Another school update for this upcoming fall - after "right-sizing" our program and honing in on what we do really well....I am back up and running for Fall 2023!
This is not a decision I made lightly, and I means I am committed to the whole school year. It also means that Forest Friends will be a part-day, part-time, PreK only program for this year.
Forest Friends will continue to focus on a blend of traditional preschool skills with an outdoor emphasis - not your typical Forest Kindergarten, or your typical academic preschool....we lie somewhere inbetween.
I put a big emphasis on social skills with both peers and adults, as well as working on self-control, sharing, and empathy. We will spend 50% of our time together outdoors in the field and forest, and 50% of the time in our child-centered indoor space. We read stories, explore, build, play, and learn letters and numbers together. And have a lot of FUN!
I will be offering classes from 9-12 with a lunch and art option from 12-1, 2 days a week. Students are 4 and 5 years old. Classes are almost full at this time.
"Right-sizing" often goes against the grain - I know I am geared to want to do more, help more families, and see more nature-based education come to our area. My maximum adult to student ratio of 1:6 is pretty tiny.
I have goals of expanding at a new site in the future. But for now, this is the right next step for Forest Friends - "right-sizing" - and I am so happy to be continuing to provide something different for young children in the CDA/Post Falls area!