Join Our Team
We are seeking to hire additional staff to support the Sugar Maple Nature School. Click here to learn more and apply for our open positions.
Where Nature
Becomes
the Classroom
At our outdoor nature school, we empower children to learn, grow, and thrive in the great outdoors—where every trail, tree, and stream holds a lesson waiting to be discovered.
sq ft
classrooms
sq ft
outdoors
For Young Explorers from Kindergarten to 7th Grade.
Situated on 293 acres of restored prairies, woods, and wetlands at Hawthorne Hills Park in Saukville, Wisconsin, the Sugar Maple Nature School is a tuition-free, public elementary charter school authorized by the Northern Ozaukee School District.
Inquiry-Based Learning
Sugar Maple Nature School creates a hands-on learning environment where curriculum is brought to life and curiosity is fostered each and every day through time in our natural world.
Nature-Based Learning
Nature-based learning is active and increases students’ physical, mental and social health. Nature play and adventure education focus not only on appropriate risk taking and skill building, but also on the development of strong social and emotional skills.
Community-Based Learning
Community is fostered within our inclusive classroom philosophy where every student’s unique skills and talents are viewed as valuable parts of the class family. Relationships are developed with the surrounding communities as we incorporate their best parts within our curriculum.
Our School Mission
The mission of the School is to serve as a laboratory for outdoor learning which amplifies the outcomes of public education, adapts to students’ individual academic needs, fosters a deep connection to the environment, and prepares students for success in school and life.
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“The Sugar Maple students stood out because they were engaged, curious, and undaunted by their older and more experienced peers. All the questions they asked showed they were interested in the topic and genuinely curious. Engagement and curiosity are qualities that are honed in an environment of trust and development of self-knowledge.”
– Samara Hamze, Program Manager
WI K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP)
We have big plans, help us empower our future!
Pushing the boundaries of public education has its challenges, and funding shouldn’t be one of them. We invite you to be a part of our journey, to be a catalyst for change in education.
Stand with us as we continue to create a learning environment where every day is an adventure and every lesson is a step toward a brighter future.