Heartwood welcomes spring at Cotton Rose Farm

On the first day of spring, we had the opportunity to visit the Heartwood Learning Community in the Comox Valley for their spring equinox gathering, held at Cotton Rose Farm in the Black Creek area.

Heartwood operates within a farm and nature-based learning environment, where students connect deeply with the land as part of their daily learning. The program brings together students from kindergarten to Grade 8 in a collaborative, multi-age setting, blending outdoor exploration with indoor learning experiences.

The equinox gathering was a celebration of community, learning and the changing season. The day began with a welcoming circle and vocal warm-ups through song, creating a sense of connection and shared purpose.

Throughout the afternoon, students moved between a variety of hands-on activity stations set up across the site.

These included bannock-making over the fire, planting seeds with intentions for the season ahead, and a nature-based scavenger hunt. The outdoor setting provided a natural backdrop for curiosity, creativity and play.

The gathering concluded with a storytelling session around the fire, where everyone came together for a story about the arrival of spring. It was a meaningful and memorable visit, and we are grateful to the Heartwood community for welcoming us into their learning space

Students at Heartwood are organized into three cohorts: Seeds (Kindergarten to Grade 2), Sprouts (Grades 3 to 5), and Saplings (Grades 6 to 8). This structure supports multi-age collaboration while allowing for developmentally appropriate learning experiences.

Programs like Heartwood highlight how Navigate NIDES blends online learning with in-person, experiential opportunities. Together, these approaches create flexible, student-centred learning environments that reflect the diverse ways students learn best.