2026-2027
Pathfinders
Learning Pods
What is it?
Pathfinders Learning Pods is a rich, child-led learning cohort one day each week, where "agency" & positive relationships are nurtured. Pathfinders focuses on building community and interpersonal skills, hands-on learning through project-based challenges, application of academic skills like reading/writing (vs. explicit instruction), and critical thinking.
Pathfinders is a once weekly, five-hour drop-off program that continues throughout the academic year (with breaks every 6-8 weeks). Registration for Pathfinders will open in June and close end of July. The yearlong program runs early September through early May. Kids stay with their Pathfinder Learning Pod throughout the day, grouped loosely by age/readiness, but regularly interacting with/learning alongside kids of all ages/pods. Parents who wish to remain on-campus will have access to a waiting space to wait indoors or can hang nearby outdoors. (There are athletic fields adjacent & a playground one door down.)
Dates/Times:
2026-2027 Pathfinders opens on September 8th, 2026 and ends on May 4th, 2027. Pathfinder Pods will meet Tuesdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Starlings is 10 am-1:10 pm). Drop-off is available starting at 9:45 a.m. Please see the calendar for exact break dates.
Volunteering:
No parent volunteer requirement, but we offer limited employment opportunities for those looking to help offset/cover tuition costs. Contact us to inquire.
Cost
Cost for all Pathfinders (10 am - 3 pm) programs per child is $849.00 for the 2026-2027 Academic Year.
Starlings (10 am - 1 pm) is $500.00
We are happy to offer a month-to-month payment plan option at no additional cost (pay over 9 months), but all registrants are responsible for the entire year regardless of payment plan. Unfortunately, our budgets are established on razor-thin margins based on registrations received. For this reason, we regret that late cancellations & withdrawals with refunds cannot be accommodated once the program has begun.
Also required:
Membership
$105 annual membership (administration) fee per household required. Cost covers space rental, insurance, administrative expenses, taxes, staff salaries, & supplies in addition to regularly-scheduled social events. Learn more.
Enrollment min/max:
Min enrollment is 7 children per pod. (5 for Starlings).
Max per pod is 9 for Starlings, 12 for Novas, 14 for Core Pathfinders (2 pods), and 14 for Voyagers.
Expected Pathfinders groups (depending on enrollment) are:
NEW! Pathfinders Starlings, ages 5-6 : Half-day drop-off for kindy-aged and first grade kids from 10 am - 1 pm. (Must be age 5 by 9/8/26, firm) Starlings are ready for a taste of independence and a chance to build relationships while still building up stamina for a full day. Starlings will focus on building confidence & belonging in a gentle group setting. They may need more assistance, guidance, & reassurance in daily & academic tasks than Novas. Read more here.
Pathfinders Novas, ages 6-8 : Full-day drop-off from 10 am - 3 pm for early elementary kids ready for further independence & self-reliance. Novas (age 6 or older at the start of the program year) enjoy a longer, more challenging day than Starlings, with increased independence. As they build skills for Pathfinders, Novas enjoy hands-on creative projects, imaginative & cooperative play, academic skills practice, movement & snack breaks, along with free-play opportunities and community-building with their older peers. Read more here.
Pathfinders Core Program, ages 8-13: Pathfinders are ready to engage in the core Pathfinders curriculum that focuses on discussion, group projects, team puzzles/games/challenges, building relationships & communication skills, etc. Pathfinders take a short movement break mid-morning but maintain focused work for longer stretches. Pathfinders are ready to engage in deep critical thinking, cooperative projects/activities, and a full-day of community & socialization. As our largest group, Core Pathfinders will be split into similar-aged pods, depending on enrollment (8-year-olds who meet readiness requirements may choose to enroll in Pathfinders vs. Novas. Must be 8 by 9/8/26.)
NEW! Pathfinders Voyagers, ages 13-15 (age 12 by invitation/leader discretion) Pathfinders ages up and branches out for 2026 with an newly adapted version of the Pathfinders program designed to meet the needs of our high school (and upper middle school) members. Pathfinders Voyagers will follow a similar routine to the core Pathfinders program, with students continuing to build confidence, critical thinking & communication skills while deepening peer relationships.
Voyagers will:
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read & discuss more complex news/current events topics from both The Week, Jr. and The Week Magazine, including outside reading/research requirements
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learn & develop leadership skills through study & hands-on practice
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expand their current participation in group project-based learning with further ownership of project outcomes, community outreach, project management, and enhanced project expectations
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engage in community-building/bonding activities to build rapport & strengthen relationships
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enjoy free/social time with similar-aged peers during midday lunch breaks
Voyagers are expected to be able to read and write at- or above-grade-level.
Location:
Locations: Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist 1025 N Smith St, Palatine, IL 60067
Harmony's & Countryside's missions of providing a welcoming, inclusive space for families of all faiths, cultures, & backgrounds are beautifully aligned. Harmony is grateful for the ability to use this space but is not affiliated with the church. There remains no religious/spiritual component to Harmony, which is an entirely secular organization. Visit Countryside's website if you're interested in knowing more about the church where we meet.
Registration:
Registration for new Pathfinders begins July 1 (for current members) and July 7 (new members). Returning members should request renewal, and new members should apply for membership. Members will be contacted when registration opens!
Late and midyear registration will be accepted on a very limited basis at leadership discretion. Students considering registration next year should inquire about completing a trial day.
How to get involved/Next steps:
Prior to being able to register for Pathfinders, families must complete the Membership Application Process.
First, complete these steps:
1. Forms: Family Application form.
2. Fee: Pay Membership Fee via Zelle
3. Pathfinders Fit/Placement Assessment: Families new to Pathfinders should complete a Fit/Placement Assessment to assist leadership in finding the perfect placement for your child.
4. Welcome Meeting: You will then be contacted via email to schedule an informal chat on Google Meet to converse about Harmony and ensure the program is a good fit all around. Next steps for on-boarding & registering are discussed here.
What will Pathfinders DO? Explore our daily routine:
Pathfinder Starlings (ages 5-6) & Novas (ages 6-8)
Pathfinders (Core Program) (ages 8-13)
Voyagers schedule coming soon... (ages 13-15)
PATHFINDERS STARLINGS (AGES 5-6)
PATHFINDERS NOVAS (AGES 6-8*)
8-year-olds' families choose the Pathfinder program they feel best fits their child's readiness/maturity/goals/needs.
Novas and Starlings are introductory-level programs to Pathfinders. Broadly, the primary goals of the program are to develop self-reliance & responsibility, creative & critical thinking, problem-solving and communication/social skills, and build positive social relationships within an environment focused on kindness, respect, and acceptance. Children will devote some time to exercising their academic skills/knowledge in reading, writing, math, science, & art, but always with a focus on process over product and exploration & progress over perfection.
9:45-10:00 a.m.
Our soft-start or welcome period of the day allows children to filter in and get settled while engaging in open-ended exploratory play that encourages gentle conversation & collaboration.
10-10:20 a.m.
Greeting & Check-in. A gentle transition to our day together, learning about each other lives & building rapport. Children learn & even help lead discussion of weather, calendar, & geography concepts.
10:20 a.m.
Stations. Children move at their own pace & interest through a variety of possible activities that support the academic areas of math concepts (telling time, counting money, addition, subtraction, etc.) writing/spelling, handwriting, geography, simple science concepts, etc.
10:50 a.m.
Social snack time: children enjoy a peanut-free snack from home and a movement break.
11:10 a.m.
Story-based projects & exploration. Children will hear a story read-aloud that explores a meaningful theme or concept, such as a different culture or historically important person, through fiction. They will then embark on an expansion project to explore the context or events of the story further using art, writing, drama, etc.
12:00 p.m.
Community lunch: kids all sit together (outdoors when possible!), eat and chat.
12:30 p.m.
Free play (outdoors whenever possible!). Some free-play time will overlap with older Pathfinder groups so kids can mingle.
1:10 p.m.
Starlings: Pick Up
Novas: Quiet independent reading. Students bring a book or two from home that is selected by them and approved by a parent that can be read and enjoyed independently (either by reading words or looking at pictures).
1:30 p.m.
Flex-time for movement/imaginative play, or project "follow-up," followed by Community Building. This time will be spent learning to participate in large group structured activities & games, "working on" understanding interpersonal dynamics & teamwork, dealing with challenges/disappointment, winning with grace, turn-taking, and building a sense of group belonging. Children may at times participate in an age-appropriate way in the building/engineering contests & challenges or service projects led by the older Pathfinders.
2:30 p.m.
Final Chores/Clean-Up. Students will have weekly responsibilities to care for the space, continuing to foster their sense of independence, responsibility, self-reliance, & belonging.
2:45 p.m.
Closing Meeting. Student-led community meeting.
Exchange updates (e.g. The blue ball is missing. We're out of paint. etc.)
All share gratitudes for the day and de-brief about the day's events.
Address questions/concerns for the group and reflect/problem-solve together.
3:00 p.m.
Pick-up!
PATHFINDERS (AGES 8-13)*
*8 and 13 year-olds' families choose the program they feel best fits their child's readiness/maturity/goals/needs.
Pathfinder students will be grouped loosely by age, enrollment dependent.
10-10:15 a.m.
Greeting & Check-in. A gentle transition to our day together, learning about each other lives & building rapport.
10:15 a.m.
Discussion
Explore the week's news in an age-appropriate way. Use guiding questioning to help kids explore the social, cultural, and historical context of what is going on in the world. Instructors facilitate the conversation & help students explore resources for more information in order to help students form their own views, rather than pushing a particular worldview.
In addition to learning about the world, children will practice expressing their views, read and research together, practice discussing and disagreeing civilly, practice evaluating an information source for credibility, and learn how to seek out information. (The week's news source will be the weekly publication for kids, "The Week, Junior," so that families can know exactly what we're discussing & get in on the conversation at home!)
10:30/45
Following a movement break, Core Pathfinders engage in Project-Based Learning in small groups. Children will be given a real-world problem to solve, and over the course of the session will use critical-thinking to create a solution. For instance, "The local zoo needs to create an engaging exhibit to humanely house "x" animal and teach the public about its endangered status. With your group, design a zoo exhibit that meets the following requirements: adequate square footage per animal, etc." In the process, students must collaborate, research, design, write, compute, and more. Past projects have included posters, cardboard "prototypes" or dioramas, written descriptions, skits, hands-on activities, and more. Projects will be displayed/presented at Harmony for children to present to their peers & families upon completion.
Click here for a good definition of Project-Based Learning: https://www.teachthought.com/learning/what-is-project-based-learning/
12:00
Group de-brief: Where are you in your project? What's going well/not going well? What challenges did you face and how did you (or will you) overcome them? What do you need for next time and how are you going to get it? What's your next step?
Clean-up; transition to lunch
12:10 p.m.
Community lunch: kids all sit together (outdoors when possible!), eat and chat.
12:40 p.m.
Free play (outdoors whenever possible!). Younger/older age groups will mingle during free-play.
1:15 p.m.
Independent reading and journaling. Students bring a book from home that is selected by them and approved by a parent. Books should meet a reasonable standard of academic rigor (think historical fiction vs. Dogman), ideally will have a narrative text for language enrichment, and provide a "manageable challenge" for the child. Students then journal their thoughts, feelings, reactions, questions, summaries, illustrations, etc. Instructors & students communicate through the journal weekly.
1:35 p.m.
Community-Building. This time will be spent taking on large group challenges through structured games & challenges, building/engineering contests & challenges, service projects, and other engaging ways to learn about teamwork and building community.
2:35 p.m.
Final Chores/Clean-Up. Students will have weekly responsibilities to care for the space, continuing to foster their sense of independence, responsibility, self-reliance, & belonging.
2:45 p.m.
Closing Meeting in pods.
Exchange updates (e.g. The blue ball is missing. We're out of paint. etc.)
All share gratitudes, acknowledgements for their peers' positive actions, and de-brief in other ways about the day's events.
Address questions/concerns for the group and reflect/problem-solve together.
3:00 p.m.
Pick-up!