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Margaret Mackie, Handwork Teacher

"Hi, I'm Jill, your Movement Teacher.

"I’m super excited to be a part of the Winterberry family! I hail from the east coast and was raised in New England. Lucky enough to be born at a time when my youth could be spent sans direct adult supervision, my brothers and I spent endless hours with the neighborhood kids exploring the woods, swamps, and each other’s backyards. After graduating with a B.S. in Sociology, I spent the next 10 years exploring outdoor recreation through seasonal guiding across the United States. One of my favorite experiences was serving adjudicated youth in a therapeutic wilderness program for 45-65 day hitches in the magnificent Utah backcountry. I came to Alaska through my guiding pursuits in 2004 and spent four summers based out of majestic Cooper Landing. Meeting my soon-to-be husband “slinging chairs” (we were fellow lifties) on the slopes of Alyeska, we quickly pursued homesteading our owner-financed acre in Girdwood. A process that is still on-going! In 2011, we began to build our family through OCS’s foster program. A beautiful leap of faith that bore us two beautiful sons, beyond our dreams come true.

In the “professional” aspect of life, my interest in earning a Master’s in Elementary Education came from my passion to connect and contribute to the youth experience. I believe in equal access to education for children of all abilities. One of my professional goals has been teaching Movement as it marries my two interests in supporting youth development and encouraging healthy physical foundations. I served a few years as a P.E. Specialist at Rilke Schule, a German immersion school in ºÚ¶´ÉçÇø, Alaska. Previously, I had been a substitute-teacher and a SPED T.A. with the ºÚ¶´ÉçÇø School District since 2006. At first full time, then concurrently along with a career in Social Work. After two years as a Care Coordinator for people who experience disabilities, I worked as a grant officer (Community Wellness Coordinator, RurAL CAP) coordinating state, private, and federally funded programs that support Alaska Native youth in areas of substance abuse prevention, youth development, energy efficiency education, and subsistence activities. I loved this work as it afforded me the wonderful opportunity to travel and collaborate with many Alaska Native communities throughout this vast state. I earned my Graduate teaching certificate and Masters of Arts in Teaching Elementary Education through the University of Alaska Southeast.

I am excited that as an educator at Winterberry, I am afforded the flexibility to deliver a holistic approach to movement concepts/physical fitness. We will be providing a wide range of skill-building activities that promote collaboration, communication and critical thinking. Skills will align with the Waldorf curriculum and students will explore practical activities that nurture positive values and attitudes, providing a good foundation for a healthy lifestyle. I am thrilled to be serving the Winterberry community and can’t wait to connect with each of you!" 

Greg Choquette, Special Education