Forest Friends Preschool is my life’s pride & joy! I feel so lucky to spend my days as the director of Forest Friends Preschool and learn with my Pre-K Frogs & Kinder Cohort. I have been the director of FFP from the day Miss Trina & I started it! Through this preschool alone, I have worked in mixed age classrooms, toddler classrooms and now am so excited to pioneer our Pre-K/Kinder Cohort program! I have a BA in Classics from Carleton College, a WA State Early Childhood Education Certificate and am Learning Without Tears Early Childhood Certified. I have ten years now of experience working with kids ages 0-18 in a variety of roles and settings. Romping around the forest and now the farm has been the most special experience! I have a passion for supporting equity, diversity and accessibility in our programs and love working day in and day out to see those FFP values in practice!

Hi all! Creating and working at Forest Friends has allowed me to combine my two passions of nature and teaching! I have an undergraduate minor in Educational Studies and BA in Environmental Studies from Carleton College as well as a combined 10 years of experience working as a camp counselor, teacher, and preschool assistant director. I love getting to watch my students grow and learn in their environment and getting to teach them valuable lessons about how to respect our earth and all the beings that inhabit it. My teaching heavily incorporates culturally sustaining pedagogy, anti-bias curriculum and indigenous knowledge. I am so thrilled for another year of working with such an amazing community of teachers, students, and families.

Hi folks! My name is Grace Andritsch (but your kids will call me “Grace Grape”!) and I have over 10 years of varied experience working with children, four of which have been in outdoor preschool specifically. I am the Professional Development Coordinator and Lead Teacher here at FFP, meaning I work alongside all of our teachers to ensure we are constantly learning and developing our “teacher skills” to be the best educators we can be for your student. I look forward to fostering a relationship built on trust and intentional care with both you and your child, learning and growing together everyday! I aim to ensure that the precious hours we spend together are filled with love, compassion, exploration and loads of laughter! I cannot wait to share in the joys of outdoor preschool with your kiddo :-).

Hey families! My name is Miss Kelleigh. I graduated from Washington State University with a BA in Humanities and a Minor in Communications.  I am currently in the process of getting my ECE certification and I have over 12 years of experience working with children. Most of my experience has come from being a career nanny. I have always had  a passion for helping little minds grow and explore. Being a parent of a little one at Forest Friends preschool, I fell in love with the programs here and am so excited to be involved in the daily activities, learning, and nature that is FFP!

Hello! My name is Jamieson and I’m so happy to be joining this wonderful community. My biggest passions are teaching young humans and learning from the natural world, so I’m incredibly excited to have found a place where I can combine both. I’ve been teaching for over 8 years in various schools. Some highlights are leading a classroom at a Montessori preschool and braving the midwest winters at a wonderful outdoor school near the Twin Cities.When I’m not teaching, I can almost always be found hiking with my dog in the mountains or going on rock climbing trips with my partner. The PNW has been my home for the past 3 years, and I can’t wait to keep deepening my relationship with our remarkable area!

Hi friends, my name is Miss Juliauna. I have experience working with children of all ages including special needs for over 5 years. I am so excited to be working in the great outdoors with kids who are just as excited. We love learning and getting dirty on these fun filled adventures we go on no matter the weather. 

Hello, my name is Jessie and I am so excited to meet your little ones! I recently moved to Washington from Nebraska and have been so grateful for access to all the tall trees, sparkling waterfalls and mushroom species! I went to school for Conservation Biology and have worked with children for many years as a dance instructor, hike leader, and preschool teacher. I am passionate about combining my love for nature with the magic of early education. I am inspired everyday by the expansive minds of children and how they interact with the flora and fauna around them. It’s such a joy to see the world through their eyes and I am always amazed by how much I learn from them about curiosity, tenacity, and the joy of simple pleasures. I’m so looking forward to leading our classroom with a child-led, collaborative, and mindful teaching philosophy.

Hi, my name is Meg and I am an outdoor enthusiast with a strong passion for working with children. I especially value listening to children so they can practice communicating their thoughts and feelings. I also love to keep track of the clever and cute things kids say! Over the past seven years, I have worked as an outdoor preschool Teacher in California and a children’s fitness center, a professional nanny, as well as an au pair in France and Italy. The forest is my favorite place to be and I’m so excited to share it with the children! 

Hey! My name is Ruby and I am so happy to be a part of the Forest Friends Team! I recently graduated from Seattle University with a degree in Environmental Studies and Spanish. I love watching youth learn and grow in the outdoors! I have childcare experience as a babysitter, nanny, and backpacking guide. I am my happiest outside and grateful I get to experience wonder for the natural world with kids! I love gardening, hiking, spending time with friends, and making art!

Hello. My name is Ms. Kylie, I love supporting students at Forest Friends Preschool. I have over 10 years of experience in various settings- mentor, nanny, outdoor educator, guide, tutor and teacher. I have a teaching degree from Western Washington University in Elementary Education for Inclusive Environments. In addition to experience in pre-literacy and pre-math skills, I am also passionate about supporting students in Place Based Learning, Social Emotional Learning and have experience with Positive Behavior Intervention. My favorite part of working with youth is learning their unique passions and channeling that to guide them to learn something new. I teach kids in a fun, interactive way that encourages creativity, independence, self-discovery, curiosity and confidence. I have learned from my experience that every family and child is different and has unique gifts and needs. I look forward to connecting with your family and supporting your child at Forest Friends.

Hey there! My name is Maddie Dauterman and I’m so pumped to be at Forest Friends. I’m originally from Minnesota, but have fully accepted the PNW as my home. I have a degree in educational studies and have always loved working closely with kiddos to help them learn and grow and foster a love for all things outdoors. I have experience teaching Preschool, as a professional nanny, and working in the Ed Department at the Woodland Park Zoo. In my free time, I love exploring local trails, birding, reading, baking, kayaking, and generally spending time in nature. I can’t wait to share these passions with the little minds at Forest Friends and help them find their own!

Hey, I’m Hannah! I’ve been teaching in the early learning world for 18 years where I have gained experience in teaching many different needs and activities from special needs gymnastics to the typically developing preschool classroom. I just recently moved to eastgate with my partner and daughter. I grew up around the Snoqualmie valley and nature in the PNW outdoor is close to my heart. I believe children are the best leaders and curriculum developers and love following their lead. It’s our job as senior learners to support their ideas and innate drive to learn. Some of my special interests include: plants, human development, creating art of all kinds. 

Hello! My name is Katie and I am so excited to be joining the Forest Friends community. I graduated from Pacific University in Oregon with a degree in psychology and recently moved back to the Seattle area where I was born and raised. I’ve been working with kids my whole life in different roles - teaching dance, nannying, directing and instructing outdoor summer camps, and young child nursery care. I have always loved spending time outdoors and I am thrilled to be able to share my love of nature with kids and be a part of their journey.

Hi! Working at Forest Friends since September 2023 has allowed me to combine my loves of nature and teaching. Previously, I had four years combined experience as a camp counselor, tutor, and TA, and all of these have informed the way I encourage curiosity, community, and kindness in the kids I work with. With a BA in Biochemistry from Amherst College, I am especially passionate about promoting wonder and critical thinking about the world around us. I am currently working on a WA Early Childhood Education certificate to help me foster growth in these wonderful young minds even better!

Hey All! My name is Teagan (Ms. Teagan T-Rex to the kiddos) and I’m one of the Lakemont Sprouts teachers. I’m passionate about learning outside the classroom and meeting each child where they are in the developmental process. I’ve worked in preschool settings for the past year and looking forward to growing alongside your kiddos within our nurturing environment. I’m originally from California, and just graduated from Seattle University with a BA in English Creative Writing, where I also helped to run our outdoors club. If I’m not in the classroom you can find me reading, baking or escaping to the wilderness for the weekend. I love the relationships I’ve already been able to foster with these incredible kids and looking forward to many more :) 

Hi everyone! My name is Rebecca (Reb) and I’m so excited to be here at Forest Friends. I was born and raised in New Jersey, but spent the past few years living in Boston, where I attended school and worked with infants and toddlers in both educational and clinical early intervention settings. I graduated from Boston University with a degree in behavior and health, and am hoping to continue my education in animal assisted therapy. I’m new to Washington, and am pumped to be experiencing life and nature off the east coast! Two of my favorite things are spending time outside and working with kids - I’m looking forward to having some fun outdoors with all your little ones! 

Hey there! I'm Mia Newman, and I'm thrilled to join this wonderful community, at Forest Friends Preschool, for my first year as an early childhood educator. As a recent graduate from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, I bring a fresh perspective and a deep passion for outdoor education to our preschool family.

My journey in early childhood education is supported by diverse experiences working with children. From being a nature camp instructor to working in daycare settings and serving as a private nanny, I've developed a keen understanding of how to create engaging, age-appropriate activities that blend learning with fun. These experiences have shaped my teaching philosophy, which emphasizes hands-on exploration, environmental stewardship, and the nurturing of each child's innate curiosity.

I look forward to partnering with you and your family on this exciting journey of growth and discovery.

Hello there:) My name is Angelina but your kiddos know me as “Angie avocado”. I am so happy to be part of the Forest Friends team and get to discover wonders of the world with your children everyday! I grew up in North Bend Washington and found the beauty in working with children at a young age as my mom was an educator herself. I started working with children about three years ago and have learned so much. I got my Academic certificate in early childhood development from North Idaho College. Forest Friends preschool allowed me to combine my love for the outdoors and teaching all in one! I look forward to meeting you all:-)

Music Man Jack comes for music at Lakemont every Friday and to the farm the last Friday of every month!