Fall at Field

Sunday, September 7 - Friday, October 31

First Quarter: Beginnings

  • Project: starting a simple school garden

  • Science: plant biology, plant kingdom, introduction to ethnobotany

  • History: introduction to the major eras of island history

Second Quarter: Journeys

  • Project: building boats for a “mini regatta”

  • Science: the physics of boats, climate science, navigation

  • History: the seafaring history of Hvar

Third Quarter: Home

  • Project: habitats or regenerative design projects

  • Science: study of natural and human ecosystems on Hvar

  • History: folklore, urban planning, and domestic architecture

Fourth Quarter: Transfiguration

  • Project: make your own olive oil

  • Science: cycles of life, matter, and energy

  • History: the rise and fall of cultures, our future

Weather Activity: study and production of student-led plays. Aesop for little ones, Odyssey in middle years, and The Tempest for older learners.

Overview

Fall program for children

Field Trips

Take place on Wednesdays unless there is poor weather.

Early Years and Lower Kinder visit Jelsa plus two trips to Zečevo.

Upper Kinder and Lower Elementary: usually travel by boat to the nearby uninhabited island of Zečevo, plus one additional trip to Stari Grad

Upper Elementary and Middle

  1. Hike: Tor & Galešnik

  2. Hike: Humac & Grapčeva Špilja

  3. Sail Stari Grad Bay & visit town

  4. Sail Stari Grad Bay & visit town

  5. Sveti Nikola

  6. Hvar Town

  7. Humac

  8. Harvest

Daily Tutorial

Each morning begins with welcome circle followed by a quick STEAM brainteaser in Upper Kinder through Middle groups to build core problem-solving skills. Learners then choose between working on homeschool assignments with the support of a professional teacher or doing a provided tutorial. Younger children have a weekly SEL topic, combined with daily nature-based literacy and numeracy. Tutorial wraps up at lunch. Afternoons are dedicated to project work.

Kids’ Food Program. Every day includes fresh bread. All produce is local from Ananas; all bread is from Ivana.

  • Monday: fruit, cucumber, cashew, and goat cheese salad.

  • Tuesday: apple, cheddar, pecan salad.

  • Wednesday: picnic sandwiches with cheese and meat, peanut butter and jelly, or hummus, plus a fruit and a vegetable.

  • Thursday: caprese salad with tomato, mozzarella, basil, olives, and pesto. Upper Elementary and Middle also have grilled meat.

  • Friday: tuna salad with pickles, fresh fruit, and a vegetable.

Community Program

The Tempest
Oct
30

The Tempest

A 20-minute version of Shakespeare’s final play, The Tempest. When they are shipwrecked on a wild Mediterranean island, a band of Renaissance nobles collide with a deposed wizard, his beautiful daughter, a fairy spirit, and a magical monster. The result is Succession-style scheming, slapstick humor, a love story, and passages of hauntingly beautiful poetry. Its two key themes are renewal and civilization versus nature.

Elementary & Middle will perform a 20-minute version of the full play, which is about 3 hours long. Here is the script which the learners will be using: https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/education/teaching-resources/efl-snappy-script-tempest/

There are numerous audio recordings of The Tempest, including some in simplified language, which can help parents and kids follow the basic plot and rich questions which this story explores.

As a prelude, Kinder will present the classic fable of Aesop, The Tortoise and The Hare.

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Monday Meditation
Oct
27

Monday Meditation

Group meditation, facilitated by Anna and Lou in alternation.

Meeting at the area of the Fontana Cafe under the trees.

Bring cushions, a yoga mat, towel, or anything that would make sitting more comfortable. Six plastic chairs are available for those who would like a chair.

No meditation experience expected or required.

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Friday Assembly
Oct
24

Friday Assembly

An all school circle to celebrate big milestones and favorite moments from the week. Parents very welcome, but those with work or other commitments shouldn’t worry.

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Community Banquet
Oct
23

Community Banquet

Saying goodbye to families leaving early and celebrating the continuity of friendship. Learners will provide a light “tasting menu” of foraged treats.

  • Salad of potatoes, wild arugula, wild mint, wild leek, wild salt, homemade olive oil, and vinegar

  • Soup of squash, onion, garlic, homemade olive oil, and wild fennel

  • Grilled čevape: pork, beef, or lamb based on what’s available

  • Focaccia with wild rosemary, wild salt, and homemade olive oil

  • Tea from wild herbs

  • Ciambelle al vino made of flour, wine, homemade olive oil, sugar, baking powder, and wild fennel seeds with semifreddo of milk, local eggs, pomegranate molasses (sugar and pomegranate juice), and wild carob

Schedule:

  • 2pm, Older learners lead parents and younger children on an unhurried walk to the “Field House”

  • 4pm, Welcome toast

  • Dinner, activities (planting seedlings, olive crowns, writing memories in each others’ journals, plant walk with Masha, picking olives and jarring them for curing)

  • 530, first shuttles depart - option of sunset walk home

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Bike Ride: Stari Grad Loop
Oct
21

Bike Ride: Stari Grad Loop

Let's take a longer ride together! We'll start by picking up bikes from T-Club in Jelsa, leaving together from there. Please bring €10 per bike for the rental. Only cash will be accepted. 

A description of the 20km/12.5mi loop is below. Everyone is welcome to ride at their own pace, with two official re-group stops along the way (one for lunch and one for coffee). Expected time on the bike will vary with speed but should not exceed 2 hours for the slowest riders. To ensure everyone gets a real break rather than a rolling stop, we can be leisurely at official rests. 

Route

  • Head north from Jelsa along the coast to Vrboska.

  • Go east toward the center of the island, passing through the fields of the Stari Grad Plain.

  • Lunch in Stari Grad (place TBD, probably Kod Damira).

  • Continue south through the villages of Dol and Vrbanj.

  • Coffee in Vrbanj.

  • Continue through vineyards and olive groves east toward Jelsa. 

Safety

  • Most of the route is on less frequented, paved car roads. The stretch between the Hvar Airfield and Stari Grad is macadam. While cyclists are common on this route, we will be sharing the road with vehicles. Please wear bright colors for visibility and plan to stay alert to surroundings. 

  • Bring plenty of water to stay hydrated. 

Map of route with elevation profile (but please note we'll begin the loop in Jelsa rather than Vrboska): 

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/croatia/split-dalmatia/vrboska-starogradsko-polje

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Monday Meditation
Oct
20

Monday Meditation

Group meditation, facilitated by Anna and Lou in alternation.

Meeting at the area of the Fontana Cafe under the trees.

Bring cushions, a yoga mat, towel, or anything that would make sitting more comfortable. Six plastic chairs are available for those who would like a chair.

No meditation experience expected or required.

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Friday Assembly
Oct
17

Friday Assembly

An all school circle to celebrate big milestones and favorite moments from the week. Parents very welcome, but those with work or other commitments shouldn’t worry.

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Upcycle & Repair Shop
Oct
17

Upcycle & Repair Shop

Come visit the Upcycle & Repair Pop-Up Shop! Learners will be selling upcycled crafts and souvenirs, or offering their services to bring lightly dinged objects back to life.

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Bike Ride: Soline
Oct
17

Bike Ride: Soline

Schedule

  • 1030, Pick up bikes from reception or center Jelsa (depending on bike shop’s availability)

  • 1100, Bike to Soline

  • Possible stop in Vrboska (fishing museum, Vinarija Carić, lunch)

  • Beach exploration at Soline

  • 1300, Return bikes

  • 1330, Back at Fontana

Vrboska and Soline

Vrboska, dubbed ‘little Venice’ by affectionate locals, is a medieval sailing village with a unique and historic fortress church (you can go up to the roof) and a small fishing museum, as well as a handful of good restaurants and wineries.

Soline is the name of the peninsula beyond Vrboska coming from Fontana. There is a pebble beach on the side facing Jelsa and a beautiful, somewhat wilder shale beach on the side facing the island of Zečevo.

The entire path from Fontana to Soline is flat and paved, but the shoulder is unprotected and you will probably encounter a few cars, so it is important to pay attention to your surroundings.

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Service Projects

Parents are invited to deepen their experience on Hvar by taking on service projects. This is completely voluntary. Sign-ups will take place during the Parent Pow-Wow on Monday, September 8th (or virtually for families who need to arrive on Hvar later). If you do take on a service project, expect to commit about 4 hours per week to it. The volunteer host will provide transportation and training.

Field Work

Olive harvest, clearing brush, and other fall agricultural activities with a local farmer. Expect moderate physical activity, including bending, lifting, and tool use, as well as the risk of bee stings. Gardening or farming experience is a plus.

Aaron, Adam, Florence, Frank, Lou, Stephanie, Wes

English Language Workshop for Local Children

Lead a light-hearted workshop at Jelsa’s public library each Saturday from 10-11:30am, helping local children learn English. A workshop might include a story, song, and craft, united by a common theme like weather, introductions, or colors. Professional teaching experience is a plus.

No one

Teacher’s Assistant

Help Guides as a substitute, chaperone for field trips or camping, and extra set of hands for activities such as crafts and plays. There are 6 of these positions available, one for each age group: Early Years, Lower Kinder, Upper Kinder, Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and Middle. Professional childcare or teaching experience is a plus.

Aimee, Alejandra, Dave, Emma, Florence, Michelle, Steph

Boatmaking Assistant

Help our learners build real wooden boats from kits with pre-cut boards. Carpentry experience is a plus.

Aimee, Frank, Remo, Ricardo, Stephanie

Fall Excursion Planner

Plan an optional weekend get-away for Field families to Bosnia or another favorite location.

Linda, Wes

Recycling Leader

Help Field families reduce our environmental impact and enable fun craft projects by setting up a station for sorting reusable waste in the Coworking Lounge.

Lou

Study Hall

The Learning Center is typically only open during program hours: 10-17h. Support collaborative project work, homeschoolers, reader rabbits, and crafty friends by supervising Study Hall hours on weekday evenings. Hours should be consistent, but are up to you.

No one

Other

Coach a sport. Facilitate a skill-share. Lead a meditation hour or poetry seminar. Brainstorm what you’d like to bring to the community, and we’ll develop a plan once you’re on the island.

  • Anna, acupuncture, women’s group, or drop-in silent meditation

  • Auste, live arts for children & adults

  • Ben, men’s group

  • Corina, cycling

  • Danny, paddleboarding

  • Florence, morning yoga group

  • Linda & Remo, workshop for kids on approaching dogs

  • Lou, meditation

  • Michelle, games/crafting night

  • Nina, camping experience for little ones; mini-disco

  • Urszula, soundbath

Groups

Early Years with Rachel

  1. Nea Masina, almost 2

  2. Henry Krause, 2

  3. Helena Ramirez, 2

Lower Kinder with Jordan

  1. Casper Pellant, almost 3

  2. Maya Ramirez, 3

  3. Mate Zelikow, 3

  4. Seo Masina, 3

  5. Bowie Thomson, 3

  6. Izzi Foster, 4

Upper Kinder with Leti

  1. Artie Pellant, 4

  2. Mila Ramirez, 4

  3. Niki Kartashov-Gawski, 5

  4. Desmond Day, 6

  5. Heidi Hammonds, 6

  6. Ábris Gulyás, 7

Lower Elementary with Piper

  1. Harper Dean, 7

  2. Döme Gulyás, 7

  3. Payton Day, 8

  4. Sammy Griffin, 8

  5. Aubree Dean, 8

  6. Charlotte Beck, 9

Upper Elementary with Sarah

  1. Emily Hammonds, 9

  2. Gabe De Lemos, 9

  3. Luca Kwan, 10

  4. Henry Beck, 10

  5. Leo Kartashov-Gawski, 10

  6. Carsten Dean, 11

  7. Vienna Williams, 11

Middle with Steve

  1. Bonnie Taylor, 11

  2. Ivy Monks, 12

  3. Rose Monks, 12

  4. Noah Ridley, 13

  5. Annabelle Williams, 13

  6. Eden Beck, 13

  7. Mia Moore, 14