North House Folk School

Local Programs

North House offers a number of programs with our neighbors in Cook County in mind. Craft nights, open studios, concerts, and more are offered at different times throughout the year. Click here to see what we have coming up.

Community Classes

Local Cook County residents can take North House classes in several formats: our typical 1-10 day classes and Community Classes.  These are classes taught in the evening over a span of several sessions.  For example, every Monday night from 6pm-8pm for three weeks.

Local Youth Programs

Field trips

North House provides  free field trips to 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students in Cook County by coordinating with Sawtooth Elementary, Great Expectations School, Birch Grove Community and Oshki Ogimaag Charter School.   Through a partnership with Cook County High School, students have the ability to participate in an in depth craft experience timber framing or cooking.   Cook County homeschool students are usually able to attend these fieldtrips as well.  Generally, these programs happen in the spring.  If you know of a homeschool student that would like to participate, please reach out to info@northhouse.org to coordinate. 

• Paddle to the Sea: area 3rd graders from 4 schools participate in a 3 day hands-on craft and environmental education program, 6 hours total
• Bateau: Logging History- area 4th graders from 4 schools participate in a 3 day hands-on craft program studying bateau boats and logging history
• Textile Traditions: area 5th graders from 4 schools participate in a 3 day hands on learning program about felting, weaving, and textile history
• Trade Tech Timber Framing: high school students from Cook County and Silver Bay industrial ed programs build and raise a timber frame
• High School Culinary Arts Partnership: high school students from Cook County HS attend two hands-on sessions at North House, baking bread in the wood-fired oven and smoking meats 

After School Craft Programs

North House offers afterschool clubs for kids that are interested in learning crafts like woodworking!  No experience is needed for the introductory afterschool program.  Students that have been through a season in the the introductory program can take an intermediate afterschool program to continue to build skills.  Call the school store to learn more about afterschool craft programs at 218-387-9762.

Wednesday work study

Each Wednesday at 1pm, a dedicated crew gathers to keep campus moving forward – everything from classroom set-up to deep cleaning; landscaping to recycling.  Each hour of work on campus earns one hour of class tuition!  Many work study volunteers have taken discouted or free classes through their volunteerism in the work study program.  Everyone is welcome — no application or pre-registration required! Just come down to the Blue Building on the North House campus and we will put you to work for two to three hours.  Learn more about the work study program here. 

Cook County Scholarships + Local Discount

We love to see our neighbors on campus! A local discount of 25% on tuition is available to legal residents of Cook County in Minnesota. An individual may request the local discount totaling up to $200 in any calendar year. The discount does not apply to materials fees. Proof of legal residency is required (MN Driver’s License or MN State ID). Please call us at (888) 387-9762 to register in order to take advantage of the local discount.

The North House Folk School Scholarship fund has been made available through the donations of generous supporters who want to make courses available to all. While anyone with financial need is welcome to apply, one of the goals of the scholarship program is to offer opportunities to local residents of Cook County and Grand Portage, MN.

Community Partnerships

North House partners and collaborates with many other organizations across cook county, the state of minnesota and the nation. Here’s a couple of examples:

• North House fundraised for Empty Bowls Cook County by serving chowder to over 300 guests at the 2022 Wooden Boat Show
• North House Interns volunteer to fix wood canvas canoes at YMCA camp Menogyn
• The Fiber Guild hosts study groups at North House and does demonstrations at the Wooden Boat show
• North House partnered with Cook County Local Energy Project and the Cook County Extension host a Sustainable Living Series
• The North Shore Swing Band hosts a series concerts at North House every year
• The Cook County Whole Foods Co-op has co-created a series of community classes offered at North House

Does your organization want to collaborate?  If you have an idea, question or suggestion, contact info@northhouse.org.