Students spend a lot of time outside, making the beautiful surrounding area their extended classroom.

One minute they may wade into their work examining water quality in the nearby stream. The next they let their bodies and their imaginations run wild in a self-constructed village in the woods. Our youngest students learn all about food from what they grow themselves in our impressive garden. Whatever the activity—from art to science, recess to reflection—learning is active,
brave, and multisensory.

Nature-Based Learning

Research consistently supports what we see every day at PFS: outdoor learning enhances attention span, reduces anxiety, improves critical thinking, and nurtures a deeper sense of stewardship. Our students benefit from this integrated model, where academic excellence and outdoor exploration go hand in hand.

With access to acres of woods, trails, and the historic Institute Woods next door, we invite our students not only to study the world—but to belong to it. And we encourage our students to spend time playing outdoors, because until we play with the Earth and see it as our own, we cannot develop the level of care that help us become lifelong stewards of the natural world.