For non-magical Parents & Guardians

If you are utterly (or even slightly) confused by this website and have little idea of what to expect from sending your child to Fiddleheart Academy, we implore you to read this non-magical parent orientation letter.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

If you are personally unfamiliar with the Harry Potter stories or other magical tales your children love to read, then you may be asking yourself, "What are they actually doing at this summer camp?" The following will help you understand our motivation for creating this summer camp and our vision for what this experience will be for your child.

Those of us involved in creating Fiddleheart are genuine fans of fantasy stories for their inventiveness, their ability to inspire young people to read, and the complex themes and values they explore. The magical worlds created by J.K. Rowling, Tolkien, Pulman, Sage, and many others provides a wonderful backdrop for exploring everything from chemistry principles to life skills, artistic expression to environmental concerns. Although the students are learning, they do so enthusiastically within this magical environment.

Of great importance in any summer camp is fun. And we intend to have a lot of fun! Although we may call our classes Potions and Magical Law, the activities we will do in these classes include theatre games, sport-like activities, crafts and visual art, cooking, chemistry experiments, foraging, gardening and treasure hunts.

We will also be learning valuable information about our natural world such as which insects are invasive and the plight of the monarch butterfly. Students will discover ways to manage anxiety and fear, and they will be given tools for accessing their own wisdom and inner place of safety. Group discussion and activities will explore the important themes such as friendship, power, collaboration, cultural difference, environmental stewardship, effective communication and the idea that we are ultimately defined by the choices we make in life.

The success of this camp comes directly from the enthusiasm of the students and staff for this world built on magic. What creates a captivating experience is our collective ability to immerse ourselves in this richly detailed fantasy world.  The staff are all "in character" as various witches and wizards and we do our best to stay true to the spirit of the stories while creating our own details and flair.  We also make the magic as real as we can within the limits of the non-magical world.  Please be sure that your child understands both our intentions and our limitations, that we are playing characters within a fictional world who may need to leave character in order to counsel and support our students under certain circumstances.

We genuinely love what Fiddleheart brings to the students who come here~ a safe place to be oneself, to be imaginative and creative, to build friendships and to make the dream of living in a magical world come true.

In magic,

Your headmistress, Kirstin Hara aka Headmistress Hobbliknob