What Makes Us Different
The Juice Box School is a community centered microschool, founded and run by a fully certified teaching team, where we focus on hands-on, child-led learning. We blend several different pedagogies, or teaching methods, including Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Forest School, supported by a research based decolonized curriculum creating an inclusive learning environment that is both structured and responsive, intentional and flexible.
Our class sizes are intentionally small to allow us to build strong relationships with our students and center social emotional development, storytelling, and real world experiences, alongside academics.
A Day at The Juice Box School
No two days at The Juice Box School look exactly the same and that’s by design!
Our days are guided by children’s curiosity and ideas, creating a rhythm that feels both intentional and alive.
Our mornings always begin with connection. Children arrive and settle into the space, greeted by familiar faces and open-ended materials to explore. You might find a group building with loose parts, creating art, diving into a game, or continuing a project from the day before.
At 8:15 AM, we come together as a whole community to begin our day with storytelling. Through oral storytelling, we share stories, legends, myths, and folktales from around the world, honoring diverse cultures, perspectives, and traditions, including those of our local Indigenous communities.
Once children are settled into the school routine (typically after the first two weeks), families are warmly invited to join us for these morning gatherings.
After story, children move into their classrooms to begin the day’s explorations. Learning unfolds through hands-on experiences, collaborative projects, creative expression, and time spent outdoors. Children might be found building with loose parts, writing and performing their own plays, exploring the outdoors, or engaging in meaningful conversations about the world around them. Teachers guide and support learning through thoughtful provocations and meaningful questions, always responsive to the children in front of them.
At 2:15 PM, we gather once more as a community to close our day, reflecting, sharing, and reconnecting before dismissal.
There is laughter. There is movement. There is focus. There is joy.
And always, there is space for children to be fully themselves.
The Sprouts (PreK3/4)
The Sprouts classroom is a gentle, nurturing introduction to school, where curiosity is honored and learning begins through play and exploration.
In this mixed-age environment, younger and older children learn alongside one another, building confidence, independence, and social awareness. Through hands-on experiences, storytelling, art, and outdoor exploration, children are invited to follow their interests and make sense of the world in meaningful ways.
Our days are unhurried and responsive, allowing space for wonder and discovery. Learning at this age is not about rushing academics, but about building a strong foundation rooted in confidence and curiosity.
The Wild Explorers (Kinder/1st)
The Wild Explorers classroom is a place where imagination and inquiry come together.
Children in this group are supported as they deepen their skills in reading, writing, and mathematical thinking - always through hands-on, meaningful experiences. Learning is integrated and often driven by student interests, whether that means diving into a science investigation, building collaborative projects, or engaging in storytelling and creative expression.
With a strong connection to nature and regular time spent outdoors, children develop independence, resilience, and a sense of responsibility for the world around them.
This is a space where children are encouraged to take risks, ask big questions, and see themselves as capable learners.
The Tinkerers (2nd/3rd)
The Tinkerers classroom is built on the belief that every child has something meaningful to say.
Here, students grow as writers, thinkers, and collaborators - developing strong communication skills through storytelling, discussion, and creative expression. Writing, science, and inquiry-based learning are woven together in ways that invite curiosity and critical thinking.
Students engage in projects that bring their ideas to life, from writing and performing original plays to exploring scientific concepts through hands-on investigation.
With a strong sense of community and belonging, this classroom supports children in building confidence, embracing their individuality, and recognizing the value of their voice.