Port Orchard

Manchester State Park

The Port Orchard Campus, located at Manchester State Park, opened in 2023. Amidst the old growth forest, trails, and meadows, our classes will experience the joy and beauty of nature's outdoor classroom. Manchester State Park has access to a beach, too. This will provide rich diversity of experience that will ebb and flow with seasonal changes. Each day starts with an epic hike up to "goat hill". Once up at the classroom, there are wide open spaces, a large sand digging area, a climbing hill, art, books, and a story stage. The possibilities for socio-dramatic and constructive play are endless!

I'm INTERESTED

Manchester State Park

Campus Programs

At forest preschool the children visit the same woodland on a regular basis and are given the freedom to play, opportunity to explore and learn about the natural environment, and support while learning how to handle risks, solve problems, and cooperate with their peers. Preschool runs all year, where children learn and play in the woods in all weather: sun, rain, snow, warm and cold, (barring high winds or other extreme weather). As the forest is ever changing, each day brings new and different exploration opportunities. Children play, learn boundaries – both physical and social - grow in confidence, and become self-starters. Children in this environment learn that there are different ways of solving problems and they develop their critical thinking skills daily. Learn more about Magnolia's Forest Preschool program.

No items found.

Class Details

Location:
Manchester State Park, Port Orchard, WA

ENROLL 2025-2026

ENROLL 2026-2027

Ages: 2.5-5 years old

  • Mon/Wed/Fri, 9:00-1:00, $525/month
  • Tues/Thurs, 9:00-1:00, $355/month
  • Mon-Fri, 9:00-1:00, $830/month

A depost is due to secure enrollment.

Reach our registrar: taylor@magnoliaforestpreschool.com

Summer Camp

Summer camp is a great time to try out forest school and see if your child loves it as much as we do! Enrollment opens March 1st. Email our registrar for more information: info@magnoliaforestpreschool.com.

No items found.

Summer Camp Details

ENROLL FOR SUMMER CAMPS 2026

Visit our Summer Camps 2026 page for all dates and tuition.

Enrollment opens March 1st. Email our registrar for more information: taylor@magnoliaforestpreschool.com.

K-5th Grade

No items found.

K-5th Grade Details

LEARN MORE

Visit us at

Manchester State Park

to learn more

We would love to meet you! Each campus welcomes new families for tours regularly September-June so that you can see the forest school space, meet the site director, ask questions and get a taste for the Magnolia Forest Preschool experience!

Schedule Visit

Campus Director

Liz Holte

Campus Director
liz@magnoliaforestpreschool.com

Liz earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science in 2016. Her love for the outdoors and working with children led her to Bellingham, Washington, where she served as both Program Manager and Lead Teacher at Firs and Fiddleheads Forest School. There, she guided children through play-based, nature-centered experiences and developed a strong passion for social-emotional learning in outdoor environments.

She later moved to the mountain town of Mammoth Lakes, California, where she held two separate roles that allowed her to explore both sides of her interests. As a research assistant for The Mono Lake Committee, she worked in the field studying the local ecosystem, and as a preschool teacher at a Montessori-based program, she focused on supporting children’s independence, emotional growth, and curiosity. Together, these experiences deepened her appreciation for both environmental science and early childhood education.

Liz is excited to be a part of the Magnolia community and continue fostering strong relationships, social-emotional development, and a lifelong connection to nature. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, skiing, reading, and spending time at the beach with her husband and their Labrador, Daisy.

Manchester State Park

Campus Teachers

Rebekah Boettcher

Assistant Site Director

Rebekah Boettcher

Assistant Site Director

Rebekah studied at Seattle Pacific University and has been working with children for nearly 20 years in various settings. She has been teaching at the Port Orchard campus since it opened in 2023. Prior to joining Magnolia, she created and directed an outdoor after-school program in California that prioritized free play and fostered a meaningful connection between children and nature.

Rebekah is a certified Washington State Naturalist as well as a Stream, Forest, and Beach Naturalist in Kitsap County. Growing up on a ranch near Mount Rainier, she is passionate about passing on the positive impacts of extended outdoor play that she experienced as a child.

Rebekah cares deeply about children receiving respect and basic trust to initiate and explore at their own pace. Supporting children in problem-solving and witnessing their mastery over their own actions has been a rewarding part of her career and her journey as a mother. Magnolia’s philosophy is a perfect match for her own, and she enjoys working with like-minded, passionate teachers and sharing the Magnolia experience with her two sons.

In her free time, Rebekah enjoys spending time with her family, ice-skating, creative writing, camping, exploring low tide, and community building. She lives in Port Orchard with her husband and children.

Zoey Peake

Preschool Teacher

Zoey Peake

Preschool Teacher

Zoey Peake graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 2014 with a Bachelors in English Creative Writing. Her childcare experience ranges from teaching dance and music to elementary age students in summer camps, nannying, and teaching children’s yoga. She loved watching her son flourish at Magnolia in 2024 and is excited to officially join the team now. Zoey believes in the power of play at the center of Magnolia’s philosophy and the benefits of verbal mapping for social emotional learning. When she’s not in the forest, she is walking her dog, gardening with an audiobook, or teaching kids yoga at Orchard Roots Yoga in Port Orchard.

Bike Kilic

Preschool Teacher

Bike Kilic

Preschool Teacher

Bike (BK) is originally from Turkey. She moved to America in 2015 and got married to her husband who is currently an active duty military member. She has been living in and exploring Washington since September 2024.

She graduated with her bachelors degree in engineering in Turkey. She has a masters degree in engineering in Boston, MA. During her time in Turkey, Bike actively participated in volunteering activities where she helped pre-school and school-age kids with their studies and social activities during and after school.

Bike did not continue her career in engineering after she moved to America, but she worked in various public libraries and fell in love with being involved in storytelling and arts&crafts activities with children. She is planning on pursuing a Masters degree in library studies in order to become a children’s librarian.

In her free time, Bike loves gardening (she is a certified WSU Kitsap county master gardener as of Nov 2025), reading, biking and walking out in nature. Bike is excited to explore and learn with kids at Magnolia Forest Preschool!

‍

Rebecca Johnson

Preschool Teacher

Rebecca Johnson

Preschool Teacher

Rebecca brings more than a decade of experience working with children in educational settings to Magnolia Forest Preschool. She spent her time as a paraprofessional with South Kitsap School District, supporting children with a variety of needs and helping create a safe, encouraging environment where they could learn, grow, and build confidence. Her experience includes supporting social-emotional development, positive behavior strategies, individualized learning, and play-based activities.

Rebecca has always enjoyed working with children and believes they learn best when they feel safe, supported, and encouraged to explore. She is excited to bring her experience and passion for building meaningful relationships with children to Magnolia and to continue learning alongside them in the outdoors.

Outside of school, Rebecca’s family is the most important part of her life. She enjoys crafting and shares a love of hiking and outdoors with her son. She looks forward to being part of the Magnolia community and creating fun, meaningful experiences with the children she works with.

Find Magnolia Forest School Near You!

At unique campuses across the Puget Sound Region in Washington, Magnolia children learn rain and shine. Preschool (ages 2.5-5) and Waldkinder (ages 5-8) programs meet September through June. We welcome lots of new friends at our summer camps, too!

SEE ALL LOCATIONS
“In the safety and freedom of the woods, [my child’s] little voice started asking for things she needed – and getting those needs met. Through climbing, exploring the natural world around her, her confidence grew. Magnolia’s style makes room for that.”
“One of the biggest leaps has been [my child’s] ability to communicate her emotions. Instead of endless tantrums or guessing games, [my child] has been able to clearly tell me what she’s feeling. Being able to identify a feeling is one of the first steps to working through it for her. This is a big deal in our everyday life, and I believe it’s truly added to her life in a dynamic manner. At Magnolia, I know I have a group of other caring adults in her life to help her learn to trust herself and others, during those difficult life moments.”
“ We look forward to the year, as well as the adventures of the K-8th program to follow. I want [my child] to continue to grow and learn to trust herself and grow into a confident child, and eventually young woman, with respect for life, others and the world around her. Those values are echoed by this school as well. Having the freedom to be 100% herself in a safe environment as she discovers who she is priceless.”
“Now, as a first time parent, I’ll admit, I had my doubts when it came to the theory behind child-lead learning, but I’m now sold on it. The confidence gained by learning to climb a rock transfers over to facing new learning milestones, like counting. [My child’s] imagination is free to expand with simple tools and toys, friends, fresh air, and the occasional snow ball. Imagination is the mother of invention. [My child] knows School is a safe place to make mistakes, explore, and grow.”
“I cannot say enough how much my child has grown since school started in September! She went from crying at drop off and clinging to a teacher, to confidently walking to a teacher at the start of a school day and strutting back at pick up.”
“[My child] has great stamina! Before Magnolia she wouldn’t walk very far and now she is able to hike up to 3 miles! She also has a longer attention span. She will stick with a task for 45 min or an hour. Again, before school she would flit from activity to activity.”

I'm interested in enrollment

We're so glad you're interested in enrolling your child at Magnolia! Families often have lots of questions, and we're here to help. Complete the interest form below, so we can support you in your journey toward forest school. You can also directly contact our office: info@magnoliaforestpreschool.com.

I'm Interested

Have a question?

We are happy to answer any questions you may have. Forest school can be the perfect fit for so many children because it is uniquely tailored to support their strengths and interests. We look forward to connecting with you and your child further, and we hope to see you in the forest soon!

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.