MEET OUR EDUCATORS
At the heart of our exceptional learning community are the dedicated and passionate educators who bring our classrooms to life. Our teachers and staff are more than just experienced professionals; they are caring mentors, innovative problem-solvers, and lifelong learners themselves. Each member of our team brings a unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives to the table, creating a vibrant and inclusive educational environment where every student can thrive. We take great pride in the diverse backgrounds and expertise of our faculty, as they collaborate to develop engaging, multi-disciplinary curricula that ignite curiosity and foster a love for learning. Join us in getting to know the remarkable individuals who make our school an extraordinary place to grow, explore, and discover.
Marcie Fusco, Director
Ms. Marcie has been the owner and manager of Wildwood Acres since 2013. She comes from a background of both Education (Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education) and Agriculture (riding and animal husbandry).
Marcie was nominated as “Educator of the Year” in the Quaboag Hills Chamber of Commerce 2025 Choice Awards for her work with Wildwood.
Marcie began her journey toward Wildwood as a horse owner and rider. She became a certified Therapeutic Horseback Riding instructor to support children with Special Needs through horseback riding instruction. She followed this passion and bought the property on Wigwam Rd. to create Wildwood Acres Farms, an equestrian facility. Over time, she began incorporating other farm animals as well, and became a 4-H provider. She is a registered breeder of several types of farm animals. She soon created Wildwood’s beloved Summer Camp program, and launched Wildwood Farm & Forest School during the pandemic as a safe outdoor space for homeschooled children to play and socialize. In 2024, she was approved as a licensed full-time independent school.
Marcie has her A.A in Early Childhood Education from QCC and her B.S. in Psychology from SNHU, and has completed significant study in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. She has worked in the public school system as a School Adjustment Counselor, a teacher trainer, and an ABA specialist.
She believes that children will do well if they are given unconditional love, gentle guidance, much exposure to nature, and are free to create and explore their world.
Marcie is the mother of three children and one giant dog. She loves to hike, garden, and most of all to play with her human and animal families.
Sadie Westermann, Preschool Teacher
Miss Sadie leads the Preschool program. She uses her love and knowledge of the natural world to inspire the children to experience it through all five of their senses. The ducklings feel the textures of bark and moss, smell the skunk cabbage blooming, color with marigolds, hear the birds’ song, and taste the black raspberries that grow wild. She encourages den building, climbing, and imaginative free play to build strength, self-confidence, and problem-solving skills. Bees and butterflies, goats and horses, sticks and rocks, plants and flowers are all woven into hands-on learning experiences.
Sadie earned her Bachelor’s Degree from UMass Amherst and is a natural dye artist. She spends her free time baking, growing dye flowers, and walking along the Swift River.
Lynsey Fletcher, Kinder & 1st Teacher
Miss Lynsey nurtures a love for learning through art and play. With a deep appreciation for the wonders of the world around us, she inspires her students to engage with and cherish nature. Her students embark on adventures to discover the beauty of their environment, creating lasting memories and connections along the way.
Fostering creativity and critical thinking, Ms. Lynsey incorporates hands-on activities like den building, visual arts with natural materials, and performing arts. She believes in the power of learning by doing and emphasizes collaboration, allowing students to learn with and from one another. Through art integration, language arts, social studies, science, and math are seamlessly woven together.
Ms. Lynsey earned her Bachelor's Degree in Art Education from Hampshire College, where she also spent a summer working on their vegetable farm. She also holds an Associate's Degree in Visual Art from Mount Wachusett Community College. Passionate about integrating art and nature into her teaching, Ms. Lynsey creates a nurturing classroom where curiosity is celebrated, friendships flourish, and every child is encouraged to grow into a confident, resilient learner. In her free time, you can find her traveling, hiking, creating art in various mediums, and rock climbing.
Miranda Barker, 2nd & 3rd Teacher
Mrs. Miranda is the lead teacher for the 2nd and 3rd grade class. Since she was a child, she possessed an insatiable love of being outside with animals and bugs. For Miranda, all living things from a towering oak tree to a colony of ants- are deserving of awe, respect and protection.
She also has a profound love of reading and is committed to providing literacy access to all. She continues to work with The REAL Program in Lynn, MA, a literacy nonprofit, to highlight this importance, especially for young children. She works to create little free libraries all over Massachusetts, believing books and literacy should be free to all, and the act of giving is a simple but powerful one. She believes teaching children the importance of reading is not simply imparting a skill, but giving them power to choose their own interpretation of the world, to dream without limit.
Miranda’s ultimate goal is to foster independence and confidence in children, to assist them while they discover the solutions for themselves. Empowering the children to trust their instincts while giving them the tools to become self-reliant in their own learning. She continues her higher education in Childhood Development while she and her husband raise their 4 children in their new home of East Brookfield. At home her and her family enjoy movie nights, summer camping, cuddling their new kittens, and spending lots of time outside exploring and learning together.
Lauren Eppinger, 4th & 5th Teacher
Miss Lauren brings a deep commitment to environmental education, inclusion, and experiential learning to her teaching. She believes learning should be hands-on, meaningful, and rooted in the natural world. Whether guiding students through a school garden, exploring ecosystems on a nature walk, or creating art from natural materials, she encourages curiosity, creativity, and connection to place and community.
Drawing from experience in both environmental education and nonprofit work, she weaves science and storytelling into joyful, child-centered learning. She has worked as an Environmental Educator with Mass Audubon, a School Gardens Specialist in Worcester Public Schools, and a Chemistry Teaching Assistant at WPI. Each role has deepened her commitment to equity, sustainability, and the belief that every child deserves to feel seen, heard, and inspired.
Miss Lauren holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering and Gender Studies from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from Northeastern University. She continues to bring together her passions for science, art, and advocacy to help students grow as resilient, curious learners ready to care for each other and the world around them.
Braedon Jarvis, 6-8th Interim Teacher
Primitive Skills Instructor
Mr. Braedon has dedicated his life to survival and wilderness adventure. With a degree in Outdoor Education and years of professional experience leading excursions, he brings both expertise and enthusiasm to his teaching. Through toolmaking, survival skills, and hands-on projects, Mr. Braedon helps students discover the creativity and resilience found in the natural world.
Braedon holds a Bachelor of Science in Adventure Education from Plymouth State University, and is an avid hiker, kayaker, and rock climber.
Lexi Thayer, Equine Instructor
Miss Lexi has spent her life dedicated to all things equestrian. With over 16 years in the saddle and a depthful mentorship co-running many camps and riding programs throughout her career, she brings a philosophy of reciprocity and relationship building to her lessons.
Lexi’s students possess a deep understanding of how to care for, work with, and interpret the nuanced personalities of the animals they work with.