get their own pants and underwear down, eliminate, wipe, pull their own underwear and pants up, flush and wash their hands

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Secret Forest Playschool has created a small community where relationships are built and individualized attention is sure to be given. In order to meet the children's needs there will never be more than ten children under 5 years old being cared for at once. When we don't have openings please check out these other high quality nature programs in the Duluth Nature Play Collaborative: Hartley Nature Preschool, Wind Ridge Schoolhouse, The Forest School at Marshall, Wandering Roots Preschool, Kindred Paths Nature School, Lake Superior Zoo School, Little Barnyard Preschool, Pleasant View Playhouse, and Cedar Hollow Forest School

And find a link to other programs around the world by using the Natural Start Alliance interactive map!