Cumming Nature Center > Forest School
Cumming Nature Center Forest School
Forest School provides children with the space to nurture their relationship with nature through unstructured play, curiosity-driven learning, hands-on projects and basic outdoor skills development.
CURRENT FAMILIES:
ABOUT FOREST SCHOOL AT CNC
Forest School at Cumming Nature Center recognizes the intrinsic relationship between children and nature.
Our mission is to provide children ages 5-12 with the space to nurture this relationship through unstructured play, curiosity-driven exploratory learning, hands-on projects, and outdoor skills development; all within a physically safe and emotionally supportive environment. Through Forest School, students learn to be resilient, self-reliant, and confidently inquisitive.
Please call the Nature Center at 585.374.6160 with inquiries about the program.
ABOUT FOREST SCHOOL | 2026-27 INFORMATION
NATURE IS OUR CLASSROOM
With nature as our classroom, guide, and companion, our daily activities are based on fostering three things: purposeful work, observation, and exploration. Purposeful work may consist of carving sticks, sawing wood, gathering acorns, building a shelter, building and cooking on a fire, creating natural art–the list is endless!
We take time to observe the little ways the world changes, even in the course of a week. Outdoor play allows the children to honor the strong developmental need to jump, twist, tug, pull, balance, roll, run, climb, dig, sort, build, weave and create. This play also develops fine and gross motor skills, executive function, spatial awareness, balance, coordination, kindness, and empathy. Children work together, using their strong imaginations and ideas to sort out all types of social situations.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Forest School days run from 10am-3:30pm and is spent entirely outdoors in all types of weather. In order to fully immerse ourselves in the environment, it is essential that children come prepared for the day’s weather and with the understanding that it is ok to get dirty! Comfortable and proper clothing are of the utmost importance.
Forest School students are separated into self-contained cohorts of 10-15 children. In the event of a lock-down, Forest School instructors will take Forest School online.
It is critical that families review the parent handbook before registering a child for Forest School. The handbook provides detailed information about Forest School’s core values and guiding principles, along with logistical details regarding food, clothing, weather closures, registration, and more. Please take the time to read through the handbook, and feel free to reach out to our staff with any questions at 585.374.6160.
Meet The Forest School Instructors
Angela Cannon-Crothers, Forest School & Nature-Based Learning Programs Manager
My name is Angela Cannon-Crothers (I am the one in the bandana) and my title is Nature Mentor Angie (Nature Angie is fine). Some of my other titles include Forest School & Interpretive Programs Coordinator, Lifelong Forest Schooler, Author, and mom. Some of my former titles have included Forest Ranger, Cloud Collector (for real), naturalist, and college science professor. My hobbies include wildcrafting, writing, exploring, reading, drawing, identifying dragonflies and marveling at fungi. My goal is to always keep my sense of wonder intact.
nona Brown
Hello! You can call me Nature Mentor Nona. I have been a Forest School Instructor for going on six years and I am the CNC Camps Coordinator. Forest School is one of my favorite places, but I’ve been mucking around in the outdoors my whole life long. I spent seven summers of my life guiding backcountry canoe trips in Algonquin Park, so my first love is canoeing! I can also be found dancing, singing, snuggling chickens, and hanging around on a trapeze. I can’t wait for another year of exploration and learning at Forest School!
Jonathan Jensen
I am Nature Mentor Jon: husband, dad (of 4), brother, son, uncle, teacher, friend, and coach. I have been a Forest School Nature Mentor for over two years and my children have been involved for even longer! My hobbies are eating and moving, and my goals for this year are P.E. – Play and Explore!
Jim Davison
Out in the woods I’m known as Nature Mentor Jim! My hobbies are woodworking, tree climbing, and teaching. My favorite snack is chocolate chip brownies (yum!), and my goal for this year is to teach everyone about the amazing world around us.
Laura Jones
Hello, friends! I am Nature Mentor Laura. Some of my favorite things to do are camping, knitting, cooking, biking, singing, gathering around a fire with friends, gardening, and storytelling. Lately, I’ve been inspired to learn about beekeeping and visible mending of clothing! If I could only choose one type of food to eat forever, it would be soup. I especially love working alongside children and noticing as we all grow and evolve with the seasons.
Terry Brayman
My name is Terry, and I have been helping kids of all abilities learn, play and enjoy activities for my whole career. I love to help enable kids to engage in activities that are important to them including cooking, arts, yoga, skiing, and exploring. I enjoy adventures of all kinds, especially wilderness canoe trips in the far north. I can’t wait for all the fun adventures at Forest School this year!
Kassandra LEE ingalls
Hello, friends! My name is Kassandra. I love to spend time with my family, which includes: 2 kids (Jacquelynn & Ivory), 2 dogs (Affina & Musha) & my husband (Kyle). We all love crafting, playing music, story time, organic gardening & wild foraging, hiking & camping.
Kass has been teaching Toddler, Full Day, and Preschool Forest School for 5 years here at CNC. She also is our lead teacher for our off-site, Hornell Public School PreK & K Forest School. She loves rhyming songs, woodland meanders, plant lore, and playing in the forest.
Camille Karavas
Hi there! My name is Camille. I have a deep passion for herpetology and wood crafting, you can often find me engaging in one or the other. As our Forest School music leader, my favorite tradition is leading our special end-of-the-year songs. I can’t wait to explore, craft, and sing with you this season!
Emily Nicholas
My name is Emily and I love walking through the woods, experiencing the sights and sounds of nature. I also love forest gardening, making nature crafts, music, reading, and drawing. I am always learning something new from listening and observing the interaction between living and non-living things and I am so excited to explore the Cumming Nature Center with you!
D.J. Kitzel
My name is D.J. Kitzel and I have been traveling through woods and waters with kids of all ages for over 30 years. I enjoy growing food, making things, paddling and riding a spotted pony named Lego. I am a perpetual student of the woods and look forward to playing and learning at the Forest School this year!
DEBORAH Clark
My name is Deborah, but you can call me Deb. My other titles have included mom, park naturalist, childcare provider, farmer, florist, and wildlife rehabilitator. I love canoeing and paddle boarding, dancing in the rain, hiking, marveling at butterflies, and critters of all kinds. I look forward to exploring and learning with everyone at Forest School!
jessie zeh
Jessie is an artist and educator from Cohocton. She leads Tinkergarten, foraging, and nature art classes around the area with her children. She is excited to explore the forest with toddler friends!
CARLY JANE UNDERWOOD
Hello, I’m Carly! I believe learning through what nature has to offer is the rawest form of education we can get. I’m so excited and inspired to explore what unfolds around us during our time together. Aside from Forest School, I enjoy photography, cooking, playing guitar, camping, kayaking, hiking, snowboarding and pretty much anything that gets me outside. What’s even better than all of that is doing it all with my family! My husband Adam, our son Henry and our old, fluffy husky mix Comet. See you in the forest!
shannon breymeier
My name is Shannon and I’m a former K-12 ESOL educator and certified forest therapy guide. In my free time, I can be found painting, running, sitting under a tree, lying across a boulder like a lizard, doing Pilates, meditating, hiking with my 3 and 5 year old, or wallowing around or dipping in a lake in all seasons/temperatures.
jeffrey simoneit
Hello hello! I’m Jeffrey. I’ve worked with NYS Parks, The Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake, and with summer camps – including CNC summer camp! I’ve been exploring outdoors all my life and learning the different ways the world is interconnected. Everything has a fascinating story if we know how to listen. I love books (both to read and write), building things, and cozy campfires. I can’t wait to mentor friends on their forest adventures.
chris vastola
Hello! Welcome to our great outdoor classroom and please call me Nature Mentor Chris for this new role. For years I have been called Coach Chris, Mr. V and other student nicknames which I have been fond of. Blessed to guide children of all ages to explore, engage and learn new pathways. I have taught K-12 plus freshman-graduate school students since 1979. Lifelong learning, travel, exploring and sharing inspire me. My passion is big mountain skiing in Europe, The Rockies and the East. Looking forward to cooking meals, storytelling, singing and creating memories around our campfire.
Leala Farnsworth
Hello friends!!! My name is Leala (Lee-laa) and I am looking forward to exploring all the connections we will find in this time and space together. I have a few degrees but my passion is for accessible learning where all people can find meaningful engagement with their world. Plant ecology and entomology are my current obsessions but I also love astrophysics, campfire cooking, naps, books, making up new words, and songs we can all sing together! My goal this year is to learn more bark patterns and beginning carpentry!
Ellis Schek
Hello! My name is Ellis, I attended Forest School here many years ago and I am so excited to now teach the program. I was a Boy Scout for many years. I love playing the guitar and even helped lead a local jazz band. I enjoy the cold weather and watching the way the animals change. My favorite thing is going on long bikes and hikes with my friends. I taught at the CNC summer camps and can’t wait for Forest School to start!
Nevaeh Close
Hello friends! My name is Nevaeh! Ever since I can remember, I’ve had a deep love for wildlife, plants, and the magic of the woods. With a degree in Wildlife Conservation, I am so excited to help guide our Forest School friends through nature’s classroom! In my free time, I enjoy self-taught botany, plant foraging, making herbal teas, baking treats, and training my cats on outdoor leash walks. My goal for this year is to jump headfirst into outdoor discovery, foster a sense of wonder, and learn something new alongside our young explorers every single day. I can’t wait to explore the woods together at the Cumming Nature Center!
KALI TOOMEY
Hi, my name is Kali! I am currently pursuing my master’s in childhood education. I’m inspired by how the outdoors nurtures children’s emotional resilience, physical confidence, and sense of belonging. Through curiosity and exploration, I aim to create spaces where children feel grounded, joyful, and connected to themselves, to others, and to the world around them. I’m so excited to see what unfolds as we learn and grow together. Outside of Forest school, I love hiking, watching movies, and hanging out with my dog Rex!
See you in the forest!
TERRI BURKETT
Terri loves time in the woods and time on her farm where she raises sheep, chickens and rabbits. She also enjoys reading books and cooking food from her garden. She can’t wait to meet you and explore Otter Camp together!
Rebecca DePue
Hello! I am Becca! As a child, I spent my days climbing trees, building bridges, getting lost for hours on hikes, and planning a someday-club house with my sister. We traveled a lot as a family and I developed a love for adventure, seeing beautiful sights, and in a word: Nature. I have made a point to pass on this love of adventure and thirst for wonder to my children.
2026-2027 FOREST SCHOOL INFORMATION
**Note: Forest School is currently full on all days for the 2026-2027. You are welcome to reach out to be added to the waitlist.**
| CALENDAR | Wednesdays | Thursdays | Fridays |
| Fall | 9/9/26 – 12/16/26 | 9/10/26 – 12/17/26 | 9/11/26 – 12/18/26 |
| Fall Break/ Non Program Days | 11/25/26 12/23/26 – 1/12/27 | 11/26/26 12/23/26 – 1/12/27 | 11/27/26 12/23/26 – 1/12/27 |
| Spring | 1/13/27 – 6/2/27 | 1/14/27 – 6/3/27 | 1/15/27 – 6/4/27 |
| Spring Break/ Non Program Days | 2/17/27 3/24/27 4/28/27 | 2/18/27 3/25/27 4/29/27 | 2/19/27 3/26/27 4/30/27 |
Registration opens the following dates:
- May 6th for current families signing up for the full year
- May 27th to current families signing up for fall only and families currently on the waitlist
- June 3rd to the general public
Handbook
It is critical that families review the parent handbook before registering a child for Forest School. The handbook provides detailed information about Forest School’s core values and guiding principles, along with logistical details regarding food, clothing, weather closures, registration, and more. Please take the time to read through the handbook, and feel free to reach out to our staff with any questions at 585.374.6160.
