TRIBUTARIES
1-DAY PROGRAM
The Tributaries Program is a one day per week short-form offering rooted in Watershed Schoolhouses’ integrated, project-based curriculum. Just as a river is made up of many smaller tributaries—creeks and streams—the Tributaries Program is a smaller-scale program that feeds into the overall work of Watershed Schoolhouse.
The program serves a multi-age cohort, with students in grades 1-7, and operates out of Watershed Schoolhouse’s main campus, based in the current and ancestral homelands of the Mechoopda (Chico, California). Space in the cohort is limited to 15 students.
The Tributaries Program follows a year-long arc, exploring one theme in depth through several projects. Each theme is broad enough and complex enough to serve as an entry point for many different kinds of learning and for individual exploration and curiosity. The 2026-2027 theme is water. As a nature-based curriculum, the projects and rhythm follow the seasons and the arc of a day. Click here to learn more about Watershed’s rhythm.
Calendar & Rhythm
The Tributaries Program meets Fridays, from 9am-3pm.
SEMESTER 1
(14 weeks)
Sep 11, 18, 25
Oct 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Nov 6, 13, 20
Dec 4, 11, 18
SEMESTER 2
(16 weeks)
Jan 15, 22, 29
Feb 5, 19, 26
Mar 5, 12
Apr 2, 9, 16, 23
May 7, 14, 21, 28
*With some exceptions, the calendar generally aligns with the CUSD Calendar.
Tributaries Tuition
Watershed Schoolhouse is committed to making transformative education accessible to all.
The Tributaries Program is based on an annual tuition rate and a commitment to the full school year (Sept-May). Tuition can be paid in 1, 2, or 9 (monthly) payments. Specific details sent upon acceptance and registration.
$289 per month/$2600 per year
A deposit of $289 is required to reserve your child’s space in the program.
If tuition poses a barrier, please reach out to: info@watershedschoolhouse.org to explore possible options.
Enrolled with an independent study homeschool charter? Looking to use your funds for the Tributaries Program?
Watershed Schoolhouse is currently a community partner/charter school vendor with CORE Butte and Lake View Charter.
WATERSHED BENEFITS
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Nature as Teacher
Watershed Schoolhouse is hosted on a beautiful 43-acre campus with a year-round creek and a simple schoolhouse just a few minutes outside of Chico.
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Integrated Learning
Real learning goes beyond tests and piece-meal experiences; it engages whole humans through coherent projects, rooted in community.
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Small Cohort Size
Small by design, the small, multi-age cohort allows families, teachers, and students alike to grow together and deepen their relationships over time.
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Screen-free Environment
The screen-free environment allows for direct experience—rather than mere information—as the foundation for learning.