Frequently Asked Questions

Each day learners should come with a full water bottle, lunch and two snacks, and appropriate clothing/footwear for the weather. In the warmer months, please also include sunscreen and bug spray. If you need assistance resourcing gear for your learner, please let us know at forestlearningcollective@gmail.com. For more information, visit the Resources page and download the supply list.

Our official Drop Off time is 8:45-9:15am. Pick Up is 3:45-4:15pm. We totally understand that those times are not a perfect fit for every family. If your learner will be arriving later than 10am, we ask that you reach out to your learner's guide via WhatsApp or text message to let them know. We often head out on our adventures around 10, so this communication will help us make sure your learner can find the group when they arrive. Unexpected late pickup can be a great anxiety-inducer for your learner. If you are running behind and will not make it by 4:15pm, please let us know so we can keep your learner informed of the situation and ease some of their concerns. If you would benefit from having a consistently later pickup time, or would like help setting up a carpool, please reach out to us at forestlearningcollective@gmail.com On field trip days, drop off and pick up times may vary slightly. All information about these variations will be communicated ahead of time so you can plan accordingly.

FLC currently accepts payment via PayPal and Venmo. If you need to use a different format, please reach out at forestlearningcollective@gmail.com

We love birthdays at FLC and are amenable to all types of celebrations! Regardless of how your learner wants to celebrate (or not celebrate!) at FLC, we always offer them a birthday song and wish circle at lunchtime. If you are planning a birthday party outside of program hours, we request that invitations are distributed outside of program hours as well, unless everyone in your learner's group is invited. Below is a list of some ways families have celebrated their learners at FLC in the past: Food; The most popular way learners celebrate is by bringing in their favorite snacks or treats. We greatly appreciate you checking in with our guides about numbers and dietary restrictions within the group before sending things to share. Visitors; Oftentimes, learners like to have special visitors on their birthdays. Feel free to stop by for the afternoon with siblings, grandparents, friends; anyone your learner wants to share their day with! Please no pets. Activities; Some families go big for birthdays and organize fun activities for the learners to do during program. We've seen scavenger hunts, group games, dance parties, and more. If this is something you are interested in doing for your learner, please coordinate with the guides ahead of time so they can plan the day's schedule accordingly.

We are currently located at "Henry's Meadows" at 706-708 Lime Hollow Road in Cortland, NY Our parking lot is very easy to miss; look for the yellow crosswalk signs. We are directly across the street from the house at 705 Lime Hollow Rd.

At Forest Learning Collective, we have a three-tiered tick defense system. Tier 1: The Learner. At program, our guides educate our learners about ticks. We even teach them about “social grooming” and checking themselves and their buddy. Tier 2: The Guide. Our guides are trained and knowledgeable about identifying and removing embedded ticks. Guides will conduct multiple tick checks throughout the day. Tier 3: Parents and Guardians. Because there are areas that our guides cannot see, it’s imperative that parents and/or guardians perform additional tick checks at home every single night. More information about our tick protocols is available in the family handbook.

All program breaks are shown in the FLC Family Calendar; an access link was shared at the beginning of the school year. You can also find information about days off in the Resources section by clicking on "Important Dates 2025-26" A community events calendar will be sent via email each month and physical copies will be available upon request.

The family directory is shared via email at the beginning of the school year. If you can't find it in your messages, or you are interested in receiving a physical copy, please email us at forestlearningcollective.com.

For your learner to be considered enrolled, we need to have received a completed Registration Form, a signed Family Consent Agreement, the Learner Information Questionnaire, and initial payment. All of these things can be found on the Enrollment page.