Forest School Academy
a nature-based educational program for ages 5-10
​​At Forest School Academy, learners explore the traditional academic subjects- Math, English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science- through the lens of Forest School learning. Our lessons are guided by an Emergent Inquiry Based Learning curriculum. This curriculum is holistic, child-centered, and adaptive to meet the needs of diverse learners.
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Teachers act as insightful guides to children's learning, setting up nurturing and safe physical, social, and emotional spaces in order to promote high interest and inquiry into learning.
Forest School teachers also incorporate increasingly more sophisticated lines of inquiry and exploration in the core subject areas as the year progresses.
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Find out more about Emergent Inquiry Based Curriculum HERE (PDF Document).
Daily Flow
Forest School Academy
Enrollment Options and Information
FULL DAY:
Forest School Academy
+ Forest Exploration
Drop off: 8:45-9:15
Pick up: 3:15-3:30
Two Days a Week
Mondays and Wednesdays
$365 monthly
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One Full Day a Week
Mondays or Wednesdays
$170 monthly
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Weather Closings:
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Since we are an all-weather program, we will not close automatically for inclement weather when Rutherford County Schools is closed.
During inclement weather situations, we will keep parents informed about our school closures.
2025-2026 Forest School Calendar
We follow Rutherford County Schools
for vacation closings.
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September 1: Labor Day/No School
September 8: Forest School Academy Begins
October 6-10: Fall Break
October 22: Teacher Inservice and Work Day/No School
November 24-28: Thanksgiving Break
December 22- January 2: Winter Break
January 5: Teacher Inservice and Work Day/No School
January 19: Family Fun in the Forest Day
February 16: President’s Day Teacher Retreat Day
March 30-April 3: Spring Break
May 20: Last Day of Forest School
HALF DAY:
Drop off: 8:45-9:15
Pick up: 12:15-12:30
Two Days a Week
Mondays and Wednesdays
$235 monthly
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One Half Day a Week
Mondays or Wednesdays
$140 monthly
$50 annual enrollment fee covers: watercolor sets, sit spot mats, spiral-bound nature journals, art materials, science materials, and more!
Core Subject Standard Overview
Grades K-5
Mathematics
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Numerals and Number Sense​
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Place value and Arithmetic
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Measurement, Data and Time
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Geometry, Fractions and Decimals
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Operations and Algebraic Thinking
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Mathematical Practice:
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Make sense of problems
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Persevere in solving them
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Attend to precision
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Reason abstractly and quantitatively
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Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
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Model with tools
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Use appropriate tools strategically
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Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning
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Culture, History & the Arts
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We explore ten themes, in alignment with the National Council for the Social Studies:​
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Culture
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Time, Continuity and Change
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People, Places, and Environments
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Individual Development and Identity
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Power, Authority and Governance
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Production, Distribution, and Consumption
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Science, Technology, and Society
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Global Connections
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Civic Ideals and Practices
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English Language Arts
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Block and cursive handwriting
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Writing across genres (opinion/persuasive, narrative, explanatory
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Reading across genres (literature, poetry, informational text)
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Foundational skills for reading (phonological awareness, phonemics, phonics)
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Speaking, listening, and language skills
Science​
The concepts we cover from the Next Generation Science Standards include:
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Patterns​
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Cause and Effect
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Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
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Systems and System Models
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Energy and Matter
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Stability and Change
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Scientific Inquiry Skills
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Using tools and other technology to perform tasks
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