Rachel and Jeremy Thacker’s son Teagan did well in traditional school but had a lot of energy and often fidgeted in class.
After switching to the forest school model at Wauhatchie School for his third-grade year, his parents said he thrived. But a new concern arose: Teagan was about to age out of the program at the end of the school year, and the family was nervous about his possible return to traditional school.
Nature Kin Farm and Forest School, a new school founded by Wauhatchie’s founder and former director Jean Lomino, will open to children aged 9-11 in August. After hearing about the new school, Rachel Thacker said her son was relieved.
“He was just kind of tore up about it, like ‘what are we going to do,’ and then when they said they were going to do that, we were like, just so much relief because he did so awesome in that setting, and he’s just become like this new kid who wants to explore everything,” Rachel Thacker said. “It’s like he’s totally in his place. He just is a different kid, it’s awesome.”
The school, along with other outdoor programs, have expanded in locations and enrollment amid the pandemic. Ahead of the new school year, more nature-based education programs are available for families in the Chattanooga region.