Join the Sugar Maple Nature School family!

All children, regardless of home school district, specific needs, or income, are eligible for this tuition-free public school. Sugar Maple Nature School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 6th grade, and is in the process of expanding up to 8th grade. The public charter school is authorized by the Northern Ozaukee School District.

Tour our school:

Our school’s natural setting at Hawthorne Hills County Park, located at 4880 Highway I, Saukville, WI is open to the public. We have recently opened our new school building at the county park. Please contact us if interested in an in person tour of our school.

2024-2025 School Lottery

On Friday, May 10th at 11:00 a.m., the SMNS Governance Council will conduct the annual school enrollment lottery. You can view the lottery virtually at this link:

SMNS Open Enrollment Lottery in the 1st Grade Classroom

Friday, May 10 · 11:00am – 12:30pm

Time zone: America/Chicago

Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/ubi-dqgs-tyw

Or dial: ‪(US) +1 440-462-3458‬ PIN: ‪345 925 469‬#

Please review this important basic information about the current school year, prior to enrolling your student:

Monday through Thursday is in person instruction at the school building located in the county park, and on the parks many trails and natural spaces. Drop off is between 8:20 and 8:30 a.m. After school pick up is between 3:35 and 3:45 p.m. Fridays consist of virtual instruction off-campus. Virtual instruction includes a virtual all school topic meeting and independent schoolwork and activities. Many PTO sponsored clubs/events are offered on Friday afternoons, such as Ski Club at Sunburst in January, Rock Climbing Club, and Archery Club. Some school work and activities are online and some are traditional paper/pencil. Our focus continues to be high quality in person, nature-based outdoor learning.

  • Steps to apply for the 2024-2025 School Year

    1. Complete 2024 -2025 Enrollment Application for each child and return it to Sugar Maple Nature School in person (Riveredge Nature Center, 4458 City Hwy Y, Saukville, WI 53080), via email or via mail (Sugar Maple Nature School, P.O. Box 46, Newburg, WI 53060) as soon as possible. Paper copies of the Sugar Maple Nature School applications are available at our office at the Riveredge Nature Center.

    2. (Only for families who DO NOT live in the Northern Ozaukee School District.) If you are a family who does not live in the Northern Ozaukee School District (NOSD) and are open-enrolling to the system, you must complete the ONLINE Regular Open Enrollment Application during the application period: February 5 – April 30, 2024. This application can be accessed here.

    IMPORTANT: Both the Sugar Maple Nature School application and the online open enrollment application must be completed, processed, and approved before the student is included for the lottery for available seats in May, 2024. View the lottery policy here.

  • Steps to apply for the 2023-2024 School Year 2023-2024 Lottery and Waitlist Results

    1. Via our website or a school tour, familiarize yourself with how our school works, and if you have determined we are a great fit complete the steps below.

    2. Complete 2023 -2024 Enrollment Application for each child and return it to Sugar Maple Nature School in person (Riveredge Nature Center, 4458 City Hwy Y, Saukville, WI 53080), via email or via mail (Sugar Maple Nature School, P.O. Box 46, Newburg, WI 53060) as soon as possible. Paper copies of the Sugar Maple Nature School applications are available at our office at the Riveredge Nature Center.

    3. (Only for families who DO NOT live in the Northern Ozaukee School District.) If you are a family who does not live in the Northern Ozaukee School District (NOSD) and are open-enrolling to the system, you must complete the Alternative Open Enrollment Application through the Department of Public Instruction. This application can be accessed here. This application is available after July 1, 2023. Applications may take about 20 days to process between the resident district and NOSD. Students must be cleared through this process before attending Sugar Maple Nature School.

    IMPORTANT: Both the Sugar Maple Nature School application and the online open enrollment application must be completed, processed, and approved before the student is allowed to register to attend Sugar Maple Nature School.

2024-2025 Application for Admission

2024-2025 Application for Admission

Interested Families

After our lottery, new applicants are considered Interested Families. These students would be contacted only if a seat becomes available at a grade level and all waitlist students pass on the seat. Any applications received after the lottery will not be listed on our waitlist and lottery results.

Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy as to Students

The Sugar Maple Nature School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.