The Team

Program Director Laura (she/her) joined the Garland School community in 2014. She is a licensed elementary teacher with a background in holistic, progressive education models, and is working toward her early childhood education endorsement. These days, her interests revolve around sustainable living, creating nourishing environments for children, and bike commuting. She lives in Brattleboro with her spouse and two children (both Garland graduates), a fluffy cat, and four chickens.

Swift (she/her) joined our team in 2021 and has felt right at home from the start.  She brings her attention to detail and a background in social work and childcare into our office and the administration of the school.  She is also an Energy Healer, dancer and a mother and loves the way that she can weave all of this into the way she shows up for the school.  She lives in Putney with her partner, her child, their dog, some piggies and the chickens.

Kayla (she/her) has been working at Garland since spring of 2022. She has worked with young children for many years in a variety of settings. Currently, she is finishing up her degree in early childhood education. Kayla believes in developing a child’s sense of autonomy through play and exploration. She lives in Chester with her partner, young daughter, two pups and kitty. Kayla loves gardening, making art and cooking.

Maud (she/her) joined the Garland School in July 2020, and brings a lifetime of experience with Waldorf education. She comes from a family of Waldorf teachers and has had Waldorf education herself from early childhood through high school. Because of her own experiences, Maud wanted to share the love and warmth she experienced by becoming a teacher herself. One of her favorite parts of teaching is sharing her love of stories and puppetry with children and their families. She is looking forward to sharing the magical world of early childhood. Maud received her Waldorf Early Childhood degree from the Alkion Center.

Singing Crickets teacher Andrée (she/her) has 15 years teaching experience, and was the founder and director of a tiny school in Boston called JP Green School, based at her own urban homestead. She specializes in nature-based education, "adventure play", and gardening with children. Andrée moved to Vermont in 2019 and when she is not teaching she's busy creating a homestead on a hill in Dummerston. She is currently enrolled in the Nature-Based Early Childhood Education Certificate program at Antioch New England. Andrée has two sons, both in college nearby.

Kelsy (she/her) joined the Garland school in Fall, 2022. She has a background in land conservation and stewardship, with a degree in Environmental Science from Green Mountain College. Over the past few years Kelsy has worked with children in outdoor and environmental education centers in MA and VT.  Kelsy lives with her adventure dog Buddy in their off-grid tiny house in the woods. Together they enjoy hiking, kayaking, snowboarding, and any excuse to be outside. Kelsy loves exploring nature with children, particularly finding small creatures and eating wild plants!

Magnolia (They/Them) has been at the Garland School since the summer of 2021. They have lived in the Brattleboro area their whole life and have years of experience working in early education within both Brattleboro,VT and Keene, NH where they attended Keene State College for Women and Gender Studies and Early Childhood Education. Some of their favorite parts of working with children are sharing a love of stories, songs, and nature. Outside of work they enjoy working with queer youth in the community and studying permaculture. They are excited to be apart of the community.

Caroline (they/them), joined the Garland School community in October, 2022 and is a new Vermont transplant, originally from Boston, MA. They have been working in early childhood education since 2015 and specifically as a forest school teacher before Garland. Caroline discovered the forest school approach in Brooklyn, NY, of all places, and immediately felt that it was their true calling. Caroline is a proud member of the queer community and finds deep meaning and joy in creating space for young children to feel seen, safe, and supported. Nourishing activities outside of teaching include birding, volunteering, organizing community events, submerging in bodies of water, attending live music and theater events, and traveling.

Mary (she/her) was born on the traditional homelands of the Nissenan people, in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Her childhood was spent climbing oaks, swimming in rivers, gardening, cooking and crafting with her family. Mary attended Humboldt State University where she achieved a BA in Psychology with an emphasis in Child Development and social/behavioral sciences. She has 8 years of experience working with young children and their families; Over half of which were at a Waldorf inspired program on the redwood coast of California. Most recently she taught at a forest preschool in Burlington, VT. In 2022, Mary studied local ecology with the Vermont Master Naturalist program and participated in Spoonful Herbals' apprenticeship, which she found to be intensely transformative. Her pedagogical approach to teaching has been shaped by Waldorf, play and nature based education practices and is uniquely distinguished by her deep love and reverence for the animism of the natural world. Mary joins the Garland school community with gratitude and an open heart.

Colin (he/him) was born and raised in Brattleboro where playing in the woods, fields and snow created all his richest memories. These experiences and memories created a life-long sense of curiosity, playfulness, and wonder. He attended Guilford College, and woke a passion for social justice, leading him to study Education.  His studies inspired him to seek out summer work with children and discovered the magical world of Early Childhood Education. Immediately finding work with young children fun, challenging, and fulfilling, he has been at it since 2002.  Colin worked in a number of programs in California, including over 7 years at Step One School and 7 years at The Berkeley Forest School. After building a strong interest in outdoor education, he co-founded Rainbow Tree Forest School, a 100% outdoor program for young children. When he is not working, Colin can usually be found playing Dungeons & Dragons, riding a bike, backpacking, or working on his next Halloween costume.

Kayla (she/her) began working at The Garland School in October 2023 and has been absolutely loving it! She has a passion for holding space for families and young children, which she does in her work as a birth and postpartum doula as well as in her role here at Garland. Kayla's been working with children since 2012 and has continued to develop her approach to childcare: she deeply believes in respecting each child as a fully formed, divine individual, allowing them space to explore the world through play, and curating a space tuned to their individual interests and development. Originally from Philadelphia, Kayla moved to Vermont in 2022 and feels more at home then ever! When not at Garland, Kayla enjoys reading, dancing, eating delicious food, attending births, and teaching yoga!

Bex (she/her), took up the reins at the kitchen  in 2023.   Most of her cooking experience comes from in the Galley on Tall Ships. She really likes being able to care for folks through good food. She is a real sucker for a good postcard and pickled things. She lives in Putney with her Partner, two kids and their dog. They love it. 

Cara (she/her), joined the Garland School in 2023 as a parent and 2024 as a team member.  She was drawn to Garland by the time the kids spend outdoors and the incredibly compassionate, attuned and grounded teachers.  Cara grew up locally and has come back to this area after traveling and hiking all over: Kauai, Oregon, Australia, South Carolina and Western Mass.   Hiking and working outside weave with her background with childcare perfectly here.  She appreciates how children have an innate ability to find joy in the simple acts of play and being silly.   She loves reconnecting with all of her favorite things through her daughter’s discovery of the natural world and all it has to offer.