Wild Tenders AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM

2023/24

youth program participant // photo by Dave Hage

The second year of our Wild Tenders Afterschool program is starting up in September 2023. The goal of this afterschool program is to make Wild Tenders available on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons (early dismissal days) to children who are attending local elementary and middle schools. Program days will be AT RAGLE PARK! 

At Wild Tenders, the local ecosystem is the classroom — the woods, creeks, meadows, hills, plants, and animals come magically alive through exploration, interaction, story, and consistent contact through the seasons. This direct experience and meaningful play help our students to know themselves as interdependent, ecological beings.

As with all of our programs, Wild Tenders is simultaneously committed to education that cultivates earth intimacy and that interrupts the socialization of dominant, oppressive systems that have caused so many social, ecological, and existential crises that we face today. We do this work in service to our vision of a world deeply rooted in interrelationship, respect for life, and shared protection of the planet upon which we all depend.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. OUR APPROACH TO EDUCATION

We organize our curriculum into four interrelated pillars. While we present these pillars as distinct, we want to emphasize that they are fluid and always interconnected in practice. That fluidity is symbolized by the wave.

Before applying, please read below about how each pillar relates to our youth programs. We present this information so you can decide if our approach aligns with your family’s vision and values. If you have any questions, please email us at youthprograms@weavingearth.org.

For an additional overview of our curriculum, please take a look at our Core Curriculum page.

 EARTH INTIMACY 

 CO-LIBERATION 

 EMBODIMENT 

 prayerful action 

CP-rock-tower-careful

WHY EARTH INTIMACY FOR KIDS?

“Knowing that you love the earth changes you, activates you to defend and protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond.”

(Robin Wall Kimmerer)

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Spiderweb,At,Morning.,Dewdrops,On,Spiderweb,At,Morning.,Spiderweb,Dewdrops

WHY CO-LIBERATION WITH KIDS?

“Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.”
(Fannie Lou Hamer)

Read More
ready to run

WHY EMBODIMENT WITH KIDS?

“Our bodies are the earth in human form.”
(tayla shanaye)

Read More
jazmin basketry1

WHY prayErful action with KIDS?

“To love a place is not enough. We must find ways to heal it.”
(Robin Wall Kimmerer)

Read More

II. PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Below, you’ll find information on weekly schedule, location, annual schedule, and tuition. Any questions? Contact youthprograms@weavingearth.org for assistance.

1. AGE GROUPS

For ages 6-14. There are two cohorts for the Wild Tenders Afterschool Program — The Hummingbirds and The Hawks. Each cohort needs a minimum of 3 kids to run. 

  THE HUMMINGBIRDS 
6-8 YEAR OLDS
 THE HAWKS 
9-14 YEAR OLDS

2. WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Registration for our Wednesday and Thursday Afterschool Programs is open. The program runs from 1-5pm. Note that during the month of December, pickup will be at 4:30 due to the shorter daylight hours.

MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
-
-
1 PM - 5 PM
1 PM - 5 PM
-
WEDNESDAY
1 PM - 5 PM
THURSDAY
1 PM - 5 PM

3. LOCATION

Ragle Ranch Regional Park. 

4. ANNUAL SCHEDULE

To see a detailed calendar showing all of the days we are in session for the 2023-24 year, click the icon below to view a spreadsheet of dates, or click here. We are offering our afterschool programs in two semesters. You can sign up for the first half of the year, the second half of the year, or both! See pricing per semester below. 

 

III. TUITION

1. PRICING

The Wild Tenders Afterschool Program is priced on a sliding scale. The price below is the tuition for either the Thursday or the Wednesday program.

*The lower end of the sliding scale is less than the annual cost per child needed to meet our organizational expenses, which include staff pay and benefits, program site rent, materials, and insurance.
 

 ToTAL TUITION

 SEMESTER A

13 program days

$925* to $1100

 ToTAL TUITION

 SEMESTER B

18 program days

$1275* to $1525

 ToTAL TUITION

BOTH SEMESTERS

$2200* to $2625

 

                             Refund policies are outlined in the Financial Agreement you receive upon acceptance into the program.

HOW SHOULD I USE THE SLIDING SCALE?

If you are financially comfortable and/or have access to inherited wealth, family support, or other sources of financial stability, we encourage you to pay on the higher end of the sliding scale.

Similarly, if you inhabit multiple systematically privileged identities (e.g. white, heterosexual, cisgender, able-bodied, U.S. citizen, et cetera), we encourage you to pay on the higher end of the sliding scale.

Ultimately, with these considerations in mind, we trust and support you to choose the tuition that works for you and your family.

If you are able to pay beyond the sliding scale, any additional money will be treated as a tax-deductible donation and will automatically be put into our Financial Assistance Funds (see below).

WHAT IF I CAN'T AFFORD THE SLIDING SCALE?

We recognize the sliding scale may be or feel cost-prohibitive for some families. Moreover, we are committed to pricing our programs in ways that take into account structural barriers and systemic discrimination, past and present, to the best of our abilities. Please read the following section to learn more about three approaches we are using beyond the sliding scale to make Wild Tenders financially accessible to as many families as possible. If you have any questions about tuition and finances, please reach out to us at youthprograms@weavingearth.org.

2. FINANCIAL ACCESSIBILITY BEYOND THE SLIDING SCALE

I. GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND

We have some scholarship funds available and we prioritize supporting indigenous families, black families, and other families of color, as well as folx from other marginalized groups, single working parents, parents between jobs, parents with disabilities, et cetera. If financial assistance beyond the sliding scale would be supportive for you in joining this program, you can indicate that in your application. Once we have a sense of the overall need, we will do our best to accommodate everyone’s requests.

II. PAYMENT PLANS

Additionally, we offer flexible payment plan schedules. We will ask you to specify in your application what your financial plans/needs are for the Wild Tenders Afterschool Program, but please note that you will not be asked to sign an official financial agreement until after you have been accepted. For now, we want you to have this information for your planning purposes.  

OPTION 1 — ONE-TIME PAYMENT

Some families choose to make a one-time full payment before the start of the year. 

OPTION 2 — PAYMENT PLAN

Many families elect to pay their tuition in installments. This option is available to anyone, including families who are receiving  scholarship funds.  We offer two Payment Plans: you can pay MONTHLY or with a THREE INSTALLMENT payment plan. Payment date details will be outlined in your financial agreement upon acceptance into the program.    

Please note: If you plan to pay by check, we ask that you send us all of your payments as postdated checks before the start of the year. There is also the option to pay by direct ACH transfers. 

IV. APPLICATION

 

NOTE: If you are applying for the daylong Wild Tenders program, you DO NOT need to fill out this application. Please email youthprograms@weavingearth.org and we will take care of the rest.

APPLICATION PERIODS FOR AFTERSCHOOL THURSDAY

 PHASE 1 

APPLY BEFORE MONDAY, MAY 30th 2022

HEAR AN UPDATE ON MONDAY, JUNE 6th 2022

If you submit an application before Monday, May 30th, we will consider your application as part of our first round of acceptance decisions. Submitting an application does not guarantee that you will be accepted in this first round. We will notify you of a decision on Monday, June 6th. If you are accepted, you will have two weeks (until Monday, June 20th) to complete all of your registration paperwork and make a deposit to secure your spot. 

 PHASE 2 

APPLY BETWEEN MONDAY, MAY 30th and MONDAY, JUNE 13th 2022

HEAR AN UPDATE ON MONDAY, JUNE 20th 2022

If you submit an application between Monday, May 30th and Monday, June 13th, you will automatically be placed on our Waiting List and we will consider your application as part of our second round of acceptance decisions if there is space. We will notify you of your updated status on Monday, June 20th. If you are accepted, you will have two weeks (until Tuesday, July 5th) to complete all of your registration paperwork and make a deposit to secure your spot.  

 PHASE 3 

APPLY AFTER MONDAY, JUNE 13th

HEAR AN UPDATE WITHIN TWO WEEKS

If you submit an application after Monday, June 13th, you will automatically be placed on our Waiting List and we will consider your application as part of our third round of acceptance decisions. We will notify you of your updated status within two weeks of receiving your application. 

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