WonderWild is a hybrid microschool for Knoxville homeschoolers based on self-directed learning, playfulness, experimenting, and exploring. We value authenticity, autonomy, unhindered play, noise and motion, critical and creative thinking, and community collaboration.

This handbook highlights our values, procedures, and expectations for all WonderWild members. It is updated regularly to reflect our real-world practices as they evolve.

Our Days

Activities: Daily activities are chosen by each individual learner. At Morning Meeting we talk about everyone’s goals and plans, making a loose schedule for the day. Activities that are always available include big energy play in the Play Room; solo computer work, alone time, or calm games in the Quiet Room; art, mud kitchen, and nature activities outside; art/maker projects, table games, construction sets, books, musical instruments, and Invitations offered by staff in the Focus Room.

Invitations: Each day staff offers prepared activities based on our learners’ current interests or the “next step” they might be interested in. These often have an academic focus, however, these are always rooted in play and curious exploration and are always optional.

Values: During repeated group conversations and one-one-one moments, we highlight important values that shape our community. These include:

• Being amazing together – Seeing each other as amazing individuals, sharing compliments and encouraging each other.
• Teamwork – Sharing, collaborating, negotiating, and working together as a community to help each other reach our goals.
• Making mistakes – Being scientists who are willing to experiment, guess, get it wrong, and have fun trying and trying again
• Speaking up – Sharing our feelings and goals, speaking up with something seems wrong, and listening to others when they speak.
• Consent – Asking before touching others or taking something from them. Giving each other space. Checking in on how others are doing.

Inclusivity: WonderWild is committed to an inclusive learning environment where every individual is valued, respected, and celebrated for their unique qualities. We embrace diversity in all its forms, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, family type, religion, ability, and neurodiversity.

Books, Materials, and Topics Content: We value intellectual inquiry, inclusivity, and accurate knowledge. Our age-appropriate books and materials may include subjects such as the Big Bang, evolution, human anatomy, human sexuality and gender, and identity-inclusive language. We may share resources on world religions from an academic perspective. Conversations between learners are generally not restricted, and they may share topics with one another from their own perspectives. Questions on any topic directed at staff are answered with age-appropriate honesty and straight-forward language.

Borrowing Materials: Most of our tools, books, and other materials are available to take home for a limited time. We keep a check-out list. If you lose or break an item, we may ask you to reimburse us for the cost.

Food: Our policy restricting allergen foods is regularly updated based on the needs of our enrollees, and you will be notified in person of the current policy. Learners are encouraged to bring a packed lunch from home. They are also welcome to our selection of ready-to-eat foods which include fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, snack-size meats and cheeses, pretzels or crackers, and popcorn. They can access food any time and are never pressured to eat. We have a shared lunch/circle time where everyone is reminded to eat.

Clothing: We ask that you send your learner with weather-appropriate clothing suitable for outdoor play. Our program supports messy, sensory, creative play, and their clothing may become dirty. Please send them in clothes that you’re comfortable getting paint or dirt on. You can keep a change of clothes in their cubby.

Safety and Risk Management: Young people at WonderWild are trusted to make decisions, and they may engage in “risky” play. This may include the use of hand tools such as hammers, saws, and hot glue guns. This may include roughhousing and physically imaginative play designed and refereed by the learners. WonderWild staff are trained to supervise these activities to maximize young people’s autonomy without compromising safety. Learners are never pushed to take risks – they are encouraged to evaluate potential risks, use their own judgement, and speak up when they are unsure or need help.

Outdoor Play

Learners may choose to play outdoors at any time during the WonderWild day. This is an important part of our program, and we aim to help each child have a safe and comfortable experience outside.

Weather Restrictions: In general, learners may choose to play outside in any weather. Everyone comes inside if there is visible lightning. During very cold or very hot temperatures learners are guided to check in with their bodies and to come inside regularly before going back out again.

Wildlife, Insects, and Plants: Outdoor exploration means learners may encounter insects, wildlife, and plants – including wasps, fire ants, mosquitoes, and poison ivy. Please disclose any known allergies on the Contact & Medical Information form. We make every effort to educate WonderWild learners about identification and safe behavior around potentially harmful wildlife and plants.

Messiness: Learners are free to choose their own level of getting wet or dirty outside and whether or when to change clothes. Each family is encouraged to have a change of clothes in their learner’s cubby.

Learner Conduct

Weapons: No weapons are allowed. We encourage our learners to explore their varied interests, which may require tools that resemble weapons, such as whittling knives or Nerf blasters. We evaluate these tools on a case-by-case basis to decide as a community what we are comfortable allowing in those instances.

Dress Code: Each learner has the freedom to decide whether or not to have their shoes/socks on, to put on outerwear to go outside, and to change into clean clothes after messy play. Learners are encouraged to change clothes in the bathroom and use the toilet with the door closed to prevent nudity in front of others.

Community Electronic Media: WonderWild has a laptop, an iPad, and an mp3 player, pre-loaded with programs that learners are welcome to freely use. These programs may include Minecraft, Adapted Mind, Epic Library, and digital art programs like Procreate. YouTube is sometimes used for videos selected by staff as part of an Invitation or when a learner wants more information on a specific topic. Learners never access the internet unsupervised, and no program is ever enabled to interact with other online users. Learners are supported in setting time limits, treating devices carefully, and coordinating with one another to ensure fair access to shared devices.

Behavior Challenges: We prioritize everyone’s emotional and physical safety, responding to behavior by considering each individual’s needs, abilities, and the unique context of each situation. Instead of compliance, our goals are connection, skill-building, and a community where everyone feels safe enough to learn and grow. Most behavior challenges are minor and developmentally appropriate, such as personal disagreements between learners, expressing intense emotions, and testing the boundaries of community agreements. These moments are met with connection and coaching with strategies like co-regulation and nervous system support, collaborative problem-solving with the learners involved, taking a break to return to negotiation after cooling off, and reflective conversations.

Conflicts: Young people routinely experience conflicts between one another. WonderWild staff are trained to differentiate between conflicts that learners can be expected to work out between themselves and conflicts that require adult assistance. We use various problem-solving methods to encourage open, engaging conflict resolution between individual learners and as a community.

Respectfulness: We value respect and cultivate an environment where everyone feels heard, supported, and empowered, as well as physically and emotionally safe. We regularly discuss what it means to be a community and the goal of working together as a team. We discuss how to give encouraging statements to each other and how to respect other people. We actively discourage any form of discrimination or harassment, especially hate speech, verbal aggression, or physical aggression. We understand that children are learning, and we immediately assist all parties when any disrespectful behaviors arise.

Personal Items

Each learner has a designated cubby for storing personal items, and they are welcome to bring toys, books, etc. from home to use during the day. They are not required to share personal items with others, however, they should be mindful that items left unattended may be interacted with by others.

Personal Electronic Media: Personal media devices are generally not permitted. Learners who want a communication device with them are encouraged to leave it in their cubby. 

Food and water: All learners are encouraged to bring a lunch and a personal water bottle. A refrigerator/freezer and microwave are available for storing/preparing food.

Clothes: All learners are encouraged to have a change of clothes in their cubby.

Operation Information

Program Fees: There is a one-time per-family enrollment fee and a monthly tuition based on the number of days your learner is enrolled. Tuition is due by the first class day of the month. A late fee may be charged for late payments. If you pay to reserve a spot for a future date or receive a discount to pay multiple months at a time, these fees are non-refundable if you unenroll your learner.

Program Hours: WonderWild operates from 10am to 3pm. Earlier drop-off may be possible on request. Please let us know as soon as you know if you will arrive late for pickup. We may charge an additional fee for chronic late pickup.

Calendar: We are in session each Monday and Wednesday, and we operate year round. We are closed for a limited number of holidays. Please see the Key Dates section of the Parent Portal for upcoming holiday closures.

Closures: Staff will notify parents as soon as possible if we need to close for serious weather situations or staff absence due to illness. If weather or staff illness causes 2 or more unexpected closures in a calendar month, we will issue partial tuition refunds for that month.

 

Legal Homeschool Compliance: Learners enrolled at WonderWild are homeschoolers. WonderWild is not a private school or an umbrella school. Each family is responsible for following TN homeschooling laws.

Attendance Policies

Attendance: There is no attendance requirement. To help with planning, we appreciate a notification if your learner will miss a day. Enrollment is on a month-to-month basis. To help with planning, we appreciate a heads-up if you know you will be withdrawing your learner soon.

Illness: We ask that your learner not come to WonderWild if they are potentially contagious. Signs that they should stay home include fever over 100°; unusual dizziness, weakness, tiredness, or lack of appetite; diarrhea or vomiting; unusual coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath; pain from earache, headache, or sore throat; extreme nasal congestion; reddened eyes or drainage from eyes; new unidentified rash. In general, they should be symptom-free 24 hours before returning. If your learner exhibits any of these symptoms during class you may be called to pick them up immediately.

Pickup: Only people authorized on record by the parent/legal guardian may pick up a child. Please let us know ahead of time if you will be arriving late.

Participation: We are a collaborative community of eager participants. No learner is expected to participate in a specific way. However, all learners are expected to want to be here and to want to participate in their own way. We ask that you not enroll children who have a persistent desire to not attend.

Communication With Parents

Emergency Treatment & Reporting: If your child experiences a serious injury or shows signs of a serious illness, you will be contacted immediately. We will seek emergency treatment for your child immediately, even if you cannot be reached.

Non-emergency Incident Reporting: WonderWild staff are trained in first aid and will immediately attend to any accidents and injuries. For minor, non-emergency occurrences, as well as behavior-related incidents, you will be notified at pickup time.

Daily Notes: At the end of each class day, staff usually sends a quick note about your learner’s favorite activity that day and sometimes a photo. This message is sent to one contact per family through your preferred primary contact method.

Announcements: We make occasional important announcements through the Band app. When your learner begins attending you will receive an invite to join WonderWild on Band.