Don’t just tell children about the world — show them.
How to Join
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Community memberships are open to families with children of all ages, however drop off programming is only available for children ages 4-12.
As a Community Member, you are invited to:
-one community day per week (Sundays) including a facilitated community wisdom circle for adults and free play for kids
-seasonal festivals
-bi-annual campouts
-special events as planned by families.
As True North members, families commit to the values and principles of self-directed education (SDE), and commit to attending at least one of our weekly Community Wisdom Circles (CWCs) per month, and commit to our compassionate communication approach to conflict resolution.
Families pay a sliding scale membership fee of $25-$250 per month. Our sliding scale is sustainable by all families paying what they are able.
Families wanting to access the drop-off programming must become members of the community and will pay a monthly materials and location rental fee of $25 per child in lieu of the monthly membership dues.
Interested in a monthly membership but not ready to commit? Enjoy access to our community free for one month.
Fill out the application and immerse yourself in the True North community to see if it’s the right fit for your family.
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For children ages 4.5 to 12, True North offers a drop-off program on Mondays and Thursdays from 10 am to 3 pm. Weekly offerings include animal husbandry, horsemanship, arts and crafts, culinary pursuits, reading and writing, and more.
Drop-off programming is tuition-based; please see below for daily offerings and payment information.
Families wanting to access the drop-off programming must become members of the community and will pay a monthly materials and location rental fee of $25 per child in lieu of the monthly membership dues.
Experience the benefits of belonging to a community of self-directed learners
Our facilitators come from a variety of professional backgrounds and encompass the values, passion, and joy of empowered learning.
True North celebrates individuality by offering activities that encourage exploration, play, and the pursuit of passions. Daily offerings may include horsemanship, Spanish, acting, dance, arts + crafts, videography, reading + writing, choreography, culinary pursuits, and more.
2023-2024 Offerings
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Drop-Off Program
MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, THURSDAYS
For children ages 4.5 to 12, True North offers a drop-off program on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10am to 3pm.
Drop-off programming is tuition-based (see below). We meet in public and private nature-based locations around Santa Barbara.
Families who want access to the drop-off program must be Community Members and will pay a monthly materials and location rental fee of $25 per child instead of monthly membership dues.
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Weekly Wanderings
TUESDAYS, COMMUNITY-LED
Open to anyone with a family membership.
Weekly nature-based wandering and field trips are available every Tuesday and are open to all families enrolled in a monthly membership. All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
These offerings will be community-generated and coordinated on a weekly basis.
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Community Days
FRIDAYS
Open to anyone with a family membership.
Every Friday is Community Day! Families with children of all ages are welcome to attend these weekly gatherings which include lots of free play, BYOB lunch, and weekly Community Wisdom Circles for adults to share wisdom and encouragement with one another.
Community Days take place outdoors from 11am to 2pm and are open to the entire family. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
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Events & Campouts
SEASONAL, COMMUNITY-LED
Open to anyone with a family membership.
Each term, our entire community retreats into nature to connect with each other and our beautiful local surroundings. Children and parents look forward to this intentional time together, making memories and sharing life and beauty.
Additionally, the community may gather for community-led festivals such as Día de Los Muertos or Solstice.
The things we learn from play aren’t trivial add-ons to becoming a functioning human being. They are the core of it. Play builds the foundation of a solid personality.
Johann Hari
2023-2024
Calendar
Fall Term (14 weeks)
September 4: First day of Fall Term
November 20-24: Closed for Thanksgiving Break (1 week)
December 15: Last day of Fall Term
December 18 - January 5: Closed for Winter Break (3 weeks)
Winter Term (11 weeks)
January 8: First day of Winter Term
March 22: Last day of Winter Term
March 25 - March 29: Closed for Spring Break (1 week)
Spring Term (11 weeks)
April 1: First day of Spring Term
June 14: Last day of Spring Term
Please Note: When planning the TN calendar, it was decided that rather than being closed for the various three-day weekends throughout the year, we would instead cumulate those days and add them to the winter break.
What is ‘Plearning?’
Play + Learning = Plearning
— because play and learning are the same thing!
Daily Offerings
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Mondays are at the horse ranch! By popular demand, we now offer two days at a small family ranch nestled in the foothills of Santa Barbara. The ranch has a herd of six wonderful horses and two friendly and beloved guardian dogs who love to greet you as you arrive.
Each week learners experience groundwork and horsemanship lessons. They'll be introduced to herd behavior and also form personal connections with the horse(s) of their choice.
We have found most learners connect with a particular horse and it is a beautiful thing to watch this experience develop into a bond between equine and rider. If we have any learners that are fearful or wary of the horses, we always honor their reluctance and ensure there is never any pressure to participate.
Drop-in cost: $100
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Open to families enrolled in our drop-off program or to Community Members, children accompanied by a parent or guardian can participate in Tuesday field trips or nature-based wander days. These offerings will be community-generated and planned and coordinated on a weekly basis.
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Wednesdays we meet at a lovely nature location in the foothills and will have many offerings available to the children including arts and crafts, monthly culinary pursuits, reading and writing, and more.
Drop-in Cost: $50
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Thursdays are at the horse ranch! By popular demand, we are now offering two days at a small family ranch nestled in the foothills of Santa Barbara. The ranch has a herd of six wonderful horses and two friendly and beloved guardian dogs who love to greet you as you arrive.
Each week learners experience groundwork and horsemanship lessons. They'll be introduced to herd behavior and also form personal connections with the horse(s) of their choice.
We have found most learners connect with a particular horse and it is a beautiful thing to watch this experience develop into a bond between equine and rider. If we have any learners that are fearful or wary of the horses, we always honor their reluctance and ensure there is never any pressure to participate.
Drop-In Cost: $100
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Open to anyone with a family membership.
Every Friday is Community Day! Families with children of all ages are welcome to attend these weekly gatherings which include lots of free play, BYOB lunch, and our weekly Community Wisdom Circles for the adults to share wisdom and encouragement with one another.
Occurring in an outdoor location from 11 am to 2 pm, Community Days are open to the entire family. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Membership and Tuition
We want to support families based on right fit, not income.
Choose a membership tier below that reflects what you are able to pay.
Our drop-off tuition varies depending on the activities offered on various days. If tuition is preventing you from applying, please contact us for information regarding scholarship opportunities.
Our scholarship program remains available based on the following:
Families paying what they can afford
Donations to our tuition fund
Grant programs
Monthly Family Memberships:
Families wanting to access the drop-off programming must become community members. They will pay a monthly materials and location rental fee of $25 per child in lieu of the membership fee.
Interested in a monthly membership but not ready to commit? Enjoy access to our community free for one month.
Fill out the application and immerse yourself in the True North community to see if it’s the right fit for your family.
Drop-Off/Drop-In Tuition Chart:
Mondays at the horse ranch: $100 per child per day (10am - 3pm)
Wednesdays at nature locations: $50 per child per day (10am - 3pm)
Thursdays at the horse ranch: $100 per child per day (10am - 3pm)
Siblings receive tuition at a 10% discount.
*Community Days are free, however certain activities (such as field trips) may have incidental costs which are not covered by TN.
Here’s an example:
If Jane is registered for Mondays (horse ranch days) that’s $100 per week and $25 (monthly materials fee for one kid) per month.
If there are four weeks in a month, her family would pay $425 for the month.
If her brother, Joe, joins on Mondays, his tuition is $90 per day (10% off $100) bringing their tuition total to $760 plus $50 (monthly materials fee for two kids) totaling $810 for that month.
Fees, Tuition Payments & Policies
Monthly membership fees:
Auto-paid monthly on the date you join. Pause or cancel at any time by emailing admin@truenorthsb.com.
Tuition Payments:
May be paid annually, by term, or monthly.
Your child's space is secured once the following has been submitted: a signed Enrollment Agreement and the first month’s tuition payment. You’ll then receive access to our Parent Portal with all the info you’ll need.
Absences:
True North is not able to give refunds for absences.
Withdrawal Policy:
It’s helpful for programmatic planning that families, whenever possible, commit to enrolling in the program for the full year. Sometimes, however, disruptions occur. We request a written 30-day notice be given before withdrawing your child from the program to allow us ample time to fill unanticipated vacancies.
“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”
— John Muir
Interested in becoming part of the True North Community?
True North offers community for the whole family and drop-off programming for children ages 4.5-12. We operate on a rolling admissions schedule.