2nd Nature Academy, Nashua | Fees, Rankings, Address, Admission, Vacancies, Reviews & More

2nd Nature Academy
We enrolled our daughter in 2nd Nature Academy when she was old enough for kindergarten. She was one of the youngest kids in her class. Our decision was based on the small class size compared to public school. COVID was also very much a factor in our decision. Remember the chaos?

In 2020, my daughter attended kindergarten (outside) with a class of 13, with masks, and social distancing. The school handled this situation brilliantly. My kid was better for going, and no one in her class was sick. Did I have apprehension about sending my kid to school? Yes. The bargain I made with myself was — if there was a sign of a sniffle, cough — the MINUTE I felt uncomfortable — I would pull her out. The pleasant surprise? It was the first year I remember where she didn’t have a cold or get sick.

When they came in for class in the wintertime, they followed a strict cleaning protocol, guidelines from the state, and CDC. I appreciate how the school rallied to make in-person classes work. This was a significant amount of extra work for administrators, teachers, and cleaning staff to stay open. Parents WERE nervous, but the school got us through the pandemic. The communication was exceptional.

In 2021, my daughter was a 1st grader. It was still during COVID (Delta). We kept her enrolled in the school because we were impressed with how the school handled education and COVID during the previous year. She was learning well in her small classroom setting. Unfortunately, near the end of the year, the original teacher couldn’t finish the school year. I was concerned about the gap in learning and the potential anxiety this would cause my daughter. Mrs. Gleeson (principal, owner), with decades of experience, stepped in. She made the spring semester magical. Not only did they learn maths and reading, but they also hatched chickens, and grew plants from seeds.

And here we are in 2022. My daughter will attend the 2nd grade, with a class of 14. We like how her education is rounding out and the level of attention to detail with staff, teachers, and administrators. Does she still wake up on Monday and say, “I don’t want to go to school.” Yes, she’s seven;)

I don’t have regrets about my daughter not being in public school. I would still enroll her in a private school. 2nd Nature is a nurturing environment. I did not want my daughter to have an education by rote. I wanted her to have the opportunity to explore beyond the commonality of being tied to a standardized test. She is learning about processes, critical and logical thinking.

Communication
Learning the different ways to communicate through the school can be a challenge. The best thing to do is to sign up for Class Dojo. Sign up for emails and text reminders. Class Dojo is an app where the teacher posts what the students are learning, events, and pictures. You can see what your kid is doing! You can reach out to the teacher directly through the app.

2nd Nature Academy has been an absolutely wonderful experience for my child who began there in 4th grade and is now heading into 7th. From the small class sizes, and absolutely amazing teachers, she has thrived. One of the things we love about the school is their inclusive environment. Kids can be themselves and express themselves without fear of bullying from other students. Students are taught to be thoughtful and kind in their interactions with each other. Academically, my child has thrived in a way that she wasn’t able to in a public school setting. She feels extremely comfortable participating in class discussions, or asking for help when needed. This has everything to do with the teachers and staff at the school- the small classes enable the teachers to really spend time with their students to help them learn new concepts, or give more direction when needed.

We are the type of parents who like to keep close tabs on our child’s class work, and we’ve always had immediate, and thoughtful responses from her teachers. We have always felt like there is a partnership between the school and our family and as needs arise, we’ve been able to collaborate effectively to get the best learning outcomes for our child. The school does an excellent job of encouraging teamwork between the kids in each class, and for us- their collaborative style of teaching through group work has been wonderful for our child. The school’s commitment to getting kids outside, out of the classroom and in nature to learn has also been a great fit for us- children learn by doing and collaborating, and not just sitting passively and absorbing what’s being taught AT them. My child has had the opportunity to be “met where she is at” in her learning, which makes her feel secure, and not anxious about having to fly through lessons at breakneck speed like she would in a public school setting. 2nd Nature has been a perfect fit for our family, and we’re grateful to have her learn in the nurturing environment they’ve created.