Everyday we are fully immersed in the outdoors, each child comes to build a connection not only with our forests but all outdoor spaces. The natural world becomes a place of wild exploration, play and growth.

By spending four hours each class in all types of weather, students learn to love the exciting changes they observe throughout seasons.

By allowing each child to guide their learning everyday, everyone has an equal part in the learning process.

This could be having the children decide as a group what area of the forest to explore or as individuals to choose what they would like to do or learn about that class

When teaching with inquiry, we often prompt children’s questions with more questions. This leads to personal discoveries, overcoming challenges and critical thinking in situations they would most other times be given the easy answers.

We work to create lessons with what is happening around us through inquiry and discussion with all students, based on the groups interests that day.

This could be observing the weather cycles taking place that day. Having a conversation about those cycles prompts so many other questions from the children, all with unique answers that often lead to new questions and discoveries for every child. It’s with these questions that we teach to exactly what the children are interested in at that moment.

As the children’s interests change or shift so will our teaching style and subjects covered.

Rain, sun, wind, & snow, we are outdoors having class year round in all weather. When children are dressed appropriately, they are able to become so deeply engaged in play that they could care less about the “bad” weather.

Each type of weather creates an opportunity to learn about the ever changing seasons and the impacts they have on our landscapes. Some days it rains or snows the entire class and not a single child mentions the “bad” weather, they embrace it.

We offer a safe place to ask questions, be curious. and play. This leads to discoveries and experiences not often found in traditional education settings for children in Elementary & Middle School.

Each day spent outdoors is unique, some may take us from the forest floor to the tops of our trees. Other days we may spend exploring just a sliver of our forests or learning deeply about a single topic.

Dressing appropriately for the weather is a critical part of enjoying the outdoors, with proper clothing children can be outdoors from sunrise to sunset.

Outerwear: This is what will protect from rain and wind in all weather conditions

Mid-Layer: This is another insulation layer that creates ‘dead-air space’ between your child’s skin and the elements. This airspace helps in keeping your child warm.

Base Layer: This layer is next to your child’s skin, it must be soft, breathable, and not trap moisture.

Our school “classroom” is nearly 20 acres of forests & fields. With over a mile of winding trails and plenty of still wild spaces waiting to be discovered & endlessly explored. We have large coniferous & deciduous forests, fields and a small seasonal stream.

By spending each day outdoors, children come to connect on a deep level with the forests. They notice even the smallest changes throughout the year as the seasons come and go. Children are encouraged to learn about the world through play, exploration & observation.

Forest School follows a similar calendar to traditional school day programs, running from September to June with a few breaks throughout the year. Classes are offered four days a week from 10am - 2pm.

Classes are offered on:
Monday - Alder
Tuesday - Cedar
Wednesday - Fir
Thursday - Maple

With four unique class options families have the flexibility to choose what day works best for them. Enrollment in this program is for the entire 10 month school year.

Our classes have a maximum of five students working with one instructor, 5:1 Student/Teacher ratio.

By keeping class size small we come to know each student & family deeply.

Forest School tuition is $300 per month.

Our tuition payments are divided into 10 even payments over the course of the school year.

To start the enrollment process or join the wait list we ask that families come and visit our school to make sure it is a good fit for everyone. If you're interested in coming to see our program please reach out and let us know.