Meet our
educators

Colleen@academyattheparc.com

Colleen Paul-Hus is the visionary, founder, and CEO of The Academy at the PARC, a Practical Arts Educational Resort Campus in Sebring, FL. After feeling misalignment with traditional education, she and her husband, Rich, felt called to create an intentional educational environment where students could learn while surrounded by nature. Practical arts is the hands-on application of knowledge acquired during the morning academic hours. Chemistry unfolds within the realm of blacksmithing, fractions manifest through cooking, geometry through leather working, and physics finds expression in the art of archery.

As a speaker, she has shared her insights at esteemed institutions such as The Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship, Waldorf School of Palm Beach and Education 2.0 Conference. She has been awarded the Humanitarian Award by Visit Sebring, Best Education Center in Sebring for two consecutive years, and the international Outstanding Leadership Award in Education. She recently completed a chapter in a book anthology titled, “The Purpose Driven Paycheck”, where she shares that her commitment to this work isn’t fueled by financial gain; it’s driven by the understanding that it’s aligned with her purpose-driven calling.

Colleen is most proud of raising their four children and for continuing to trust her intuition to make big and small decisions. Today, she continues to inspire and empower others to create unique learning environments that harmoniously integrate education, nature, nutrition, and emotional resiliency.

Her personal mission is isn’t solely about educating children; it’s about nurturing entire families. She believes that the seeds of transformation in education are sown in the child, but they grow to enrich and empower the entire family unit.

Gina@academyattheparc.com

As a mother of four children, Gina Parani strives to exalt childhood by nurturing the creativity and wonder inherent to us all. She trusts that children lead us in how to best support them in developing their chosen lane of genius. She enjoys working with the land in a reciprocal way to provide nourishment and healing, and believes it’s every human’s birthright to do so. Gina brings her experience facilitating nature-based learning pods, rites of passage ceremonies, women’s circles, mother-daughter circles and Waldorf-inspired homeschooling to support the Academy students and staff in carrying out their vision.

Janice Metcalf’s professional journey is marked by a diverse background that spans over 20 years in real estate, before transitioning into education. Her extensive experience in managing her own business has endowed her with a keen understanding of operational efficiency and relational skills that she now applies in the classroom to create a supportive and well-organized learning environment.

Janice is particularly excited about integrating her real estate background into her teaching practice. She envisions using her knowledge to weave rich, experiential learning opportunities into the local geography and history blocks. By connecting students to their community through creative storytelling, hands-on projects, and exploration, Janice aims to foster a deep sense of wonder and understanding about their enviroment.

Currently pursuing a degree in Elementary Education, Janice is deeply committed to her professional growth and development. Through her experience as a long-term substitute teacher and remote instructor, Janice has developed a strong proficiency in working with students of diverse needs, including those with dyslexia. Her recent role as a remote instructor allowed her to apply innovative teaching methods and engage with students in meaningful ways, particularly in addressing their reading and writing challenges.

Janice is drawn to the Academy at the PARC because of its alignment with her values and teaching philosophy. We look forward to the positive impact she will undoubtedly make in our 4th-grade classroom.

2024/2025 COURSES:
GEOMETRY, PHYSICS AND, HYDROLOGY

In 1991, Mr. D’Aleo became involved in education and research out of his strong experience of the interrelationship between the world of man, both technical and artistic, and the natural world. He has lectured internationally on the topics of science and education in various settings. Mr. D’Aleo is co-author of the book Sensible Physics Teaching, a guide for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade educators to teach physics in a manner relevant to the experience of the students. He is also the author of the forthcoming book, Embracing Materialism and Letting It Go – An experiential guide to overcoming an object-based world conception.

Mr. D’Aleo has a Mechanical Engineering degree from Rutgers University where he graduated Summa cum Laude. He also holds a Masters degree in education from Sunbridge College.

After completing his undergraduate studies, Mr. D’Aleo worked in design and development for Lutron Electronics, an electronics company in eastern Pennsylvania. As a result of his work for seven years with the company, Mr. D’Aleo is listed as an inventor on seventeen U.S. patents and various foreign patents as well. He was promoted to the position of Engineering Project Leader in charge of New Product Development. Mr. D’Aleo’s main interest was to find solutions to technical problems that resulted in designs that were artistic and based on processes found in the natural world. Many of his patents were the direct result of this interest.

2024/2025 COURSE:
CHEMISTRY OF COOKING

Burcu D’Aleo holds a bachelor’s degree in Physics, a master’s degree in Physics Teaching and Cognitive Psychology, and a PhD in Science Education.

With extensive experience as a guest science teacher, she has taught chemistry, physics, and earth sciences at numerous Waldorf schools across the United States, emphasizing
“sensible science teaching.”

Burcu has also contributed to various national and international Waldorf training programs focused on “living thinking.” She resides in the Adirondacks, NY, with her husband, Michael D’Aleo, and their son, Kai. Her hobbies include traveling, hiking, canoeing, cross-country skate skiing, and cooking.

2024/2025 COURSE:
AMERICAN HISTORY

The Academy found Mr. Walter in the swamps of Sanibel Island where he landed after wading the waters of Estero Bay and wandering the rivers and forests of the Southeastern United States, He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Sciences from Auburn University and his Master’s in Environmental Education and Communications from Royal Roads University on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

In addition to teaching history and science at the high school level and speaking on the history, flora, and fauna of Florida, he has also written on the history or western civilization. His research into the nexus between humans and their relationship with the natural world took him across millennia and the North American Continent and into the depths of philosophy. He believes that history and philosophy are fundamental for developing whole humans and a path along which students may discover who they really are. Mr. Walter and his wife of over ten years have two beautiful children. While Mr. Walter has had many roles in his life and, though he does on occasion harbor dreams of becoming a raccoon, the roles most important to him are that of husband and father.

Professionally, Mr. Walter has led impactful educational programs at several institutions. At the Sanibel Sea School, he developed and implemented marine education programs and founded a community-based paddling organization. As the Education Coordinator at Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium, he facilitated the creation of a nature-based Montessori school and managed seasonal camps for children.

Mr. Matisse graduated from Palm Beach Atlantic University with a degree in Communications and Philosophy. About a year later, he became a full-time teacher at the Academy.

Born in the Keys and a lifelong resident of South Florida, Mr. Matisse has a deep appreciation for the region’s land and ecology. The Academy has provided him with the opportunity to share his passion for nature and love of learning with the next generation of students.

Last year, Mr. Matisse’s class excelled in wonder, exploration, and discovery. They examined remarkable accomplishments like the Endurance Expedition, illustrating the strength of the human spirit and the power of fellowship.

In the upcoming year, Mr. Matisse is excited to continue nurturing this growth while adding layers to the students’ understanding of the world, others, and themselves. Through art and beauty, students will integrate their knowledge with practical applications in their lives, developing their understanding of morality and reasoning skills. Mr. Matisse hopes to create an environment that opens doors, expands horizons, and forms a lasting fellowship, enabling students to face life’s challenges together.

jessica@academyattheparc.com

Jessica Jury is our second grade teacher. She has twelve plus years experience working with younger elementary children. Before coming to the PARC, she ran a co-op group as a homeschool mom of two. She loves anything creative, nature based, and whimsical — always striving to bring that and a sense of wonder into her classroom.

Steven is a husband and father of 2 boys, with a deep love for his family, Mother Earth and his indigenous culture.
He is a Florida native that enjoys being in nature, crafting handmade primitive bows and arrows for hunting, growing nutritious food and herbal medicines.

Steven has a love for constant learning, and is new to the world of education, but thoroughly enjoys going back to his childhood roots of being wild and free while guiding his students on their learning journey inspired by nature and imagination.

2023/24 was Steven’s inaugeral year of teaching at the Academy. We are honored to have him returning to take another class through 1st grade. He hopes to continue on with this group of students through the grades. Steven is an exemplary Educator who truly embodies the Living Thinking we wish to cultivate in our students. He is a member of the core faculty and contributes alot behind the scenes to propel our vision forward.

I discovered my calling for teaching while still in high school. After earning my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, PA, and teaching for a few years, I found the Susquehanna Waldorf School in Pennsylvania and immediately knew it was where I belonged. I had the privilege of teaching two cycles of students from first through eighth grade at Susquehanna Waldorf School.

To further my commitment to Waldorf education, I attended the Waldorf teacher training summer program at Antioch University New England in Keene, New Hampshire.

Due to family commitments, I relocated to Sebring, FL, to care for my parents. I was thrilled to find a school in Sebring that shares my educational philosophy—the Academy at the PARC, which believes in helping children unfold naturally while discovering their gifts.
Handwork has been a lifelong passion of mine. I first asked my mom to sign me up for a knitting class when I was ten, and since then, I have explored many different aspects of the fiber arts. I am excited to share this passion with the students at the Academy and help them discover their own creative talents.

Jordan Thomas has been forging since 2002, professionally as part of a team in a large shop from 2004-2020. Most of his experience is in architectural work; entry gates, stair and balcony railings, lighting elements, furniture, and fireplace accessories. He enjoys doing smaller work such as candleholders, cooking implements, and tools.

Jordan has been a member of the Florida Artist Blacksmith Association (FABA) since 2002 and has made some of his most enduring friendships through that organization. Many people were very kind and helpful to him when he got started.  He began teaching and demonstrating around 2008-2009 and found that he enjoyed it very much. It gives him great joy to share the craft as it was shared with him, and to be a link in the chain of metalworking knowledge passed along through millennia.

Ashley Look is the wooden spoon carver behind ​Of Grain and Grain.​
She’s been an avid woodcarver for 8+ years and committed to the craft after discovering the profound pleasure of creating something by hand. When she’s not helping others get more out of life’s simple pleasures, she’s enjoying the taste of adventure, sailing as a chef for the tall ship community. She splits her time between land and sea and has found no better joy than sipping fresh coffee in the morning sunshine with a piece of wood and knife in hand.