
"There are two gifts we should give our children, one is roots, the other is wings."
About Wild Roots.
Welcome to Wild Roots Learning Center. We invite you to join us in this special place of learning and wonder, so come as you are because all are welcome here, at Wild Roots you are home. We are a community where students and families are encouraged to build relationships with one another and with the surrounding community. Our philosophy for education is holistic in approach, balancing academic learning that is standards aligned, with a focus on relationships, play, nature, inclusion and love.
It is our desire to give our children a quality education, while preserving the adventure, freedom and wonder of childhood. We honor each child as an individual and believe students will gain the greatest amount of learning in an environment where they are encouraged to converse, share ideas, and build their own capacities through self-directed diligent study or play. As our students explore and learn, they will be supported by educators with deep understanding of content who can guide students as they become masters of their own knowledge. While we believe interaction across a wide range of ages is most beneficial for all, to help students and parents navigate which courses would be most beneficial and appropriate for each student, we offer our courses in three flexible age ranges.
Early Childhood Investigators In this level, typically students ranging in ages 4-8 will engage in classes that provide self-directed learning through play and investigation. Students will participate in circle times and stations where monthly thematic concepts are introduced. Social skills are developed as students are supported in their navigation of conflict resolution or when working in a group.
Young Discoverers In this level, students ranging in ages 7-12 will begin to engage in more Socratic type academic conversations such as number play, community awareness and verbal language development through structured dramatic play.
Junior & Senior Academic Pathfinders In this level, students (juniors 10-13 and seniors 14-17) are engaging in social learning opportunities that support and enrich at home curricular content. For students in these upper age levels, we still strongly encourage play and social engagement. Students in these age ranges can participate in mentorship programs with younger students
All of our courses offer rich academic understanding and support the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) without the rigidity of traditional classroom time constraints.
For students of all grades, we will focus on enrichment skills and unit studies, social emotional learning, and development of the whole child. In addition to providing core A-G support for high school homeschoolers taught by credentialed teachers.
Classes in the Wild Roots pedagogical approach will be available to support parents in their own homeschooling practices, assist in social emotional supports, curriculum and instruction support, and so much more. At Wild Roots the opportunity for learning and community is not limited to students. Parents are encouraged to participate in our Parent Educator Learning Community (PELC). As a member of this learning community, parents have the opportunity to collaborate with other parent educators to share ideas, gather insights, and continue to grow as lifelong learners.
While we will have a focus on providing services to homeschool children in the Sacramento region, enrichment opportunities for all in the region regardless of their school of attendance will be available.
You are welcome here.
Vision & Mission.
Wild Roots will develop a community of lifelong learners who demonstrate the following:
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Civic responsibility
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Mindful practices
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Love of nature
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Thoughtful reasoning
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Critical thinking
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Inclusivity
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A love of learning
We will do this by creating an environment in which:
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Welcomes the whole child
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Integrates play, nature and love into our lessons
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Welcome every child and every child is a valuable member of the community
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Is inclusive to all, and celebrates and honors our differences
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Demonstrates the love and passion of learning in everything we do
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Works to better our community
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Allows flexibility and freedom of choice, integrates standards, and is a place where our kids want to call “home”.
Wild Roots will be a community which provides support to parents in their quest to monitor the learning growth and development of their children. We know learning is not a destination, nor is it identical for each person. We respect and identify that every human is uniquely individual and by providing a space for each student to root and grow, the impact is infinite.
Who we are.
Stacy James

Kara Lofthouse
Stacy James & Kara Lofthouse
Combined, directors Kara and Stacy have over 30 years in education. From the moment they met in 2013 as they both embarked on teaching together in Folsom, they connected on levels that would only become more apparent over the years. As educational leaders, both with their masters in education they have devoted their adult lives to bettering education for all children. They have served as educational leaders both at the site level and district level and their knowledge in best practices and educational development far surpasses many. Both Kara and Stacy opted to homeschool their own children in 2020. In this unprecedented year, and bringing their expertise to the table, their passion for education has driven their desire to develop a community of learners and families that have the same passion to remain wild, and fill a void in our region. They are thrilled to embark on creating a home away from home for homeschool students, and any student for that matter, to learn, build relationships and receive enrichment and core classes with a focus on community and self development.
