Sarah Amadei
Co-Founder and Lead Teacher of the Ferns (6-10 years)
Sarah’s true passions lie in learning through the lens of nature and local landscapes. Her background and pedagogical approach is inspired by Montessori, Waldorf and the IB curriculums and in her practice she strives to foster emergent, place and project-based strategies, and uses a whole-child and anti-bias approach. Originally from Canada, she has been living and teaching in Santa Cruz County for the past 5 years. Having worked with children for upwards of 12 years, she has explored teaching in both contemporary classrooms and in alternative education programs in California, Canada, New Zealand, and Hong Kong. Sarah is excited to engage with students in ways that enhance the well-being of the individual child and to encourage stewardship of our local and global communities.
Experience & Education
- 12+ years of working with children, 9+ in education, 5+ in outdoor learning.
- Graduate Degree in Primary Education from University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand and Bachelor’s Degree in International and Agricultural Development from The University of Guelph, Canada.
- CPR & First Aid Certification
Caryn Hewlett (She/Her)
Co-Founder and Co-Lead Teacher of the Fiddleheads (3-6 years)
An avid hiker and lover of traveling the world, Caryn is always seeking new learning experiences. She brings this energy to her work with young children, which inspires her to continue furthering her education so that she can offer them the best learning experiences possible. We are always learners! Caryn is currently embarking on one of the greatest adventures life offers us: parenthood! She welcomed her first child in early 2025.
She is inspired by the Reggio-Emilia approach, which fosters communication and independence while building community through emergent, play-based curriculum, and the Waldorf Approach, which values pretend play; Caryn hopes to foster imagination and curiosity in her students.
experience & education
- 10+ years of preschool teaching, 5 years of outdoor teaching experience
- Graduate of the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts in Early Care and Education
- Associate’s Degrees in Early Childhood Education, Psychology, and Liberal Arts and Sciences – Interdisciplinary Studies from Cabrillo College (High Honors)
- CPR & First Aid Certification
Kirra McColl
With experience in garden education programs, Kirra loves facilitating learning with kids in nature. She was introduced to alternative education while volunteering at farms in Australia, where she was awed by children’s creativity and resourcefulness. She is inspired by kids’ curiosity and is excited to cultivate joy and confidence in students! Kirra enjoys sewing, wool spinning, and basket weaving, and is passionate about sharing her craftiness with kids.
experience & education
- Graduate of UC Santa Cruz with a Bachelor of Sciences in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
- CPR & First Aid Certification
Indigo Holley
As a lover of the outdoors, exploring and seeing the world, Indigo is passionate about sharing that joy with children. She believes children should be able to explore, wonder, create, and discover while nurturing their relationships with their peers. With experience in Waldorf Education and working with young children, she sees the deep value in discovering the whole child and celebrating their curiosity, creativity and unique needs and preferences. Indigo believes that children learn best through imaginative play, movement and connection with nature. She is drawn to the beauty of outdoor education and loves giving children opportunities to explore, take healthy risks, develop independence, and build a lasting relationship with the natural world. In her free time, Indigo is often in nature, swimming in a river, water coloring, singing, and reading. Indigo looks forward to sharing her love of life with her students and hopes to create a space where joy and imagination can flourish.
experience & education
- Graduate of Palomar College with an Associate’s Degree in Psychology
- 12+ Early Childhood Education Units At Cabrillo College
- Prior Afterschool Teacher at Local Waldorf School
- CPR & First Aid Certification
Fern Grove Cooperative Learning 