Who is River Gorge Forest School
It all started as a couple of parents with a dream…
It was just a dream and an idea to provide outdoor education for children in the natural landscape of the Tennessee River Gorge. After a few conversations (and the emergence of COVID), we decided to take that idea and make it happen! Within a few months, it all started to become a reality. We partnered with an instructor with 30+ years of nature-based education and collaborated with an international leader in forest school education. It was from there that River Gorge Forest School took off - we would love it if you joined us for this adventure!
Miller-Boruff family celebrating the arrival of fall. Lindsey Miller is a co-founder of RGFS
The Dodson family enjoying rafting adventures in West Virginia. Susanna Dodson is a co-founder of RGFS
Grant family - Susie Grant leads our teaching staff and is a co-founder of RGFS
Our School
The school is located in the Tennessee River Gorge on a privately owned mountain-side property that is surrounded by Prentice Cooper State Forest. This unique natural landscape in Chattanooga provides an ideal backdrop for forest exploration.
We are excited to offer outdoor preschool through third grade for children ages 3 - 9 for the 2024-25 school year.
Core Objectives of River Gorge Forest School
Provide young children the space to develop their fullest potential
Empower students in all activities to be child-initiated and child-led, with adults acting as facilitators
Provide individual attention with small teacher-child ratios
Develop children’s respect for nature, for one another, and for themselves
Enable children to work collaboratively in creating, problem-solving, and supporting one another
Encourage healthy choices and habits
Facilitate children’s risk-taking, made as safe as is reasonably possible
Increase motivation, self-esteem, and concentration
Develop respect for the natural world and also respect for its dangers
Stimulate children’s innate curiosity by being close to nature
Encourage family involvement in nature-related learning at their homes