Claire Morgan, SCEE

Claire Morgan was born and raised in Roxborough.  She earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Temple University.  She taught remedial reading and math to students with learning disabilities in northeast Philadelphia for ten years at CORA Services. She was a “stay at home mom” for 15 years, but stayed active in education through volunteer work at Shawmont School as Home and School President.  In 2001, she returned to the work force at The Schuylkill Center as a community liaison for two consecutive Growing Greener grants in watershed protection.

Claire’s love of nature and care of the environment began early with family walks along the Wissahickon Creek as a child. Binoculars were always on the windowsill at home with discussions as to what new bird had been spotted.  Taking a college course with Dick James, the first director of SCEE, was a highlight of her early memories.  Claire continues to enjoy hiking along the Wissahickon, bird watching, and studying butterflies with her husband, Ralph, and their sons, David and Andrew.  She is also a member of NABA and is involved with several community environmental groups.

Since 2002, Claire has worked with the kindergarten and first grade students at Green Woods Charter School as the environmental educator.  She has found this to be a perfect blend of her interest in nature and her background in education. 

Claire uses hands-on experiences, as well as interactive demonstrations, with the young children. She also integrates the development of reading and mathematics skills with the environmental science curriculum.  This has proven to be successful for the education of our children and a great deal of fun!  

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.