In August, Red Bank Elementary will launch the first Forest Kindergarten of its kind in the state of Tennessee. Experienced early childhood teachers are developing the program, which is modeled after successful forest/nature school programs around the globe.
The Forest Kindergarten at Red Bank is offered free of cost to kindergarten students in the Red Bank Elementary school zone and will meet rigorous state standards using a custom-designed hybrid of the original model and developmentally appropriate early childhood teaching methods.
Children enrolled in the program will spend half of the instructional day outdoors exploring the natural environment. While outside, students will build social and communication skills, further develop gross and fine motor skills, engage in spontaneous STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Arts, Math) learning, and have the opportunity to explore creative expression.
“We are excited to launch a program that will engage our youngest learners in exploration and discovery in a hands-on and nature-focused environment,” said Red Bank Principal Haley Brown.
Parents who are interested in enrolling a kindergartener in Forest Kindergarten at Red Bank Elementary should attend one of the following scheduled information sessions:
Tuesday, June 28, or Tuesday, July 26, in the Red Bank Elementary Library at 6 p.m.
To learn more about the Forest School Model, visit:
http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/07/23/let-em- out-the- many-benefits- of-outdoor-play- in-kindergarten/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptkID2k091I
http://cedarsongnatureschool.org/
http://wauhatchie.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_kindergarten
For information, email questions to forestkrbe@gmail.com or call the school at 423 874-1917.