Homeschool Support Program

Raven Rangers Homeschool Support Program- Ages 6 to 13- Class limit 10 children
Outdoor and child led learning tailored according to each child and family’s needs

Raven Rangers

Weekdays
8 AM-5 PM

$60 per day
Curriculum provided

$50 per day
socialization only, no curriculum provided

Program Description

Parents will be responsible for submitting letters of "intent to homeschool" to the state/superintendent before September 1st and then submitting progress or assessment before September 1st of the next school year. Maine requires a record of 175 days of attendance. Ready Set Go Outside will provide at least 2 hours of lessons per day of attendance and will work with families to tailor each child’s experience. Each child will be provided with a binder to manage goals and record progress information throughout the school year. Ready Set Go Outside will provide documentation of learning activities and/or progress to be kept in the binder. Parents can use this binder to submit proof of progress to a certified teacher or may opt to submit an assessment test. The Maine state learning results for each child's grade will be included in the binder for guidance but may not be strictly followed depending on the child's educational background.

Parents are welcome to bring in curriculum to be used or rely on what Ready Set Go has to offer. Homeschooling is a great opportunity to fit the curriculum to your child so feel free to mix and match! Some families prefer to have their child do an assessment at the beginning of the school year to find out what needs to be focused on. We will be sharing many resources throughout the school year as each family finds what works best for their child.

This group will be mixed ages from 6 to 13 years old. Each child will be allowed to progress at their own pace. Some children will need more structure than others. We will have a system that will allow each person to view what learning needs to happen each day/week and give them options for when they can focus their attention on the work. It will be up to the teachers, child and parents to work together and discover what time increments work best for each child in each subject. The goal will be to promote the joy of learning and guide each person to become a self-motivated learner. If learning can be done outside, then that is where it will happen whenever possible. We will use whatever tools we can to help inspire each learner. Some children love worksheets and quizzes. Some love board games. Some learn well from videos. Some learn best from hands-on activities. The greatest thing that will be learned from this year of home schooling is how each person learns best. While we can't have a strict schedule laid out ahead of time if we are going to follow the children's lead, we can know that there will be a lot of reading, outside time, educational games, music, art, building, creating, fun and learning every day!

Marisa Tobey will be the lead teacher for this program. Please see the about page for information about Marisa's qualifications.

Field trips will be a big part of our program. Examples include the Maine Maritime Museum, Norlands Living History Center, Maine Audubon, Mount Apatite, Mr. Drew and His Animals Too, Maine Wildlife Park, Gray’s Equestrian, and local conservation lands.

Electronics: Ready Set Go Outside has a few devices available to use for learning.  Children are welcome to bring devices from home to use for learning and writing.  Use of devices will be monitored and may be limited.  We do occasionally allow children to "play" on devices toward the end of the day or at nap/rest time.  This would only happen if going outside was not an option, a child is the last one to be picked up/has no one to play with, and/or they had completed their learning activities for the day.  Children will be asked to opt for learning games unless the teacher feels the child needs a mental break or some time to center him/herself.  Speaking of breaks: yoga mats and yoga cards are always available, and teachers often encourage children to take breathing breaks.  A list of choices to self-regulate will be designed by each learner and included in their binder.

This program is available weekly except for holidays, school vacations, and the days from Christmas Eve Day to New Year's Day. Please see our Google calendar for specifics. Our school year usually begins the last week of August and ends the first week of June. This schedule includes extra “make up” days for attendance. Families can always record attendance on their own if it better fits their schedule or flow which means that your child can choose to get some schoolwork done on a Saturday or holiday if they wish.

We provide snacks and homemade lunches. Parents sign up to bring in bulk foods through a weekly SignUp Genius. In the winter we cook together over an outdoor fire. Meals may include chili, hot dogs, or Mexican quinoa. During warmer months we offer sandwiches and homemade lunchables. Cooking sessions will be part of our homeschool lessons. Students are welcome to prepare their own snack boxes when they arrive in the morning.

Everyone will need appropriate clothing for the weather whatever it may be. This will probably mean a variety of layers. Children will need full waterproof outfits for rainy days- rain coat, rain pants, (or rain suit) and waterproof boots. It is a good idea to find rain wear that also fits over snow wear for colder months. Warm layers and waterproofing will be important for the winter months. We will be outside for hours and children will need some flexibility in their clothing depending on the activity. Layers provide flexibility for children to remove or add layers as needed throughout the program. Waterproof gloves/mittens make the most sense for the types of activities we will be doing. Knitted gloves/mittens are not appropriate. They often get wet within minutes of being outside or are not warm enough.
Please read our program description and policies here for more information. Feel free to contact us with any questions.
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“This was absolutely the greatest experience ever. The teachers and the owner are amazing, informative and loving. They always communicate and are transparent about everything. This childcare is a MUST try. ❤️”
Majlinda Mulla
“Both my kids went to Ready, Set, Go Learning Center for their preschool years. The environment is great for learning, creativity, and positive social experiences. The staff were so kind, loving, and fun. I really appreciated the connection to the natural environment, field trips, and many opportunities for play. I would highly recommend sending your children here!”
Elizabeth Cyr
“My children love this program. Marisa is so inclusive and so good with creating fun and memorable experiences for the kids. I would highly recommend this for kids who love to be outdoors learning!”
Kate Sansom
“Fantastic opportunity for experiential, outdoor education for students! If you have a child who loves the outdoors, this is a great opportunity for them to learn and be active in nature.”
Anonymous
“I love this school because you don’t have to wear a mask and you don’t have to sit down all day and you get fresh air and you get to skate and in the summer, you can go swimming in a pond and you have fun and we have a big cabin. Will you please come.”
Wyatt Jackson (6)
“My children attended Ready, Set, Go! and LOVED it! My kids knew that they were loved and in a nurturing environment where they were encouraged to be kids. Their days were filled with play that was developmentally appropriate and that sparked their interest and creativity.”
Kari Crosman
“Ready Set Go has been amazing for our outdoorsy, adventurous and dirt loving kiddo. The owner Marisa and her wonderful staff are caring, energetic and passionate people who create wonderful experiences and memories every day. We couldn’t think of a better place for our son and we would recommend Ready, Set, Go! to anyone who has an outdoor, adventure loving kiddo!“
Shay Murphy
“Highly recommend Ready, Set, Go! My kids have been attending for a little over a year now and love it! Marisa and staff allow the kids to learn and experiment on their own and with some guidance. The kids come home with smiles on their faces from experiences that are not only fun, but educational. 10/10 in my book!”
Autumn Hawkes
“Our son loved outdoor learning and all the amazing hands-on experience Marisa created for the group. The kids weren’t rushed through lesson after lesson. They had time to figure things out and truly understand… This year our son went back to public school and to my surprise he was at or above where he needed to be starting Middle school… I am so happy for him and could not be happier with his experience at RSG….I know our son is better off today.”
Jennifer Elgaaen
“My daughter attended Ready, Set Go Learning Center to compliment her half day Pre-k experience for school. Her love for the outdoors has blossomed along with her confidence, creativity and inquisitive nature. The programming, staff and opportunities afforded by this program are beyond our wildest dreams.”
Jillian Merrill