The Cottonwood Rose Learning Community
Our vision is to weave place based wisdom and nature literacy into the BC curriculum and we’re doing so through the guidance of BC certified teachers, deeply connected nature education partners and community enriching support!
Right on!
For curious families: Please note, this program is in it’s first season! We are a small and passionate team with a big vision and learning as we go.
As of Nov 1st, we have 1 space in the primary, k-2 cohort as well as a single space in the 6-9 cohort. We welcome you to reach out to cottonwoodrosesociety@gmail.com to organize a visit to the land and try a day of programming to see if it’s a fit for your family.
On this page you’ll find a more in depth description of our program as well as an application for enrolment, mentorships and a contact form.
For registered families there is also a resource page linked here from which you can access all the most important program material.
Onward!
The start of something good
The Cottonwood Rose Learning Community is a nature-based education program in Black Creek at the north end of the Comox Valley. The program is operated by the Cottonwood Rose Farm Forest and Nature Learning Society.
Ours is a K-9 program that brings a nature based curriculum to life through parternship with Heartwood Learning Communities through NIDES at SD-71 and Hand in Hand Nature Education. The program is made viable through a supportive community of parent volunteers and mentors who further enrich and enliven the journey.
For 3 days each week of the school year, (Tue/Wed/Thur) 3 mixed age cohorts engage with the learning objectives of the BC-curriculum but finessed through the lens of nature. Mondays and Fridays are home learning days where kids will continue their project based work at home.
As a learning community it’s important to note that families are enrolled as active participants. Whether it’s supervision or chores this means about 4-5 hours of volunteer time per family, per month. Parent volunteer time is essential to making it all work. We have a committed PAC group that meets regularly and needs your hands and voice!
Program fees operate on a sliding scale fee $197-$279 / month for 1 student and $355 - $497/month for 2 students. Registered families also receive $600 of provincial funding for each student a year that is paid to our nature education partners.
Program Partners:
Heartwood Learning Communities
Heartwood Learning Communities, offered in partnership with NIDES, a province wide alternative education programer, provides children with a blended education rooted in both academic excellence and experiential learning.
Students work with BC-certified teachers to meet curriculum requirements while engaging in nature-based programs, creative projects, and community-centered activities.
Families are supported with flexible learning pathways that honor each child’s curiosity and strengths. Through this model, children grow confident, capable, and connected—balancing the best of classroom learning with the wonder of hands-on discovery.
—> The Heartwood/NIDES partners bring 2 BC certified teachers to the program. These educators bring the academics, focused on numeracy and literacy, social sciences and sciences to the kids. The curriculum is finessed through the lens of nature and crafted alongside the nature educators so that there is some continuity in learning outcomes.
Program Partners:
Hand in Hand Nature Education & Danu Folk School
Hand in Hand Nature Education offers children a joyful introduction to learning in the outdoors.
The program emphasizes play, exploration, and relationship with the natural world.
Experienced educators guide children through songs, stories, and hands-on discovery in forests, fields, and streams.
By fostering curiosity, creativity, and care for the earth, Hand in Hand helps young learners build strong foundations for both academic and social growth—nurturing resilience, wonder, and a lifelong love of nature.
Danu Folk School invites children and youth into learning that’s rich, hands-on, and heart-centered.
Their instructors blend nature-based exploration, craft, herbal wisdom, storytelling, and seasonal rhythms to create warm, inclusive spaces where curiosity, belonging, and connection to land flourish.
Rooted in cultural traditions and ecological well-being, they guide young learners to discover with wonder, nurture skills with care, and build meaningful relationships with self, others, and the natural world.
The Educator Team
Bios from left to right
Amy Cousins is an educator at NIDES. With degrees in Anthropology, Environmental Studies, and Education. Amy weaves together ecological awareness, cultural grounding, and place-based learning to inspire students. Whether delving into local ecosystems, community relationships, or stories from the land, Amy fosters wonder, kindness, and connection in her classroom.
Allie Livesey, Education Director at Danu Folk School, is a joyful nature mentor, herbalist, and storyteller. Her teaching is shaped by her deep interest in ancestral traditions, herbal medicine, fibre arts, and storytelling—all of which nurture belonging, creativity, curiosity, and a profound connection with land and community.
Jay Roberts is a nature mentor, red seal carpenter, and gifted storyteller who loves sparking curiosity. With over a decade of experience, he guides kids and communities to connect deeply with land, culture, and each other through wonder, laughter, and hands-on learning. Jay’s daughter is in the program and their family has started several similar programs over the years.
Megan Pratley is an enthusiastic educator at NIDES specializing in early childhood education. She crafts playful, curiosity-driven learning environments that foster social, emotional, and sensory growth. With gentle guidance and warmth, she supports young learners as they explore, experiment, connect, and delight in discovery.
The Land
Cottonwood Rose is a multi-family project, imagined as a living home for the kind of work, education, and community our world so deeply needs. On 46 forested acres, trails wind through the forest to classrooms, gardens, and gathering spaces along Bear Creek and the neighbouring parklands.
At its heart, Cottonwood Rose is about reconnection—of self, community, and nature. Here, we host healing retreats, honour Indigenous wisdom, and nurture a vision of education rooted in relationship. Children explore forest and field, get their hands dirty in the budding farm project, help care for animals, and learn the rhythms of the land.
Supported by global Workaway visitors and families who now call this land home, Cottonwood Rose continues to grow as a place of learning, stewardship, and community—a living invitation to belong, to contribute, and to remember our place in the web of life.
A parting word from the host family
Hey folks!
We are Julianna, John, Finn and Christina.
Our family was inspired to kick off this project because we believe education is more than classrooms—it’s about community, connection, and shared purpose.
We wish for our children to grow up inspired by the land, guided by mentors, and supported by friends who feel like family.
By learning together outdoors, through song, story, craft, and exploration, we hope to nurture resilience, creativity, and joy in these kids.
For us, this is about more than just school—it’s about re-imagining how we raise the next generation, creating meaningful change, and building a stronger, more connected community that is rooted in care for each other and the earth.
We would love to have you join us and together we can make this something beautiful!
Contact us!
Email John at cottonwoodrosesociety@gmail.com
Come for a tour of the land, get involved as a learning mentor or just say hi, we’d love to hear from you.