Welcome to Nature's Way STEAM School Kindergarten-3rd grade

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We believe every child is unique and learns in their own way and at their own pace. At Nature’s Way STEAM School, we honor each child’s curiosity, ideas, strengths, and individual way of making sense of the world.

Our approach is designed to foster a lifelong love of learning and a deep sense of curiosity about nature and the world around us. Through emerging, project-based STEAM learning and hands-on experiences, children are encouraged to ask questions, investigate their ideas, think critically, solve problems, collaborate with others, and explore possibilities.

We believe children are not simply preparing for the future; they are creative thinkers, problem-solvers, and innovators today. Our role is to provide the time, space, materials, and support for children to follow their interests, take meaningful risks, make discoveries, and develop confidence in their abilities.

Nature serves as both a classroom and a source of inspiration, giving children endless opportunities to observe, wonder, experiment, create, and connect.As part of Early Enrichment Corp., Nature’s Way shares a commitment to creating enriching experiences where children can learn, explore, grow, belong, and be honored for exactly who they are.

Nature’s Way STEAM School offers a community classroom for children entering Kindergarten through 3rd grade. Our classroom brings children together as a learning community while providing intentional opportunities for children to learn in smaller, developmentally responsive groups throughout the day.

Our daily rhythm balances community, movement, exploration, focused learning, and play. Children begin and end their day with opportunities for open-ended play and outdoor exploration, while gathering together for shared experiences, group learning, projects, and creative experiences.

Open Play & Snack: Children begin their day with time to connect, settle in, choose activities, and engage in open-ended play.

Morning Meeting: We come together as a community to connect, share ideas, discuss the day ahead, and build a sense of belonging.

Group Learning: Children participate in shared learning experiences that encourage collaboration, discussion, inquiry, and discovery.

Outdoor Play & Exploration: Time outdoors provides opportunities for movement, nature exploration, observation, investigation, and imaginative play.

Split Learning: Children participate in smaller learning groups designed to meet their developmental needs, interests, and individual learning goals. These smaller groups allow educators to provide more intentional support while encouraging children to work at an appropriate pace and level of challenge.

P.E. & Art Rotations: Children explore movement, physical development, creativity, and artistic expression through rotating enrichment experiences.

Project Learning: Children engage in emerging, project-based learning experiences that allow them to investigate questions, solve problems, collaborate, create, and make connections across areas of learning.

Split Learning & Exploration: Children return to smaller groups for additional focused learning, practice, inquiry, or project work based on their individual and group needs.

Open & Outdoor Play: The day closes with opportunities to reconnect, play, explore, and reflect on the day's experiences.

By combining community experiences with smaller, intentional learning groups, Nature’s Way creates a balance between collaboration and individualized support. Children have opportunities to build relationships, develop independence, strengthen foundational skills, pursue their interests, and experience success in ways that are meaningful to them.

Our goal is not to prepare every child to learn in exactly the same way. Our goal is to give each child the tools, confidence, and experiences they need to reach their unique potential.

At Nature’s Way, we believe that meaningful learning begins with meaningful relationships. Our educators bring knowledge, experience, creativity, and a deep commitment to understanding each child as an individual learner.

We are proud to welcome Ms. Shanley as our Lead Educator. Formerly an outstanding Pre-K educator at Kid Logic Learning, Shanley brings extensive experience in early childhood education and a deep understanding of child-led, hands-on learning.

She holds a B.S. in Early Education with a minor in Special Education and brings her knowledge, creativity, and dedication to Nature’s Way as she continues her educational journey with us.

Her experience and understanding of young learners provide a strong foundation for our growing Community Classroom.

We are also excited to welcome Amy Buchanan to Nature’s Way. Amy joins us from Kid Logic Learning and brings extensive experience supporting children with diverse learning and developmental needs.

Amy holds a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Special Education. In her role as Special Educator, she will provide specialized support to children and educators, collaborate with families and educational teams, support individualized learning needs, and help guide strategies for children who may benefit from additional support.

Her expertise allows us to strengthen our commitment to creating an inclusive learning environment where every child has the opportunity to participate, contribute, and thrive.

As our school community grows, so does our team of educators. We are currently seeking an Assistant Educator to support our growing classroom community and work alongside our lead and specialized educators.

We are intentional about the people we welcome into Nature’s Way. We seek educators who are curious, collaborative, reflective, and committed to honoring children as capable and creative learners.

Together, our educators create a community where children are known, supported, challenged, and celebrated.

Our curriculum is designed to meet the Vermont Education Quality Standards (EQS) through an integrated, project-based approach. We utilize the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS) as our foundational developmental continuum for Grades K-3, ensuring all instruction is developmentally appropriate while remaining academically rigorous.

Core instruction is anchored by evidence-based "spines" in Literacy and Mathematics, which are then applied through hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) projects both in the classroom and during our daily outdoor forest/nature block.

Focus: Systematic Phonics, Reading Comprehension, and Narrative/Informational Writing.

• Reading Foundational Skills: We follow a systematic, explicit phonics scope and sequence using the UFLI Foundations curriculum. This ensures all students develop strong phonemic awareness, decoding, and word-recognition skills (aligned with Vermont’s Act 139).
• Reading Comprehension: Students engage with a variety of texts, including classic fables, informational science texts, and contemporary literature. We focus on identifying main ideas, character development, and the author's point of view.
• Writing & Penmanship: Instruction includes explicit handwriting practice and daily journaling. Students practice three modes of writing:
  • Narrative: Creative stories and personal recounts.
  • Informational/Expository: Documenting STEAM projects and nature observations.
  • Opinion: Developing arguments based on shared texts or community decisions.
• Oral Language: Developing vocabulary and listening skills through "Project Shares" and collaborative group work.

Focus: Conceptual Understanding, Operations, and Real-World Application.

• Core Curriculum: We utilize Wild Math as our primary spine, ensuring full alignment with Common Core State Standards (CCSS) while moving math instruction into applied, tactile environments.
• Number Sense & Operations: Developing fluency with the four processes (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division). We use manipulatives and natural loose parts to transition from concrete to abstract equations.
• Measurement & Data: Students use tools to measure length, weight, and volume during STEAM builds. We collect and graph data from our daily weather observations and plant-growth experiments.
• Geometry & Spatial Reasoning: Identifying shapes in the environment and using geometric concepts to design and construct 3D models and structures.
• Financial Literacy: Introduction to counting money, sorting, and basic economic concepts through classroom "market" simulations.

Focus: Community, Geography, and Stewardship.

• Civics: Students co-create "Community Treaties" to establish classroom and forest norms. We practice democratic decision-making and voting on project topics.
• Geography & Sense of Place: Students develop mapping skills by creating "Child’s-Eye View" maps of the school grounds and local community. Nature discoveries.
• History & Culture: Exploring timelines of local history, including the Abenaki heritage of the land. We study family traditions and community roles to understand cultural diversity.
• Economics: Understanding the difference between needs and wants and exploring how goods and services move within a community.

Focus: The Scientific Method, Engineering Design, and Earth/Life Sciences.

• Scientific Process: We utilize the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to guide inquiry. Students practice asking questions, defining problems, and carrying out investigations.
• Life Science: Identifying plant and animal parts and functions. We observe life cycles through seasonal changes in our local "sit spots" and classroom gardening.
• Earth Science: Daily weather tracking, reading maps, and observing the effects of weather on our local environment.
• STEAM/Engineering: Weekly or Monthly project-based challenges (e.g., "Designing a bird-safe structure" or "Building a water-filtration model"). This integrates physical science concepts like force, motion, and structural integrity. This will be designed through the emerging interest of children.

Focus: Literary Analysis and Connection.

• Genres: Students are exposed to fairy tales, fables, non-fiction chapter books, and informational texts.
• Literary Elements: Students practice retelling stories, identifying the main idea, and describing settings and character motivations.
• Connection: Encouraging students to make "Text-to-Self" and "Text-to-World" connections to deepen empathy and comprehension.

Focus: Gross Motor Competence, Personal Health, and Emotional Regulation.

• Physical Education: Our planned PLAY YARD P.E.  serves as a primary site for PE. Activities. In addition to this we will  include outdoor P.E. hiking over uneven terrain, climbing, balancing, and cooperative group games that build cardiovascular endurance and core strength.
• Health & Safety: Instruction in personal hygiene, healthy nutrition choices, and community safety (fire safety, emergency response).
• Substance Awareness: Age-appropriate discussion on the effects of medicine and toxic substances on the body.
• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): Explicit coaching in emotional expression, self-regulation, and conflict resolution. Sense of belonging and community.

Focus: Visual Arts, Music, and Drama.

• Visual Arts: Students explore 2D and 3D expression using various mediums (paint, clay, pastels, and natural "Land Art"). We integrate handiwork such as sewing and basic woodworking into STEAM projects.
• Music & Drama: Daily singing, identifying instruments, and using dramatic play/improvisation to retell stories or explore social scenarios.
• Art Appreciation: Observing and responding to diverse works of music, dance, and visual art.

We utilize a Local Comprehensive Assessment System that includes:

• Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG): Continuous observation-based assessment aligned with VELS (K-3).
• Portfolios: Student-curated collections of work samples, nature journals, and project photos.

Narrative Reports: Detailed progress summaries shared with families two times per year.

Each year, enrollment opens on March 15 for the upcoming school year. Our program has a maximum capacity of 20 students.

To apply for enrollment, please complete our online application form. After reviewing applications, selected families will be invited to tour our program and participate in an orientation. During this time, we will also provide our school handbook for your review. 

Fees & Discounts

A registration fee of $500.00 is due each session. This fee supports the replenishment of classroom materials and supplies used throughout the year.

We offer a 10% sibling discount for families enrolling more than one child.

An after-school option is available at a discounted rate of $32.00 per day.

Tuition Rates
Weekly tuition is $518.00.

For the Fall 2026 school session, Kid Logic Learning is pleased to offer free tuition for educators and their families as a way of supporting those who dedicate their careers to teaching and learning.

We also remain committed to making high-quality education accessible to all families by offering a sliding-scale tuition program based on household income and individual family circumstances.

• Tier 1 (Low Income): Pays 15% of base tuition
• Tier 2 (Lower-Middle Income): Pays 45% of base tuition
• Tier 3 (Middle Income): Pays 75% of base tuition
• Tier 4 (Upper-Middle Income): Pays 95% of base tuition

We look forward to partnering with your family for an enriching and engaging learning experience.

Scholarships & Financial Support (will be available as for fall 2027 school session) 

KLL Early Enrichment (the non-profit supporting NWSS) is currently seeking donations and grants to help build a scholarship fund that will assist families with tuition costs. More information will be released on this prior to fall 2026 start date.

NWSS will not qualify for ACT 73 public school funding due to changes in this law in 2025 https://education.vermont.gov/vermont-schools/school-governance/act-73-2025

Hours of Operation
7:45 AM – 2:45 PM

School Year
August 24, 2026 – June 9, 2027

Vacation Weeks
Holiday/Winter Break, February Break, and April Break (no tuition charge).

The 2026–2027 school calendar is currently in process and will be shared soon.

We look forward to welcoming your family to Nature's Way STEAM school!

Apply here: https://app.tryplayground.com/listings/ONQKXY3O1lStSCAcmgzY

At Nature’s Way, we believe the environment is an important part of how children learn. Our school provides a bright, welcoming, and thoughtfully designed space where children can explore, create, move, collaborate, and discover throughout their day. Our Community Classroom is located in a safe and secure school-age environment and features a spacious, light-filled STEAM classroom designed to support hands-on investigation and project-based learning.

Our learning environment includes:

• STEAM Classroom — A flexible space filled with materials and resources that encourage inquiry, creativity, experimentation, and problem-solving.
• Indoor Gross Motor Space — A large space for movement, imaginative play, collaboration, and active exploration.
• Outdoor Classroom — An opportunity for children to connect with nature, move their bodies, and engage in outdoor play and discovery.
• Art Room — A dedicated space for creative expression, making, designing, and hands-on exploration.
• Eating Area — A comfortable space where children can gather, enjoy meals and snacks, and build community.
• Private Bathroom — A convenient, dedicated space designed to support children's independence and daily routines.

Throughout our environment, we provide a variety of open-ended materials and equipment that invite children to wonder, experiment, build, create, and make discoveries. We intentionally maintain spaces that are organized and inviting, creating a balance between energy and exploration and calm and focus.

Some of the most meaningful learning happens beyond the classroom. Nature’s Way utilizes a program van for field trips, community experiences, and educational outings, giving children opportunities to connect what they are learning to the world around them.

Transportation waivers and required documentation are provided as part of the enrollment process for families to review and complete.