A co-op school not far from the Route 1 corridor is getting attention as families look at alternative schooling options this fall.
With many public schools still putting together plans for remote learning this fall, some parents are considering options like the Silver Oaks Cooperative School in Adelphi.
The two-year-old private K-5 school reports a surge in interest amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“We were all terrified that we wouldn’t survive, or make it— that parents wouldn’t be able to pay tuition when we moved online,” Alicia Cacace, the school’s director, told DCist. “What we are finding is exactly the opposite.”
Private schools have more flexibility to come up with backup plans for remote learning and smaller class sizes that make it easier to accommodate families.
Cacace told the Hyattsville Wire she and her team were developing an in-person opening plan for the fall which will likely meet entirely outdoors under a shortened schedule. While not a certified outdoor learning school, one of Silver Oaks’ guiding principles is The Great Outdoors.
They are currently creating sheltered outdoor classrooms on its campus to use this fall. Cacace said their students we used to going outdoors in all types of weather and dressing for the elements.
Silver Oaks’ daily plans during the pandemic included a morning class meeting, a combination of pen-and-pencil activities, live and online instruction, and outdoor time that’s built into the curriculum.
There are currently 43 students enrolled with possibly three seats available this fall. School will begin on August 31.
In addition to small classes being held outdoors, Cacace said all students and teachers will be required to wear masks and that their outdoor classrooms would undergo a rigorous cleaning protocol. The school will follow county restrictions and move to its remote learning program quickly if needed.
Outside any modifications due to the pandemic, being a co-op, Silver Oaks requires parents to assist in class every two weeks for a full day or else pay an additional fee. The base-level tuition is $8,243 per year.
