A parent-led cooperative in Homestead, Florida built on the belief that the deepest learning happens in community — through mentorship, nature, and meaningful work alongside people you care about.
Butterfly Cooperative School began in 1981 as a neighborhood playgroup and has grown into something rare: a genuine community of families who believe that education is about more than curriculum.
We believe learning happens everywhere — in the garden, in conversation, in the moment an older child helps a younger one understand something for the first time. Our school is staffed entirely by parents who rotate through teaching and support roles, keeping our community close and our tuition accessible.
Outdoor exploration, environmental stewardship, and a deep appreciation for the natural world woven into every week.
This is not a drop-off school. Parents are teachers, mentors, and builders of this community together.
Children learn at their own pace, following their curiosity within a structured, nurturing environment.
Leaders & Learners is our signature program for children ages 8–12. Students don't just attend school — they help run it. They mentor younger children, lead activities, and practice the real skills of communication, teaching, and compassionate leadership.
Each week, Leaders & Learners students work alongside children ages 2–7, developing patience, confidence, and a genuine sense of purpose. They study early childhood development, practice public speaking, and learn about inclusion and supporting children with diverse needs.
Follows Miami-Dade County Public Schools calendar breaks — no school when MDCPS is off.
Limited enrollment keeps the group close-knit. Every student is known, valued, and challenged.
The Leaders & Learners program is guided by a certified teacher-parent. The broader cooperative is run by a dedicated community of parents, many of whom are educators.
The day begins outside — community circle, free movement, and connection with nature before structured time begins.
Students engage in focused leadership curriculum: communication, early childhood development, and community projects.
Shared lunch fosters belonging. Free play is sacred — it's where children process, invent, and connect most naturally.
Leaders & Learners students take the floor: reading aloud to younger children, leading activities, and practicing what they've learned.
Butterfly is not a drop-off program. Parents remain on site and are an active, essential part of the school's daily life. This is the cooperative model — and it is what makes us different from every other option available.
Lessons are pre-made and guided. You don't need to be a teacher. You need to be present, engaged, and committed to this community.
Teaching parent rotation: Each session has one designated teaching parent and one support parent. Families rotate through these roles on a monthly schedule, contributing roughly 4–5 days per month.
Monthly Zoom meetings are required for all enrolled families. These aren't optional check-ins — they are the place where our cooperative makes decisions, shares updates, and grows together.
All enrolled families must attend. Meetings cover curriculum updates, scheduling, cooperative governance, and community planning.
Leaders & Learners students join the final 10–15 minutes of each meeting — practicing civic engagement, public speaking, and collaborative leadership in a real setting.
Every family has a voice in how this school grows. Parents shape curriculum themes, field trip choices, events, and school culture together.
Our Caterpillars Community is a cooperative learning group for young children and their families — an enriching alternative to traditional preschool that honors the rhythms of early childhood. This is not daycare. This is not a structured academic program. This is an intentional homeschool community where little ones discover the world through their hands, their senses, and each other.
Each week, families gather around a shared theme — exploring it through nature, stories, art, sensory play, and cooperative activities. Children make meaningful friendships. Parents build a support network. And together, the community grows something lasting.
Every session is designed to spark wonder, invite exploration, and help children feel safe enough to try new things.
Watercolor, clay, nature collage, sensory bins, loose parts — rich materials that invite open-ended discovery.
Children practice sharing, turn-taking, empathy, and self-expression in a warm, low-pressure community setting.
Outdoor learning, nature walks, gardening, and seasonal exploration are central to our early childhood experience.
Themed learning weeks that weave together stories, science, art, and movement into one rich experience.
We step outside — every week. The natural world is one of our most important classrooms.
Process-focused art inspired by Reggio Emilia — materials that invite rather than instruct.
Little hands in the soil. Children learn patience, care, and connection to living things.
Shared reading builds language, imagination, and the joy of gathering together around a story.
Community outings that extend learning beyond our meeting space into the wider world.
Mixed-age and peer play that builds social confidence, kindness, and collaborative thinking.
Simple experiments, sorting, observation, and discovery through natural materials and curiosity.
Songs, rhythm, and whole-body movement are woven through every session for young learners.
One of the most beautiful things about Butterfly Cooperative School is that it grows with your family. Children who begin in our Caterpillars Community develop deep roots — friendships, familiarity with our cooperative values, and a genuine sense of belonging.
When they are ready, around age 8, those same children step naturally into our Leaders & Learners program. They already know the younger children. They already know the families. And now they get to become the mentors, the guides, the leaders — for the very same little ones they once were.
This continuity is rare. It is one of the most powerful things we offer: a learning community that a child can grow up inside of, from toddlerhood through early adolescence.
Explore Leaders & LearnersFirst friendships, sensory discovery, unit studies, outdoor learning, and cooperative play.
Mentorship, leadership, teaching, and becoming a guide for the next generation.
Families who grew up here. Friendships that outlast the cooperative years.
Every Wednesday is a co-op day. We follow the Miami-Dade County Public Schools calendar for all breaks and holidays. Teal Wednesdays are co-op sessions — grayed dates are school breaks.
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Butterfly Cooperative School is a certified Step Up For Students direct provider. Eligible families may use scholarship funding toward enrollment. Contact us to learn more about accessing this benefit for your child.
Parent participation is what makes our tuition among the most accessible in South Florida. When families invest their time, we all benefit.
Non-refundable · includes co-op shirt per child
10% sibling discount available
Select specialty classes only, if applicable
Co-op covers up to $10 per child per trip
We maintain a waitlist and enrollment is limited intentionally. Reach out as early as possible and schedule your two complimentary observation visits.
Two free observation visits
All prospective families are warmly invited to observe two sessions before making any decision. Come see our community in action — no commitment required.