The Founding Committee began with a few grassroots local parents wanting an alternative in education. From there, they reached out to longstanding regional educators and other parents to round out the Can-Do Crew.

Founding Mamas: Danna Smith & Julie Williams

Special thanks to Lori Park.

Board Of Directors

L-R: Karen, Harvest, John, Julie (now ex-officio), Tara  (Danna and Tina not pictured) 

828-242-3590

danna@dogwoodalliance.org

JOHN SHACKELTON has been an educator for 30 years, teaching everything from second grade to college freshmen now as Adjunct Instructor at AB Technical College.  Paving new paths in education, his school administrative experience spans seventeen years in non-traditional private schools, most recently as Executive Director of Rainbow Mountain Children’s School in Asheville. Some of his articles on holistic education can still be read on the website www.rmcs.org.  He lives in Asheville with his wife, Ruth.

828-582-7326 

Email: mythmaker@charter.net

KAREN HOLT is the Founder/Director of the Montessori School of Anderson www.msasc.org in SC.  Under Karen’s 35 years of leadership and nurturance, the non-profit school has grown from 14 students in the basement of a church to over 250 students ranging from infants through high school.  She has served as an advisor to growing Montessori schools both internationally and in the United States, presented at numerous workshops on experiential education, and is actively involved in Peace education.  She has been a part-time resident of Brevard for over 8 years and will soon be a full-time resident as she transitions to retirement in the Fall of 2008. Karen's personal investment in the success of MSCS is Skyler, her grandson. 

864-226-5344 

Email: neatgal@aol.com

HARVEST LEASURE, Vice Chair, was home schooled through 4^th grade and then attended a cooperative school that his parents helped create. He has extensive experiential and outdoor education experience, including leading backcountry trips for a Quaker camp, serving as a wilderness specialist for the Wilderness Leadership Academy, and facilitating a ropes course and adventure program with Inner Quest.   He also worked with the NC Outward Bound School for 4 years as an Instructor and Whitewater Specialist in the mountains of North Carolina and the Florida Everglades.  Harvest lives in Brevard with his wife, Chanley Layton, and daughter Arawen, where he operates his own construction company.

828-877-6631

Email: harvestcedar@yahoo.com

TARA MCDONALD-TINER, Webmaster, owns CoachWrite Editing & Writing (www.coachwrite.net). She has a BA in sociology from Coker College, then attended Oklahoma State U and Earlham School of Religion. She received her MAEd from Western Carolina University in multi-displinary studies, sociology, and anthropology.  She's a former Learning Consultant and Adjunct Instructor of sociology, religion, and study skills for Southwestern Community College in Sylva, NC. A graduate of Coach University's 2 year Life Coach Training Program, she's also trained in Partnership Studies, Non-Violent Communication, Formal Consensus Decision-Making, and anti-oppression activism.  Tara lives in Brevard with her husband, Jubal Tiner (Editor of Pisgah Review www.pisgahreview.com), and daughter, Olivia.

828-885-6075 

Email:  jubaltara@yahoo.com

TINA LEONARD, Board Secretary, moved to North Carolina in 1997 from Florida.  She worked as a Teller and in Accounts Payable at United Community Bank, eventually moving to Brevard to be the Administrative Assistant to the bank President.  She’s married to graphic designer Scott Clark, www.scottclarkvision.com, who is a Grocery Manager at Food Lion.  Their children are Katie, age 4, and Izzie, age 1.  Tina works a few hours a week for Mountain Sun, helping to coordinate outdoor time (especially important when Shana escorts students inside to the potty).  She also works part-time at Food Lion.  She was seeking an alternative to traditional education and was very excited to have discovered MSCS for her daughters.  Tina is looking forward to learning as much as her girls while serving on the board as its newest member. 

828-884-6574

Email: pixietina@citcom.net

CURRENTLY SEEKING NOMINATIONS TO THE BOARD THROUGH OCTOBER 3rd.  WE ARE LOOKING FOR TWO MORE BOARD MEMBERS.  SUBMIT NOMINATIONS TO DANNA SMITH. 

Our Staff

The staff we have chosen to lead this school embody all our hopes and dreams for what Mountain Sun Community School is.  They are bright, creative, talented, well-educated, resourceful, joyful, and intelligent.  Their education, experience, and rapport with kids are outstanding. Among a large pool of truly amazing candidates, the ones we selected stood out, and we are proud to have them.

Lead Teacher

Becky Langerman, M.A.  

Becky earned her Master’s Degree in Education from Loyola College in Maryland in 2000 and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Appalachian State University.  She is an AMI-certified Montessori elementary teacher and a certified family services counselor.  Becky has six years of classroom experience, having worked as a lead teacher in Montessori schools in Santa Cruz, California, Bowie, Maryland, and Palm Harbor, Florida.  Complementing her classroom experience, she has also completed Positive Discipline training with Dr. Jane Nelsen.  In the summer prior to her first year at Mountain Sun, Becky trained in other holistic pedagogies.  She exhibits excitement about integrating other methods of holistic education with her Montessori background in her role as lead teacher for Mountain Sun Community School. 

Assistant Teacher

Shana ("shay-na") combines classroom experience with cultural studies and training as a social scientist, as well as bringing us her fun whimsical spirit.  She is the mother of Harvest, age 7 (not to be confused with grown-up Harvest on our board).  Shana is looking forward to co-creating the nurturing atmosphere of Mountain Sun!  Her schedule will be 8:15-12:30. 

Director

Julie Williams

Former Chair of the Board, Julie has over 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector, including administration and teaching in non-traditional learning environments. She has over 10 years of experience at The Outdoor Academy  at Eagle's Nest, ww.enf.org, as the former Assistant Head of School for 6 years and currently  as Human Resources Manager, successfully coordinating the SACS (Southern Association of Schools and Colleges) accreditation process for the school.  Julie also has extensive educational experience in Montessori schools, both as a student and a teacher.  She lives in Penrose, NC, with her husband, Tom, and son, Skyler.

828-243-1707

Email: riowill@citcom.net