about us
PLEASE NOTE: All sessions currently have a waitlist. We recommend you complete the application and submit the registrations fee to secure a spot on the waitlist.
2 WAYS TO TO ENROLL:
Online Registration (New Families Only)
OR DOWNLOAD AND PRINT :
Registration Form
For more info or to schedule a tour, email our registrar, Kim Hendrickson at kim@thefirs.org or call 360-733-6840, ext. 221.
Send completed forms to:
The Firs ASA
4605 Cable Street
Bellingham, WA 98229
Program Distinctives Include:
Nature immersion
Small class sizes (maximum size: 16)
Personalized learning
Fostering sustainable culture
Child-driven curriculum
Play-based experiential learning
“Whatever shape nature takes, it offers each child an older, larger world separate from parents. Unlike television, nature does not steal time; it amplifies it.” Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods.
Our classrooms and grounds are nestled in the towering trees of The Firs/Fircreek woods.
Mud Kitchen
Obstacle Course
Science Classroom
Dramatic Play
Art Classroom
Reading Nook
4 acres of woods to explore
Indoor classrooms for inclement weather
Ages: 3-5 years old (must be potty trained)
PROGRAM DAYS
Monday – Friday
PROGRAM HOURS
7:30 am — Early Drop off (fee)
8am–12 pm — Morning Forest School
12–4 pm — Afternoon Play School
4–6 pm — Extended Care
Days are chosen by families. A minimum of two days per week is required. ** Schedule options may be subject to change.
The preschool calendar will follow the Bellingham School District Calendar for holidays and school closures.
PROGRAM COSTS: Fall 2020
Morning Forest School
2-Day Option – $216/month (Waitlist)
3-Day Option – $312/month
4-Day Option – $415/month
5-Day Option – $525/month
Afternoon Play School
* Cost is the same as Morning Forest School
* Extended Care – TBD
All Day
2-Day Option – $478/month
3-Day Option – $624/month
4-Day Option – $830/month
5-Day Option – $950/month *Discount if choosing All Day/5-Day Option
Payment Link
Once your registration has been accepted, you may make online payments here.
firs & fiddleheads | preschool
At Firs & Fiddleheads Forest School, we believe that children are intrinsically motivated to learn, and that they do so by exploring the world around them. We aim to foster curiosity, to guide rather than compel, and to provide room for possibility and adventure rather than attempt to constrain children’s interests to fit within a certain curriculum. Preschool children ages 3-5 years old will explore, play, discover and learn, while engaging with nature and the wonderment of Creation and the Creator, in their outdoor classroom nestled in the towering trees of The Firs / Fircreek Woods.
information
Location
4605 Cable Street
Bellingham, WA 98229
Phone & Email
360-733-6840, ext. 211
firsandfiddleheads@thefirs.org
contact us
calendar
September 3, 2019
First Day of School
September 20
Teacher Workday (school closed)
October 18
Teacher Workday (school closed)
November 1
Teacher Workday (school closed)
November 11
Veterans Day (school closed)
November 28–29
Thanksgiving (school closed)
December 23 – January 3, 2020
Winter Break (school closed)
January 27, 2020
Open Forest (House) 10 am – Noon
February 17
Presidents Day (school closed)
February 29, 2020
Open Forest (House) 10 am–Noon
Rain or Shine.
March 6
Teacher Workday (school closed)
April 6–10
Spring Break (school closed)
May 25
Memorial Day (school closed)
June 11
Last Day of School (subject to change)
*The preschool calendar will follow the Bellingham School District Calendar for holidays and school closures.
meet our team
Stacy Smith (Gumbo)
Director
Stacy has loved working with children and young leaders for the last 35 years! She owned and operated The Neighborhood Preschool for 8 years before starting The Firs After School Adventure Program, which is now in its 20th year of serving elementary age students and their parents.
Liz Holte (Ahi)
Lead Teacher
Growing up in the woods on the Olympic Peninsula, Ahi has always been rooted in the outdoors! She loves exploring new mountain trails, skiing, beach combing, and searching for the often unnoticed creations on earth. She has earned a BS in Environmental Science at California Lutheran.
Sarah Alexander (Cricket)
Teacher
Cricket graduated from Azusa Pacific with degrees in Early Childhood Education and Liberal Studies. She recently joined us from California, so when she’s not teaching, she’s exploring new places in Bellingham with her new puppy Bodie!
Danielle Strasser (Javelina)
Teacher
Javelina has recently returned to Bellingham where she grew up climbing trees and puddle jumping. When she isn’t teaching or adventuring around Whatcom County, you can find her in a gym coaching and playing volleyball. She holds a degree from Warner Pacific in Education and Human Development.
Mud Kitchen for tiny chefs
Attendance Options
Incredible Teachers
Maximum Class Size
firs & fiddleheads forest school
For more information, or to schedule a tour, contact us through our form on this page, or call 360-733-6840, ext. 211.
Directions
Off I-5 exit 253 (Lakeway Drive Exit), follow Lakeway Drive toward Sudden Valley. Lakeway Drive becomes Cable Street. Take a right on Geneva Street just past the Fire Station. Park in the gravel parking lot on your right.
Firs & Fiddleheads Forest School • 4605 Cable Street, Bellingham, WA 98229 • 360-733-6840, ext. 211 • firsandfiddleheads@thefirs.org
In association with The Firs Camps & Retreats, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. EIN: 91-0609820