About Us: Learning in Community Together
Following Our Own Path
Workplay and Community Service
We celebrate individuality and encourage each student to embark on their unique educational journey. At Otter Trails, we provide the freedom and guidance for students to explore their interests, choose the skills they wish to develop, and follow their own path.
At Otter Trails, we believe in the power of learning together. Our community-driven approach fosters collaboration and shared experiences, allowing students to grow both academically and socially in a supportive environment. We actively engage with our local community, venturing out to explore and learn from the world around us.
Learning in Community
At Otter Trails, we believe in the magic that happens when work and play become indistinguishable. With a strong focus on collaboration and community service, we create an environment where learning by doing becomes dynamic and enjoyable.
Our team
Named for Corallina officinalis, a red seaweed that grows in the Gulf of Maine, Coral has a deep love of children, nature, farming, and the sea. Coral was raised on a homestead farm in Wisconsin where she spent her summers catching frogs and showing poultry, goats, and preserved foods at the local 4-H fairs. The first seeds of being an educator were planted through the 4-H model where she started teaching homesteading skills classes to peers and adults around the age of 12. She received a B.A. in Educational Studies and English Literature from Denison University in 2011. For the past 8 years she has been running outdoor education programs for youth in Waldo County including Village Day, Playworks, and Belfast Adventure Education. She is excited to adventure together in the new Otter Trails Parent Cooperative/Homeschool Enrichment Program.
Corallina (Coral) Breuer – Primary Guide
Suzanne Stone comes from a family of teachers and has worked with children in some capacity much of her life. As a child growing up in Maine, she has strong memories of interacting with Lupine, Jewelweed, Lipstick Lichen, Self Heal, and Bluets. She has apprenticed on organic farms and seed gardens, and continues to study with many herbalists and plants. In Portland, Oregon, she worked for over a decade creating gardening curriculum, forming and tending an acre of garden and food forest from the ground up, as the Head Gardener and Garden Educator of the farm-to-plate preschool, New Day School. Here she guided children in growing food, honoring insects, rain, worms, creating plant medicine and walking with the seasons through story, song and physical work. She is thrilled to continue learning with children and plants.
Suzanne Stone – Wednesday/Thursday Guide
Misha Sanborn – Tuesday Guide and Admin
Misha Sanborn lives in Thorndike with her family where she works as a part-time studio potter and full-time mother. Prior to motherhood, Misha worked as a special education teacher both in a private and public school. When she is not working in her studio and garden, Misha enjoys going on adventures with her two sons. Misha enjoys reading, pottery and hiking.