The Woods Forest School was created to meet the developmental needs of my three-year old. I started to notice that my three-year old had much better days when we spent long segments of time outside. He was less irritable, happier and more calm in the evenings. As I set on the hunt for a preschool, I couldn't find a preschool that I felt met the needs of my wild-full-of-energy three-year old. After doing some research, I came across Forest Schools. There wasn’t a Forest School close to us so I decided to research how to become a Forest Teacher. In the process, I came across The Forest Teacher Institute and I signed up to become a certified Forest School Teacher. Since I couldn't find what I was looking for, I decided to create it. I started The Woods Forest School because I want to provide an alternative to traditional education. I have worked in public schools for several years and know that traditional learning is not for every child. My goal for The Woods is to provide an alternative to traditional education for children in our community.

The Woods is 60 acres of wooded forest and farmland attached to the farm where I grew up as a child. I remember yelling to my mom, "I'm going to the woods!" as I ran outside and met my cousins for adventures and exploration in the woods. Our imagination was limitless in these woods.  That's where the name, The Woods, originated. My hope is that  our learners will be excited to say, "I'm going to The Woods!"

I grew up in The Woods and I know the ins and outs of the trails and where to find natural habitats. Students will get to explore several creeks, a frog pond, another larger pond, a lake, a butterfly garden and several miles of trails. We meet at a campground just a few minutes walk from my backyard. There are trees to climb, mud to play in and so much more. At The Woods, we don't need playground equipment or plastic toys to occupy our time. We use what nature gives us to instill creativity in each child. The Woods is our natural playground!