About Us

Our Mission

Two children playing on a large tree stump with sticks in a forest during winter, wearing warm jackets and hats.

At Buttonbush Forest School, our mission is to inspire young minds through nature-based learning while fostering curiosity, creativity, and a deep connection to the environment. Rooted in the unique beauty of a centennial family farm, we provide a safe and nurturing outdoor classroom where children will engage in hands-on exploration, critical thinking, and cooperative play. We are committed to nurturing each child’s sense of wonder, resilience, and respect for the natural world, empowering them to become compassionate lifelong learners and stewards of the earth.

Field with green grass and dandelions under cloudy sky

Our Curriculum & Philosophy

We draw inspiration from the Reggio-Emilia learning approach, where children drive their own learning through collaboration and creativity. As teachers at Buttonbush Forest School, we strive to facilitate every child’s learning by embracing each season, each child's curiosity, and the wonder inherent in nature. We lean into teaching through the children’s interests while encouraging a strong respect for nature. Our days are filled with enrichment activities, including hiking and exploring the natural surroundings, mindfulness, nature-based literacy and math, arts, and music. We also emphasize community building through circle time, problem-solving in the moment, and supporting peer relationships. Through our partnership with Tuthill Farms, we offer hands-on learning with farm animals and year-round enrichment activities. We prioritize community at Buttonbush Forest School, hosting seasonal family gatherings that celebrate the changing seasons and strengthen our connections with one another and with nature.

Meet the Team

  • Woman with curly hair smiling in an outdoor setting against a grassy backdrop.

    Gabriella Franciosi-Tuthill

    Director and Co-Teacher

    Gabriella was born and raised in Metro Detroit and has always had a deep connection to nature which has only grown stronger since moving to her husband’s family farm. She holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from University of Michigan with a focus on children and families as well as a school social work certification. With experience working as a social worker in the public school setting from early childhood through elementary school, she values child centered learning with a strong focus on play. Gabriella has spent years working in special education with children of diverse needs and abilities and is passionate about how nature based education can support the whole child. Gabriella lives on Tuthill Farms with her husband and 2 kids, who are the 7th generation of Tuthills to reside on the property. In her free time she loves to sew and embroider, bake bread, and read.

  • Person smiling outside with a grassy field and cloudy sky in the background.

    Kathleen Gosselin

    Expert Naturalist and Co-Teacher

    Kathleen has always had a passion for nature. She grew up in the Chicagoland area in a very outdoor-loving family. Her first big job was working as a trail guide in Rocky Mountain National Park, where she decided that she wanted nature to be her full focus. Kathleen attended Northern Michigan University in the upper peninsula of Michigan where she received a degree in Ecology. During her time in the UP she worked for the local conservation districts scouting for native and invasive plants. After she graduated, Kathleen worked in Montana as a community forester planting trees to help small communities keep their local environments healthy. Kathleen ultimately moved back to the Midwest with her husband and two dogs, where she worked in the Natural Area Preservation department for the City of Ann Arbor. Kathleen has 2 children now and hopes to instill values of nature and adventure in them as they grow older.

  • Smiling person outdoors wearing a green shirt

    Rachel Endicott

    Assistant Teacher

    Rachel grew up in Detroit where her family encouraged her early love of animals and nature with backyard birding, adopting pets galore, and visits to parks and preserves. She studied ecology and worked on several research and monitoring projects. Most of Rachel’s work focused on turtles, birds and rodents in California and Florida. Some of her favorite work was with the alligators, swallow-tailed kites and endangered sea turtles in Florida and the snowy plovers, giant kangaroo rats and desert tortoises in California. Back in Michigan, Rachel’s son attended a forest school in Detroit, sparking her interest in helping to bring a love and knowledge of nature to the next generation. Rachel has worked in early childhood care and taught at an outdoor immersion preschool, and she is thrilled to join the Buttonbush Forest School team this year. She can’t wait to get out into the fields and forests to learn and teach about all the amazing animals around us here in Michigan.