New private school opens enrollment

School, but in the great outdoors.

That’s what a new private school in Worley is offering its students.

Natural Connections Academy is opening its doors on August 15th to offer Monday through Thursday instruction on private property and state parks near Worley. The mission is to utilize the outdoors and environment to create meaningful connections for students fostering academic success and stewardship of the environment, according to its website.

“I feel like something needs to change in public education,” said Tammi Masters, executive director and outdoor educator. “I feel like students need to be outside. They need to be engaged in what’s going on.”

A team of eight including Masters make up the organization.

Masters has around 15 years of experience in education, from elementary teaching to superintendent. She has an associate degree in Natural Resource Management with an emphasis in Forestry, a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with minors in both science and social studies, a master’s degree in educational leadership, and is a certified teacher in Idaho, Montana, Washington and is certified in Wilderness First Aid, CPR, and Orton Gillingham (Dyslexia program).

Masters said many students also struggle with the traditional classroom instruction model and have problems focusing their attention during class. She said in response to COVID-19 and school closures, more children are homeschooling and working parents may result in the students not getting a proper education.

“I know there are a lot of students that are spending way more time inside on the phone,” Masters said. “They’re just not getting outside as much so I wanted to kind of connect education and being outside, getting back to nature with kids.”

Classes will be held outdoors for 75% of the time from mid-August through mid-June, rain, snow or sunshine. Masters said if the weather gets to a point where it’s unsafe for the students to be outdoors there will be a heated pavilion or other shelters at the learning locations.

She said the school is working with their many educational partners to get resources and curriculum, and to find experts to guest lead a class.

Educational partners include Birds of Prey Northwest, Stimson Lumber, Idaho Forest Products Commission, Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission, Project Learning Tree Idaho, Kootenai Shoshone Soil and Water Conservation, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe: Department of Education, Project WET and IDAH20.

Currently the school enrollment for the first year is capped at 15 students between third and fifth grade with Masters as the single instructor. Masters said depending on interest, they hope to expand and have a sixth through eighth grade group and kindergarten through second grade with added instructors.

Depending on the location of their students, Masters said they will also have transportation points for students, which may include Winton Park in Coeur d’Alene.

Tuition for the 2022-2023 school year is $5,000 with a nonrefundable $500 application fee and a $200 supply fee. Payment plans are available. There are also family discounts available and transportation and volunteering discounts.

For more information or to enroll: naturalconnectionsacademy.net

Enrollment will close in July.