The site of a longstanding independent school that closed in 2024 will be filled with youthful energy once again as the Salt Spring Nature Academy (SSNA) embarks on its first year.
SSNA is not affiliated with the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga as the Salt Spring Centre School had been, but it is using the former school’s building and grounds for its new program accommodating 24 children aged five to nine.
A small program serving six children did run there last year, and SSNA grew from those small roots and what several local families indicated they wanted in a school for their children.
“This really was something built from the ground up with a group of parents,” said school co-founder, volunteer administrator and parent Kristen Frampton. “This parent collective rose up and said, ‘Let’s do this together’ . . . It’s amazing what parent motivation can achieve.”
Other available alternative education programs didn’t seem to meet those families’ needs, so they set about creating a new one that did.
“So many families on Salt Spring are really looking for a learning environment that keeps their children deeply connected to the earth, and really fosters curiosity and critical-thinking skills and relationship skills, and brings in the academic piece as well,” said Frampton. “So it’s a very holistic program.”
Minette Moolman is the school’s co-founder and primary grades educator, and Tyler McClaron leads the kindergarten-aged group. Sam Schuette is the education assistant.
Moolman has more than 20 years of experience in education and has been program director and lead educator at Little Red Schoolhouse, Salt Spring’s nature-based early years program, for the past five years.
She said, “We’re going to be collaborating, or co-teaching, quite a bit — myself, Tyler and Sam. So that’s really exciting, and it really provides the idea to have a multi-age learning space to create more of that village mentality of the older kiddos being the mentors to the little ones, and the little ones looking up to the older kiddos and so on.”
McClaron has worked as a theatre instructor, led forest play programs for kids aged four to six and worked as a professional interpreter for both Parks Canada and Alberta Parks. Schuette has been an EA in School District 64 and camp coordinator at Bullock Lake Farm Camp.
SSNA will follow the School District 64 calendar with a Monday to Thursday schedule and the same holiday periods.
The process to become an independent school accredited and funded through the provincial Ministry of Education is not straightforward, and while Frampton said that is an ultimate goal, it won’t be achieved quickly. That means SSNA is for now funded solely through fees and fundraising, and parents will also provide support through volunteering.
While the school is currently at the desired enrolment level for this fall, anyone wanting to register their interest should spaces become available or for next year can do so by emailing Frampton at admin@saltspringnatureacademy.com. Much more information about the school is available at saltspringnatureacademy.com.