Why start an At Last Forest School Franchise?

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Who We Are...

When Carlin and Debbie Val decided to open a Forest School in 2016, they thought if they were lucky they may get 12 students.  Maintaining the 6 to 1 ratio would leave both of them employed and able to spend time with their own children in addition to other students.  “We saw it strictly as a Mom and Pops style business,” Says Carlin.  To their surprise 12 hours after they opened registration they had 24 Students enroll.  By the time they opened their doors in September 2016, they had over 50 students enrolled.

Since then they have opened 7 more additional schools in neighboring communities and are on track to open even more locations.  “We have seen first hand the positive impact this has had on our students and community.  Our mission behind franchising is to help franchisees get an At Last Forest School opened in their community so that those students have the same opportunity to grow, develop and bloom as ours does.”

Carlin and Debbie met in 2008 at Teachers College.  They were part of a specialized Outdoor Education class that specialized in experiential education and environmental science.   As the school year went by it did not take them long to realize their beliefs and core values were the same.  Teaching in the traditional system didn’t speak to them and they wanted more.  They always dreamed of running their own private school in which they could teach in an alternative fashion to reach students who learn in alternative ways.  “When we heard of Forest Schools, we knew it was meant to be and we never looked back!” says Carlin.

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What we do...

We believe early childhood education plays a critical part in the development of our children.  Our programs provide an alternative method of learning than that of a traditional school.  We believe in play based, self directed and emergent learning.  We don’t follow the curriculum, and our teachers do not push their agenda.  Instead, our students push their own agenda, their interests, their curiosity.   Our teachers nurture and facilitate students to explore what interests them.   We always state that we do not follow curriculum, however if you were to follow a forest school group for a day with the curriculum documents you would be able to check off goals and objectives all day.  Whether it’s practicing numeracy by sorting and counting acorns or reading through the field guide to see what kind of bird that was.   There is always something new to learn at forest school.

The Act of Wonder:

We also believe in the act of wonder.  Instead of a teacher holding up a skull in the front of the class and saying, “this is a racoon skull.”  Which is cool enough for any child.  We encourage students to have a more meaningful and lasting experience with that skull.  We may let them hold it, and ask them what they think it is.   We allow time for them to wonder, think and meditate on their thoughts.  To touch, small and feel the skull.  After hearing everyone’s hypothesis on what they believe the skull to be, the teacher will congratulate them on their ideas and lead them to determining what kind of skull it really is.  

Top 10 reasons to start an
ALFS Franchise

1) Safety is our top priority for students and staff.   We use minimal risky activities and perceived risk as a tool to help students become confident and excel in the forest school program.
2) ALFS gives you all the training and support you need to open your school, including marketing strategies, efficient operations and training you and your staff.   We meet often and are available to answer questions, discuss updates to the business, and welcome your ideas for future development.  
3) All our teachers are have their Bachelor of Ed, ECE Qualifications or are graduates of the one year Canada Forest School practitioners course.  All of our staff undergo ongoing staff training
4) We help you find the perfect location within your community.  We help you consider population density, location to roadways, licensing, permit application, leasing, rent and in some cases building new buildings.   We are also the first Forest School to Partner with a Provincial Park in Ontario and have set the foundation and framework for other schools to do the same.
5) Children programming is a huge and fast growing industry, and forest school is no exception.  A large part of us starting to franchise is that we have been getting asked by a lot of people asking if we will open a forest school in their community.   
6) As the only Forest School franchise we give franchisees immediate creditation through our At Last Brand.   Our proven track record and 3 years of operation helps to keep insurance down, lower parents anxieties, and ensures your school is set up for success. I is a proven fact that franchises have a much better success rate than sole proprietorships.
7) Parents will put their trust in you as an expert in everything forest school.  We have gear lists, comprehensive parent handbooks, and other resources that parents can use to better familiarize and prepare for forest school
8) Multiple sources of income for the business.   In addition to running forest school programing, you can also choose to host fieldtrips, bring outreach programs to local schools in your area, Run PD Day programs, and even summer camps.   
9) When you apart of a franchise, we share costs and buy in bulk.  This makes the cost of merchandise more affordable for each forest school and creates a vessel for marketing our brand.
10) Social Enterprise.  We believe that children are our future, and the Forest School gives students confidence and life experiences that will not only make them great leaders in the future but make them ambassadors for the environment and people in their community.  
Bonus) Our 1:6 ratio ensures students get a chance to build a stronger report with their teacher and get more attention than a class of 30 students with 1 teacher
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Testimonials

Working for ALFS has been a dream come true!

There is of course the obvious rewards of teaching, exploring nature, and being with children, however there’s an added bonus of watching children grow in ways you wouldn’t see outside of forest school.  I get to wake up every Forest School Day thinking, I wonder what amazing thins my students will do today, and you can’t get that anywhere else.

Christine Brown,  ALFS Kincardine Principal

Just a quick note to tell you about Koen

This weekend we went to Harrison Park and asked Koen to lead us on a hike. He wanted to show us some of the places he goes at Forest School. He encouraged his older sister to do things she wouldn’t usually do, like climb a steep hill, holding onto roots and rocks. They held hands walking through the more challenging spots and had great fun running down some hills too. They were so happy, so exhilarated they twice did a ‘happy dance’. It was great to see Koen so confident and happy to lead us through the forest. He even pointed out a few tree types. 🙂 Thanks for challenging him and encouraging him. I see such growth. 
 
Elly Mackay – ALFS Owen Sound Parent

What a great year

What a great year and also what a great opportunity to have Forest School so close to home. Cooper thoroughly enjoyed himself. And we have enjoyed watching him grow and learn all the wonderful things Forest School has taught him. He has became a true adventurer. Thank you At Last Forest Schools and thank you really isn’t enough to the teachers. You made this School such a success. 🙌❤️ 

Lee Henderson – ALFS Saugeen Shores Parent 

Why start an At Last Forest School Franchise?

Request FREE information about this opportunity now>

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