MSCS Staff Biographies

JULIE WILLIAMS, Director, has over twenty years of experience in the non-profit sector.  Her non-profit endeavors have included directing, administering, and teaching in non-traditional learning environments with over 10 years of experience at The Outdoor Academy in Pisgah Forest where she formerly served as the Assistant Head of School for 6 years and as the Human Resources Manager for over 5 years.   Her experience at The Outdoor Academy included successfully coordinating the SACS (Southern Association of Schools and Colleges) accreditation process for the school.  Prior to moving to the Brevard area nearly 12 years ago, she served as the Executive Director for two different non-profit public interest organizations. Julie also has extensive educational experience in Montessori schools, both as a student and a teacher.  She lives in Little River Valley just outside of Brevard with her husband and son, Skyler who attends MSCS, and their beloved four-legged friends.

BECKY LANGERMAN, Upper Elementary Teacher, 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 a certified Montessori elementary teacher and a certified family services counselor.  Becky has seven 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 Jane Nelsen. Becky is enthused by the holistic approach at Mountain Sun and enjoys being able to integrate other methods of education with her Montessori background.

BRIGID FOX, Lower Elementary and Kindergarten Teacher, earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from University of Texas in 1993.  She holds a NC state teaching license for K-6.  Brigid has eight years of classroom experience having worked as a lead teacher in both pre-school and elementary school in Brevard.  She is currently completing her studies to become a certified Montessori teacher.  Brigid has also worked at various camps and outdoor settings in positions ranging from Camp Counselor to Assistant Director.  Her family includes Jim, her husband, Hannah and Ian, her children, 2 cats, a dog, and several fish.  Brigid combines her love of children with her love of learning and teaching, and integrates storytelling and music into the daily lives of her students.

SHANA CLOER, Primary Class  Co-Lead Teacher/Guide, has her Master’s Degree in applied sociology.  She has been working with children in an outdoor and classroom setting since she was fifteen years old.   She has served as a lead teacher in preschool, a summer preschool playgroup director, and most recently taught at Brevard Academy where she also served as a school counselor, reading coach for first graders, and taught elementary Spanish. She is inspired by “invitational education” and deeply recognizes children as inherently capable and responsible individuals.   She also teaches Spanish to all age groups and will share her love for second languages and their cultures.  She lives in Pisgah Forest with her son Harvest who also attends MSCS.

TINA LEONARD, Kindergarten Lead, and Primary Class Co-Lead Teacher/Guide, moved to North Carolina in 1997 from Florida. Tina has a bachelor’s degree in math and has completed her training in Montessori Primary Teacher education.  She worked for a Financial Executive at a local bank for seven years before leaving to be a full-time mom to her oldest daughter, Kate, who attends Mountain Sun Community School, along with her youngest daughter Izzie.  Tina has also served as Secretary of our Board as well as a classroom volunteer before being hired as an Assistant Teacher.  After completing her training in Montessori training, Tina became lead teacher for the kindergarten class and co-lead teacher for the primary class.  She believes her greatest lessons in educating children come from her students themselves.   She has a gift for creating handmade learning materials based on individual student interests.

Our support staff and “specials” teachers are also multi-talented and have years of experience.  They include Kim Skeen, MSCS Art & PE/Outdoor Ed Teacher, who has taught art in various settings throughout Transylvania County including at the Carwile-Dodson pottery studio, and Eagle’s Nest Camp, in addition to having worked with youth and children in outdoor settings for over 15 years; Rick Hastings, Administrative Assistant & Elementary Music Teacher, who is trained in music educational pedagogy and has worked with children in various outdoor and camp settings for over 10 years;  Kelley Newsome, Primary Class Music Teacher, who is a gifted musician who recently completed her training in an early childhood music program called MusikGarten;  and Asia Szrek, yoga teacher, a certified children's yoga instructor, co-owns Laurel's Nest Yurts.  We also have two strong teaching assistants ~ Melissa Heywood, Primary Class assistant has several years of lead teaching in the preschool environment, and Kim Skeen, 1st - 3rd grade assistant, who has a background in experiential education and working in camp settings with children of all ages.

MSCS Board of Trustees 

HARVEST LEASURE (parent), Chair, grew up in Lexington, VA, where he was home schooled through 4^th grade and then attended and graduated from a cooperative school that his parents helped to create.  He has extensive experiential and outdoor education experience that included 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 North Carolina Outward Bound School for four years as an Instructor and Whitewater Specialist in the mountains of North Carolina and Everglades Florida.  He is now a permanent resident of Brevard along with his wife, Chanley Layton, and daughter, Arawen, and operates his own construction company.   

NICK PEARL (parent), Vice-Chair. After years of working as a Field Director, staff manager, and program supervisor for a therapeutic wilderness program, Nick co-founded Trails Carolina, a new outdoor wilderness therapy program.  He has been the Field Director for the organization and has played key roles in staff management, staff trainings, risk management, and state licensures and permits.   Nick brings his leadership experience and his strong background in organizational development to Mountain Sun Community School.  He has two children attending the school.    

TOM WARTH, Treasurer. Having retired in October 2010 after 22 years working in the Bell System, 2 years as owner/manager of a year-round restaurant and dinner theatre and 20 years as CEO/President of a peace, justice and environmentally focused year-round retreat and learning center, my wife Jane and I have settled in Brevard.  In addition to peace, justice and environmental issues, I have been very passionate about educational systems (quality, outcomes and access) in the country.  This includes public and non-public primary schools.  When asked to consider a position on the board of Mountain Sun Community School, I realized that this would be a good opportunity to serve an organization that brings together my primary interests.

JOY BARON (parent), Secretary helped open a gourmet grocery store, Poppie’s, in Brevard.  She is part owner of the business and served as the Secretary as of the corporation.   She was also the person responsible for designing, implementing, and purchasing for Poppie’s Garden market.  Joy holds a Masters in physical therapy specializing in orthopedics and is a certified manual therapist.  In her work as a physical therapist she opened a satellite therapy office in Hendersonville, NC.   She is a parent to one child currently enrolled in Mountain Sun Community School.   

JOHN SHACKELTON has been an educator for thirty years, teaching everything from second grade to college freshmen. His school administrative experience spans seventeen years in non-traditional private schools.  He most recently served as executive director of Rainbow Mountain Children’s School in Asheville. Along with paving new paths in education through a variety of avenues, he also serves as an Adjunct Instructor at AB Technical College.  John provides regular staff training and teacher’s in-service workshops for Mountain Sun Community School and provides regular inspiration to our entire community.   

OWEN SCHULTZ (parent) is the Project Manager of McKee Development Company heading up the firm's construction management division.  In addition to managing remodels and spec homes internally for McKee Development, his division has also been successful in overseeing construction projects for private individuals.  Owen is also responsible for the management of several property owner's associations, assisting in property development, and is a licensed North Carolina real estate broker. His professional specialties include budget development and management, personnel management, development and implementation of long range plans, and capital improvement allocations.  Owen has two children currently enrolled in Mountain Sun Community School.   

SUSAN DAILY (parent), currently works as the Dean of Students at The Outdoor Academy in Pisgah Forest, where she also teaches an Environmental Seminar class on food ethics, climate change and consumerism. She graduated from Swarthmore College with a BA in English and Environmental Studies, and Tufts University with an MA in Teaching. Susan is thrilled to be back in Western North Carolina, after teaching for many years around the country and leading trips for teenagers in Thailand and Tibet. She has been working in the field of Outdoor Adventure and Education for nineteen years, including fifteen years with Outward Bound. She has been a classroom teacher for middle school, high school and college students, as well as adults at San Quentin State Prison. Susan’s passion is working with teachers and students to bring experiential education into the traditional classroom, and she has facilitated diversity workshops in schools and conferences around the area. Susan joins the Mountain Sun community with her husband Michael Brown, son Noah, and daughter Tinsley Wren.

KAREN HOLT (ex-officio) is the Founder and Director of the Montessori School of Anderson in SC.  Under Karen’s thirty-five 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.   Karen has served as an advisor to growing Montessori schools both internationally and in the United States, has presented at numerous workshops on experiential education, and is actively involved in Peace education.  Karen has a significant personal investment in the success of the Mountain Sun Community School where her grandson, Skyler, attends.  She has been a part-time resident of Brevard for over eight years.