Osoberry School

A HUGE shout out to the parents that organized our Halloween Fashion Show! They dreamed up a project where kids got to make their own masks and costumes at school and then strut their stuff down the cat walk. Learning, joy, and community bonding in action. 😻🎃👻

We had so much fun at the historic Belmont Firehouse today! The kids played elaborate firefighter games and we ended our time playing with fall leaves at the park!

It’s all about Class Pets around here!

They began floating the idea of a class pet around the room. Then one kid (who I think will become president one day) started polling everyone and getting ideas. Each kid got to make a drawing or write down the pet they wanted. They did a vote but realized maybe not all the ideas made sense for class pets (i.e. skeletons…)

The energy has continued and we began transforming this interest into a class project. We worked together to create a list of “what works” and “what doesn’t” for our unique classroom. We found resources that talk about different pet care and will begin doing some research and note taking. We also discovered a class pet expert in our extended community and we wrote a letter to them so we could learn more.

This is the perfect example of a student-led, teacher-guided project. The kids arrive with an interest and the teacher takes that interest and focuses it so they can learn and grow from the experience.

You know teaching is your calling when you wake up at 6am on a Saturday morning excited to envision the next Theme Study Project for your class.

I can't wait to unleash this fabulous exploration into Building Equitable Communities inspired by the UCLA Lab School!

Community Building as World Building An early elementary teacher details an engineering unit. Students design a model community — with no police or banks — in which everyone gets what they need.

Olders playing with youngers. It’s so sweet to see the connections in our mixed-age community.

We had such a fun first week of school! We played games, learned about our new friends, explored the forest, and enjoyed our new classroom!

The group is joyful, playful, and oh so sweet.

We're looking for an Afterschool Coordinator to care for a small group of kids from 3-5pm.

This is a great opportunity for someone interested in teaching, progressive education, and caring for awesome kids!

Check out the job description and how to apply on our website: https://osoberry.school/employment/

We're so excited to head into our second year offering authentic learning, playful projects, and lots of time moving and exploring!

It's not too late to join us! Reach out today and find out what makes our program special.

We had a fabulous work party today at Osoberry School! I’m blown away by the energy and enthusiasm of this year’s parent group. I can’t wait to share before and after photos when we’re done getting our new classroom set up!

I’m heading back today from a beautiful two week family vacation where I had a chance to unplug and be present with fleeting moments. While camping, my older son suggested we try not knowing what time it is for several days in a row. I was surprised by how nourishing it felt to be untied from the expectations a clock holds.

Chances to put down regular life for a while and be present with the moment are so regulating. My brain and body feel recharged.

Since teaching and learning are my passion, I brought along a new book to digest during my time away: Neurodiversity Affirming Schools. I wasn’t sure if I would want to crack it open, and I gave myself permission not to.

However, reading it in the woods and on the beach was the perfect environment for letting the information steep. I’m proud to say that many of the strategies in the book I already intuitively use and factor into what I see as “high-quality” teaching. I’m also walking away with some new ideas for how to make this work more explicit and powerful in the classroom.

I hope you get a chance to step away from life for a little while this summer. I’m excited to head back to Osoberry next week and begin organizing our new classroom for our second year of school!

🌟New Blog Post!🌟

Growing Social Responsibility
Small is the key to learning how to accept our differences

Hey Folks,

Something magical happened this week at Osoberry. I witnessed a shifting in social understanding, a skill crystalizing. We are a small group and each kid’s quirks and personalities are obvious and known by all.

In a small class you can’t really hide and that’s the magic in it.

As new kids come in, there is this time of adjustment–everyone trying to figure each other out. Why does this kid react like that? Why are they making this noise? Why do they do things differently from me? At first it can feel strange, uncomfortable, even scary. Sometimes kids push against it and try to control the behaviors of others so they don’t feel that discomfort. They want it to stop or they want it to change.

But then, slowly over time, something interesting happens. They start to get used to each other, truly know each other, and give each other space to be themselves. The differences in each other are no longer strange or scary, it’s just Julian or Sam.

They are allowed their quirks and accepted for who they are.

In exchange, kids begin to have an internal drive to show up for each other. There is an understanding of social responsibility that begins to brew and develop: I am accepted in this group and I care about staying here. I care about these people who accept me and know me, and I want to accept and know them too.

Read the full article here: https://osoberry.school/blog/2025-07-20_growing-social-responsibility/

Hey Folks!

We have a few spaces left in our 2025/26 K-2nd grade class!
If you or someone you know is interested in a small, intentional school filled with art, hands-on learning, deep academics, and PLAY, reach out TODAY!

☑️ Strong Academics
☑️ Dedication to play
☑️ Art everyday
☑️ Forest Fridays

https://osoberry.school/apply/