Our school is amazing because of our amazing staff! They have varying backgrounds and degrees, as well as outdoor education/experience, but most importantly they all genuinely love and connect with kiddos! They are the backbone of our program. Read more about them below.
Rachel Parker - Nature Preschool Director
Rachel is originally from The Natural State. She graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a degree in Early Childhood Special Education and worked with preschoolers with severe developmental delays for 8 years before becoming a Forest Kindergarten teacher. She is passionate about getting young children connected with nature, which is what lead her to Ferncliff. She started the nature preschool 7 years ago and has been the Director ever since. She lives in Ferndale with her husband and their two children. She loves spending her time camping with friends and family, keeping an ear out for great music, and refining her kite flying skills.
Email Rachel
Dorothy Thomas - Teacher
Dorothy calls Arkansas home, though she grew up in the Midwest and Texas. She landed at Ferncliff in 2015 as an intern and then accepted a teaching assistant position with the preschool in 2016. She finds joy in working with children and being in the outdoors, has 17 years experience working with children, and has completed course work in child development from the University of Central Missouri, which makes her a natural fit for our program. She is an Arkansas Master Naturalist and has just recently completed a Nature-Based Teacher Certification course with the Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools. When not at the school she likes to explore the State Parks of Arkansas, support the local art and music communities statewide, and is learning to play the Dulcimer.
Email Dorothy
John Hooker - Teacher
Hi everyone, my name is John Wilson Hooker! I’ve lived in Central Arkansas for all my life and have been working at summer camps and in early childhood education since I was fourteen years old. I’m a big hiker, a big consumer of animation and new music, and an even bigger goof ball when given the slightest opportunity. I love a good cup of tea, any dish with copious amounts of mushrooms, and spending time with ornery cats. I graduated from Hendrix College in 2018, and I’ve been working in the outdoor education field with 3, 4, and 5 years olds since January of 2019. I’m so excited about continuing that journey at Ferncliff!
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Hollie Whiteseven - Teacher
Camping around the world with my military family, exploring woods with my cousins, fishing with my grandfather, and a memorable trip to the Grand Canyon at 14 sparked my lifelong love for the outdoors. This passion led to a career in outdoor education, where I've served for nearly 30 years with the Corps of Engineers, Arkansas State Parks, and now as Assistant Chief of Education for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. I love to fish, bird, hunt, hike, paddle, and Dutch oven cook with my family and friends in many of the natural spaces that Arkansas offers. Connecting people to conservation is vital to the future health and well-being of society and it starts at the beginning, as children learn to love, engage in discovery, and feel safe and confident outdoors. Through nature, children will retain their sense of wonder, learn naturally about science and life cycles, problem-solve and create, and socially connect with their peers, wildlife, and the world around them.
Janae McCallister - Teacher
My name is Janae McCallister & I am so excited to be joining the Ferncliff Nature Preschool staff this year. I was born & raised in Arkansas & after spending 9 years in Mississippi, my family & I relocated back to The Natural State in 2021. I am married, with 3 boys, ages 11, 8 & 4. We love to spend our weekends camping, hiking, or at the lake when we aren’t busy playing baseball. I am also a huge animal lover & our 4 mini Aussies are always adventuring with us. I love to read, do lots of DIY projects around the home & anything crafty/creative. I have a long history of working with kids, starting with babysitting, working in a traditional preschool setting, nannying, & then raising my own 3 boys. I studied Wildlife Ecology & Early Childhood education in college & I am looking forward to the opportunity this year to incorporate my love of nature into working with kids. I can’t wait for all the experiences we will get to enjoy together!
Rachel Talmadge - Teacher
Rachel was born and raised in Fredericksburg, Virginia. She loves reading, being in nature, and hanging out with her family. She is a graduate from Mississippi State University, where she studied Elementary Education. She has worked at Camp Hanover for the last 4 years and is excited to join the Ferncliff team! Rachel will be a floating Teaching Assistant at the Nature Preschool this school year.
Madison Smith - Teacher
I am a native Arkansan and became connected to Ferncliff through family and as a camper. While working on my history degree at Hendrix College, I was a Ferncliff Camp Counselor. After completing my degree, I worked in various positions at Ferncliff as a preschool floater, the after school coordinator, and a leader at Learncliff. My love of diving deeply into the natural spaces of this campus and finding solace there, combined with my experience working with children, led me to the Nature Preschool.
Katelyn Hoffman - Teacher
Hi! I’m Katelyn and I am 18 years old. Originally I am from Germany but I will be a residential volunteer here at Ferncliff and work at the nature preschool for the next year. I love working with kids and being outdoors, so the preschool is a perfect match for me. As a floater, I will be able to work with all kids here and I am super excited to learn from them as well. In addition, I will also be doing the after-school program. I hope to support the kids as best as I can in their exploring and learning and I am looking forward to seeing what the year will bring!
