Enroll · Schedule
A day, hour by hour.
3:15 to 6:00, five days a week, with two program blocks, ten minutes of Nothing, and a hard stop so staff can go home.
- Doors
- 3:15 p.m.
- Pickup
- 6:00 p.m.
- Late pickup
- 6:30, no fee
- Terms
- 3 per year
Every afternoon
| Time | Block | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 3:15 | Doors & snack | Check-in, fruit, something warm, water. Every kid eats. |
| 3:45 | Block one | First program. Same group, same adult, all term. |
| 4:45 | Nothing | Ten minutes of quiet. Optional. Phones away, talking optional, no output. |
| 5:00 | Block two / open studio | Second program, homework table, repair bench, salon, or free build. |
| 5:45 | Cleanup | Every kid cleans their bench and one shared thing. |
| 6:00 | Pickup | Front door or van. Late pickup: call, we will wait. No fee. |
Which programs run when
| Day | Programs |
|---|---|
| Monday | Science (Hawthorne, Cully) · Engineering (Montavilla) · Open studio |
| Tuesday | Technology (Montavilla, Lents) · Crafts (Hawthorne, Cully) · Haircuts · Nothing |
| Wednesday | Science · Kitchen table · Open studio · Haircuts |
| Thursday | Technology · Engineering · Crafts · Nothing |
| Friday | Open studio · Salon · Family Night on the 2nd Friday |
Kids choose two programs, and the site coordinator builds a schedule that fits both. Some combinations are not possible on the same day (Crafts and Technology both run Tuesday, for example), which is the most common reason a kid ends up with a second choice. We tell you that up front rather than after the fact.
Term dates 2026–27
| Term | Dates | Weeks | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Sep 8 – Nov 20 | 11 | Main enrollment window |
| Winter 2026–27 | Dec 1 – Feb 19 | 11 | Closed Dec 21 – Jan 4 |
| Spring 2027 | Mar 2 – May 21 | 11 | Science Fair Mar 14 |
| Summer 2027 | Jul 12 – 23 | 2 | Full days, separate registration |
Half days and closures
On district in-service days we run half-day coverage at Hawthorne, 12:30–6:00. On snow days we follow Portland Public Schools: if they close, we close, and the text goes out by 6:30 a.m. Winter break we are closed for two weeks, because staff need it and so do kids. Summer has its own two-week camp and then we are mostly dark in August, except for Nothing Day.
Six minutes, no test.
Enrollment is free and there is no academic requirement, no audition, and no interview for your kid. There is a short conversation, because we like to meet them.