Jean Wallace, Academic Director

As the Academic Director and CEO, Jean is responsible for guiding the design and implementation of our unique K-8 curriculum and for supporting the direction of all areas of school life. Jean works in collaboration with the Board of Trustees and Green Woods' Business Director to build on our successful past toward an even greater future.

Jean is responsible to the Department of Education for ensuring that Green Woods students are receiving a standards-based learning experience within the guidelines and mandates of Federal, State, and Charter School Law. In addition to the many responsibilities associated with curriculum and instruction, Jean supports Green Woods through successful grant writing, ongoing website communication, developing our student voice through the Jr. SLT, and by networking with key partners from within and outside the Green Woods community.

Jean's volunteer efforts as a member of the Governor's Council for Environmental Education provide a rare and exciting opportunity to work with many of the state's environmental experts and agencies. "By working collaboratively with the Department of Education and the many outstanding environmental agencies throughout our state, Green Woods is able to gain both valuable resources along with well-deserved recognition for the exceptional work being done by our teachers and students," Jean said. "Our innovative curriculum design allows us to use environment and ecology as the theme for integrated learning. Receiving the 2007 Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence was proof of our success in delivering a high quality educational program at Green Woods."

In addition to the daily interactions with Green Woods dedicated staff and parents, Jean enjoys those special times when she gets to trail along on hikes with our budding naturalists. "Hiking with even our youngest students and seeing how they interact with the natural world is always an incredible learning experience for me. While many young children enjoy walking in the woods, Green Woods students are skilled observers, able to take in the big picture of the field ecosystem while at the same time patiently exploring the leaf litter in search of the smallest signs of life."

Jean holds a PA Certification for Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction and dual Pennsylvania teacher certifications, which recognize her ability to teach both K-12 Environmental Education and Elementary Education. She holds an Associate Degree in Health Science from Gwynedd Mercy College; a BA in Elementary Education from Beaver College, and a MAEd in Environmental Education from Arcadia University. Jean is currently enrolled in a post-graduate School Leadership Program at Arcadia.

Jean lives in Flourtown with her husband Frank, her mom Mary, her daughter Mary who attends the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University, and their black lab, Murphy.

As our very talented maintenance person, Joe Bauer, always says, "Working at Green Woods isn't a job, it's an adventure!" I agree. Each day is a new day of exploration and discovery as we challenge ourselves and each other to provide the best possible learning environment for our students.

In three years time the teaching team at Green Woods has taken teaching and learning to a whole new level. Through the in-house development of our award-winning EIC Curriculum, we are afforded the rare opportunity to design and implement engaging, integrated learning experiences while utilizing our 350-acre learning laboratory as an outdoor classroom. Our partnership with the Schuylkill Center continues to grow and thrive as their educators spend countless hours working with our teachers to enhance the teaching of environmental concepts.

Green Woods is the only public/charter school in the entire country to be housed directly within a nature center. Years ago I earned my graduate degree in Environmental Education by utilizing this same setting as my own learning lab. It is so rewarding to now spend my time observing our students as they explore and discover new things while hiking in the same woods where I learned so much about the natural world. The Department of Education challenges Charter Schools to be innovative and to serve as models for traditional public schools. Through the development and implementation of an innovative, standards-based curriculum and by using sound instructional practices I believe we have far exceeded the expectations of both the School District of Philadelphia and the State Department of Education.

Green Woods charter was recently approved for an additional five years. We look forward to even more exciting adventures!