Chagrin Falls | Bainbridge
· Homeschool Drop-Off Co-op · Ages 8–12
· Homeschool Drop-Off Co-op · Ages 8–12
Welcome to
Hickory Grove
Schoolhouse
Scroll
"Our goal is to create a close-knit environment where children grow in friendship, confidence, and character through hands-on learning, active play, and connection with nature.
Rooted in faith and a deep love for the natural world, we believe children thrive when they take ownership of their days, build meaningful relationships, and engage deeply with everything around them."
The beliefs that show up in everything we do.
Our co-op is rooted in Christian faith. It shapes how we see the world, how we treat each other, and how we approach learning and character. Families joining Hickory Grove Schoolhouse are asked to sign a statement of faith as part of enrollment.
Children thrive when they're curious, hands-on, and free from screens. Our outdoor spaces and tech-free approach invite kids to engage with the real world, not a simulation of it. Fresh air, dirt under fingernails, and genuine discovery over any device or smartwatch.
We believe in doing, not just listening. Hauling compost, feeding chickens, baking bread from scratch, building projects, caring for animals. Every activity is designed to teach through real experience.
Small by design. Human connection is at the center of everything we do. Not an afterthought. This is a place where every child belongs, and every family does too. We want the families in this community to feel just as known and connected as the kids.
We're raising children of action, not just intention. Each week we focus on a virtue, call out kids who live it, and encourage the kind of instinct that says: if your classmate is stuck in a tree, help them down. Don't wait to be told. See a need, meet it.
We fiercely protect time for unstructured outdoor play. It's not a break from learning — it is learning. And children need much more of it.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.— Hebrews 10:24–25 (NIV)
Every week looks a little different, and that's the point. But here's what a typical day at Hickory Grove Schoolhouse looks like.
Children arrive and move freely through the space. A gentle, unhurried start before the day gets going.
The heart of the morning. Opening prayer, a check-in with every child, the virtue of the week, and a read-aloud that sets the theme for the day ahead.
A focused introduction to the week's theme, always nature-rooted and woven directly from the morning's read-aloud.
Out the door with purpose. Children observe, ask questions, and engage directly with the natural world around them.
Kids translate their observations into something tangible, whether that's a watercolor, a sketch, a built contraption, or a collected specimen. The medium is theirs to choose.
A long, unhurried break. Eat together, then go outside and just be kids.
Gather back together and take a moment to recognize someone who showed up with kindness, courage, or responsibility that day.
Find a cozy spot, inside or out, and read whatever you choose. No assignments, no requirements. Just books.
Cooking, food prep, chores, cleaning. Real work that builds real skills and real pride.
We close the day together in prayer before heading home, tired in the very best possible way.
Everything you need to know about how Hickory Grove Schoolhouse works.
A note on fit: Hickory Grove Schoolhouse is intentionally small and values-aligned. Enrollment is by application; we're looking for families who share our love for nature, community, and faith-centered living. We'd love to hear from you and see if it's a wonderful fit for your family.
Free play is nature's means of helping children discover what they love.— Peter Gray
Cristina is a former elementary school teacher who has spent the past several years homeschooling her four children. What started as a decision rooted in her oldest son's learning needs quickly became her family's calling. She has never looked back!
Cristina has curated her homeschool to be one that ditches the timelines but rather embraces the unique pace & interests of each of her children. She believes all children learn best through real-world experiences, meaningful relationships, and a connection with creation. That belief is the backbone of everything at Hickory Grove. She has years of experience leading co-ops, and has contributed several articles to Wild & Free's monthly magazine. Cristina is deeply organized, deeply faithful, and deeply passionate about helping every child she works with discover who God created them to be.
Cristina lives a very low-tech life by conviction: no social media, no smartphone, no scrolling, no shortcuts. She believes that presence and our full attention is one of the most powerful things you can offer a child, and she brings that fully to every day in the classroom.
In her free time, you will find Cristina exercising, tending her organic garden, making sourdough, cooking whole foods from scratch, watercoloring or meeting up for coffee & good conversation with a friend. She and her husband James are a true team, deeply aligned in how they're raising their four kids and building a life worth showing up for.
Connect With Cristina
An excerpt from Cristina's Backyard Birds Field Guide, published in Wild + Free
Every day at Hickory Grove Schoolhouse moves between two carefully considered spaces, each one intentional, each one essential.
We're converting the upper floor of our carriage building into a purpose-built classroom designed from the ground up around biophilic principles: the purposeful integration of nature into the built environment to promote wellbeing, focus, and joy.
The loft will feature skylights, dormer windows overlooking the pasture, a balcony, a kitchenette, and a flexible layout built equally well for focused learning, creative work, and open-ended exploration. A space that feels alive, naturally lit, naturally calming, and designed to help children do their best thinking.
Interior photos coming as construction progressesTen acres of open fields, fenced paths, mature trees, and genuine farm surroundings are our backyard. A meaningful portion of every day happens outside: exploring, observing, moving, and connecting with the living world in ways that no classroom, however beautifully designed, can fully replicate.
We believe outdoor time isn't a reward or a break. It's core to the day. Children need to move freely, breathe fresh air, and discover what they're capable of when they're given space and time.
Rain or shine. Dress for it.
People say phones are here to stay. Well, cars are here to stay, but we don't let 11-year-olds drive them.— Jonathan Haidt
A glimpse of Hickory Grove Farm, where every school day begins and ends.
We're accepting inquiries for Fall 2026 enrollment through July 1, 2026. Space is very limited. We expect to fill quickly. We'd love to hear about your family.
We read every inquiry carefully and respond to all of them.