River Otters
About Us
Amanda Schwanz
I am an Oregon native. I have traveled the world and lived in other places but have returned home to Oregon every time. This is an incredibly beautiful corner of the world to live in, we are all very lucky.
My undergraduate education had me following a two-generation path to Oregon State University (Go Beavs!), where I earned my BS in Geography. When in Corvallis my love of science shined while working for the US Geological Society. While at OSU, I finally gave in to the years of being told I should be a teacher; the day after graduation I started graduate school at Lewis and Clark College, where I earned my Masters in Teaching.
Teaching has been my way of continuing my love of learning and exploring the natural world, while also sharing that joy with the younger generations. Springwater has truly been a special place to be a part of, the community is amazing, it is a place where exploration and innovation is welcomed, I honestly wouldn’t want to teach anywhere else.
Outside of my life as a teacher, I have a beautiful family that is my whole world. With four kiddos I am always busy, but I wouldn't change anything. We absolutely love spending time together outside, whether in the snow, in the woods, or out on the water. Friday nights you can always find us making pizza and watching a great movie. No matter what, we love being together.
Emese Schloegl
I too am an Oregon native. I grew up in Portland and attended Outdoor School (MESD) every chance that I could get as a 6th grader, several times as a high school counselor, and as a special needs counselor. This is where my love for science and nature truly blossomed and I knew I wanted to become an environmental educator. As soon as I began my student teaching at Springwater in 2018, I was sure it was the school for me. I couldn't imagine teaching anywhere else.
I received a Bachelor's in Environmental Science with an Education minor from USC in Los Angeles, California in 2005. While there, I traveled abroad to Australia to study rainforest restoration in Northeast Queensland. Later, I earned my Master of Arts in Teaching from Concordia University.
Outside of teaching, I have several hobbies and interests that keep me busy. I love seeing live music, traveling, camping, hiking, gardening, and anything to do with water. I'm an artist at heart and help build large scale sculptures for music and art festivals. This experience and love of the arts has followed me to Springwater where I enjoy creating a variety of art with students. I'm looking forward to another year of hikes, nature journaling, exploring nature, plays, crafting, tie-dying, Outdoor School, community events, and most of all, learning.