Classes
Northern Light Winter 2026 Session
Winter session orientation is January 9th; Classes run on Fridays, January 16th – March 6th 2026.
NLLC is not a drop off program, but an opportunity to co-create a community for your whole homeschooling family.
2026 Winter Session Important Dates:
NLLC is not a drop off program, but an opportunity to co-create a community for your whole homeschooling family.
2026 Winter Session Important Dates:
Orientation: Friday, January 9th 2026
Classes: Fridays, January 16th to March 6th, 2026
Session Culmination & Board Meeting: Friday, March 13th 2026
- Class Proposal Deadline: Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025
- Class Scheduling: Week of December 6th
- Class Leader Registration: Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 at 9:00 am
- Open Registration: Tuesday, January 6th, 2026 at 9:00 am
- Orientation and Board Meeting: January 9th, 2026
- First day of Classes Friday, January 16th, 2026
- Last day of Classes Friday, March 6th, 2026
- Closing Session Friday, March 13th, 2026
2026 Spring Session Important Dates:
Orientation: April 3rd
Classes: April 10th to May 29th, 2026
Session Culmination & Board Meeting June 5th
Spring Registration Dates:
- Class Proposal deadline Thursday, February 19th
- Second Brainstorming Session Friday February 20th, 1:30-2:30 in the Durham Library at St. Paul’s
- Final Class Proposal Deadline Monday, March 1st
- Spring Session Schedule Building Friday March 6th, 10:30-12:30 and 1:30-2:30 in the Durham Library at St. Paul’s
- Class Leader Registration Friday March 27th, 9am
- Open Registration Sunday March 29th, 9am
Register to become a NLLC co-op member (Once per year)
If the cost is a barrier to becoming a NLLC member or attending classes, apply for a scholarship.
Already a Member? Register for classes through the Member’s Portal. (Starting 01/06/2026)
2026 Winter Class Schedule
To download a PDF of the schedule, click here.
Last Updated: 1-24-26
Spring 2026 Class Descriptions
Last Updated 3/1/26
Classes have a base $15 fee to help cover rent. Some classes also have materials fees collected.
(There's no $15 fee for Morning Singing and Committee Block. Just show up!)
| A Deeper Reading: Dune | TBD | none | The ideal student will be able to read, remember, and be able to discuss approximately 3 chapters/50 pages a week (without revealing spoilers IF they read ahead). 13+ Parents and younger siblings are asked to remain in the waiting area. Max Students: 10 | We will be reading and discussing Dune by Frank Herbert. Taking a close look at the in-depth environmental, cultural, and historical world as well as relatable context within in our world. Students will need to have their own copy (hard, digital, or audio) of Dune by Frank Herbert. Led by Elena M. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art and Science on the Playground! | TBD | $12.00 | The ideal student would be excited about learning and creating, and willing to practice respecting the space and work of other students (with parental help of course!). The class if listed as 3-7, but could potentially work for 2-year-olds with parental help. 3-7 Parents may be required to help younger children fully particiapte. Max Students:12 | Come join us for some fun projects on the playground! Each week we will offer either an art/craft project, or a hands-on science project. The project station will be available for the full class period, and kids are welcome to spend as much or as little time on it as they choose, and can use the playground for active play the rest of the time. We will use the gym as a back-up location if the weather doesn't allow us to be outside. Led by Johanna B. and Hanna B. |
| Asain Cooking Class | TBD | $15.00 | The ideal student should be excited and adventurous to learn how to make and try new foods. They should also come to class ready to help with prep and stay for clean up. No one is to leave for their next class until dishes are cleaned and put away and tables and counters wiped down and floors swept when needed. I need everyones help to make this class a success if we are to continue it into next year. 9+ Parents may be required to help younger children fully particiapte. Max Students: 10 | This cooking class will focus on introducing students to Asian cuisine and learn about the culture and traditions behind the food. Food prep basics will also be taught throughout this class like knife and food safety. But for the most part, we will be exploring some new and tasty foods from all over Asia, the world's largest and most diverse continent. In the first class we will discuss and decide on what foods the class would be most interested in preparing throughout the session while snacking on some tasty treats. Then the following seven classes we will jump in and have a ton of fun learning new cooking techniques we may never have tried before and finding some new favorites. If this class is well received then we can continue our exploration the next school year by exploring cultures all around the world through their food. The ideal student should be excited and adventurous to learn how to make and try new foods. They should also come to class ready to help with prep and stay for clean up. No one is to leave until dishes are cleaned and put away and tables and counters wiped down and floors swept when needed. I need everyone's help to make this class a success if we are to continue it into next year. Led by Gini V. |
| Brain Quest Variety | TBD | none | Any student that can work alongside others, on all things academically, without highly disrupting others. 9-11 Parents and younger siblings are asked to remain in the waiting area Max Students: 8 | We will be working through the pages of the Brain quest workbooks. Every day is a different topic or a new take on the same topic. We will incorporate some dictionary usage on spelling day and globe study with geography. We can also incorporate a game or a hands on project to portray our studies. Please bring paper and pencils. Led by Kristen M. |
| Class/Activity Name | Class Room Time | Materails Fee | Ideal Student | Class Discription |
| Cozy Corner Readers | TBD | none | The ideal student for this class comes ready to read for 30-40 minutes each week. Pre-readers and emerging readers welcome - listening is learning too! 5-9 Parents and siblings are welcome but not required to stay in the room. Max Students: 10 | Welcome! This class is designed for those who are beginning (or continuing) their reading journey; built around the belief that reading should feel like a warm blanket on a rainy, spring afternoon. Each class will begin with 30-40 minutes of quiet reading time. Children can bring a book they love - whether an early reader, a picture book, a chapter book, a graphic novel, or an audiobook with headphones - and settle into reading. After our silent reading time, we will come together to talk about our current reads. Students are encouraged (but never pressured) to share. The goal is simple: to help children fall deeper in love with books while feeling seen, heard, and encouraged. Every story matters, from dragons and myths to best friends and adventures. Led by Amanda S. |
| D&D | TBD This class is 110 minutes | none | The ideal student will have experience with RPG games, be good at role playing and world-building, and be familiar with fantasy tropes. 9+ Parents and younger siblings are asked to remain in the waiting area Max Students: 5 | In this class, each week we'll play D&D in a continuous game, with narrative and game-play on the front line. It will be an exercise in storytelling and character-building using the D&D 5e system as a baseline. There will be a large focus on character choice and learning cooperative storytelling, with a world and story shaped by the player characters at its core. Led by Kai B. and Student Gray, 15 |
| Design & Create | TBD | $5.00 | Students should be excited to work with their hands and listen to directions. 7-11 Parents and siblings are welcome but not required to stay in the room. Max Students: 12 | Build a new creation each week in this hands-on class. Create a bunny sculpture, mosaic coaster, magnet creation, nature crafts, and a triskele paper globe to name a few. Each week is led by a different parent. Led by Shannon O'C and Kristen M. |
| Experiments in Physics | TBD | $5.00 | The ideal student can listen respectfully and work in small and large groups. 11+ Parents and younger siblings are asked to remain in the waiting area Max Students:10 | What is Physics? What is matter and how does it move? How do simple machines make work easier? In this class we will do hands on experiments using the scientific method. We will hypothesize, record data and discuss or findings. Come join the physics phun! Led by: Liz H. and Susanne Q. |
| Forest Friends | Mondays @ 11:00 am starting April 6th | none | The ideal student are kiddos will love this club who are interested in the ever changing seasons and time with friends! 0-7 Yes- and siblings are encouraged to join in the class activities. Max Students: 20 | Join us with your little ones for a seasonal book, gentle hike, and optional picnic! We’ll meet Mondays @11 starting April 6th. Big kids welcome if comfortable with a 0-6 pace. Please note this meets outside of our Friday Sessions at an outdoor location, please dress appropriately! Led by Ash F. and Kara C. |
| Full-Body Shakespeare | TBD | none | As you are interested in exploring Shakespeare and can read and write, I think you're all set! 11+ Parents and younger siblings are asked to remain in the waiting area Max Students: 15 | In this class we will explore Shakespeare's play "Hamlet" with our voices, imaginations, and bodies, bringing scenes from the play to life in class and getting to know its plot and characters. We will treat Shakespeare as a full-body workout for heart, mind, and voice. There will be some creative writing in the class, and students will be asked to read the play on their own during the session. No previous theater experience is required. Please bring a notebook and pen or pencil. Led by Jay L. and Darcy R. |
| Gym Hang For Littles | TBD | none | Any kiddos 7 and under with their caregivers. 0-7 Parents may be required to help younger children fully particiapte. Max Students:15 | This will be an unstructured time for kiddos ages 7 and below (along with their caregivers) to play and run around in the gym, without bigger kids using the space (which can sometimes pose challenging dynamics!). There will be some fun additional resources provided as well, like a balance beam, parachute, bean bags, and drawing materials. Participants will also be encouraged to engage in collaborative play with balls and obstacle courses, etc., as the vibe allows! Led by Nora B. |
| Hooks and Yarn | TBD | $10 | Ideal students have plenty of patience and a love for tiny, cute things. 11+ Parents and siblings are welcome but not required to stay in the room. Max Students: 8 | In this calm class, we will have a guided lesson each week where we will learn to crochet stuffies, trinkets sand more. Led by Kai B. and Student Leader Ever, 12 |
| Introduction to American Sign Language (ASL) | TBD | $20.00 | The ideal students are able to actively participate and concentrate on learning a new language who are willing to try and practice both in and out of class. No previous experience is necessary. 11+ Parents are welcome but not required to stay in the room. Max Students: 5 | our sessions are offered to learn to learn and practice words and phrases in American Sign Language (ASL). This will include simple vocabulary, classifiers, and short sentences. So you can have a simple conversation with others who know or are learning ASL. Resources will be provided for learning fingerspelling, counting, and continued independent study. Depending upon interest and compatibility, we may be able to extend the class for additional week(s). The $20's material/outside instructor fee will be donated in the Food Bank of the Southern Tier ; Led by Elena M. and Tom St.Clair Tom St. Clair will be our instructor. Tom moved to the Ithaca area after he retired as an Air Traffic Controller. He is an active member of Cascadilla Boat Club and spends time volunteering with the Food Bank of the Southern Tier and with the Community Science Institute (helping to determine water quality in our local creeks). Tom began studying ASL with his wife in 2024 to assist with communicating at home and in noisy settings as he has become hard of hearing. |
| Introduction to Basketball | TBD | $3.00 | The ideal student is someone who is interested in improving their athletic skills and who wants to participate in a fun and competitive game! 9+ Parents and siblings are welcome but not required to stay in the room. Max Students:10 | Have you been wanting to learn about basketball? Maybe you’re hoping to improve your skill set. If so, this is the class for you! We will be going over shooting technique, passing, defense and rebounding! The class will be designed to work on foundational skills and build enthusiasm and confidence! Led by Emily C and Shira E. |
| Journey to Ancient Greece | TBD | $5.00 | The ideal student is interested in learning more about Ancient Greece and able to work respectfully with peers. Please join your child in class if you think they need that support. 6-10 Parents may be required to help younger children fully particiapte Max Students:8 | Come time travel to the world of ancient Greece. With lots of crafts and stories we will explore Greek mythology, daily life, architecture, the Greek alphabet and more. Led by Liz H. and Allison and S. |
| Kingdoms of Nature | TBD | $7.00 | This class is especially well-suited for children who: Are ready to participate in short group discussions Can follow simple multi-step directions (with support as needed) Enjoy hands-on art projects and creative expression Are beginning to notice similarities and differences between things Feel excited (even if a little nervous!) about sharing something with the group Students do not need to be strong readers or writers. The Nature Journal is designed for pre-readers and early writers, with parent support encouraged at home. 3-7 and adult participants Parents may be required to help younger children fully particiapte Max Studnets: 10 | Kingdoms of Nature is a science and art class for ages 4–7 that explores major categories of the natural world, such as mammals, birds, and ocean life. Each session includes a mini-lesson, story time, worksheet, and hands-on art project. Students will also complete a guided Nature Journal project at home and present their chosen organism to the class, building early research and public speaking skills. Perfect for curious learners who love animals, nature, and creative projects. I will be absent from April 10 - April 17 Led by Tiffani T. |
| Logo Design and Branding | TBD | $5.00 | The ideal student is curious and creative and interested in design! 11+ parents are welcome but not younger siblings unless they are enrolled. Max Students:10 | This is a class for 12 and up on logo/branding design in which we will analyze logos both historical and contemporary, discuss fonts and other aesthetic considerations, watch the documentary “Helvetica” (and a couple others), and collectively design a new logo for Northern Light as well as work on our own logos for our names and/or businesses. We will also discuss the ethics and politics of Canva and A.I. and the history of other technological inventions that have impacted creators. Led by Shira E. |
| Magical Creatures Academy | TBD | $10 | Most of our time will be crafting/ art so a good focus for that would be good! Hot glue guns might also be involved. 5-9 Parents and younger siblings are asked to remain in the waiting area. Max Students: 10 | Step into our Magical Creatures Academy! Students will discover mythical animals through storytelling and research, learning about their origins in world folklore. Then we’ll create our own magical menagerie with crafts and art projects inspired by each week’s featured creature Led by Ash F. and Amanda S. |
| Queer Crafting Club | TBD | $10 | Queer, Questioning, and Allies welcomed. This is meant to be a safe and supportive group, so come with an open heart. 11+ Parents and younger siblings are asked to remain in the waiting area Max Students: 10 | In this class we would be making art, messing with Kandy, Fuse beads, collage, polymer clay play, simple sewing, henna and other rainbow related projects. We will sit around, chat, and craft. We are hoping to create a calm and supportive environment. Bring your lunch and inspiration! Led by Elena M. and Cadence 12 |
| Science Explosions | TBD | $5 | A class for the science curious kid. 7-11 Parents and siblings are welcome but not required to stay in the room. Max Students: 12 | Be ready to jump into fun with Science Explosions as we do hands-on projects related electricity, magnetism, microwaves, and flight. Led by Shannon O'C and Student Leader Pippin R. 12 |
| Showtime! Juggling and Magic | TBD | none | Kids who are ready to practice, mess up, and try again. Kids who like to move around and aren’t afraid to make mistakes while learning something new. And kids who think dropping things 100 times before getting it right sounds like fun! 8+ Parents and siblings are welcome but not required to stay in the room. Max Students: 10 | Learn to juggle with balls, rings, diablos, and more — and discover the secrets behind magic tricks with cards, coins, and other objects! Whether you've never juggled or done magic before or you're ready to level up your skills, this class is for you. We’ll also be working together to prepare a group performance that we'll put on at the end of the session! This class is team-taught by a professional juggler and professional magician, so you'll learn not just how to do these skills, but how to make them into a show. We'll provide all the juggling and magic equipment. Led by Nate M. and Matt J. |
| Social Committee | TBD This class is 110 minutes | none | We love the party planners! We also need those who prefer behind the scenes - creating flyers, creating social media posts, decorating, helping to sweep the floors after an event. We need technology help - creating spreadsheets, managing Google Drive, and managing photos. We enjoy having all ages participating, from toddlers to parents. All Are Welcome Parents and siblings are welcome but not required to stay in the room. Max Students: 20 | Social Committee participants plan, promote & execute activities outside of our Friday classes. During class time, we plan our events, create props and decorations, bake, and prepare snacks for our events. Participants also help set-up, run and clean up after our outside events. This spring, expect to help plan and promote our NLLC Yardsale, Seabreeze Trip and plan our Spring Fling, the 2025-2026 culmination day. Led by Shannon O'C, Gini V. and Susanne Q. |
| Songwriting | TBD | $5.00 | The ideal student likes music and self-expression. You don't have to play an instrument, but if you do play one and want to bring it, please do! 7-11 Parents and siblings are welcome but not required to stay in the room. Max Students:10 | This will be a supportive, creative space where we share and discuss songs we like, write our own lyrics and melodies, collaborate, and create several songs that we perform at the end of the session. Led by Shira E. |
| Word Craft | TBD | none | Ideal students are creative and passionate about words and stories, poems and storytelling. Comfort sharing what we create and write is a skill we are developing together and not necessary but very much encouraged. 11+ adult participant Parents and younger siblings are asked to remain in the waiting area Max Students: 9 | A continuation of “Our Wonderful World of Words”, we will keep exploring different prompts, art work, word tiles, music, and other inspirations to help us create interesting and intriguing phrases, poems, ideas for short stories, and stream of consciousness writings. Come and play in a zero judgment, very low pressure class, where we let words and imagination rule! Please bring a notebook of any kind. Led by Sara T. |
| Yearbook Committee | TBD | none | Students will need to be able to work as a team; be willing to learn how to use the Canva graphic design program; help with taking candid photos. Parents with a graphic design background or knowledge of Canva would be a great asset to this class. 9-11 Parents and siblings are welcome but not required to stay in the room. Max Students: 10 | Work as a team to create the 2025-2026 NLLC Yearbook using the Canva program. Help write short articles, design photo layouts, engage in proofreading and editing, and meet yearbook deadlines. Both students and adults are welcome to participate. Laptop or iPad. Led by Shannon O'C |
| Yes And Improv | TBD | none | The ideal student is creative and a good listener who can be silly but also very quiet when the teacher is teaching. They should also be willing to make things up on the spot and comfortable in working with other people and their ideas. 10+ Parents and younger siblings are asked to remain in the waiting area Max Students: 8 | Improv is imagination and spur of the moment thinking. You get to create a character and then the first thing that comes into your head you say. We will be doing fun improv games for most of the session, and then at the end class we will do a performance, but of course, nothing scripted! More like we vote on which improv game we want to do, (the funnier the better!) and do it! It is definitely not required to do the performance if you don't want to. Also, there is literally no way to do it wrong. Unless you think improv is another word for underwater basket weaving, you're good. Led by Sara T. and Student Leader Fern P. 12 |
| Nerf Club | TBD | 3 | Any kid 9 and up who is ok with chaos and crossfire! 9+ adult participant Parents may be required to help younger children fully particiapte Max Students: 15 | Allen will facilitate a Nerf battle club, for kids ages 9 and up to get together and pelt one another with darts- consensually! Kids can bring their own shooters, or borrow an extra. There will be a group clean up time scheduled into the end of the block so all participants can gather darts together. There will be a small materials fee to cover extra darts. Led by Nora B. and Student Leader Allen, 11 |
| Astrology | TBD | 5 | Any fully or partially human entity age 13 or older. Speaks English (Instructor's Spanish and German are both very rusty). Not offended by honesty. Committed to kindness towards peers. Dark sense of humor a plus, but not required. 13+ adult participant Parents and younger siblings are asked to remain in the waiting area. Max Students: 12 | What even is Astrology? How does it work? Why would I want to study it? In this experiential and participatory class we will discuss these questions through the lens of the birth chart, overlaid by the worldly astrology of the times we live in. (No problem if you don't know what that means. If you are curious, come join us.) This will lead us to an exploration of the deeper, more meaningful questions: Who even am I? What the heck is my place in the world? How do I find a way to live a fulfilled life, one which feels worth living? Led by Uriel C. |