Meet Alyssa!
A certified Montessori teacher, Alyssa Venable has been leading classrooms in the Puget Sound area since 2014. She grew up in Chicago, where she was fortunate to attend truly phenomenal Montessori schools. A variety of life experiences inspired her to co-found a Montessori farm preschool, experiences including:
- summer camp director for nature-based program
- serving 3 years as board chair for a non-profit specializing in animal-human connection
- volunteering on small farms in Olympia and Costa Rica
- organizing a farm-to-table supper club in Chicago
- spending a summer as an au pair for four children in a tiny French village
- and, of course, guiding her own Montessori classrooms for seven years!
A diverse background instilled in Alyssa not only an understanding of young children but also a deep appreciation for the families and communities into which we are all interwoven.
In the classroom, her approach is connection and warm redirection through a trauma-informed lens.
“Nurturing resilience, developing problem-solving skills, and finding opportunities for joy and wonder are my priorities each and every day!”
Alyssa Venable
Testimonials:
“My four year old son has truly blossomed…his vocabulary has increased, and he keeps tellling me all about what he’s learning in her class: space, planets, gardening, and so much more…!”
Hanaa, Amazing Parent!
“Alyssa is a fantastic communicator and truly empathetic to her students’ needs. We were so fortunate to have our two sons learn from Alyssa in her class, and saw incredible growth from both…her approach is quintessentially Montessori, and her ability to communicate with parents is exceptional. Simply put, your child could not be in better hands while at school. “
Lora, Super Mom to Boys aged 3 and 5!
“She is a fabulous teacher! She is kind, patient, and thoughtful. Our son thrived while in her classroom.”
Laura, One-of-a-Kind Parent to S, aged 5
Meet Ash!
Ash is a true jack of all trades at ‘farm school’! From painting and repairing children’s chairs to tree climbing spotter to billing department to waffle station manager at Parent Appreciation Breakfasts – he is our right hand guy!
After studying sociology at The Evergreen State College, Ash Venable went to work with Olympia Parks and Recreation. His heart had always been in nature – growing up as he did running free in the forests around his home in Issaquah, Washington.
For 15 years, Ash worked to maintain the landscape and gardens at the Washington State Capital Campus is Olympia. He now cares for the hundreds of plants and many natural spaces at Scatter Creek Montessori, and he loves creating special nature-based play areas throughout the farm school campus for the children to explore.
In a conversation with a coworker, Ash learned of a book that would change the course of his life goals again: ‘Geography of Childhood: Why Children Need Wild Places,’ which looks at how vital access to vast outdoor spaces is for healthy child development – and ultimately for society in general. The book inspired a vision of a preschool space where children would feel empowered by a sense of boundlessness.
“When children come into contact with nature, they reveal their strength.”
-Dr. Maria Montessori
The Venables!
est 9.12.15
Two strangers with the same vision, it was inevitable that these two would come together. Ash and Alyssa met in 2011 and have been dreaming, camping and wandering the Pacific Northwest together ever since.
Ash and Alyssa moved onto the farm summer of 2020, inheriting the legacy of Ash’s dear friend Iralena. Iralena worked for Olympia Parks and Recreation for over twenty years, and taught young Ash much of what he knows about plants and landscape design. She loved the vision of farm preschool – especially including animals!
Scatter Creek Montessori 