Teachers of River Gorge Forest School
Our teachers have a passion for outdoor education
Susie Grant
B.S. Biology, Berea College
A.S. Early Childhood Education, Northwestern Technical College
Forest School Teacher & Forest School Director, Forest Teacher Institute
Certified Interpretive Guide
Growing Up Wild Facilitator
Facilitator for Project Wild, Project Aquatic Wild, Project Learning Tree and Leave No Trace
Substitute Teacher
Nature-Based Pod School Teacher
Susie Grant, Lead Teacher & Co-Founder
EARLY DAYS
Susie recognized early on that she had a special love of and connection with nature. Growing up, her days were spent outside exploring the woods and the creeks of the southern Appalachian region, watching plants and animals grow, and discovering the beauty and wonders of nature.
PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT
This passion for the natural world and desire to spark greater understanding, appreciation, and love of the natural environment led to her professional career as a Naturalist and educator at Tennessee State Parks, Chattanooga Nature Center, and Tennessee Aquarium. For 30+ years, she developed and presented engaging hands-on and developmentally appropriate programs for children, families, and teachers. Susie is a certified Forest Teacher and Director through the Forest School Teacher Institute.
EDUCATING CHILDREN
Susie was able to combine her love of the environment with her enthusiasm for teaching young children as she managed all aspects of early childhood programming at the Tennessee Aquarium, growing program offerings such as Small Fry (parent-child program), toddler summer camp programming, and Early Childhood professional development opportunities for Early Childhood Educators. Susie believes that children learn best through play and guided exploration that builds on a child’s innate curiosity and connection to the natural world. She believes providing a safe, caring, and stimulating environment allows every child to thrive and succeed resulting in strong connections to the world around them and a lifelong love of learning. One of her greatest joys is to see children light up as they make discoveries, develop understanding and grow in confidence as they spend time in nature!
Sarah Winters
B.S. Early Childhood Education, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
PreK-3
Forest School Teacher, Forest Teacher Institute
Early Days
Sarah grew up in East Tennessee where she was provided open fields, rolling hills, and lush forest to fall in love with as a kid. The Great Smoky Mountains was just a short drive away from her back door where her family would escape to every chance they could. As a kid she spent most of her time exploring the horse and cow fields behind her house picking wild berries, grooming horses, and climbing trees. On the warm weekends her family would take a drive up to the mountain creeks to explore all day by snorkeling with freshwater fish, and turning over rocks to find crawdaddies. This was her paradise, her church.
Cultivating Passion
Sarah has always felt a sense of wonderment and belonging in a natural setting that sparks interest, discovery, and fulfillment. As she grew older, responsibilities pulled most of her free time away from these natural spaces but also allowed her to explore her nature as a nurturer. She started babysitting and teaching swim lessons for a local swim club. The joy that came from watching young ones achieve and personally grow pushed her towards a degree with early childhood education.
Once she graduated with a degree from UTC, she followed extracurricular outlets as an art and yoga teacher, swim instructor, and swim coach. Although the glove seemed to fit, she decided to become a school teacher. For three years she worked as a Pre-K teacher at Normal Park Elementary School. She made wonderful connections and built a beautiful community; however, she was looking for a more authentic way of teaching. That’s when she found RGFS!
RGFS has allowed Sarah to merge two passions into one! Her love for the outdoors has equally been matched with her love to nurture kiddos in an education environment that equips them with life-long skills. It has truly been a dream (that not many can say) to follow her passions through her job!
Monica Wright
B.A. Musical Education, Lee University
Forest School Teacher, Forest School Teacher Institute
Early Days
Throughout her childhood, Monica grew to love the outside through backpacking, camping and hiking in New England. She was homeschooled and spent much of her education outdoors, learning to observe nature’s changes. As she connected more with her natural environment, she also developed her love for music.
cultivating passion
Because of her intense musical studies, by high school Monica was performing in college orchestras, adult classical choruses and mentoring middle school choirs. Monica received her undergraduate degree from Lee University in Cleveland, TN, receiving a teaching licensure and degree in Music Education with a vocal emphasis in 2019.
During college, she taught pre-k music at the Children’s Learning Center and student taught from pre-k to 12. Since her graduation, Monica has taught for three years at the Woodsong Forest School and received certifications as a Master Forest School Teacher as well as Trust-Based Relational Intervention and in level 1 Orff Scheulwerk. In Summer 2022, Monica traveled to direct multiple programs ranging from pre-k to middle school for the Heartwood Nature Programs in Kenmore, Washington outside of Seattle.
Arriving at River Gorge, Monica now serves as a Pre-K teacher as well as the music teacher for all classes.
Along with her passion for education, Monica enjoys creating music, gardening, practicing yoga and hiking. She also loves creating food that heals and brings people together.
Michelle Zegarra
Art Design & Nursing, Chattanooga State Technical Community College
Religion & Philosophy, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
About Michelle
Michelle was born and spent her preteen years in Lima, Peru. She was raised speaking Spanish and English and later moved to Chattanooga to be close to where her mother grew up.
As a forest school instructor, Michelle helped create Wauhatchie's Lookout Lake Learning Center in 2014 and has been with Wauhatchie ever since. RGFS is so excited to have Michelle join us as she brings a lot to the table with her many years of forest school experience, her creativity, and her kind spirit.
Kayla Mayeur
Kayla is currently on leave for SY23-24
B.S. Early Childhood Education, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
PreK-3; Special Education & Middle Grades Endorsements
Forest School Teacher & Forest School Director, Forest Teacher Institute
Certified Project Wild, Project Aquatic Wild
Early Days & Finding Passion
Kayla grew up in Nashville as a city girl, but found herself sneaking away to nature any chance she got. Her most vivid childhood memories were from her times immersed in the natural world, catching frogs, climbing trees, and playing in the dirt. Kayla knew from an early age that she wanted to be a teacher and bring her love of the natural world into her classrooms.
She moved to Chattanooga for college where began her teaching career, working with children of all ages in various settings. Kayla taught 2nd grade, K-5 reading and math intervention, preK, and preschool in traditional and special education settings. She enjoyed her time in these settings and adored the children, but she continued searching for a program that was more in line with her teaching philosophy. Kayla found forest education where she became the Lead Forest School Teacher.
Professional Involvement & Cultivating Passion
As a forest school teacher, Kayla knew she found her home! She is able to bridge her two passions - working with children & being immersed in nature. Kayla says she is a protector of childhood and fiercely believes in the forest school model. She finds immense joy in experiencing nature through children’s eyes and values the magic of play-based and child-led learning. Kayla seeks to provide an environment that allows children to grow holistically, be curious and question, build a love of learning, while appreciating and falling in love with the natural world around them.
Kayla feels extremely lucky to be working at River Gorge Forest School in her dream job. The forest has provided her daily peace and connection as well as fun and adventure. In her quest for knowledge alongside a passion to help and care for the environment and critters both great and small (little humans included), Kayla has found her perfect spot in the forest.
Would you like to join our team?
We welcome applications for teachers and staff to join us in the forest. Please complete this application and return it to hello@rivergorgeforestschool.com