Jan 28 Parent Roundtable Recap: What We Shared, What We Heard, What’s Next
Thank you to everyone who joined our Parent Roundtable this week—both in person and online. These meetings are designed to be practical: quick updates, honest questions, and real-time problem solving together. Below are the key takeaways and next steps from our January 28, 2026, conversation.
Celebrations: College Acceptances, Athletics, and a New Theater Launch
We opened with a few bright spots that reflect what’s unique about Forest: learners charting their own paths and the community building the “extras” together as demand grows.
On the college front, we’re continuing to see acceptances to a wider range of universities—including several we haven’t had learners attend before. Recent acceptances include Spelman, FAMU, Washington State, Wayne State, Oakland University, University of Northern Colorado, Fort Lewis, SMU, and University of Utah—across Forest School Online and Forest School in person. And this is just a snapshot from only a few seniors so far; we expect the list to keep growing as the year unfolds.
In athletics, our middle school basketball team is heading into the state tournament with momentum, and our JV season wrapped with a great community feel (and photos coming for families). One reminder that came up: our sports teams evolve year-to-year based on learner interest. We’re committed to honoring that while building stable opportunities when the demand is there.
Finally, theater is officially “real” at Forest. After an after-school attempt didn’t stick (in part because it didn’t feel like it was building toward something meaningful), learners and Guides pivoted toward a public production. Our first show—Beware the Jabberwock—will run on four dates in May. Twenty-five learners have already signed up to audition, including a couple from outside Forest, and everyone who auditions will be part of the production in some way. We’re excited to see learners rally around a shared creative goal.
Math: A Clearer Structure, More Feedback Loops, and Stronger Parent Visibility
A major portion of the conversation focused on math—both the program design and how families can better understand progress.
Here’s what’s changing in math labs (upper elementary through high school): math lab time is being split into two purposeful parts. One part is targeted individual work on specific gaps (based on what we’re seeing in diagnostics and learner performance), with active support from Guides. The other part is collaboration—learners working in small groups on structured problems designed to spark discussion, shared reasoning, and peer support. We’re using tools like Oko Labs that allow us to intentionally group learners and tailor the work so learners aren’t just “doing math,” but actively explaining it and thinking together.
We also revisited math “practicals,” which are our mastery-based performance checks. The most important clarification: practicals are not punitive tests and they’re not pass/fail in the traditional sense. They’re meant to function like real-world demonstrations of skill—more like a performance test than a timed exam. Learners can take practicals when they’re ready, receive feedback, revise, and try again. The point is growth toward mastery, with multiple pathways for demonstrating understanding.
One parent question was especially helpful: “When do parents see the feedback loop—not just the final result?” Historically, we’ve tended to share the final outcome, but we heard clearly that earlier visibility would help families support sooner, especially if outside tutoring or additional practice is sought. We’re taking this back as a process improvement: how to make practical progress easier to access and understand for families, ideally in a consistent place.
Related note: for grades 4–12, assignment expectations and submission criteria should be clearly written in Journey Tracker. If you’re not seeing that clearly for your learner, please tell us—our expectation is that it’s visible and usable.
Parent Agency and Badge Plans: Flexibility With Integrity
We spent time reinforcing something we care deeply about: parents should have real agency in this model. The badge plan is where that agency lives. When we send a draft badge plan at the beginning of the year and ask what you want to add, subtract, or change, we mean it. If you don’t understand something in the plan, ask. If you and your learner want to revise the plan, we’ll talk through trade-offs and make a thoughtful decision together.
That said, flexibility has to be paired with integrity. We want learners to have options in platforms and pathways, but we also need clear evidence of mastery. And we’ve seen a common dynamic that’s worth naming: sometimes learners push for a platform change because they’re genuinely mismatched with the tool—and sometimes it’s because focus, effort, or attitude is the real issue. Our role is to help you sort what’s real by observing how a learner is using the platform, not just whether they “like it.”
If families choose an alternate platform outside what we already provide, we’ll still need visibility and access so we can hold learners accountable to the badge plan. If we can’t see progress on the back end, we can’t coach well.
Looking ahead, we’re exploring new platforms constantly, including AI-enabled tools. We’re currently in conversations about an AI app-development platform for middle and high school learners, and we’re piloting math tools (including AI-infused options). We’re also exploring a pilot with “MyGooru,” a learning GPS concept designed to personalize next steps based on learner goals and interests. As always: nothing is perfect, but we keep iterating toward tools that support deeper learning.
One additional next step: we’re drafting a revised math badge for next year and plan to put it out for parent comment. We want your feedback before it’s finalized.
Self-Governance and Accountability: Tools, Clarity, and Belonging
A thoughtful question came up about accountability systems—specifically, how learners can address “contract breaches” (including unkind behavior) in the moment, and how learners who are newer to the community can feel empowered to lead.
Different Studios have different self-governance structures, and part of the work this year is ensuring learners clearly understand the tools available to them. In Upper Elementary Studio, the primary tools include Council (for specific issues with individuals) and Town Halls (for broader studio-wide patterns). Some studios have used warning systems in the past; in Upper, learners previously voted those out because they became punitive or were misused. That history matters, and it also means we need to make sure the remaining structures are clear, accessible, and effective.
We also discussed Council membership: if the same learners are repeatedly selected, shy learners may miss leadership opportunities. In prior years, we’ve used approaches like rotating eligibility so new learners serve each cycle. We’re going to check current practice and refresh if needed.
Most importantly: we named plainly that disrespect is not something we will tolerate. When concerns are raised, we want learners to have safe, clear channels to surface issues and to move toward restoration, ownership, and better culture—not silence or resignation. If your learner is unsure what tools exist, that’s a solvable problem, and we want to help them see their options and use them well.
Safety Update: Microwaves
We addressed a recent middle school injury involving a microwaved item that was clearly labeled not to be heated. Our staff responded quickly and appropriately, including immediate eye flushing, parent contact, and emergency services. We’re grateful the learner is doing well and that eyesight appears unaffected.
In response, we’re tightening microwave procedures with an abundance of caution while still preserving age-appropriate independence. Updates include clearer signage about what can and cannot go into microwaves, expectations that a Guide is present in the Studio during use for all but High School, limiting use windows in some Studios (such as lunch-only), and reinforcing that learners must stay with the microwave while it runs. High school will retain a bit more freedom, with tighter oversight and expectations. We’re also considering whether consequences for misuse should be explicitly tied to privileges.
Federal Authorities and “Sensitive Locations”: How We’re Approaching It
We also addressed a parent-submitted question about preparedness for potential interactions with immigration enforcement and the broader anxiety families are feeling.
Without getting pulled into politics, our leadership approach is anchored in a few guiding principles:
We put kids first—keeping campus calm, predictable, and safe. We prioritize strong communication with families and community leaders, and we’re actively seeking legal and security guidance (including from local leaders and counsel). We are building a clear procedure for the scenario of any federal authority arriving on campus, with designated trained point people who respond while all other staff redirect. We will follow the law, protect students, avoid volunteering access or information, and verify any documentation through a defined process. We also practice data minimization: we limit what we collect, protect what we have, and do not share information absent parent request or legal requirement.
A parent asked a critical operational question: “Do learners have a procedure the way they do for fire drills or tornado drills?” The answer is that we’re currently translating our legal clarity into practical procedures, then training staff, and only then deciding what (if anything) learners need to know—carefully and age-appropriately. We will not compromise psychological safety, especially for learners who may feel newly vulnerable because of national rhetoric or current events. Before any learner-facing communication on this topic, we intend to share with parents first.
A Final Reminder: Freedom Requires Curation
We closed with a parenting theme that applies to all of this: we value freedom, autonomy, and agency—but young people are developing discernment, and that requires adult attention. At school, we use GoGuardian. At home, we encourage families to actively curate—not control, but curate—what learners are consuming online. If you want access or support using GoGuardian for parents, reach out to Amber.
How You Can Help
If you want to participate in the Math Guide finalist interviews on Monday (11:00–1:30), let us know—we welcome parent involvement and use that feedback alongside staff and learner input.
If you’re hearing confusing or conflicting information from your learner about expectations, assignments, or progress, please reach out. We’d rather clarify early than repair later.
And if you’re interested in piloting a new learning platform with your learner, email me. We’re always testing what could better serve deep learning, and family partnership helps us do it wisely.
Thanks again for showing up. These conversations make us better.