Root & Trail is a homeschool enrichment group for children ages 6–12 in Waynesboro, Virginia.

Our programs bring together community, meaningful learning experiences, and nature connection to support children’s growth as whole people.

Neither.

Root & Trail provides enrichment programs for homeschoolers. Families remain responsible for their children’s foundational academic instruction, whether that happens at home, through a tutor, through a co-op, or in another setting.

Unlike many homeschool co-ops, participation does not require a parent to teach classes or complete parent service hours.

No. Our primary Homeschool Enrichment groups meet outdoors, and nature connection is an important part of Root & Trail. 

However, our other programs, clubs, workshops, and community events may meet indoors or include a combination of indoor and outdoor experiences.

By thoughtfully integrated, we mean that children with and without disabilities participate together in the same groups and community.

Rather than creating a typical program and then trying to help struggling children fit into it, Root & Trail was designed from the start with flexibility, accessibility, and support in mind. This makes our programs accessible to a wider variety of children than many traditional co-ops and enrichment programs.

We especially hope to bridge a gap for children who often find themselves between available options – children who need more flexibility, preparation, or support than typical groups provide, but who can meaningfully participate alongside their peers when those supports are in place.

Is Root & Trail a special education program?

No.

Root & Trail is an enrichment program designed to welcome children with a range of strengths, needs, neurotypes, and abilities.

We are not a school, special education service, or therapy provider.

We’re also not a program solely for children with disabilities or support needs. 

Our goal is to cultivate an integrated, supportive community that reflects the diversity of abilities in our world. A place where children with and without disabilities learn, play, create, and grow together.

All kinds!

Our groups intentionally welcome children with different personalities, interests, strengths, communication styles, learning styles, and support needs.

Many of our students do not require additional support at all, while some (typically about one-third) have identified disabilities, both visible and invisible. Root & Trail is not a special education program or a program designed solely for children with support needs.

The goal isn’t to create separate spaces for different kinds of children. The goal is to build a community where a variety of children can learn, play, create, explore, and grow together.

Integration gives children opportunities to form real friendships with peers who think, communicate, play, and experience the world differently. Through those relationships, children naturally develop communication, collaboration, problem-solving, self-advocacy, healthy boundaries, and an appreciation of individual differences. These skills prepare them for the diverse friendships, workplaces, and communities they’ll navigate throughout their lives.

It depends on the child, the program, the environment, and the resources available within the group.

Supports might include visual information, sensory tools, movement and regulation breaks, flexible participation, additional processing time, modified expectations, help navigating social situations, physical assistance, or additional adult support.

When a child needs support, we work with the family to understand what may make participation difficult and what might help.

We want children with support needs to have genuine opportunities to participate, but no single program can meet every child’s needs.

Before enrollment, we learn about a child’s strengths, gifts, safety considerations, communication, and support needs. We consider their individual situation alongside the particular program, environment, staffing, group composition, and resources available.

Sometimes we may determine that additional support is needed for a child to participate safely and successfully, or that a particular Root & Trail program isn’t the right fit at that time.

Our primary programs are designed for children ages 6–12.

Some special programs, community events, or future offerings may serve other age groups. Check the individual program page for current ages.

Instead of expecting every child to do the same thing at the same level, experiences can be approached with different levels of complexity, independence, and support. Children also learn from one another – sharing ideas, collaborating, helping, teaching, negotiating, and taking on different roles within the group.

Small enough for Guides to know the children well and provide meaningful support.

Exact enrollment limits vary by program. We always maintain at least a 6:1 child-to-adult ratio. Current group sizes are listed on each program’s web page.

Root & Trail is a nonreligious organization and is not affiliated with any church or faith tradition.

We don’t provide religious instruction or use faith-based curriculum. Our nature and science learning is observational: we study the natural world we can observe, investigate, and learn about right now, and leave questions of origins and historical interpretation to individual families. When religious or cultural topics come up, we approach them from a “some people believe or celebrate this” perspective rather than teaching a particular interpretation as fact.

Our community itself is intentionally diverse and includes both religious and nonreligious families. Families bring a wide range of beliefs, cultural backgrounds, family traditions, and perspectives on everything from education to food, health, and lifestyle. Children may encounter families whose beliefs and choices differ from their own—and we expect that.

What brings us together is a shared desire for children to learn, play, explore, and grow in a community where differences are welcome.

Children who are ready to participate independently may be dropped off, and most of our families choose to drop off.

Parents are not required to stay, volunteer, teach, or complete parent service hours as a condition of their child’s enrollment.

At the same time, we don’t require every child to participate without a parent or caregiver present. Some parents enjoy participating with their child and making our group possible, some children benefit from having a familiar adult nearby, and in some circumstances an accompanying adult or aide may be part of the support plan that makes a child’s participation possible.

This varies somewhat by program and setting.

In general, children participating without their own accompanying adult need to be able to, with normal group supervision rather than an adult consistently within arm’s reach or immediately nearby:

• remain reasonably safe within the environment and group
• stay within established boundaries
• respond to essential instructions and guidance from adults
• communicate important needs in some way
• participate in activities at their developmental level, or choose from available alternatives when opting out

Children do not need to be completely independent in every area to participate in Root & Trail.

If you’re unsure whether your child is ready, that’s something we can discuss during the enrollment process.

Absolutely! Parents are welcome to stay and participate alongside their child. 

Parents who plan to stay routinely will need to complete a background check and orientation, and agree to help us cultivate the supportive group environment we’re working to build together.

Yes. Staff, regular volunteers, and other adults who routinely participate in our programs are required to complete a background check in accordance with Root & Trail’s policies.

Our nature-based programs spend all of their meeting time outdoors and use the natural environment as:

• a place for learning
• an important part of what children learn about

Children have opportunities for nature study, exploration, creative work, movement, play, practical skills, supported risk-taking, and child-directed discovery.

At Root & Trail, nature-based doesn’t mean wilderness survival school. Much of what we do looks like childhood, lived outdoors: investigating, building, making, wondering, talking, noticing, experimenting, getting muddy, solving problems, and spending meaningful time with other children.

Nature offers an unusually rich environment for whole-child development.

Outdoors, children naturally encounter opportunities to move their bodies, use their senses, solve real problems, take appropriate risks, notice patterns, practice creativity, collaborate, play, and develop relationships with the living world around them.

Note: While many children thrive outdoors, we don’t assume that nature is automatically comfortable or regulating for every child. Individual sensory needs and tolerances vary, and we support children accordingly.

Yes!

Our nature-based groups meet outdoors in a wide range of weather throughout the year. Appropriate clothing and gear make an enormous difference.

We cancel, modify plans, or dismiss early when conditions become hazardous rather than simply uncomfortable.

We take safety seriously while recognizing that healthy childhood also involves movement, exploration, challenge, experimentation, and age-appropriate risk. 

Guides prepare environments carefully, supervise children, establish appropriate boundaries, assess changing conditions, and help children learn to recognize hazards and make increasingly thoughtful decisions for themselves.

Specific safety procedures vary by program and activity.

At parks and natural areas in and around Waynesboro, Virginia.

Exact locations vary by program and term. Families receive the information they need before attending.

For outdoor groups, it varies somewhat by season and program, but children generally need food and water, a comfortable way to carry their belongings, and clothing appropriate for spending several hours outdoors in the day’s weather.

Please see our Student Gear Guide for our current recommendations.

Most of our regular meeting locations have access to park restrooms for at least part of the year.

We also plan for locations and seasons when conventional restrooms aren’t available and make use of a private, portable camping toilet and Leave No Trace guidelines.

Let’s talk about it!

Sensory differences, temperature regulation, disabilities, and other individual needs can make particular weather conditions much harder for some children than for others. Depending on the situation, accommodations, different gear, additional support, shortened participation, or sitting out a particular day may be appropriate.

The goal isn’t to prove that a child can endure uncomfortable conditions. It’s to make outdoor participation as accessible, safe, and successful as we reasonably can.

Tuition and fees vary by program.

See each individual program’s pages for current schedules, tuition, fees, and enrollment options.

Yes. Families who are unable to reasonably manage the available payment options may submit a brief Financial Aid Request form, once they’ve been through the interview in the enrollment process, or anytime thereafter if their financial situation changes.

As a newly established nonprofit organization, financial assistance funds are currently limited. Assistance will be offered as funding becomes available through donations, grants, and other program resources. Depending on the amount of available funding and program resources, Root & Trail may consider customized installment schedules, temporary payment adjustments, partial tuition assistance, scholarship support, reduced rates supported through donations or grants, or other reasonable arrangements. Financial assistance is not guaranteed.

Already part of Root & Trail?
Enroll in available groups or join a waiting list through your Our School Hangout account. You’re also welcome to talk with your Guide about upcoming options.

New to Root & Trail?

1. Submit an interest form. Tell us which program(s) you’re interested in and a little about your child.
2. We’ll check availability. If there isn’t currently an opening, we’ll give you the option to join the waiting list.
3. Let’s talk! When an opening is available, we’ll schedule a phone call so you can learn more about the program and your child’s Guide, and we can learn more about your child—their strengths, interests, needs, and anything else that will help us get to know and support them well from the start.
4. Enroll. If the program feels like a good fit, we’ll send you what you need to complete enrollment and get ready to join us.