Megan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban and Environmental Policy from Occidental College and a Masters degree in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing/Poetry from Northern Arizona University. She has taught English, bilingual literacy, creative writing, learning skills and dance in independent and public school classrooms for over 15 years. She has also taught writing at Prescott College in Arizona. She believes in the following equation: reading + writing = freedom! Her poems and essays have been published in national magazines, including The Sun and make/shift. She has also worked as a professional modern dancer and choreographer for almost 20 years. Born in Newport Beach, California, Megan has lived in the mountains of northern Arizona, in Ireland and France, and now lives in southern Vermont with her husband, teenager and toddler. In her free time, she loves to go for long walks on dirt roads, read, cook, sew baby quilts by hand, and grow vegetables.

Peter Siegel holds degrees in music and political science, as well as an advanced degree in environmental studies. His musical credits include publication in Sing Out! magazine and the fiddle tune compilation, The Portland Collection, Grammy award winning mandolin tracks on the Best Children’s Album of 2010 and a guest appearance on the nationally syndicated, Etown. He’s been privileged to have played venues around the country, including Newport Folk Festival, Clearwater Revival, Falconridge, Champlain Valley, Solarfest, The Iron Horse, and the Kennedy Center, and to have shared the stage with Pete Seeger, Judy Collins, Dar Williams, Bread and Puppet, and many more. Peter also often leads stringed and vocal workshops in Americana music. As a certified music teacher, he brings to Oak Meadow his musical expertise and his teaching experience in the Orff and Kodaly methods. When he’s not performing or teaching, Peter can be found making music with his two children in southern Vermont.

Ted Thornton holds a Masters degree in History from the University of Massachusetts and an M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School. He also studied in Jerusalem and Cairo, and is a frequent lecturer and panelist on Middle East affairs and Islam. He has presented workshops on teaching about the Islamic world at professional conferences in Cairo, Montreal, San Francisco, and Boston. Ted specializes in the creation of online resources and web-based applications linking his students with other students and teachers around the world. He has led student travel-study programs to Egypt, Turkey, Portugal, Jordan, Brazil, and South Africa. Ted is committed to helping students understand the ways they can connect to the world through his teaching of history, philosophy, world religions, and world cultures. Foremost is his dedication to helping students become critical thinkers and excellent writers. As a strong advocate of writing “across the curriculum,” he has for years worked in concert with teachers from all disciplines training students to write clear, powerful, and persuasive prose.

Bill received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, his Masters degree in Secondary Education, and is in the beginning stages his Ph.D dissertation on the uses of educational technology as an enhancement to science education. Bill’s first career was as a chemical engineer, and he worked with the NASA space program developing the TV camera used for the Apollo mission. Bill’s career in education includes three years teaching English as a second language for the Ministry of Education in Israel, as well as teaching technical Hebrew to visiting professors at the University of the Negev. Bill also worked for eight years as a chemistry teacher for the Philadelphia school district. He enjoys sharing with students the excitement of scientific discovery and sees technology use as the next logical step in expanding the boundaries of scientific study. Bill currently lives in the far reaches of Northern Vermont and enjoys sailing, writing, and amateur astronomy.

Richard studied and earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy and Languages at the University of Rennes in France. Richard returned to the United States and spent the next 30 years teaching language in several public schools including East Greenwich High School in Rhode Island, and Wilmington High School and Bellows Falls High School in Vermont. Richard joined Oak Meadow 12 years ago, and currently teaches French (his first language), Spanish, and Latin. He believes that learning a second or third language lends a unique perspective and positions students to fully participate in the world as global citizens. Richard, his wife, and their five children love the natural setting of their home in Southern Vermont and enjoy all outdoor activities, including camping and winter sports.

Kathy received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Irvine, in 1984. She also attended Bakersfield Community College and Cal State Bakersfield where she took upper division Math courses. In 1992, she earned her California Secondary Teaching Credential in Mathematics from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She worked as a math tutor and substitute Math teacher before joining Oak Meadow in 1997. Math has always been Kathy’s favorite subject and it is exciting for her to witness the evolution of learning as skills in logic and organized-thinking emerge and are refined. Kathy likes Oak Meadow’s emphasis on independent learning that asks students to dig deep within themselves which, in turn, inspires personal development and growth. Kathy resides in California with her husband, Ken, who is also a teacher, in a home they designed and built fifteen years ago. Kathy enjoys spending her free time walking and gardening.

Marnie holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Education from Smith College, and received graduate credit in English from the University of Kansas, doing her Master’s thesis in poetry. She has been teaching high school English at Oak Meadow since 2000. In addition, Marnie has worked as a classroom teacher, bookstore manager and school librarian. Marnie loves literature and believes that students can learn about themselves and the world in the pages of a book and through putting their own experiences into writing. Marnie is an avid bibliophile, gardener, cellist, and the mother of three grown boys.

Jason received his undergraduate degree in Liberal Arts with a focus in the areas of Social Studies, Economics, and Web Design, and his Masters in Education with a focus on Social Studies and Technology in Education, both from Goddard College. Jason has his Vermont teaching licensure in Social Studies for grades 7 through 12, and has been teaching at Oak Meadow for two years. He feels that the independent nature of distance learning offers students a unique opportunity to develop a deep awareness of how historical and sociological events have helped shaped their own lives. Jason lives in South Glens Falls, New York, with his wife and when he is not reading or writing about history, enjoys mountain biking, video games, and the occasional science fiction novel.

Heide was born and raised in Germany and received her education at Stuttgart University, earning a Masters in English Linguistics and Literature, and another Masters in German Linguistics and Literature. Heide taught German at the Upper Valley Waldorf School in Quechee, Vermont, and now holds a position as head administrator for Vermont Law School. She began teaching German for Oak Meadow in the fall of 2008. The unique perspective Heide gained growing up outside the U.S. allows her to bring a special authenticity to the work she does with her world language students. She lives in Chelsea, Vermont, with her youngest of two sons. In her free time, Heide likes to practice meditation and yoga, take long walks, read, and dance.

Michelle received her undergraduate degree in Education and English from the University of Rhode Island. She pursued her graduate degree in Environmental Education from Antioch University New England because she believes, as David Orr does, that “all education is environmental education. By what is included or excluded we teach students that they are part of or apart from the natural world.” Before coming to Oak Meadow, Michelle taught English at Northfield Mount Hermon, was a Learning Specialist in the Massachusetts public schools, and worked as a Program Director for The Massachusetts Audubon Society. Michelle lives in Dummerston, Vermont with her family. Her interests include slow food, travel, parenting, yoga, and the literary arts.

John, also known as Penner, received his undergraduate degree in Creative Writing from Trinity College, and his Masters of Fine Arts in Playwriting from Columbia University’s Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies. Penner came to Oak Meadow in 2004, teaching a variety of high school courses and working as a member of Oak Meadow’s Curriculum Development team. He enjoys working with students from across the nation and around the world, and has found that teaching and learning are but two sides of the same coin. He lives within walking distance of Oak Meadow’s Brattleboro office and enjoys music, reading, hiking, and taking roadtrips.

Julia graduated from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science/Fisheries Biology. She has been with Oak Meadow since 1992, devoting the past ten years to high school science. She has strong interests in alternative energy, gardening, music, fitness, and outdoor activities, such as cross-country skiing, paddling, hiking, and biking. She is on the PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) Educational Staff, and has ACA (American Canoe Association) certification for whitewater kayak instruction. In developing our new health course, she was committed to integrating a fitness element because physical exercise is proven to enhance mental clarity and mental health, and is a vital part of any healthy lifestyle. Julia lives in North River, New York and has three children, two of whom have fledged the nest.

Antony received his undergraduate degree in Poetry and Theatre from Sarah Lawrence College in New York, and his Masters of Science in Education and Waldorf Education from Sunbridge College, New York. Antony spent four years at the East Bay Waldorf High School in Berkeley, CA teaching poetry, photography, literature, and directing school plays. In 2009, Antony graduated once again from Sarah Lawrence College, this time earning a Masters Degree in poetry and creative writing. He encourages students to use writing as a tool for self-exploration, and to gain clarity and perspective on world events by examining issues from new angles. Antony currently lives in Bronxville, New York, where he enjoys writing poetry and journeying into New York City for soul-inspiration. This is his second year teaching humanities at Oak Meadow.

Patty earned her undergraduate degree in Fine Arts from College of Mount St. Joseph in Ohio, her Masters in Art Education from Rhode Island School of Design, and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. In 2010, she received her Masters of Fine Arts in painting and writing from Goddard College, where she is also a faculty member. Patty homeshooled her own children using the Oak Meadow curriculum and believes that any learning should integrate the arts as a form of self expression. She enjoys guiding her art students through their own creative process so they can feel confident about their skills and knowledge. Patty lives in Cabot, Vermont in a farmhouse with her five children and two cats. Many house renovation projects are underway but Patty makes time for her painting practice as well as her teaching and practice of yoga.