Calendar + Daily Schedules

  • Mountain Run Forest School roughly follows the Culpeper County Public Schools schedule– not because we believe in the inherent value of the traditional “school year” (learning happens all year round, and summer outside rocks!), but because the start of school ushers in a quieter season for the parks, which gives us more freedom to explore, and because we understand some families have children in CCPS too!

    Here’s the full calendar.

    Our first day for kindergarten/micro school will be August 18, 2025, and our last day will be May 22, 2026.

    Our first day for part time forest school will be August 21, 2025, and our last day will be May 20, 2026.

  • MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, + FRIDAY: Core Days are academic days for our full time kindergarten and micro school programs. Drop off is from 8:30-9. Pick up is at 3:00.

    THURSDAY: Adventure Days are for both full time students and part time homeschool students. Drop off is from 8:30-9. We usually leave the park shortly after 9 to travel to our day’s destination. Pick up is at 3:00(ish)— be advised: it’s hard to get home exactly on time when you’re dealing with a large gaggle of wet children. :)

  • 8:30-9:00 Drop off

    9:00-10:30 Outdoor play and exploration

    10:30-11:30 Group academic block

    11:30-1:30 Individual/small group instruction

    1:30-3:00 Outdoor play and exploration

    3:00 Pick up

    This is a general overview of how our days are structured. Depending on interest levels/ seasons/ discoveries, we may spend more time in organized learning or working together on an activity. If students are deeply involved in their play, we make space and time for that. If students are buzzing to learn more after a particular mini lesson, we lean into that enthusiasm!

    Want to learn more about our curriculum? Request an introductory packet, and schedule a meeting today! We’d love to answer all your questions.

  • 8:00-9:00 Drop off and free play

    9:00 Travel to adventure site

    10:00-2:00 Outdoor adventure, play, and learning

    3:00 Pick up at Mountain Run

    Please note: it is nearly impossible to accurately predict when we will arrive back. It is generally between 3 and 4. We always give parents an ETA when leaving the trail head. If you have somewhere to be directly after school, please let us know in advance.

  • 5 full days is a lot for our youngest friends. If your child (or your own heart!) is not ready for full days, we offer a half-day kindergarten program 4 days/week. Parents have the option to also sign up for full days on Thursdays, if their child wants to join us on Adventure Day. Our half day program is 8:30-12:00.