Heidi Kretser grew up in Vermontville, NY enjoying all Adirondack activities from canoeing and hiking to blueberry picking. Heidi graduated from Saranac Lake High School in 1991. She received a B.S. in Resource and Environmental Economics from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University and an M.S. in Environmental Studies from the Yale School of Forestry. She holds a Doctorate in Natural Resources Policy and Management focusing on the Human Dimensions of Wildlife Management at Cornell University. Heidi has had an array of outdoor recreation, environmental research, and education experiences in Nepal, Venezuela, Italy, Alaska, and the Northeastern United States. Heidi is the Livelihoods and Conservation Coordinator for the Wildlife Conservation Society’s North America Program based at the WCS Adirondack Field Program Office in Saranac Lake. Heidi lives in Saranac Lake with her husband, Andy Keal who is a co-owner of Nori’s Village Market, and her children Leena and Owen, who are in first grade and morning garden, respectively, at Northern Lights School. Heidi has served on the NLS Board since 2007, she is currently President of the Board.

Samantha has a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy from Russell Sage College in Troy, NY, a Master of Science degree in basic science/gerontology from Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY, and a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Russell Sage College. She is a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatrics and has worked predominately in long term care and inpatient settings. Samantha is a full time faculty member at Utica College teaching in their on line transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy program. She runs the Alzheimer’s disease support group for the Tri Lakes region and assists with the Memory Walk each year. She also currently teaches Movement and Games for Northern Lights School and has taught Little Dippers in past years. She lives in Saranac Lake with her husband and daughter, a Northern Lights student.

Karen Baker is a musician and educator. She moved to Saranac Lake with her husband, Fred Baker in 1972 from Rochester, New York.  She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the Crane School of Music in Potsdam N.Y. and a Master’s degree in Classroom Education from Plattsburgh State. She has had wide experience teaching in both of these areas since 1965. Karen has two adult children, Kristina and Carl, and one grandson, Alex. Presently Karen performs as a pianist in both jazz and classical contexts. She assists with the Eurythmy program at Northern Lights School.

Since 1987, Jay Dawson has designed and created unique functional art and rustic furniture from his studio, Major Pieces, in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains.  Jay’s work has appeared in numerous publications, including Smithsonian magazine, Log Home Living, Adirondack Life, and has been featured on national television and in regional newspapers.  Jay and his wife Sue have two young children. Both are active participants in programs and fund raising. Their son is a student at Northern Lights School.

See bio under teachers tab

Wynde Kate Reese is an Adirondack native, growing up in Tupper Lake. She has her Bachelor's degree in Holistic Nutrition and is the owner of Green Goddess Natural Foods and Earth Roots Landscaping, both in Lake Placid. Her son, Bladen, attends Northern Lights School, where she is also the Gardening teacher and helps run the school store. Wynde Kate has been involved in Anthroposophy and Waldorf Education for over 10 years.

Jennifer Tissot, LCSW has lived in Saranac Lake for the last twenty years working with young children in a variety of settings including Community Mental Health, Head Start and the Saranac Lake Central Schools. She has been a supporter of the Northern Lights school since its inception and started on the board when the school moved to Saranac Lake.

Jenn Cantwell is the Grades 2 and 3 combined class Teacher. She is a permanently certified New York State teacher with a secondary English concentration. She holds a love and tremendous appreciation for Waldorf Education and continues to attend Waldorf seminars and training intensives. She has taught Grades School classes at Northern Lights for three years. Before teaching, Jenn and her then 5-month old daughter attended Little Dippers. They have been hooked ever since, and now her 5-year old is in the Kindergarten class. Jenn says, “What other workplace would allow you to enjoy an afternoon of Eurythmy while catching glimpses of your own child playing with classmates?”

Kim came to Northern Lights School first as a parent, then an office assistant, nursery class assistant, and then a nursery and kindergarten class teacher. Kim also teaches handwork to the grade school students and has been involved in most other aspects of the school including fiscal responsibilities, fundraising, event planning and writing school informational literature. Kim has been an educator her entire career and earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Arts education from SUNY Oswego and a Master’s degree in Recreation from Cortland College. Kim has always been attracted to alternative education and worked for many years as an outdoor leadership educator teaching classes for several college programs, the Wilderness Education Association, and New York City Outward Bound. Kim came to the Adirondacks to work in the Wilderness Leadership program at North Country Community College and later moved to Paul Smith’s College teaching courses in the Forestry Division. Northern Lights School and Waldorf education has had a profound impact on Kim both as a parent and educator. She is currently faculty chair and serves on the board as faculty representative! She has three children, two NLS alumni and one NLS third grader.

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Melanie Niemczura began her career nurturing plants and creating outdoor spaces, as a Horticulture and Landscape Design major at Penn State. She also worked as an organic farmer and 'natural foods' cook. In 2005, she completed the Waldorf Teacher Training at Antioch New England Graduate School. An internship and position as supporting teacher followed at Monadnock Waldorf School in Keene, New Hampshire. She came to Northern Lights School in 2007 as Lead Kindergarten Teacher. Since then she has also taught the Nursery, French (from nursery through 4th grade), the Little Dippers parent-child program, and Movement and Games. Her two sons, Noa and Riley, also attend the school.

Jenny was a Waldorf student herself, in the grades and some high school. Having grown up in the beautiful Catskill Mountains, some of her greatest passions have always been nature, music and art. She studied English, and performance on the recorder, at Oberlin College and Conservatory, in Ohio. She has recently gone through Resonare, a Foundation in Music (out of the Waldorf methodology), and is currently enrolled in Spacial Dynamics, a new, inventive approach to movement education, in Mechanicville, NY. She has been working with children for the past ten years in the capacity of private music teacher, handwork assistant, classroom assistant, and reading/writing tutor. She has experienced Waldorf, Montessori and public school classrooms. When not working hard, she is as likely to be found hiking, kayaking or downhill skiing, as well as drawing a picture, playing music or knitting.