About Visionary Village Santa Cruz

 

Things to Know Before Applying for Membership

Visionary Village Santa Cruz is a not for profit 508(c)(1)(a) (PEA) Private Education Association Ministry that provides a sanctuary for freedom oriented individuals and families that nourishes healthy physical, emotional, spiritual, psychological and educational growth and development. We provide a range of dynamic educational opportunities and experiences with a flexible schedule, so that together we can customize your families learning adventure based on individual needs, learning styles and educational choices. It is our mission to foster each child’s innate gifts to flourish and expose them to a plethora of offerings to facilitate their growth and unfolding. Many of our options are nature based, as we believe that nature is one of the best teachers and classrooms. We do offer traditional academic subjects and do our very best to make the learning experience, as applicable to real life and the child’s experience of the world now, as we can.

Visionary Village Santa Cruz class offerings are based on the university model, where members can choose and design their learning experience with as many or few classes and activities as they want.  You can attend classes part-time, choose only one class,  attend all day – five days a week, or join just for the community activities and events.

 

It is important to know that Visionary Village Santa Cruz is not a school in the traditional sense.  School-aged members (age 6-18) can choose to be enrolled in either a homeschool PSA, homeschool PSP, public or charter independent study program, or be tutored by a credentialed teacher three hours a day, 175 days a year. If you’d like to do research on your own about these options, more information can be found here: https://www.californiahomeschool.net/how-to-homeschool/legal-options/

If you are new to homeschooling and would like help getting started or you've been homeschooling and would like more support, please sign up for a free homeschool consultation with one of our homeschool consultants by clicking here.  

One of our mentors, Shauna Reiswitz, is also the director of a local PSP, Pacific Sands Academy, that offers enrollment to meet the California compulsory education requirement, she handles all paperwork and filing, and accreditation if that is desired.

It is also important to know what it means to be a private-member community education ministry.  A private member ministry is a type of Private Member Association or PMA.   A PMA is a legal entity created for the purposes of protecting its members’ 1st, 4th, 5th, and 14th Amendment rights to association, privacy, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure and freedom of speech. As a private association that does not operate in the public domain, we are free from the restraints of most government oversight, rules, and regulations, and can therefore offer our members the ability to associate and learn in community, while still maintaining medical freedom, bodily autonomy, and educational choice.  Any person attending any events, classes, clubs, etc. must become a member to participate.

 

Visionary Village Santa Cruz operates year round with activities, community events, gatherings, camps, and clubs.  Our more “traditional” subject classes will be offered from September 6th, 2022 to June 9th, 2023, broken into 3 eleven-week sessions (some classes will change each session, and some classes will continue through the sessions from Sept 2022 - June 2023). 

https://www.visionaryvillages.com/vvmembership

How to Become a Member

 

  1. Fill out the “potential member” questionnaire on the previous page
  2. A Visionary Village Santa Cruz member coordinator will contact you to set up an initial phone meeting 
  3. Attend a virtual open house (optional)
  4. Finalize membership and enrollment- complete membership documents and agreements, and submit membership and enrollment fees
  5. Register and pay for classes

 

Visionary Village Santa Cruz Frequently Asked Questions:

 

Are the mentors who teach Visionary Village Santa Cruz classes credentialed?  

Some of our mentors hold teaching credentials and some do not.  Our mentors are specialized in the areas they teach, either through experience or certification.  Our mentors bring their passion and expertise to each subject and class they teach, and inspire students to learn in creative and engaging ways, tying in the intelligence of the natural world and real life application wherever they can.  Every mentor at Visionary Village Santa Cruz also goes through an in depth application process and background check, and is trained in First Aid and CPR.

 

How do we pay for classes?

Class fees are paid through the Visionary Village Santa Cruz website.  You will need to pay for each class session separately at the beginning of each session. 

 

If you find the class is not a match for your child, you can receive a refund if requested within the first week of classes for that session with a 3% admin fee. For all classes, where a refund is requested before the first class, refunds will be made in full.

What is the cost for a child to attend full time?

  • 11 Week Sessions:

    Last year we provided our classes in 6 week increments. Now with 11 week sessions, this will allow for better continuity throughout the year, and a deeper dive into each subject.

  • Choose programs based on days-of-the-week rather than individual classes:

    We’ve simplified course selection by allowing you to choose which days-of-the-week you’d like your child/ren to attend. This makes it easier for VV to create cohesive programs for each day your child/ren attends, so we can provide a well-rounded selection of skills, topics, and activities to maximize learning and growth. For parents just wanting to enroll in a class or two - you’ll still have the option of choosing classes a la carte. Families who choose a “full day program” for the whole program year vs “a la carte” will save $1 per hour on class fees + 10% off if paid in full up front.

    • Single day sign-up for full program year (33 weeks):

      • Children 4 - 9 years old, 1 day from 10:00am - 3:00pm: $2,016
      • Children 10 - 18 years, 1 day from 9:00am - 3:00pm: $2,419

Pricing:

  • Discount with annual commitment: Although you can enroll your child session-by-session, we want to reward families who commit to a full year program. This commitment helps VV to better plan, allocate resources, and hire and retain the right number of mentors.

    Committing to an annual program rewards you:

    • Discounted base price of $14/hr vs the a-la-carte price of $15 per hour. 

    • Additional 10% discount if you pay in-full up-front. 

    • Monthly payment plan option - $14/hr plus a 5% administrative fee.

Full year pricing for 5 days per week:

  • Paid in full up front:
    • Children 4 - 9 years old,10:00am - 3:00pm: $10,080
    • Children 10 - 18 years, 9:00am - 3:00pm: $12,095

Do students need to be vaccinated in order to attend classes and events?

No.  Since Visionary Village Santa Cruz is an educational enrichment program and not a school, and your child will be enrolled in one of the above mentioned "school" options, the vaccine requirements do not pertain to our members.   The school vaccine requirements pertain to enrollment in a public or private school with in-person classroom based instruction. 

 

What is your COVID-19 policy?

Please speak with the Visionary Village Santa Cruz membership coordinator during your scheduled phone appointment about our COVID-19 policy and procedures.

 

Does Visionary Village Santa Cruz offer scholarships?

Visionary Village Santa Cruz has limited scholarships and they are available session by session. If you would like to apply for a scholarship, please click here. We also have work trade opportunities as well as positions available for mentors, admins, etc.. Our mentors receive a free hour of VVSC classes for their child, for every hour that they work. If you are interested in working at VVSC or would like to do work trade, please contact the director: [email protected]

 

What are your monthly membership dues?

We have multiple membership offers to best meet the needs of your family.  Please see the list of options below.

 

-Basic Membership (2 Adult + 1 Child) - $35/month

-Family Membership (2 Adults + 2+ children) - $45/month

-Supporter Family Membership - Tier 1 (for those who want to contribute more) - $55/month

-Supporter + Family Membership - Tier 2 (for those who want to contribute even more) - $85/month

Is there a fee to sign up?

Yes, we have a registration fee of $150 to onboard new families into the program.  There is also an annual administrative maintenance fee of $100 due by September 1st of each year.  We have a 30 day trial period window once you register and begin to attend classes.  If for any reason, the program is not a good fit, we will refund $50 of the registration fee back to the family and unenroll any students.  

$150 Registration Fee for new members

+Monthly Membership Fees

or

+$100 Annual Admin Maintenance Fee for returning members

+Monthly Membership Fees

$50 Refund of Registration fee if cancelled for any reason within 30 days