Email Brian

Brian has 43 years of independent school experience in Texas, Michigan, and New York.

Kazoo School Faculty since 2019

Email Brynn

I am the parent of three Kazoo Kids. I have a Master’s in Social Work and have spent many years working with children who have experienced trauma. I also have ran children's programming in both Chicago and Detroit, and spent a year as the preschool teacher at Kazoo. I am passionate about progressive education and am excited to step into the role of Vice Head of School.

Education

B.S. in Psychology from University of Michigan

Master’s in Social Service Administration from University of Chicago

Member of the Kazoo School Faculty since 2024

Christopher is a floater, does preschool support, OE support, & Middle School Electives!

Kazoo School Faculty since 2021

Email Dara

I’m so excited to be returning for another year of discovery with Natural Learners! This is my fifth year teaching. I enjoy sharing my love of nature, crafting, gardening, books, and community with my class. I’ve enjoyed previous careers as a part-time farmer, costume designer/technician, and zoo keeper! I like to travel with my family, watch and play sports, and snuggle with my cat, Uli.

Education

B.A. Art-emphasis in Ceramics, Minor in Interior Design (May 2003) from Minnesota State University Moorhead

Member of the Faculty since 2026

Member of the Kazoo School Faculty since 2025

Email Emily

Member of the Kazoo Faculty Since 2025

Email Emily

Hi, I’m Emily Kuder! I have been a preschool teacher at Kazoo for the past year, and was a Kazoo parent prior to that! I am now making a shift from teaching preschool to teaching Upper Elementary. I am so excited to apply my experience from teaching, behavioral therapy, and homeschooling to my new journey with the Upper Elementary students! 

Education

B.A. Psychology (2004) Rhode Island College

Member of the Faculty since 2025

Emily Emily

Education

B.A. Art History, Spanish, Sociology from Kalamazoo College

Kazoo Faculty since 2021

Email Hannah

Since my own kindergarten education began at Kazoo School, I have been deeply influenced by my experiences as a Kazoo kid. During my time as a student here, I learned empathy, curiosity, self-confidence, honesty, commitment, and the importance of care—and had many amazing and challenging experiences in the classroom and in Kleinstuck. After Kazoo, I unschooled myself through high school and found college experiences that led me to grow as a writer and scholar focused on thinking critically about gender, culture, and social justice. In 2021, I joined the Kazoo faculty as a preschool teacher.

My educational philosophy and practice are guided by curiosity and connection. I am deeply committed to progressive education and teaching the whole child. I see students as creative problem solvers who learn actively and enthusiastically when they have agency in their learning and opportunities to connect their interests to the broader world. I am passionate about nature-based learning and love teaching at Kazoo where outdoor education is embraced and supported for all students.

When I’m not at Kazoo, you can find me wandering in the woods, reading, rock climbing, honing my photography skills, and making soup to share with friends and family.

Education

B.A. in Anthropology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from The College of Wooster

Child Development Associate

My name is Jillian Kissel. I am an intern for the summer here at the Kazoo School. I am an undergraduate student at Western Michigan University studying Political Science with a Minor in Spanish. I am entering my final year here at Western, and I am set to graduate in May of 2027. I am thrilled to have this opportunity to work with the Kazoo School administration and students. If you see me around, do not hesitate to say hello. If you have any questions, please reach out at jillian@kazooschool.org.

Member of the Kazoo School Faculty since 2025

Email Kamayia

Member of the Kazoo Faculty since 2024

Email Karissa

Guiding and supporting young people has always come naturally to her. Growing up, she often assisted teachers and group leaders with younger children, and caring for children remained her primary work until the pandemic. This year, she is supporting our Extended Day program and serving as a floater, helping wherever she is needed throughout the school.

Kazoo Faculty since 2014

Email Kate

I am so happy to be back for my ninth year teaching science at Kazoo School! We are in such a wonderful place to explore science and the environment. I am passionate about hands-on learning and making connections with young people.

A little about what got me here- I studied biology at Hope College. As a student, I had a couple of professors who were both inspiring educators and my mentors as a research assistant. This left me with no idea whether I wanted to focus on research or teaching after graduation, so I did both.

I spent many years working in the most amazing places as a wildlife field technician and as a science educator in outdoor schools all over the country. Eventually, I settled in Connecticut where I was a marine science educator and waterfront/sailing director for seven years. In 2014, I moved back to Michigan, closer to my family. When I found Kazoo, I couldn’t believe that I had the opportunity to teach experiential science in a school!

Outside of teaching, I love spending time with my husband, Rob, our son Nolan, and our sweet dog, Charlie. We like to hike and go on walks together, camp, and work in the garden. I love Michigan trips “up north” and to Lake Michigan. We really enjoy our Kalamazoo and Kazoo School communities!

Education

BS Biology, Hope College

Faculty since 2018

Email Kelly

I’ve always loved being around and working with children, so teaching elementary school was a natural decision. Their inherent curiosity and enthusiasm brings me great joy. Once I learned about progressive education, I was hooked. It has been a dream to teach within a school that supports that method of teaching and learning, so teaching at Kazoo School is a dream come true.

I have taught in urban, rural, and suburban areas in Kalamazoo and in North Carolina, which has given me the opportunity to work with a diverse array of students. Those experiences have further solidified my commitment to progressive education. When the whole child is supported, they can move mountains.

Education

B.S. in Elementary Education and Spanish from Western Michigan University

Member of the Faculty since 2026

Email Krista

Hello, everyone! I am so excited to start the new school year with you all!

Many of you already know me, as I have been part of the Kazoo community since fall 2024 as an Extended Day Facilitator. I have also been a Summer Session Counselor, preschool assistant teacher, and had the privilege of shadowing Nature Nate last spring.

While I could never fill Nature Nate’s shoes, I’m excited to carry forward the spirit of adventure and connection he brought to our outdoor program. I have some great plans for this school year and can’t wait to get started!

Lucas is a Kazoo School alumni- he is an Extended Day substitute & Summer Session facilitator.

Extended Day

Member of the Kazoo School Faculty since 20204

Kazoo School Faculty since 2017

Email Mel

Paolo Freire wrote that “Knowledge emerges only through invention and re-invention, through the restless, impatient, continuing, hopeful inquiry human beings pursue in the world, with the world, and with each other.” After teaching writing and literature at the university level and teaching at Kazoo School for six years, I have come to the understanding that a sense of community and critical co-investigation are essential to a successful classroom. My hope is for students to ask questions, to engage in dialogue, and to know that their voices are important. One of my goals in the classroom is for students to take ownership of their writing and to claim a place within the classroom and within a larger community of writers, readers, and citizens.

Apart from writing and reading, my interests include playing music, riding my bicycle, cooking, gardening, and kayaking.

Education

B.A., English Moorhead State University
M.A., English University of North Dakota
Ph.D., English Western Michigan University

Member of the Faculty Since 2026

Email Melissa

Hi everyone! I will be joining the Kazoo School community this fall as a preschool teacher! I graduated from Baker College with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education. I am very much looking forward to building upon my years of teaching experience at Kazoo School! 

Member of the faculty since 2020

Email Niki

Niki has a real gift for making kids feel known. She takes the time to get to know each student- what makes them laugh, what gets them excited, what feels hard, and what helps them feel confident. Her classroom is a place where kids can be themselves, take chances, make mistakes, and try again.

Niki believes that school is about more than academics. Of course, her students learn a lot, but they are also learning how to be kind, thoughtful, resilient people. She talks often about having a growth mindset and helps students see that not knowing something yet is actually a pretty exciting place to start. Mistakes aren't failures in Niki's classroom; they're part of figuring things out.

She also uses the Superflex curriculum to help students understand their own brains and learn how to navigate the many social challenges that come with being a kid.

Niki brings a lot of warmth, humor, and heart to her classroom. She has high expectations for her students, but she also knows that learning doesn't always happen in a straight line. Sometimes you need to try again, ask for help, take a break, laugh about it, and give it another go.

At the end of the day, Niki isn't just teaching her students how to read, write, think, and solve problems. She's helping them learn how to be good humans, take up space in the world, and keep growing into the people they are becoming.

Education

MA, Educational Leadership, WMU

Member of the Kazoo Faculty Since 2024

Email Pat

I am happy to return to Kazoo School this year! Over the past eight years I have been part of the Kazoo School Community in various ways: teaching art & photography in the Extended Day & Summer program, as a parent, & as part of the school photography team.

I am a professional photographer and artist in the Kalamazoo Community. My specialties are in art and narrative storytelling. If you are looking a great conversation about TTRPGs(like DnD), science fiction (nerds are my people), books, and music I will be more than happy to chat. I also loved to travel with my family to see and try new things. This gives me experience to apply real world adventures into learning outcomes for all ages.

Education

Associates in Applied Arts and Sciences, Kalamazoo Valley

Kazoo School Faculty since 2022

Email Paul

I've always enjoyed being active and being outdoors, which comes from growing up on my parents’ farm. I remember spending the whole day outside, whether it was building forts in the woods or camping during the summer and sledding in the winter. As a parent, I've tried to instill that enjoyment of nature with my children. Needless to say, I'm thrilled to have found a school that incorporates so much outdoor time into their teaching. I know I would have loved to attend Kazoo School growing up and my children are enjoying their time here.

My previous work was dedicated to the science of fitness and physical education. I worked with individuals on their own fitness journeys and with groups of teens to build self esteem through positive physical fitness activities. I know that movement, physical activity and outdoor learning are essential to developing healthy, happy young people.

Prior to coming to Kazoo School, I was a full-time Dad with my two kids. As I worked through my kids’ various struggles I learned a lot about patience and meeting the unique needs of all children. When in the classroom I see each child as an individual on their own educational and social emotional journey.

I began my teaching experience at Kazoo as a substitute teacher and a classroom aide, and then as a full-time assistant and intern in the Primary Classroom (Kindergarten/First Grade). In addition to growing my classroom management skills during this time, I have also been trained in trauma informed teaching practices, structured literacy, restorative justice, and the Engage New York mathematics curriculum.

My educational philosophy can be summed up with this simple but meaningful phrase, “You need to reach me, before you can teach me.” As an educator, I strive to make meaningful connections with my students so they can be seen and honored for who they are as individuals. I also bring a calm, patient, and understanding presence to the classroom. This helps kids feel safe so they can do the hard work of learning new things.

Education

BS in Digital Animation and Game Design from Ferris State University

Associates in Exercise Science and Technology from Oakland Community College

Kazoo School Faculty since 1996

Email Rose

Prior to moving to Kalamazoo in 1996, I lived and taught in Eugene, Oregon and Madison, Wisconsin. I graduated from Kalamazoo College in 1986, having completed an internship teaching at Stone Environmental Schools in Maine and Massachusetts. I received a Fulbright Scholarship for Teaching English, which took me to Strasbourg, France, where I lived and taught English to high school students at the Lycee Louis Pasteur. Upon returning to the U.S. I picked up my outdoor education interests to teach at another residential environmental school, Nature’s Classroom in Connecticut.

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 1990 with a Master’s degree in Social Work, specializing in Children, Youth and Families, and in 1992 with a second Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education.

When I moved back to Kalamazoo, I began teaching at Kazoo School in a 1st/2nd grade basegroup. Over the years, I have taught all levels from 1st through 8th grade at Kazoo School and currently teach Upper Elementary students.

Kazoo School has been a perfect fit for my progressive teaching style and philosophy. I see students as active participants, problem solvers, and planners of their own learning. My role is to guide the children on their individual journeys as they become thoughtful problem solvers, motivated critical thinkers, active leaders, respectful collaborators, kind friends, and lifelong learners.

Education

B.A. in Psychology from Kalamazoo College

B.A. in Elementary Education from the University of Wisconsin

M.A. in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin

Kazoo School Faculty since 2021

Email Ruth

Ruth runs the Front Desk, is an Extended Day teacher & Elective Teacher and with our Middle School students on the yearbook. She has a particular love of intermixed traditional and new media art techniques. She loves cats, reading, and the outdoors. Between her front desk duties, Ruth always loves to take the time to connect youth to meaningful and relevant artistic experiences, through graphic design, illustration, photography, animation and video production. 

Education

Associates in Animation/Time Based Media KVCC, 2014

Kazoo School Faculty since 2008

Email Sonita

“Education is a journey, not a race.” – Rudolf Steiner

“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” – John Dewey

These two quotes have always been a big part of how I think about education. I believe children need a place where they have ownership over their learning, where their ideas are listened to, and where they know their thoughts matter.

When you walk into a Kazoo classroom, you might notice that learning doesn’t always look like what you remember from school. You’ll see teachers listening closely to students, jotting down observations, following up on a question that came out of nowhere, or stopping to document a connection a child just made. We pay attention to what kids are interested in and what they are trying to figure out, and we use those things to help guide their learning.

One of the things I am most passionate about is teaching children to read. I love watching the moment when something finally clicks- the little look that says, “Wait…I can DO this!” Learning to read takes a lot of practice, but I don’t think it has to mean sitting still and filling out worksheets. I like to make reading hands-on whenever I can. We build words, move things around, play with sounds, use games and movement, and find lots of ways to get our hands and brains involved. There is something pretty magical about watching a child go from working so hard to sound out a word to suddenly picking up a book and reading it on their own.

Every child learns in their own way. At Kazoo, we believe part of our job is to help children become intrinsically motivated learners—kids who are curious, ask questions, want to know how things work, and keep looking for answers. That, to me, is a Kazoo School kid.

And I should know! I am a Kazoo School kid myself. My brother started at Kazoo halfway through his Kindergarten year- the same year I was born. Some of my earliest memories are of the Kazoo community. My mom and stepdad even met through Kazoo School. I have found throughout my life that all roads seem to lead back to Kazoo- not Rome!

I really do think Kazoo is a pretty special place for kids and families to grow and learn together. I’m so glad you’re here. Enjoy the journey!

Education

B.S. in Elementary Education from Western Michigan University

Kazoo School faculty since 2021

Email Steve

I am grateful to be back at Kazoo. I previously taught natural science as part of a collaboration between Kazoo School and Western Michigan University. I was able to teach Kazoo students in 4th-8th grades on a weekly basis during that five year partnership.

I am a New York native from the upper Hudson River valley and am now a die-hard naturalized Michigander after having extensively explored these beautiful peninsulas of Michigan. A 33-year resident of Kalamazoo, I have been happily married to my accomplished wife Carol for 37 years. I have two grown sons; the younger a hydrogeologist in New York and my older son is married and lives in Michigan working as a statistician.

I have been involved in the sciences my entire life. I attended Michigan State University where I received two Bachelors of Science degrees in wildlife management and animal science and a Masters Degree in poultry science. I've worked in the poultry industry both in production and research. I have 25 years horticultural experience in wholesale and retail greenhouse production with a specialization in Michigan native plants.

I recently retired from the Western Michigan University Landscape Management department as natural areas manager where I oversaw the Kleinstuck and Asylum Lake preserve for 11 years. While at WMU I was able to work with many school groups in the greater Kalamazoo area. I take great pleasure in the opportunity to share what I've learned. From preschool to professionals, college to campers, formally or informally I have found myself sharing information with others of all ages, and that brings me great joy.

I am happy that Kazoo is focusing more on outdoor education. Connecting with the natural world is a great way to help us all navigate difficult times, especially with more than our share of difficult situations and decisions to overcome in the past months.

I will continue to use my extensive years in outdoor education to make these concepts interesting and real for students so that they may take this knowledge forward through their educational career. I'm a great believer in the teachable moment and will use each day, each place we visit to make the students aware of the science that surrounds them.

Member of the Faculty since 2026

Email Viviana

Hello! I am Viviana Plaza- I was born in Puerto Rico. I have been teaching Spanish for more than 20 years. I have two sons & two grandkids. I am excited to join Kazoo School as your Spanish teacher. I can talk to you all in Spanish one day! Welcome to my Spanish class!