Sept. 14, 2025
LA FARGE, Wis. — The Kickapoo Valley Forest School, a tuition-free, nature-immersion public charter school authorized by the La Farge School District, has grown steadily since its founding in 2020. For the 2025–26 school year, the school now serves students in 4K through fourth grade.
In May, the KVFS Governance Council was awarded a second charter school implementation grant of $1.1 million from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The funding will support the development of an upper elementary program, the Kickapoo Valley Field School, which will launch at the start of the 2026–27 school year. At that time, the organization will transition into two programs: a lower elementary Forest School (grades 4K–2) and an upper elementary Field School (grades 3–5).
KVFS emphasizes nature immersion, child-centered practices and environmental stewardship. Students spend multiple hours each day outdoors, averaging 500 to 800 hours annually—compared to 200 to 300 hours in traditional schools. Educators and families say the approach fosters curiosity, real-world skills, deep focus and care for peers and natural resources.
“Learning at the forest school is robust and holistic,” said returning KVFS parent Asha Myers. “We are honestly floored by just how much goodness is being poured into our child’s life. Our child comes home equally excited to share her deepening knowledge and love of math and the alphabet, while also astounding us with her understanding of life cycles, ecosystems and her ability to identify birds by their songs.”
This fall, KVFS relocated entirely to the La Farge School District campus. First through fourth grade homerooms are now housed on the third floor of the historic 1901 building, allowing students access to district supports and enhancing staff collaboration. Daily outdoor immersion remains central to the school’s philosophy.
Through a continued partnership with Organic Valley, students will access the woods, fields, streams and trails of the 26-acre headquarters property near the school. Additional partnerships with local landowners provide walking access to immersive nature experiences for play and project-based learning. Twice weekly, second through fourth grade students will travel by bus to public lands surrounding La Farge for full immersion days.
“The connections to our community through partnerships with local landowners will prove to be valuable beyond measure,” said KVFS Development Director Jonel Kiesau. “Not only will students have access to hundreds of acres, but they will also be able to experience many different ecosystems and landscapes right here in their local backyard.”
Staff, families and students have expressed excitement about the relocation. The 1901 building offers warm, dry and dynamic classrooms, complementing KVFS’s commitment to outdoor learning, play and place-based education.
“Our relocation to the 1901 building in the La Farge Schools creates a new beginning for the school and new opportunities to more deeply engage with our larger community,” said KVFS Governance Council President Emily Schendel. “Being able to move our school to the beautiful second floor of the historic 1901 building, with sweeping views of the Driftless landscape and echoes of decades of La Farge School students learning within these classrooms, fosters a dynamic connection between the legacy of the district and the community it serves and the opportunity that charter school innovation can achieve in a changing world.”
The Kickapoo Valley Forest and Field Schools aim to keep students engaged physically, emotionally and intellectually while preparing them for success in middle school and beyond.
For more information, visit www.kickapoovalleyforestschool.org.
Add comment