Families build their own week, anywhere from 2-6 half-days, plus optional Lunch Club. Join our hybrid microschool and build a weekly schedule that fits your child, family, and homeschool.
We are not a full-time school. Our schedule is intentionally designed around the needs of families and children and is free from institutional or state constraints. This flexibility allows you to seamlessly blend high-quality group programs at the Dandelion Schoolhouse with your family’s unique lifestyle and create balance, including:
At-home learning and personalized core studies.
Optional Dandelion Community activities – Friday field trips, Camp Days, and community events.
Outside enrichments that you choose – such as other co-ops, sports leagues, music – you select the combination and providers that best support your child’s homeschool education and your family’s values.
Choosing Your Scheduling Options
At Dandelion, families select and keep their own custom schedule throughout the academic year. Choose 2 to 6 half-days per week, add Lunch Club, and make planned adjustments as your child grows. Tap the sessions below to build your week.
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thu
Mornings 9 - 12
12 - 1:00
Afternoons 1 - 4
0
half-days / week
0
full days
—
Lunch Club / month
Tap sessions above to build your family's week — choose anywhere from 2 to 6 half-days.
Morning Programs
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Best for: all ages (5–12), especially younger learners and children who thrive with plenty of activities, choice, and active engagement.
Available: Mon/Wed, Tues/Thu, or Monday through Thursday.
Lunch Club
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM · Mon–Thu
Best for: everyone – especially those seeking more social opportunities and/or an extension to their child’s day at Dandelion.
$24 monthly fee regardless of days attended — automatically included when children attend both morning and afternoon sessions on the same day.
Afternoon Programs
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Best for: members ages 7+ who prefer academic focus, structured lessons, and shared group experiences.
Mon & Wed: shared literacy or math concept. Tues & Thu: interactive STEAM projects.
Our Daily Schedule
8:50-9:45 Arrival and Outdoor Connection
9:45-10:00 Morning Circle Up and Journal Planning
10:00-11:45 Work Cycle
11:45-12:00 Closing Circle Up, Clean Up
12:00 Dismissal for morning-only members
12:00-1:00 Lunch Club- Outdoor Connection and lunch
1:00 Dismissal/Arrival
1:00-1:30 Afternoon group Open Play/Group Game
1:30-1:45 Circle Up and planning
1:45-2:30 Group Lesson/Activity
2:30 Mindful Moment
2:30-3:30 Work Cycle
3:30- Closing Circle Up/Clean Up
4:00 Dismissal
Example Family Schedules
Jack (10) and Nole (7) are brothers.
They are members of our school on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and STEAM Project labs on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. During the mornings, we see them both going around the room in different directions. Jack is always first to join whatever is going on in the science corner, and Nole likes to start with math or reading. They work with each other and friends, always finding each other again around Lunch Club. Nole usually joins whatever game is going on, while Jack prefers his own time on the swings and enjoying lunch with friends. In the afternoons during STEAM Project Labs, they often select to work with other partners, but still check in with each other throughout the session. They work on our experiments or pull shared knowledge and experiences to share and learn new things with classmates.
Jane (9) and Benly (6) are sisters.
Benly is a gentle six-year-old who enjoys bringing in figurines for play to share with the classmates, time in the garden, and almost always picks an art project first during Schoolhouse. Benly stays for lunch club on Tuesdays until Jane gets dropped off for Project Labs. Jane comes early for lunch club on Thursdays and then shares Project Labs with us. She shows tremendous leadership with great planning, research, and organizational skills. Always leading classmates with directions and keeping detailed notes, Jane almost always picks literacy first from the Academic Menu. We love getting to see what she writes each week!
Mark (8), who is the youngest in his family.
He joins us for lunch club before STEAM Project labs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, playing with classmates and connecting outside before we go indoors for our project labs. In the lab, he’s a thoughtful observer and an excellent writer, keen to bring his language skills and curiosity into the work we’re doing together. We notice that he enjoys partnering with all ages – and especially shines when working with a younger member, giving kind guidance and encouragement while they work.
Paul (10) is an only child in his third year of homeschooling.
He is interested in all topics and likes to work with concrete examples first. Paul is at the Schoolhouse for both morning and afternoon Montessori meetings on Mondays and Wednesdays and joins us for lunch club and STEAM project labs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Paul is an “idea guy”; he likes to include friends and incorporate LEGO and jokes into any work that he can. Because Paul is with us for multiple sessions, we make sure that his Work Plans are balanced to include all subject areas and emphasize extending ideas and trying new things in the Schoolhouse.
Haley (7) is also an only child.
She joins us for Morning Montessori Schoolhouse and Lunch Club on Mondays and Wednesdays, and STEAM Project Labs on Thursdays. In Schoolhouse and Lunch Club, we see her engaging in imaginative play, games, and a variety of tasks. She shares her love of K-pop with a bunch of other girls her age, alongside many side quests into competition and imaginative play with an array of classmates. During STEAM labs, we count on Haley to ask the big questions and to keep a great focus on experiments and other information sets.
Calendar & AcademicYear
Our 36-week schedule is designed to provide a steady rhythm that effortlessly checks off the state’s 180-day recommendation.
We operate from August to June, matching up with local traditional and year-round school calendars. This makes life a whole lot easier for families juggling multiple kids in multiple programs. Plus, as a group that thrives in the great outdoors, this calendar lets us host and enjoy special seasonal events that embrace the absolute best of our Wake Forest weather.”
Choose your schedule and your investment! Annual tuition begins at $4,100 for two half days per week. Tuition may be paid all at once, biannually, in ten installments, and/or with financial support. If you wish to work with us, we wish to make it happen.
Our pricing table offers generous discounts, beginning at 7.3 percent for four sessions (for an individual child or shared by siblings) and increasing with commitment to additional sessions.
