APPALACHIAN
COTTAGE SCHOOL
ABOUT ACS
Appalachian Cottage School offers a Christ-centered, liberal arts education inspired by Charlotte Mason. We combine ideas from living books with hands-on agricultural experiences to cultivate knowledge, build skills, and foster a love for God’s creation. Our aim is to help children grow in wisdom and pursue what is True, Good, and Beautiful.
UNIQUE HYBRID MODEL
We offer in-person learning two days a week, 24 weeks per year, preserving the flexibility home educators depend on while providing the accountability and sustainability found in community.
RICH LIBERAL ARTS CURRICULUM
Our curriculum includes picture study, literature, composition, history, geography, science, music, art, handicrafts, nature lore, and poetry to prepare students for wherever life takes them.
NATURE-BASED LEARNING
Our outdoor-focused curriculum immerses students in the wonders of the natural world, fostering a deep connection to the environment and building agricultural skills.
STRONG COMMUNITY FOCUS
We provide a supportive, close-knit community where students and families thrive together in their educational journeys, seeking to build a space where Christian faith is both shared and strengthened.
Jamie Buckland
Founder & Director
Appalachian Cottage School
Meet Miss Jamie
My husband, Greg, and I have been homeschooling our four children since 2007. We moved to our 5-acre hobby farm in southern West Virginia in 2013, where our family discovered that some of the best learning happens outside—working in the garden, caring for animals, exploring the woods, reading great books, and asking lots of questions.
For more than 10 years, I worked alongside homeschooling families, hybrid schools, and learning programs across West Virginia and the nation. My work included expanding sports access for homeschool students, consulting on how to organize and operate compliant alternative learning environments, and contributing to education policy and the Hope Scholarship. Eventually, I felt called to return my focus to building a hybrid learning community for my own children and other like-minded families. This time, instead of driving 30 minutes into town, we would gather right here on our farm.
Today, Appalachian Cottage School brings together living books, nature, agriculture, and hands-on learning in a small, welcoming community. My hope is that every child who visits our farm leaves feeling curious, capable, and excited to keep learning.