Carbondale New School

We continue to grow our outdoor classroom with new programs and activities with the help of students, parents, and staff. The huge playground space is certainly a draw for prospective families, as it is one of the largest in Southern Illinois.

The designated play areas and structured activity areas flow into pine forest, grassy hills, and wilderness spaces. Students are encouraged to build and create with a variety of natural materials. Student favorites are the fort building, digging area, sand box, and mud kitchen.

It would be impossible to care for a large and varied landscape without the support of our families. Parents are involved in design, construction, and maintenance of the grounds and equipment while students help with planting, weeding, and raking. Parents and students donating their time and resources such as plants, sand, mulch, and gravel make these projects possible.