Our History

In the spring of 2014, several educators from Marygrove College formed Connecting Through the Arts & Education, a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to bring diverse families together around an interest in child-centered, inquiry-based education. By fall of the same year, we opened Scuola Creativa in Ferndale, Michigan, a one-room preschool for children ages three to five. In 2018, Scuola relocated to Royal Oak, Michigan, adding a classroom for infants and toddlers.

In 2023, Scuola Creativa expanded into two sites: The Nest for children aged two and under and The Meadow for children aged three to five. Each site includes two classrooms, an atelier (art studio) and an outdoor play space.

Core Values

  • We view children as competent, curious and full of potential, with ideas worth investigating through our curriculum.
  • We think of teachers as researchers, documenters, and lifelong learners.
  • We consider the classroom environment as the “third teacher,” thoughtfully designed to facilitate learning.
  • Our curriculum is inquiry-based, process-oriented and driven by the children’s and teachers’ interests.
  • We believe time outdoors, in all kinds of weather, provides valuable learning opportunities.
  • We value cooperation and collaboration among staff, families, and children.
  • We are committed to treating all children, families, and staff with respect and recognizing their rights.
  • We believe that diversity, in every sense of the word, enhances our learning environment.
  • We consider Anti-Bias Education and self-reflection critical for our individual and collective growth.
  • We value continuity of care from home to school, spanning from toddlerhood through the preschool years.

Philosophy

Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to education, Scuola Creativa partners with children, families, and the community to provide an inquiry-based education for young learners. Scuola Creativa upholds an image of the child as a powerful, competent, capable, and integral member of the community. We envision each family as unique, deserving of respect, and the center of the child’s life. We acknowledge children’s ability to reflect upon and contribute to their own learning through their many languages of expression and communication. Our vision is to base decisions on the principles of Reggio Emilia, incorporating current research on learning and development.

Meet Our Educators

Our teachers and staff are what make Scuola Creativa so special.

Anthony – The Meadow

Anthony (he/him)
Role: Lead Teacher – Monarchs
Alma mater(s): Marygrove College
Research interests: community, language, Woodward
Something I love about Scuola: I love the passion the teachers possess for learning and teaching.
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: Charro; Azteca podcast; A Podcast with a Growth Mindset!
One thing you might not know about me: I used to be on a wrestling team and I broke my right arm at practice one day! There is now a large scar that kids always seem to notice! I’m sure I’ve told the “how I broke my arm” story thousands of times and am prepared to tell it many more times.

tela

Tela – The Meadow

Tela (she/her)
Role: Lead Teacher – Monarchs
Something I love about Scuola: I love how involved the parents are here at Scuola
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: I am watching the original “Charmed” series
One thing you might not know about me: A fun fact about me is that I love to cook and I make press-on nails in my free time

Julian – The Meadow

Julian (he/him)
Role: Teacher – Monarchs
Alma mater(s): Grand Valley State University
Research interests: Music exploration (bluegrass, funk, classic rock), nature (bugs, plants), colors and emotion
Something I love about Scuola: How welcoming it feels here
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: Rewatching episodes of Impractical Jokers
One thing you might not know about me: I have four older brothers and their initials are all JMN.

Larissa – The Meadow

Larissa (she/her)
Role: Lead teacher – Dragonflies
Alma mater(s): U of M Dearborn
Research interests: Drawing for understanding, exploration of children’s rights in the classroom, connection to our local community, anti-basis work, general theory development, creating space for community play
Something I love about Scuola: The Scuola community of teachers, families and children has become like a family to me and taught me more about who I am as a person than I ever knew was possible. 
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: In my down time I love watching all sorts of Youtube videos about creative journaling. Some of my favorite channels are James Luke Burke Creative, Little Raven Ink and By Bun
One thing you might not know about me: Sometimes when I’m driving at night I quiz myself to see if I can figure out what model of car is driving just by looking at the shape of its headlights. I also love rock tumbling.

Christine – The Meadow

Christine (she/her)
Role: Teacher – Dragonflies (The Meadow)
Alma mater(s): Concordia University in St. Paul MN
Research interests: How to transform my yard into a more pollinator-friendly area, looking up native planting to grow and how to become a better gardener.
Something I love about Scuola: What a welcoming environment it is, and it feels like a place I can grow as a teacher.
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: I just started reading “Rebel Girl” by Kathleen Hanna and have been listening to a lot of Punk Rock Blitzkreig with Marky Ramone.
One thing you might not know about me: I have a large collection of vintage board games from the 70s and 80s.

Katy – The Meadow

Katy (they/them) 
Role: Teacher – Dragonflies; Aftercare Coordinator 
Alma mater(s): University of Texas at San Antonio
Research interests: Environmental and outdoor education; social-emotional development; autism spectrum disorders; connecting children with the natural world
Something I love about Scuola: That it is filled with connection, community, and love for the whole child, their families, and staff
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: I am reading Ron Grady’s book, “Honoring the Moments in Young Children’s Lives: Observation, Documentation, and Reflection.” I am listening to the Telepathy Tapes Podcast: Director and filmmaker Ky Dickens dares to explore the profound abilities of non-speakers with autism – individuals who have long been misunderstood and underestimated.
One thing you might not know about me: I owned a Detroit-style pizzeria in rural West Texas

Lee – The Meadow

lee (they/them) 
Role: Assistant Teacher – Dragonflies
Alma mater(s): Western Michigan University
Research interests: sensory systems, language and communication, ecology, embodiment
Something I love about Scuola: The care work. The seeds.
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: “Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals” by Alexis Pauline Gumbs
One thing you might not know about me: I’m a twin.

christina

Christina – The Meadow and Nest

Christina (she/her)
Role: Assistant Teacher – Monarchs and Robins
Alma mater(s):  Western Michigan University
Research interests: Environmental impact and horticulture
Something I love about Scuola: I love the sense of community here
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: I’m always listening to Thomas Newman’s music.
One thing you might not know about me: I live a minimalist lifestyle and enjoy owning few possessions; it allows more time to focus on what is important to me.

Riley – The Nest

Riley (he/him)
Role: Lead Teacher – Robins
Alma mater(s): U of M Dearborn
Research interests: social-emotional development, music
Something I love about Scuola: The families and staff are the most wonderful I’ve ever worked with in my seven years of teaching!
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: “The Fateful Triangle” by Noam Chomsky; “The Rise of Endymion” by Dan Simmons

cora

Cora – The Nest

Cora (she/her)
Role: Teacher – Robins
Research interests: Earlier this year I read the Canadian Paediatric Society’s position statement: “Healthy Childhood Development through Outdoor Risky Play: Navigating the Balance with Injury Prevention.” Since then, much of my observation of the children in my care has been colored by my desire to understand their internal calculus of risk and how my behavior is influencing their decision making. 
Something I love about Scuola: I love the low-panic ethos. When things go wrong, everyone is able to calmly restrategize, which makes for a tranquil environment, even in the face of the chaos inherent to a classroom full of toddlers.
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: Right now I’m reading Sigmund Freud’s Moses and Monotheism and Park Seolyeon’s A Magical Girl Retires. I’ve been trying to alternate fiction and nonfiction, but my reading list remains nonfiction-heavy. My 17-year-old sibling has me watching a K-Drama called “Tale of the Nine-Tailed: 1938” and my 10-year-old brother has me watching “X-men ‘97.” As for music, I’ve been listening to a lot of Chino Pacas recently.
One thing you might not know about me: I was born and raised in West Virginia, the state with the highest mean age in the country. Perhaps that’s the origin of my fascination with the inner lives of young children; where I’m from, young families are few and far between!

Jenn – The Nest

Jenn (she/her)
Role: Assistant Teacher – Robins
Alma mater(s): University of Michigan (undergrad); University of Illinois Chicago for OT school
Research interests: Collaborative and Proactive Solutions Model; relationship between anxiety and sensory processing 
Something I love about Scuola: The thoughtfulness and observation skills of the staff
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: Caroline Polachek, TILT Parenting podcast
One thing you might not know about me: I ran a concert venue in the basement of my dorm in college.

Trinity – The Nest

Trinity (she/her)
Role: Assistant Teacher – Robins; Aftercare
Alma mater(s): Hillwood High School
Research interests: Plant identification, film, gardening, and hostics are some interests I indulge in
Something I love about Scuola: I’ve noticed Scuola is super invested in communication and the development of the kids’ ideas
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: At the moment I’m watching “One Piece” and reading books on the stars and how people would navigate them.
One thing you might not know about me: I was in a band in high school. I can recite all of the movie “Aladdin” in full.

Pauline – The Nest

Pauline (she/her)
Role: Teacher – Chickadees
Alma mater(s):  University of Caen Normandie, France; Oakland Community College
Research interests: I have always loved cooking and baking. French and Italian cuisine are my favorites but I am also learning some Asian recipes. In connection to cooking, I like to grow my own aromatic herbs and vegetables. I really care about the environment and nature. I try to be as eco-friendly as I can. I like hiking and traveling around the world whenever I get the opportunity.
Something I love about Scuola: What I like about Scuola is the sense of community, the relationship between the children, the teachers and the parents based on communicating with others and social collaboration. I also like the freedom given to the children to let their creativity grow through exploration and discovery.
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: I really loved reading the “My Brilliant Friend” tetralogy by Elena Ferrante. The last movie I saw in the theater was “Oppenheimer.” I like to listen to music, different kinds…Some artists I like: jain, Asaf Avidan. Beirut, Michael Kiwanuka, Kings of Leon and many others
One thing you might not know about me: I speak French and Italian. I was born and raised in Rouen, city of Normandy, France. I lived in Turin, Italy for a year.

Safia – The Nest

Safia (she/her)
Role: Assistant Teacher – Chickadees
Alma mater(s): Wayne State University
Research interests: The effect of violence and war on children; mindfulness and spirituality
Something I love about Scuola: I love how welcoming the community is here at Scuola. I am also grateful to be a part of an amazing team.
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: I recently started watching the anime “Attack on Titian” and I am also reading a book called “Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah

Mackenzie – The Nest

Mackenzie (she/her) 
Role:Teacher – Robins
Research interests: Nature and the world around us; how it works with us
Something I love about Scuola: The community
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: currently watching Master Chef

Dianne – The Nest

Dianne (she/her)
Role: Assistant Teacher – Chickadees
Alma mater(s): Wayne State University, Oakland University
Something I love about Scuola: The feeling of being welcome
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: Historical fiction novels
One thing you might not know about me: I swim laps and do water aerobics when the weather cooperates.

Chef Bryan

Bryan (he/him)
Role: Chef
Alma mater(s): Henry Ford College
Research interests: Graphic design and sociology
Something I love about Scuola: The welcoming and inviting environment
One thing you might not know about me: I lived in Mexico until I was 9 years old, then moved to Detroit in 2009.

Spincer – The Nest & Meadow

Spincer (he/him)
Role: Substitute teacher at Nest and Meadow
Alma mater(s): Oakland University (Broadcast Journalism)
Research interests: Dance and expression
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: At the moment I’m watching “Grey’s Anatomy”

Erin – The Nest & Meadow

Erin (she/they)
Role: Substitute Teacher at Nest and Meadow
Alma mater(s): Wayne State University
Research interests: Dance/movement therapy, the Great Lakes, environmental stewardship, and grieving practices
Something I love about Scuola: The positive community culture that is cultivated and upheld here by connection and collaboration between families and teachers.
Something I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: I’m listening to “Out of Sorts” – album by Atta Boy, and watching “The Twilight Zone”
One thing you might not know about me: Something you might not know about me is that I have a pet snake.

Wrynn – The Nest and Meadow

Wrynn (they/he)
Role: Substitute Teacher at Nest and Meadow
Alma mater(s): Wayne Memorial High School
Research interests: Community care/building; Anti-capitalism/abolition theory; language and literacy.
Something I love about Scuola: I love how Scuola fosters a close-knit community that emphasizes the needs and abilities of each child
Something I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: Reading “We Love to Entertain” by Sara Strohmeyer, watching “The Curse” and listening to “Wasted Eyes” by Amaarae

Katie – Director, Nest

Katie (she/they)
Role: Lead Teacher – Chickadees; Assistant Director
Alma mater(s): Kalamazoo College (BA in English), University of Colorado (Masters in Early Childhood Education)
Research interests: mealtime culture, atelier (art studio) practice, family partnerships, accessibility, anti-racist culture building, queer theory
Something I love about Scuola: This place is unlike anywhere else I’ve worked. We’re building a school culture that challenges everyone to think differently about what young children are capable of doing. The staff members are deep thinkers, who love to engage in conversations that challenge dominant discourses and think critically about their work. It offers a beautiful alternative to traditional early childhood settings, and it has become a very special community.
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: Reading: writing by Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Carson McCullers, Ali Smith, Hanif Abdurraqib, Eula Biss; Watching: old Simpsons episodes; Listening to: Bill Callahan, Dengue Fever
One thing you might not know about me: I drove a motorcycle through Northern Thailand (many years ago!)

Jamie Solomon – Director, Meadow

Jamie (she/her)
Role: Director
Alma mater(s): University of Michigan (BA in Psychology); San Francisco State University (MA in Early Childhood Education)
Research interests: Gender development in young children and the role teachers play; Anti-bias Education and decolonizing our teaching practices & learning spaces; Children’s need for big-body play and risk-taking; Children’s sensory needs and the connection to success in school settings
Something I love about Scuola: The community! The families and teachers who are attracted to Scuola tend to be very thoughtful and creative people who are looking for an alternative experience to most other school settings. I love that the children here spend time engaging with materials and one another in a deep and meaningful way. The approach to teaching and learning is forward-thinking and dynamic.  
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: Listening: Classy, Truth Be Told (podcasts); Music: Allison Russell, The Internet, Japanese Breakfast; Reading: Memoirs by female authors 
One thing you might not know about me: My husband and I like to plan trips to places people generally recommend skipping over. Before having kids, we enjoyed outdoor rock climbing around the world.

Steffanie Bowles – Founder and Executive Director

Steffanie (she/her)
Role: Founder, Executive Director, Atelierista
Alma mater(s): Transylvania University (BA); Georgia Southern University (MEd, EdS); Savannah College of Art and Design (MFA); University of Georgia (PhD)
Research interests: Reggio-inspired curriculum design
Something I love about Scuola: Scuola is a real, live learning laboratory where we can explore and develop Reggio-inspired practices in an American setting.
What I’m reading/watching/listening to right now: Detective shows on Britbox; Lasciate Che Vi Parli di Foglie (Let Me Tell You About Leaves); Kate Nash

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