Preserve will meet on Monday and Wednesday mornings. You can choose to join us one or two days!
Schedule:
As an outdoor school, and because we believe that the child’s rhythm should be in tune with the natural world, our start time operates according to our local time schedule, and thus changes with the time changes.
DST (Sept 3rd- Oct 29th; March 26- May 13th)
STANDARD ( Nov 2nd- March 4th)
Gathering Time: A time to slowly tune our hearts and senses to nature. As students arrive, we will play in “the nest” until roll call, after which we hear a fable, psalm, and poem, and work on a morning shadow sketch.
Free Forest Play: As Charlotte Mason said, “Play is the work of a child.” Before jumping into a focused lesson, students will have the opportunity to climb trees, jump in puddles, see if any fairies visited overnight, jump rope, find their favorite insect…this is time for the magic of play to begin its work.
Common Arts: Through classical pedagogy and according to their age and ability, children will learn practical and artistic skills that will anchor them in nature while following them into adulthood.
Fine Arts: Music and art play a vital role in the formation of young children. Also through classical pedagogy and according to their age and ability, students will look at beautiful pieces of nature focused paintings and music that will tune their hearts to the lovely.
Nature Study: A gentle, Charlotte Mason approach with classical pedagogy, students will learn terms and identification of local flowers, birds, trees, insects and spiders. They will go for walks, sketch in their journals, play in the trees, and sit quietly in nature.
Story: Stories are foundational for instilling wonder and imagination! All together or in small groups, students will hear stories taken from Fairy tales and North American FolkTales.
Details:
Age
Lower school, 4- 11 years olds
Location
6125 Lumber Ln, Kannapolis, NC 28083
Fees
Supplies fee: $200 per student
Registration fee: $50 per family
Tuition $2,100 for 2 days/ $1,200 for 1 day
Application Deadline
August 1, 2025 | Application coming soon!
*A minimum of 10 students for both days is required for the day to operate. If a day is dropped, it will be the day with the least amount of enrollment.
Requirements
-water bottle
-outdoor attire
-snack
-lunch
*Preserve will provide all other necessities. Please see the Family Handbook for dress requirements and recommendations.
Teachers:
Larissa Bianco
As a child, Larissa loved animals and the outdoors. In college, she worked on a farm, managing the horses, caring for chickens, and working in the gardens. Being classically educated, Larissa grew up with a deep appreciation for the tradition of classical education, and now, as a CiRCE Institute Certified Master Teacher, it is a part of her core. Larissa has taught in multiple settings, from dance classes of all ages to various elementary aged classes. She is currently the Associate Director of the Albertus Magnus Institute, a nonprofit that provides liberal arts education to adults, and has taught at and co-founded schools and programs. Along with teaching and working in classical education, she homeschools her two daughters with the distracting assistance of her adorable 1 year old son. She is now excited to marry her love of the outdoors and classical education as she develops Preserve Classical Forest School
Renee Kern
Renee is a mother to three spirited daughters, and an entrepreneur at heart. Having worked in the non-profit sector for over two decades, both in the United States and internationally, her passion is caring for the people she encounters on a daily basis. Growing up on a farm in rural Virginia, she spent her days outside, where her love for nature, animals, and the world around her blossomed. As a teen, Renee managed the operations of a hippotherapy center before transitioning into long term mission work. More recently she has worked as a wedding planner, event florist, and part time teacher at her daughter’s school.
Our Calendar:
