At CBI Forest School, an outdoor elementary school and full-day preschool in Charlottesville, VA, children lie in fallen autumn leaves

Contact Us

The Application Process

  • 1. SCHEDULE A VISIT

    Depending on the time of year, we’ll offer either a tour or open house. We offer open houses in the fall and tours winter-spring.

    Sign up here for a TOUR date and we'll send you directions to visit us. Admissions decision begin by mid January and continue through August as openings occur.

  • 2. APPLY

    After visiting, fill out our online application.

    You’ll need to gather all of your child’s important information (like health documents, etc).

    You can also apply for Financial Aid at this time.

  • 3. ADMISSIONS

    Beginning in January, we start sending acceptance letters. After January, we operate on a rolling admissions basis.

  • 4. ENROLLMENT

    After receiving an acceptance letter, you accept! We will create an online account for you, and your $500 deposit will hold your child’s spot in school.

    The school year starts at the end of August and runs through the end of May.

At CBI Forest School, an outdoor elementary school and full-day preschool in Charlottesville, VA, a parents and child walk with a teacher along a wooden fence.

Schedule a Visit

The first step in your application process:

***Scroll up to see our open house dates!

Ready to Apply?

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    Schedule your Tour

    The first step is attending an open house or scheduling a tour. Use the form above if you haven’t done so yet!

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    Tuition Info

    Tuition varies by age and number of days attending. Tuition is commensurate with area schools and is updated annually.

    2026-2027 Tuition
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    Apply

    After touring and speaking with us, fill out our online application.

    Online application
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    Financial Aid

    Families are invited to apply for financial aid by May 1st for the school year. Funds are awarded by May 15th.

    Please contact the director if you have any questions.

    Apply for Financial Aid

 FAQs

  • Not completely!

    We spend about 80% of our time outdoors and all classes have their own dedicated indoor space with bathroom access.

  • We send lots of gear info to parents, and you can also check out this handy chart!

  • Children nap indoors for consistency. On special occasions or adventures, they may take a snooze by the stream.

  • Teachers are trained, as are students, in identifying poison ivy, ticks, and unwanted bugs.

    We have the necessary equipment to deal with any bite that occurs. We do tick checks and ask families to do the same when arriving home.

  • We haven’t met a child who has not blossomed in the forest!

    Everyone is unique in their forest experience.

  • Our tuition is commensurate with private and Montessori schools in Charlottesville, and is dependent on age as well as days and times chosen to attend. Find our annual tuition chart here.

  • Reggio Emilia focuses more on collaborative learning whereas Montessori focuses on independent learning.

    Reggio Emilia classrooms are more flexible and open-ended whereas Montessori areas are more structured.

  • Our students either join the local public schools or the many private institutions that offer a 5th-12th grade experience.

  • After three years of being in the forest, our data suggests our students are prepared for the next step in their educational journey, arriving at a new school with skills related to executive functioning, independence, self-confidence, and curiosity.

    Academically our students that have moved up are thriving!

How can we help you?

Have a question?

If you haven’t already, check out the FAQs above! We may have already answered your question.

feel free to fill out the contact form and get in touch.

We love to talk about our school.

At CBI Forest School, a full-day preschool in Charlottesville, VA, 4 toddlers sit on a wooden swing smiling.

Let’s Connect