Our Educators
Robyn Mulcahy Reid RECE (Principal/Executive Director)
Welcome! My name is Robyn and I am excited to offer nature based education in our community. I am passionate about nurturing a variety of learning styles and providing learning in motion. My background as a Child and Youth Worker and Registered Early Childhood Educator have provided me diverse opportunities to work with children from toddlers to teens. I have studied the Reggio Emilia Approach and completed the Forest School Canada practitioner’s course. I am an avid camper, puddle jumper, and explorer. I invite your input as we shape this adventure!
Jessica Paquette RECE
(Co-Founder/Lead Educator)
Jess has a passion for getting her hands dirty with paint, glue, tree sap and things found in the forest. She taught kindergarten in Ottawa for five years and English, Art and Music in Prague, Czech Republic. She has a BA in Art History and English from Carleton University and is a Registered RECE. She enjoys slowing down and trying to understand the languages of the chickens, goats and squirrels with her students, and using the arts as a way of documenting and making sense of our world. Jess has long been fascinated by the Reggio Emilia and Forest School philosophies and is delighted to a co-conspirator in the forming of our lovely Blueberry Creek.
Kathy Boelsma RECE, Arts Educator (Educator, Pedagogical Collaborator)
Kathy loves learning with children, adults or whoever is interested! Kathy has been a children’s librarian, an Early Literacy Specialist and is now a Registered Early Childhood Educator (Algonquin College, Honours) with her Forest School Practitioner Certification from Forest School Canada. She is passionate about the learning philosophies of Reggio Emilia and visited the schools in Italy (March 2018) to learn more about the pedagogical practices of this approach. She has completed the Emergent Curriculum Certificate Program from the Ontario Reggio Association and brings her experience with pedagogical documentation and deeply trying to listen to the children’s thinking. Kathy is continually researching with the children and she is keen to develop meaningful programs that support children’s connections to nature with the “hundred languages”. Her recent completion of the Creative Arts Certificate Program at Algonquin College is supporting her as an arts educator for young children.
Lisa Hawkey OCT (Educator)
Lisa is a mom of three wild and wonderful little boys and loves to play and explore the world alongside them. Nature has always been her favourite playground. She is a certified primary, intermediate and secondary teacher and a current member of the Ontario College of Teachers. Her educational background includes a degree in kinesiology and biology with a Graduate Diploma of Teaching and Learning specializing in science, health and adventure based learning. She spent seven years teaching and exploring in New Zealand before returning to Canada and finding the beautiful town of Perth.
From daycare to senior high school, Lisa has enjoyed opportunities to work and volunteer with many ages in a variety of countries. She has a keen interest in observing and learning from different educational methodologies and the Reggio Emilia Approach used at BCFNC particularly resonates with her. Lisa currently supplies part time with the UCDSB and the Montessori school in Perth and is extremely excited to learn and grow alongside the children and educators at Blueberry Creek.
Michelle Wolford RECE
My name is Michelle Wolford. My husband and I moved to the area in 2017 to retrain at Algonquin college where I received my ECE certification. The people and place here are so lovely that we put down deep roots and happily call it home.
In my time as a Registered Early Childhood Educator I’ve worked alongside toddlers through school aged children. I believe that children and families come to us with a wealth of knowledge that I’m so thankful to be a recipient of! In my adulthood, I’m working on reconnecting to the land and am thrilled to be here at Blueberry seeking and building connections and relationships.
While relatively new to Forest School, I’ve been inspired by and learning from the schools in Reggio Emilia since I learned about them in 2017. I’m part way through the Emergent Curriculum Certificate Program from the Ontario Reggio Association and look forward to more rich learning. I am also so looking forward to visiting the schools in Italy in May 2024.
