West Denmark Woodland School: A Unique Community Offering
The West Denmark Woodland School: A Unique Community Offering
The West Denmark Woodland School program, is a unique offering in this area as it’s based on the Forest School model. Children will spend most of their day outdoors, primarily on adjacent woodland and lakeshore property, investigating nature and experiencing its joys. The program will serve children ages 2 ½–5 years in Polk and Burnett counties. Initially, they’ll enroll 15-25 children and their families with a goal of expanding to 50. Founded by three passionate educators (Carrie Petersen, Liz Dodge, and Mary Jensen) they recognized need to provide real-life learning opportunities and quality child care for area working families.
The Woodland School curriculum will emphasize basic forest ecology and natural sciences, motor awareness, use of inquiry tools for investigations, use of the arts to express learning, demonstration of caring behaviors, and healthy living practices as well as the beginnings of literacy awareness and mathematical reasoning.
In the past 2 years, Woodland School received multiple grants for purchase of needed program equipment and materials to prepare outdoor and indoor spaces. In addition, corporate donors as well as numerous community members have contributed equipment and materials. Well over 50 volunteers have participated in the start-up preparation activities. They’ve consulted with local nature leaders and involved them as volunteers in developing our Woodland Trail System and Exploration Areas and with a national expert to develop a master plan for our “Nature Playscape.” Finally, this program builds on a highly successful pilot program, sponsored by the Luck School District Summer School Program.
West Denmark Woodland School is seeking additional Advisory Board members who are passionate about supporting the education of young children and dedicated to helping create a vibrant Forest School program for families in NW Wisconsin. The Advisory Board meets quarterly to provide oversight of program implementation and might be asked to contribute to special projects related to their areas of expertise and interest. In addition to Advisory Board members, volunteers are needed to assist with groundwork for our Nature Playscape.
Opening is scheduled for Fall 2025. This Summer’s goal is to complete WI requirements for group care licensing. In the future, the school will be developing other partnerships with local businesses and regional foundations to help expand programming capacity and provide monetary support for families. Finally, they’ll be working to achieve recognition as a WI YoungStar high-quality program.
To learn more, please visit our website: https://www.wdwoodlandschool.org/
To ask more questions, to volunteer to become an Advisory Board Member, to help with groundwork for our Nature Playscape, or to make a donation to the Woodland School, please contact: Mary Jensen, Woodland School Interim Director (jensen06@gmail.com) (that’s zero, not O!)