Our Mission & Vision

Hawk Hill Learning Community supports the educational and social needs of Western North Carolina homeschooling and unschooling families and others exploring alternative ways of learning and being in community. 

For Hawk Hill kids this looks like:

  • Kids are happy, growing - as are facilitators and parents.

  • Kids have agency.

  • We are encouraging self-expression, creativity, adaptability, exploration, play and healthy risk-taking.

  • Kids are collaborating, communicating and learning to work through conflict, disagreement, etc. - as are facilitators and parents.

  • Activities are well run.

  • Indoor and outdoor spaces are well-organized and aesthetically pleasing.

Our Programs

For Ages 5 - 12

We operate an activity and learning center three days a week for homeschool and unschool kids ages 5 -12. Kids engage in self-directed activities both inside and outside, and take part in offerings made by staff, other adults or kids. Kids attend one, two, or three days a week (Mon-Wed), 9:30 am to 3:30 pm.

For Ages 12 - 17

We launched a program for ages 12 - 17 in January 2025. The program is a combination of offerings driven by the interests of the teens, self-directed activities, and coaching/mentoring to help teens identify areas of interest and opportunities (classes, internships, etc.) to develop in those areas. For those interested, there also is an opportunity to play a leadership role as a junior facilitator with the younger kids.

The program consists of six-week sessions that meet Thursdays from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm , with an option to also participate on Tuesdays, and half-day and full-day options. 

For more information, email us at teens@hawkhillavl.org or reach out via our Contact Us page.

For Adults 

We will also offer, in the form of classes, support groups and other offerings, support  for homeschool and unschool parents and other adults who are exploring alternative ways of learning and being in community.

Our Facilitators

One of Hawk Hill's founding principles is prioritizing happy facilitators for the  long-term health and sustainability of our community.

  • Scott Voloshin

    Scott is honored to be a part of creating Hawk Hill Learning Community. His experience in education spans a wide field: from working as a teacher's assistant in a Danish preschool to tutoring individual students to working as a facilitator in a self-directed environment. His love of sharing his skill of performance and personal expression is one of his superpowers. He does it with grace and childlike humor. He has an ability to bring people together, be it through cooking, musical exploration, theater or even by stepping back. His wife, Stacey, and kids, Jed and Ivy, continue to give him inspiration.

  • Other Facilitators (photos & profiles to come)

    Marin Mitchell

    Jessica Sanchez

    Cathy Quinn

    Steve Cooperman

Our Structure & Culture

We have incorporated as a non-profit and have received our 501(c)(3) tax exempt status.

We have designed, and continue to refine, structures in support of our culture, that is, how we want to treat each other, and not as an attempt to eliminate ambiguity, complexity and conflict, which we believe are part of a healthy culture. Some of what this looks like:

  • Creating more clarity around decision making, roles, responsibilities, expectations, and lines of communication between all community members - facilitators, parents, volunteers, teachers, and kids.

  • A process to ensure a certain degree of two-way alignment between facilitators and parents around expectations, as we make our best effort to ensure there is a good fit for everyone involved.

  • Opportunities for everyone to have a voice and make a positive contribution to the Hawk Hill community.

Here is what we expect of everyone at Hawk Hill:

  1. Respect and care for yourself.

  2. Respect and care for others.

  3. Respect and care for the physical and natural environment.

  4. Come ready to have fun, connect, learn, be creative, express yourself and be in community with others doing the same.

Hawk Hill is not a school. All children participating in Hawk Hill programs during the school year must be registered homeschoolers in the state of North Carolina, and parents are solely responsible for ensuring that all NC homeschooling requirements are met.