Tidewater takes great pride in being the only independent Green School in Calvert County. Our dedication and commitment to our Green School status and environmental education set us apart from other independent schools.
We believe that experiences in environmental education improve creative and critical thinking skills, enhance children’s engagement with all learning, encourages healthy lifestyle habits, and fosters a love for the natural world that leads to a wellness of body, mind, and spirit. Our aim is to foster a personal connection to the natural world and bring awareness to the importance of nature and environmental stewardship in our students’ daily lives.
We build on our students’ natural curiosity about nature and love of exploration by exploring Tidewater’s nature trail, forest, and gardens. Tidewater children are encouraged to go outside in all kinds of weather and enjoy the signs of the seasons and woodland community. Outdoor lessons invite our children to explore their natural surroundings with gentle, informed guidance. Practices such as gardening, composting, reusing materials and recycling are part of what we do each day. Service projects, especially at the Elementary level, connect students with like-minded organizations and causes such as the American Chestnut Land Trust and Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary. Older students also use the school grounds and nearby stream as a living laboratory for conservation.