Environmental Education

Lower School

Stewardship in our younger grades is founded on the idea that before being introduced to larger environmental issues, kids need to regularly investigate, explore, and discover their surroundings. Students in all grades formally and informally venture into the Presidio National Park. Whether building forts in a redwood forest or searching for bugs in El Polin Creek, our students are encouraged to enjoy the wonders and mysteries of these wild urban habitats. 

Middle School

Our middle school environmental science program is rooted in immersing our students in real science. 100-minute field-research labs allow students to conduct long-term monitoring projects, collect meaningful data, and compare and contrast working ecosystem functions. Observing these ever-changing environments encourages our students to formulate questions about our earth and climate systems and critically think about the effects of seasonal change.

Presidio Hill School teachers take you to some of their favorite spots in the Presidio:

Our campus borders (two blocks) the 1,400 acre Presidio National Park and is easily walkable for all of our students. Streams, lakes, intertidal beaches, coastal redwood, and cypress forests directly support and enhance the middle school science curriculum. Our students are lucky to conduct place-based science, in one of the most biologically rich habitats on the planet. These dynamic experiences are the foundations for our students to build science skills and optimistically grow into responsible global citizens.

Forest Friday

Environmental Education at Presidio Hill School is different. Every Friday, each lower school (TK-4) class walks into the Presidio for an extended “Forest Friday” adventure. An abundance of habitats allows teachers to choose from distinct areas, helping each student develop a necessary personal relationship with nature.