OUR TEACHERS
Our team of highly-skilled educators is here to help your child grow and reach their potential. We believe in supporting and engaging the whole child, inside and out, in this critical stage of their development. Please learn more about our broader educational philosophies and values here, as well as our unprecedented teacher benefits.
Makenna Gazaille
Lead Teacher
Makenna was born in Massachusetts, but has lived half of her life in North Carolina. She went to college in Wilmington at the University of NC Wilmington, and received a BS in marine biology. She is currently enrolled in the Early Childhood Certificate Program at AB Tech Community College. She has interned and worked for many environmental nonprofits specifically working with children. Her first day teaching at a forest school she knew right away that this is what she was meant to do. Combining her love of being outdoors and working with children just made perfect sense! Makenna spends her days off hiking, mountain biking, identifying plants and mushrooms, gardening, doing yoga, creating art, camping, and loving on her cat Petunia, bunny Walnut, and dog Ziggy! She enjoys learning about our native flora and fauna and strives to learn something new every day. She is passionate about our planet and taking care of it. Children are the future and it is our job to educate them on the importance of preserving and protecting this beautiful planet!
Shannon Foley
Teacher
Shannon is an avid learner who discovered early on that the way to learn the most is by working with children. After getting her degree in art education in New York, Shannon found a home in the mountains of North Carolina where she was inspired to dive into self-led study of the natural world through drawing and painting. Shannon has found a deeper sense of meaning through the art of teaching, and creativity touches all aspects of her practice. She has experience working with children of all ages in a variety of settings, and uses this varied experience to inform a well rounded teaching practice. She uses compassionate communication to help children self-advocate and bring clarity and peace into their lives. Shannon views education as an opportunity to nurture the whole child, creating life-long learners who approach the world around them with curiosity and confidence.
Harvey has several years of experience in local nature conservation practices and finds great joy in sharing the forest's natural wonders with children. After earning his associate's through dual enrollment in high school, Harvey pushed toward natural resource management in many of our local parks! His experience includes leading volunteers of all ages in invasive plant removal, as well as educating elementary students on erosion's effects on river systems. On any given day at forest school, you can find Harvey one-on-one with the kids, encouraging them to fully explore the possibilities of their world.
Harvey Kunst
Teacher
Hazel Pardington
Teacher
Hazel is originally from the piedmont of North Carolina, where she grew up among loblolly pines, white-tailed deer, and five-lined skinks. While completing her BS in Sustainable Development at Appalachian State University, she fell in love with the incredibly biologically diverse Southern Appalachian region, ultimately trading her native plateau for the mountains. In her free time you are likely to find Hazel out hiking with her dog Pickles, gardening, crafting, camping, reading a good book, or testing out new vegetarian recipes. Before returning to her beloved Blue Ridge Mountains, Hazel worked as an outdoor educator in Atlanta at Robin’s Nest Nature School and Our Giving Garden. Through her work with children she hopes to facilitate a life-long curiosity about the natural world and a personal sense of stewardship with nature. She loves seeing kids blossom as they find out who they are through play, managed risk, and the opportunity to interact intimately with their local environment.
Kate has spent her career in the fields of nonprofit management and earth-based early childhood education. Prior to joining the Forest School Foundation and Growing Wild Forest School, she taught at a Farm, Arts, and Forest School in Madison County, NC and was the Executive Director at a weekly farmers market in Asheville. She has an M.A. in Environmental Leadership from Naropa University. Kate loves to garden, wildcraft, and dance.
Kate Eckhardt
Administrative Director
Want to join us as a Forest School Educator, or are you a parent who is curious about our employee benefits? Our new CAREERS page is coming soon! Until then, please Subscribe to our mailing list to stay in the know.