Salmonberry Faculty

Head of School, Cedars Lead Teacher                                                                       head@salmonberryschool.org

Paul is Salmonberry’s Head of School. He has taught at Salmonberry since its inception. He is the parent of two adult children, Quinn and Emma. Paul started his teaching career 27 years ago in public elementary schools in California and Oregon. He began his journey towards holistic education after moving to Orcas Island in 2001. Paul is a nationally recognized advocate and passionate proponent of educational alternatives. He is a widely published author in the field of education and has served as a contributing editor of Encounter: Education for Meaning and Social Justice, the country’s leading holistic education peer-review scholarly journal. He is a well-respected speaker and has delivered dozens of talks and workshops at conferences internationally. He currently serves as graduate faculty at Antioch University and TIES (The Institute for Educational Studies) where he leads the Integrative Learning MEd program. He is also the current and founding Director of the Holistic Education Initiative and the Co-Editor of The Holistic Educator newsletter. He lives near White Beach with his wife Andria, dog Murray and assorted chickens, goats and a pony.

Cedars Lead Teacher                                                                                                    cedars@salmonberryschool.org

Otters Lead Teacher                                                                            

otters@salmonberryschool.org

Paul is happy to be back at Salmonberry School after a year away in Madison, Wisconsin. He returned in time to offer two summer camps and is looking forward to being in the Otters classroom for the 2021-22 school year. Paul’s interest in education started in high school when he was part of a student/teacher study group that developed and launched an alternative high school in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This experience convinced Paul of the value of holistic, student-driven education and inspired him to become a teacher. He spent sixteen years teaching early childhood and primary level before moving into school administration for several years. In 2016, Paul returned to classroom teaching in a Reggio Emilia inspired school in Madison. Following that he enjoyed two years of teaching in Salmonberry’s Salmon classroom. Paul has two daughters living in the Pacific Northwest, one on Orcas Island. He is an avid walker and naturalist, always eager to learn about something new in the natural world. Other interests include folk music, writing, and Scandinavian mid-century design.

Salmon Lead Teacher                                                                                                    emmy@salmonberryschool.org

Emmy is the lead teacher in the Salmon class. She joined the Salmonberry community in 2013 as a teaching assistant and since has filled many roles, including art teacher, student teacher, and garden specialist. This is her third year as the lead teacher in the mixed-age kindergarten program. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Washington and a Master of Education from Goddard College. In addition to teaching, Emmy runs a cut flower farm and floral design business called Fabled Flora. Nurturing happy children and happy plants is her calling!

Eagles Dance Specialist                                                                                                    

A Michigan native, Hayley comes to Orcas Island by way of Seattle after earning a degree in dance at Michigan State University. Frustrated by the disparity of access to dance as well as society’s notion of what a “dancer” is, Hayley worked to expand the notion of dance to its original form of embodied expression that brings healing and joy to every being. Hayley has lead workshops nationally and internationally, collaborating with non-profits, studios, schools, shelters, festivals, retreats, conferences and more. She believes healing arts will support the collective deepening of roots, re-sourcing bodies to embody the resiliency to blossom with the strength and interconnectedness all people crave. The lesson she continue to find is: show up. Our bodies will guide us back to the wisdom within.