We have 2 kids in the Elementary program, and 1 in the Forest School program, and they are all having a wonderful time while learning. They are disappointed when there is no school, and eagerly look forward to going every day. Our youngest is eagerly awaiting his 4th birthday this spring so that he can join them. Academically our older kids are working on math, science, history, computer programming, and foreign languages. They eagerly work on their writing journals, because their ELA classes are comprised of Dungeons and Dragons, and Minecraft (among others!). Think that sounds crazy? Maybe. But the most important thing about writing is simply to write. And if imagining how to slay a dragon can get a child to write 4 pages simply because they had a cool idea - we are all for it! And if they want to build a village in Minecraft and need to design how it will look, who will inhabit it, and what they will do? Even better. Write to your heart's content! (And they do!) The Forest School program is perfect for our 5 year old. He writes in his journal daily, and does his lessons outdoors. What more can you ask for at that age? He's free to run and jump around, chase butterflies, and is learning math as he counts the number of pinecones he can find for his art class. We had planned to homeschool full-time, and initially planned for attending just two days per week, but we quickly realized that the Athenaeum offers us all of the flexibility of homeschooling without the hassles of dealing with the town. Two days became three, the three days became four, and we recently decided that 5 days a week was perfect. Our kids occasionally slip out for "extra-curriculars" - something that you couldn't do anywhere else, because the Athenaeum is designed with the homeschooling mindset as the cornerstone of the program. read more

This organization is run by such dedicated and caring people. The focus here is clearly what will benefit the children and enrich their lives. read more