About Island Outdoor School
Island Outdoor School, located on Vashon Island, Washington, is a school where kids can learn outside in a safe, inspiring wooded campus. We prioritize self-learning, community, and togetherness, while honoring nature and the outdoors.
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Island Outdoor School is a preschooler’s paradise. [It's] a safe, enriching environment that our son looks forward to each school day. The students spend time building, sharing, and learning through play. At Island Outdoor School, our son’s language and interpersonal personal skills have blossomed. As parents we cannot imagine a better way for our son to learn during these critically formative years.
- Natalie
Administration
Anthony (TJ) Moore
TJ’s childcare experience began when he was 10 years old, looking after the children of several families from the daycare where his mother taught. It continued in college where TJ worked with foster children in a group home setting. After moving to Washington, TJ worked for Vashon Island School District for 15 years, mostly in the role of a Behavior Support Specialist, where he developed the knowledge and skill set that enabled him to provide higher quality support for children.
TJ’s love for the outdoors, strong belief in Outdoor Nature Based education and having 2 children, led him to the decision to return to college to obtain the Washington State Early Childhood Education (ECE) Teaching Certificates required to open the Island Outdoor School. Much of his work with VISD was connected to Social/Emotional Learning (SEL) and that continues to be a primary focus of the support provided to children at Island Outdoor School.
Staff
Megan Damofle
Co-Lead Teacher
Megan has worked with preschool aged children for over 10 years, working as a preschool teacher and nanny. She worked a summer program for several years as a lead instructor at Wolf Camp and Wolf College wilderness schools, teaching kids from ages 7-18. Megan is inspired by Waldorf and Montessori concepts for early childhood, and loves bringing songs, verses and crafts to reflect the seasons and the natural world. In her personal life, Megan is a mom of a 13 year old daughter, studies and practices Ayurveda and herbal medicine, and loves hiking the trails of Vashon with her dog.
Hours of Operation
Monday thru Friday 9 am to 3 pm
Island Outdoor School will follow the schedule of the Vashon Island School District for vacations, holidays, and most teacher in-service days. . If VISD has a late start or closes due to inclement weather, we will continue to monitor conditions and keep families informed of our plan.
Curriculum
Island Outdoor School is a Reggio Emilia inspired preschool that utilizes an emergent curriculum with an inquiry-based teaching style. This supports a child led, nature and play-based experience that empowers children to be active in their own learning. However, we do incorporate some guided activities designed to help children use their senses, their words and their peers to explore their natural surroundings. Our program supports the development of the whole child, focusing on what we value the most, the social and emotional well-being and growth of every child.
Non Discrimination Policy
It is the policy of Island Outdoor School not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, children and families we serve, volunteers and our community.
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What is the photo policy for children at the school?You may have noticed some beautiful images of our current and former students on this site. Pictures are taken semi frequently to record progress and document activities. Some pictures are posted on our closed Facebook page. We ask your permission to use photos with a release form signed at the time of enrollment. Please request an invitation to our preschool Facebook group page, “Island Outdoor School Families”. These photos are NOT available to the public for viewing. There are other times photos might be shared publicly. Island Outdoor School administration will request this permission separately.
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What is the restroom situation at the school?Our program utilizes a newly built outhouse and a new self contained composting toilet purchased in 2023. Children must be potty confident, as our facility is not equipped to handle diaper changing. They cannot wear diapers to school. It is especially important that your child is: ● capable of sleeping without a pamper/diaper if in the full day program ● capable of pulling down and pulling up their pants (We can work on this but a start is appreciated)
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What should I know about clothing or weather-appropriate gear?Please consider the weather each day and send your child to Island Outdoor School in appropriate clothing for the elements. Since we are outside all day this is a critical aspect to your child’s comfort and well-being. We require that children have quality rain gear including waterproof boots. If you are in need of any support in this area please contact the director and they will assist you in obtaining what your child needs. All children occasionally get their clothes wet and have toileting accidents. Whenever this occurs, it is best to change the child into an extra set of clothing provided by the family. We require that you bring a complete change of clothing, including underwear, to be kept at school and replenished as needed. Due to health reasons, if a child soils their underwear, it may be thrown away. Please be sure to clearly label all clothing.
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Will my child's information be kept confidential?Confidentiality is a top priority for Island Outdoor School. Personal information of families and staff will not be shared for any reason without prior written consent of the individual. All records are stored in a locked cabinet with the exception of what staff keep on hand during hours of operation per emergency plan. It is important that all staff members be discreet in sharing information regarding the children and their parents in public areas. Names and identifying characteristics of children and families should not be shared with anyone other than staff members working within the program and the Director. Staff members may not distribute or post children's names, address, phone numbers, etc. with the exception of distribution to Island Outdoor School employees. Personal information should never be used for personal purposes. Washington law specifically prohibits the sharing of information about children or staff members within a child care setting without written consent from the parent, guardian, or individual. This applies to outside professionals as well.
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Should my child come to school if they are sick / not feeling well?We ask that you use appropriate best judgment for your child and their state of health. If they could be in any way potentially infectious, please keep them home. Our first priority at Island Outdoor School is providing a healthy, safe learning environment for all children. Children/staff will be sent home as soon as possible if any of the following is experienced: an illness prevents the child from participating comfortably in activities (as determined by the staff); an illness results in a greater need for care than the staff can reasonably provide without compromising the health or safety of other children in the classroom; or a child is experiencing any of the conditions outlined in the Illness Policy of our Handbook
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Can my child bring items from home (toys, stuffies, blankets, etc)?Toys, stuffed animals, or other items from home may help your child feel more comfortable at school from time to time. However, it is often difficult for young children to share their special “treasures” with classmates. We ask that all items brought to Island Outdoor School from home be placed in your child’s cubby shortly after arrival. Please clearly label all belongings brought from home.
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Should my child bring a lunch or snacks to school?Yes. Snack and lunch items are not provided by Island Outdoor School. We encourage families to send at least 2 healthy snacks, lunch and a drink in a non-breakable container. Please do not send food that needs to be heated— this is not a service we can offer. As we are instilling a respect for the environment and its value to us, please use minimal packaging and bring food in reusable containers.