Dacia Dauner is the Founder and Lead Educator of Apple Blossom Village. Dacia coordinates all Apple Blossom programming as well as teaching in the 1st - 4th grade classroom. Dacia grew up in the Bemidji area and spent much of her childhood wandering the woods and playing in nature, helping in the garden, and dabbling in the arts.

Dacia holds a degree in Early Childhood Education from Bemidji State University along with a B.S. in Accounting and a B.A. in Humanities. She has been attending Waldorf Education summer intensives in Portland, Oregon since the summer of 2011 and has completed Waldorf Early Childhood and Kindergarten courses as well as taken Waldorf training in teaching 1st - 5th grade. Dacia also attends numerous other trainings including the National Children and Nature Network Conference.

Dacia is currently a recipient of the Initiators Fellowship-Minnesota and hopes to expand her impact in her community and Greater Minnesota through offering hands on and in person workshops to Educators and Parents in Outdoor Learning with a Mind, Body, and Spirit Approach.

Dacia has led workshops for childcare providers, parents, and teachers and organized family festivals and events in the more than 20 years that she has worked with children and families. In 2022, Apple Blossom purchased Yurts and constructed them as outdoor classrooms. Apple Blossom is a fully outdoor immersion program year round. Dacia is eager to share her story and insights and is available for speaking engagements and parent coaching. Dacia and a co-founder of the Nature School, Sarah Wilson, are collaborating on a book with seasonal nature activities for parents and children.

In her spare time, Dacia enjoys time with her husband Jay, her 2 grown daughters, and grandson. She loves nature and the outdoors, handwork and the arts, world cultures, and travelling whenever she gets a chance. Dacia is enthusiastic about teaching young children life skills and the arts along with academics in an outdoor setting.

Justine is our Full Time Multi-Age Kindergarten Teacher! Justine has her degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood from Bemidji State University. She spent six years working for Head Start in home and center based programs. This is where she truly developed her passion for working with families and teaching young children. She stayed home with her own children, Louis and Celia, and had discovered the Waldorf philosophy when she started researching the best kindergarten options for her son. The developmentally appropriate and child centered learning drew her to Apple Blossom. Justine attended Taproot, a Waldorf-Inspired Homeschool Training in 2023, and has attended several Lifeways Early Childhood Trainings online. Observing her own children engaged with their natural environment also contributed to her love for outdoor education. Justine now brings her talents for handwork, folk dance, music, and Spanish to the children in the Grades Class along with leading the Multi-Age Kinder Class. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, sewing, reading, and spending time with her family.

Alexzandra Staudt began as a parent volunteer in the Kindergarten in 2019. When her own child, Poppi, moved into the 1st - 4th grade, Alexzandra came with her and now works as the 1st - 4th Grade Classroom Assistant, sharing her talents with us! Alexzandra is also a Summer Camp Leader for Apple Blossom and runs various Adult Workshops. Alexzandra has been a “maker” all her life and is passionate about engaging kids with their head, heart, and hands. Knitting, sewing, building, cooking, and gardening are some of the skills she enjoys teaching about. As a citizen scientist she is always in observation mode, just waiting to spark conversations about birds, animals, plants, or weather with students and parents. Alexzandra is a fierce advocate of alternative learning and environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Addie Dauner is in her second year us at Apple Blossom as the part-time Morning Teacher for Preschool and Assistant for the Multi-Age Kindergarten. Addie has been working at Apple Blossom Summer Camps since the beginning, and now as a mom to Kington, she brings her enthusiasm for outdoor learning to the Preschool and Kindergarten. Addie graduated from Bemidji State University with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Mass Comm, and is now pursuing a Forest Therapy Certificate. Addie leads our Growing Together Class on Thursdays and collaborates with Dacia to offer Parent Coaching. She also uses her skills in photography and videography to update our Instagram page and document our seasonal learning at Apple Blossom. Addie loves working at this beautiful and special place with your children.

Sarah Wilson runs our Forest Adventure Day programs, Summer Camps, and leads Outdoor Workshops for Educators. Sarah is also employed with Peacemaker’s Resources and has taught Social Emotional Learning class at Apple Blossom through a grant providing this opportunity. She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Bemidji State University. Exploring the forests around her home from an early age sparked her passion for the environment. For the past 15 years, she has enjoyed sharing that passion by engaging young people in place based, powerful learning. She loves to experiment with innovative teaching methods and is passionate about creating equitable learning spaces that lift up marginalized voices. Sarah has been a part of Apple Blossom since the early days, helping co-found the Nature School. Sarah and Dacia are collaborating on a book with seasonal nature activities for parents and children and often work as a team to run workshops for educators. She lives and plays in the gardens and forests around Bemidji with her family.

Kristin Vogel has been involved at Apple Blossom is various capacities for many years. beginning back when Apple Blossom was brand new and offered childcare/preschool to assisting at Summer Camps and Parent/Child Class and as a Parent Volunteer at various programs. In all her experience, the Waldorf philosophy has resonated with her the most. The importance of nature, art, caregiver/child connection and nurturing the whole child are things she strives for in her home life and in her current position as a nanny. She looks forward to helping at Apple Blossom as needed.

Kristin enjoys caring for her chickens, cooking, reading, coffee and spending time at the lake. She lives in Bemidji with her husband Jeremy and two children, Sullivan and Frederick.

Ann Skoe remains connected to Apple Blossom through volunteering at events and leading Summer Camps. Ann had been our German Teacher at Apple Blossom for both the Kindergarten (ages 4 - 6) and the Grades (ages 6 - 10). While she no longer holds this role at Apple Blossom, her influence lives on in our traditions and songs at Apple Blossom! We hope to have Ann join us as a special guest in the future or see her at Summer Camps. For several years of her childhood, Ann lived in Germany. At Colorado College, she earned a degree in German studies.  Ann is licensed to teach both German and Spanish and is fluent in French. At Peacemaker Resources, she supported childcare providers as they strengthened the social emotional learning in their programs.  She has also held a wide variety of positions at Concordia Language Villages. Ann also works for the Headwaters Science Center in Bemidji, and teaches world languages online through Fergus Falls public school district. She looks forward to sharing her love for nature with your child. 

Cailee Furer is a Summer Camp Leader at Apple Blossom Village as well as a past Apple Blossom Parent/Child Class Educator. She is a licensed Parent and Family Educator and Early Childhood Teacher who teaches parent education classes and family classes at Bemidji Area Schools ECFE and Village of Hope Family Shelter. She has served as the Founder and Director of Bemidji Early Childhood Collaborative and is passionate about serving families and young children.  Cailee has been involved in Apple Blossom for many years in various capacities since her daughter attended preschool there and she worked part time as a toddler teacher and fell in love with the philosophy. She lives with her partner, Nick, and their two daughters Lily and Evie. When she has the chance Cailee loves to travel and visit new places, read, knit, garden, hike, attend theater, and simply sit outside and do absolutely nothing.