The Balch Nature School
The Balch Nature School is a fully licensed, 5-STAR preschool providing nature-based learning at the Fairbanks Museum for children ages 3 to 5.
We offer 2, 3, 4, and 5 day/week attendance options. The Balch Nature School accepts Universal Pre-K Vouchers.
We believe children are born with a desire to explore and understand the natural world, and that early experiences with nature set a precedent for lifelong learning and well-being. We are committed to supporting and building on every child’s innate interest in exploring the natural world.
We provide children with special nature-centered opportunities to learn about themselves, the world and life. Our curriculum respond to students’ interests. Our outdoor learning space offers students a range of “real” materials to explore — water, soil, rocks, plants, snow. At Balch children learn by doing; they play in the mud, climb on logs, follow weather patterns, study insects, and plant seeds.
It is recommended that students be fully toilet trained for this drop-off program.
- Classes meet in the Balch Nature School indoor/outdoor space at the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium in St. Johnsbury, interspersed with local field trips.
- We spend time outdoors each day.
- We offer a quality environment that meets preschoolers’ developmental needs, while inspiring a connection with nature.
- Maximum class size is 14 students.
Program Basics
We spend time outdoors each day! Our center is the Balch Nature School indoor/outdoor space at the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium in St. Johnsbury, where we are priviledged to share in all of the knowledge and materials of this Vermont treasure. We’ll plan a few local field trips to learn more about the fields, forests, wetlands and farms in our area.
We offer a distinctive preschool program experience in that children have daily interactions with nature and witness seasonal changes. Children work with natural materials such as sand, water, clay, sticks, seeds, and plants, and have access to the wealth of resources the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium offers through its facility and educational programs.
Some highlights of our approach:
- We foster close relationships. The maximum class size is 14 students, so every student gets guidance and attention from our teachers.
- Flexible enrollment options allow you to select the days that meet your schedule and align with your child’s developmental pace. We offer 2, 3, 4, or 5 days/week enrollment options.
- Nature-based learning is our key. Our program uses hands-on experiences along with thematic units that relate to the seasons to present age-appropriate science concepts. The Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS) are integrated into our curriculum to ensure children also learn important early literacy and math skills for kindergarten readiness.
Teaching
Libre Drouin is the Balch Nature School director, who guides the curriculum and oversees policies. Libre joined the team with more than 10 years of experience as an instructional aide at The Lyndon Town School. She was director of Cherry St. Playcare before that. When she is not busy working or crafting at home, you may recognize her from the St. Johnsbury Farmer’s Market where she and her sister sell baked goods as Sugar Mamas Bakery.
Katie Carpenter is the lead teacher at the Balch Nature School. Katie was a classroom teacher at Lyndon Town School for 10 years, and she has been a preschool teacher and provider for the last 5 years at Hale Haven Child Care. She lives in Lunenburg with her 2 children, 2 dogs and husband. She says, “My family and I love to be outside all year long. We love walking, swimming, biking, four wheeling, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and much more. I also love cooking/baking, reading and most recently doing puzzles with my family.”
Kit McGill Simpson recently joined us in January as Balch’s assistant teacher. They grew up on a farm in Nebraska, where they loved helping their family raise cattle. After receiving their bachelor’s degree in music, Kit moved to Austin, TX to work at a tech startup. In 2020 they moved to St. Johnsbury with their wife Nakeeta, three dogs, and three cats. Kit enjoys hiking, gardening, baking, drumming, singing, and playing basketball.
Kit has over ten years of experience working with children in preschool and daycare settings, afterschool programming, summer camps, and as a nanny. Some of their favorite work has been giving piano and drum lessons, coaching track & field and basketball, and volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters.