Bainbridge Island

Bainbridge Island

The Bainbridge campus opens summer of 2023 and is lovingly nestled in the forest adjacent to The Island School. We are thrilled to be in partnership with TIS and by their warm welcome to join this wonderful learning community. The Bainbridge campus has a dedicated forest space for all kinds of socio-dramatic and constructive play. It is connected to a winding trail that leads to diverse forest and meadow spaces to explore when the class is eager for an adventure.

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Bainbridge Island

Campus Programs

At forest preschool the children visit the same woodland on a regular basis and are given the freedom to play, opportunity to explore and learn about the natural environment, and support while learning how to handle risks, solve problems, and cooperate with their peers. Preschool runs all year, where children learn and play in the woods in all weather: sun, rain, snow, warm and cold, (barring high winds or other extreme weather). As the forest is ever changing, each day brings new and different exploration opportunities. Children play, learn boundaries – both physical and social - grow in confidence, and become self-starters. Children in this environment learn that there are different ways of solving problems and they develop their critical thinking skills daily. Learn more about Magnolia's Forest Preschool program.

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Class Details

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Location:
The Island School, Bainbridge Island, WA

Morning Preschool Class: 2023-2024

2.5-5 years old

  • Mon/Wed/Fri, 9:00-1:00, $540/month
  • Tues/Thurs, 9:00-1:00, $360/month
  • Mon-Fri, 9:00-1:00, $880/month

Drop off begins at 8:45 am daily.

(Registration and Materials Fees are due at registration.)

Summer Camp

Summer camp is a great time to try out forest school and see if your child loves it as much as we do!

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Summer Camp Details

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Ages: 2.5-5 years old‍

Location: The Island School

Time: 9:00-1:00 

Days: Monday-Thursday

Dates:

  • Week 2: July 17-20
  • Week 3: July 24-27

Weeks 2 & 3 = $185 each

Camp t-shirt included!

Enrollment opens March 1 for current families. New Families will be invited to join based on waitlist status. Email our registrar for more information: info@magnoliaforestpreschool.com.

K-5th Grade

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K-5th Grade Details

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I'm interested in enrollment

We're so glad you're interested in enrolling your child at Magnolia! Families often have lots of questions, and we're here to help. Complete the interest form below, so we can support you in your journey toward forest school. You can also directly contact our Registrar, Taylor: info@magnoliaforestpreschool.com or Parent Liaison, Alex: alex@magnoliaforestpreschool.com.

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Campus Director

Katie Leigh Cirianni-Jones

Campus Director
katieleigh@magnoliaforestpreschool.com

Katie Leigh holds a Bachelor's degree in Herbal Science from Bastyr University and has had a deep interest in herbal medicine and a life-long love of nature. She grew up in the UK and then later on the east coast. Throughout her time at school, she was a babysitter for local families and taught at summer camp for over 10 years. She assisted and led early childhood classes for a number of years at a Waldorf school where she, herself, attended as a student. She moved to Washington in 2021, found Magnolia, and immediately connected with the play-based philosophy.

With her knowledge of herbalism and love of teaching, her goal is to cultivate wonder with the children as they play throughout natural spaces. Katie Leigh firmly believes that outdoor play is an essential component for a child's growth and feels it is a true honor to facilitate this process as the Site Director at the Bainbridge Campus and as the Magnolia School Herbalist. She is excited to blend two of her passions together by helping children develop a deep connection with nature and maintain a reverence for the natural world of plants. In her free time, Katie Leigh enjoys painting, playing piano, hiking, gardening, and spending time with her fiancé and cat. This will be her fourth joy-filled year teaching with Magnolia.

Bainbridge Island

Campus Teachers

Megan Lennox

Preschool Teacher

Megan Lennox

Preschool Teacher

Growing up in western Massachusetts, Megan spent her childhood exploring and playing
outside. As she grew up, her love of the outdoors was matched only by her love of Spanish
language and culture. After high school, she took a gap year to study in Zaragoza, Spain. She
returned home to continue her Spanish studies at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. It
was during this time, she met her husband, a United States Navy Submariner. Together they
have two children and have lived in Pearl Harbor, HI, Groton, CT and now Kitsap County, WA.
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Megan has always enjoyed working with children and seeing the world through their curious eyes.
She has worked as a military spouse support group president, planning activities for families of
deployed service members as well as a soccer coach for kids ages 2.5-6 years old.
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As a mother to two children who attended Magnolia Forest Preschool, Megan saw how
profoundly Magnolia’s principles helped foster self-confidence as well as social and emotional
growth in her own children. As a teacher, she looks forward to spending her days in the forest,
facilitating play and supporting children as they grow and learn about themselves, others and
nature. She likes to spend her free time adventuring outside, baking and crafting with her kids.

Sophia Kennedy

Preschool Teacher

Sophia Kennedy

Preschool Teacher

Sophia was born and raised in San Diego, where she worked in the medical/nursing field for over 20 years. She was a nurse in Trauma/ICU and a wound care specialist.

Seven years ago she and her husband, Jason, moved to Poulsbo, WA.  She's been able to be a stay at home mom to five kids: Hayden 19, Jax 16, Jocelyn (jaws) 14, Cora 4 & Violet (baby) 2. Cora and Violet both attend Magnolia and love it!

Being from San Diego, it took her a little to acclimate, but Cora’s first year at Magnolia she taught her real fast, they are outside rain or shine! Sophia likes to hike, ride bikes, and explore different parks with my family. She started a new hobby of gardening, starting with seeds to harvesting fruits and vegetables. It’s been a fun and rewarding experience/hobby.

Find Magnolia Forest School Near You!

At unique campuses across the Puget Sound Region in Washington, Magnolia children learn rain and shine. Preschool (ages 2.5-5) and Waldkinder (ages 5-8) programs meet September through June. We welcome lots of new friends at our summer camps, too!

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“In the safety and freedom of the woods, [my child’s] little voice started asking for things she needed – and getting those needs met. Through climbing, exploring the natural world around her, her confidence grew. Magnolia’s style makes room for that.”
“One of the biggest leaps has been [my child’s] ability to communicate her emotions. Instead of endless tantrums or guessing games, [my child] has been able to clearly tell me what she’s feeling. Being able to identify a feeling is one of the first steps to working through it for her. This is a big deal in our everyday life, and I believe it’s truly added to her life in a dynamic manner. At Magnolia, I know I have a group of other caring adults in her life to help her learn to trust herself and others, during those difficult life moments.”
“ We look forward to the year, as well as the adventures of the K-8th program to follow. I want [my child] to continue to grow and learn to trust herself and grow into a confident child, and eventually young woman, with respect for life, others and the world around her. Those values are echoed by this school as well. Having the freedom to be 100% herself in a safe environment as she discovers who she is priceless.”
“Now, as a first time parent, I’ll admit, I had my doubts when it came to the theory behind child-lead learning, but I’m now sold on it. The confidence gained by learning to climb a rock transfers over to facing new learning milestones, like counting. [My child’s] imagination is free to expand with simple tools and toys, friends, fresh air, and the occasional snow ball. Imagination is the mother of invention. [My child] knows School is a safe place to make mistakes, explore, and grow.”
“I cannot say enough how much my child has grown since school started in September! She went from crying at drop off and clinging to a teacher, to confidently walking to a teacher at the start of a school day and strutting back at pick up.”
“[My child] has great stamina! Before Magnolia she wouldn’t walk very far and now she is able to hike up to 3 miles! She also has a longer attention span. She will stick with a task for 45 min or an hour. Again, before school she would flit from activity to activity.”

Visit Magnolia

Bainbridge Island

and learn more

We would love to meet you! Each campus welcomes new families for tours regularly September-June so that you can see the forest school space, meet the site director, ask questions and get a taste for the Magnolia Forest Preschool experience! If you are a newly enrolled family, stay tuned for details about our Back to School Open House where you can meet the teachers and see the forest spaces. The Bainbridge Campus will open for tours in May 2023.

Schedule Visit

Request enrollment information

Forest school can be the perfect fit for so many children because it is uniquely tailored to support their strengths and interests. We look forward to connecting with you and your child further. We are happy to answer any questions you may have and hope to see you in the forest soon!

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