Salmonberry Faculty

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

Paul is the lead teacher in the Cedars class and 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.

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 second 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. She recently returned to Salmonberry from a stint in Maine, teaching at a small coastal charter middle school. Emmy also runs a cut flower farm and floral design business, called Fabled Flora. Nurturing happy children and happy plants are her passions!

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.