Andrée Collier Zaleska, Director and Teacher, is a nature-based educator with 20 years of experience teaching individuals, classes, and camps, for children ages 3-14.

Andrée’s teaching practice is play-based, non-didactic, and assumes that children need more autonomy and less stimulation than our culture currently provides. Her work is directly informed by experience with Buddhism, 12-Step philosophy, Montessori, unschooling, and parenting. Her education as a naturalist is ongoing, and she studies with Kathy Dean of Trotting Fox Programs.

Andrée founded and directed JP Green School and Adventure Play New England (Boston, MA 2010-2019). Locally she was the creator and lead-teacher of the Dragonflies Forest Kindergarten class at The Garland School (Brattleboro, 2019 to 2024)

Andrée loves tracking on snowshoes, mushroom-hunting, birding, and literature. She’s currently learning to play samba and Celtic guitar, and skate roller-derby.

Education: BA Smith College (1985); MA Harvard University (1990);
Vermont Early Childhood Educator License Level IV

Kelsy Allan, Lead Teacher, lives in an off-grid tiny house in the wilds of Guilford. She enjoys hiking, kayaking, snowboarding, and any excuse to be outside. Kelsy has a background in land stewardship and outdoor education. Kelsy has a BA in Natural Resource Management and Environmental Science, and has played and taught in the woods through various positions with BEEC, nature museums, schools, and land trusts across New England. Kelsy particularly loves finding small creatures and eating wild foods!