Green School - Bali, Indonesia

John and Cynthia Hardy
Green School Founders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A dedication to the principles of sustainability has slowly evolved out of the Hardy's international jewelry business into an even more proactive commitment to regeneration. The focus of their life's work is shaping the minds of the next generation with Green School.

More about John & Cynthia

 

Brad Choyt
Director

A specialist in experiential and entrepreneurial education, Brad has devoted his professional life to working with students to expand and refine their relationship to learning. He brings to Green School a deep commitment to experiential and holistic education through transformational teaching in the United States, India, Thailand and Tibet.

More about Brad

 

Kathleen Frye
Principal

Green School and the Bali community offer the ideal setting for Kathleen’s passion to create authentic, meaningful, and wonder-filled learning experiences for students of all ages. Her experience as an educator includes a background in the visual arts, arts education, interdisciplinary education, and curriculum development. She is currently serving as the Dean of Curriculum and Faculty Development at The Dwight School, a K-12 independent International Baccalaureate (IB) school in New York City. Kathleen believes that students should be prepared to become responsible global citizens of the 21st century – a world offering both opportunities and challenges that has the potential for extraordinary advances in thinking, knowledge, inventions, and communication. An education for the 21st century requires attention to the intellect as well as the social, emotional, and creative life of a child. Kathleen’s goal is to create a collaborative learning community at Green School where students, parents, teachers, and staff nurture and celebrate the unique abilities of every child.

 

Katy Wrede
Learning Resource Specialist

Katy Wrede brings 35 years of experience working with students from kindergarten through college in the United States, Germany, Italy, and, most recently, Indonesia. She has served as a classroom teacher, a Reading Specialist, a Language Arts Curriculum Coordinator, and a Learning Resource Specialist. She is currently serving as the Student Support Services Coordinator at Jakarta International School, and is now eager to bring her expertise to Green School. During her years in Jakarta, she also worked for the Foundation for Excellence in Education, a non-profit organization committed to improving education in Indonesia through teacher training. Katy’s passion for teaching and learning is a reminder that we are all life-long learners. Her strong background and experience guide both children and their teachers to make the important connections between learning and life. She is deeply motivated to help young people learn about themselves as learners, and considers Green School the perfect place to provide students multiple opportunities to explore both in and out of the classroom while strengthening and nurturing their growth socially, emotionally, and academically. She embraces the uniqueness of each individual and knows that providing everyone with positive learning experiences can only occur when we work together collaboratively as a community of learners.

 

Jurgen Zimmer
Director of Learning Village

Jurgen is a respected innovator in education, with over four decades of experience refining and building schools. His concept is characterized by UNESCO as a “new standard of educational excellence for the world community of the 21st century” and “world-class innovative effort in the field of education.”

More about Jurgen

 

Alan Wagstaff
Curriculum Developer

Alan Wagstaff has forty years experience in the education sector. He has served as a classroom teacher, principal, and as an international consultant in holistic education. The consultancy work placed him in a key advisory role to fourteen schools across New Zealand, Canada, and Australia. In particular he has developed creative systems to assist schools with: policy formation; curriculum innovation; parent education; behavior management; co-operative learning; student assessment; learning support; values education; literacy and literacy support; teacher development and appraisal; and facilitative school management structures. These improvement structures successfully married the objectives of mainstream education with holistic principles, environmental care, and child-centered pedagogy. Some 1000 adult students have been inspired by his on-campus courses in the last eight years. Alan is the author of the School’s first curriculum and will run an orientation program in holistic strategies for the Green School’s teachers.

 

Sinead Lawson
Lead Teacher
Preschool, 2008-2009

Sinead's career as an early childhood educator has spanned 14 years and numerous countries including Indonesia, Laos, Singapore, India and Ireland. Her love and respect for the environment first began here in Bali over 10 years ago when she worked as a volunteer at a local national school in Ubud, where in exchange for training others in the Montessori Method, she learned to use the environment as a living classroom utilizing concepts such as permaculture and learnscaping. This awe and wonder for the environment has stayed with her ever since and become an element within her teaching she strives to pass on to all her students. During her years in Singapore, she trained as a speech and drama teacher, and discovered the joy of being able to teach by simply using one's body and voice. This empowering experience has inspired her to encourage imagination and creativity in her students through physical expression and vocal exploration. She believes that our voices are one of the most powerful instruments we possess, and if we learn how to use it effectively, there is so much we can achieve. Sinead is also an avid storyteller using books, puppets and masks to tell her stories. Sinead has searched far and wide for a school like Green School and is delighted to have found it in Bali. She is looking forward to teaching in the Preschool and creating a place full of love, warmth, and wonder. But most importantly, she feels privileged to be a part of that special moment in a child's life when they have their first experience at school.

 

Veronika Nariswari Windi Kusumaningrum
Indonesian Lead Teacher
Preschool, 2008-2009

Our dynamic Indonesian teacher in Preschool is Veronika Kusumaningrum. Veronika was born in Surakarta, a city on central Java, on the Solo River. During her childhood, she moved from town to town, but spent a large part of her childhood in Manokwari, Irian Jaya. At the age of seven, she moved back to Surakarta where we lived until she finished junior high school. She then attended Sekolah Tinggi Bahasa Asing where she completed her teaching degree. She began her teaching career at High/Scope Indonesia in Bintaro where she taught for the last seven years. There she learned many things, particularly about alternative education and the importance of the first five years in a child's life for establishing the foundation for learning and acquisition of knowledge.

As a teacher, Veronika firmly believes that a child's world must be a place where everybody is accepted. Veronika has dedicated herself to teaching and to working closely with young children to make certain their early years are filled by feelings of safety and love. She feels so lucky and excited to start her teaching position at Green School largely because of this shared philosophy. "This School is not just buildings and books", she reflected. "Rather, the entire campus is a classroom and there are no boundaries to learn about everything life can offer." Veronika hopes to learn a great deal at Green School and contribute her knowledge and experiences to make the year a huge success.

 

Susan Allen
Lead Teacher
Pre-K - Kindergarten, 2008-2009

Susan Allen comes to Green School with 17 years of experience in the fields of Environmental Education, Integrated Arts Education, and ESL (English as a Second Language). She has taught students ranging in age from toddlers to adults in settings as diverse as gardens and museums, galleries and schools, daycare centers and arboretums. She is also a gifted storyteller and shadow puppeteer and has performed in Canada, Japan, and Indonesia with her theatre company, Me and My Shadows. Through this work and in partnership with Susiawan (her husband and partner in Me and My Shadows), Susan enjoys integrating shadow play and storytelling into the everyday activities of the children in her classes. In addition, Susan has trained teachers in the methodology of learning through the arts. She holds a Masters in Environmental Studies and has completed two years of her doctorate in Holistic Education. Fluent in Bahasa Indonesia, Susan is very interested in language acquisition and its connection to storytelling, movement, visual arts, and music. Susan looks forward to teaching, learning, and collaborating as a member of Green School's community. She is particularly excited to make connections and create learning activities inspired by Balinese culture, organic farming, entrepreneurial initiatives, and sustainable architecture. As her current students would testify, Susan is passionate about the creative process and is inspired through play, connecting to a sense of wonder in nature and bringing the whole body into all that we do.

 

Ingrid Abraham Sutanto
Indonesian Lead Teacher
Pre-K - Kindergarten, 2008-2009

Ingrid brings 12 years of experience as Kindergarten teacher in various national and international school in Indonesia. She is particularly excited to come to Bali since she loves the island for its beauty and rich cultural traditions. She is also delighted to have found a school that is founded on many of the same environmental ideals that she holds close to her heart. In addition to teaching in the classroom, Ingrid has experience with special needs students and has worked with children who are autistic and students with cerebral palsy. Ingrid also enjoys teaching extracurricular classes including singing, painting, and angklung (a Sundanese musical instrument made from bamboo). She is looking forward to bringing these and many other talents and interests to her students in Pre-K and Kindergarten as well as to the entire school community.

 

Andrea Maddy
Lead Western Teacher for First Term

Andrea Maddy was born in the American Midwest, raised in the Southwest, and lived for many years in the San Francisco Bay area. She comes to Bali from her most recent position in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona where she directed education programs at Desert Botanical Garden. Andrea is excited to bring her years of experience in a variety of unique and traditional educational settings to her Year 1-2 Class at Green School and is inspired to teach in a completely different culture and ecosystem.

Andrea has a Masters degree in traditional education, many years of experience as a Waldorf teacher, and has conducted extensive research into other educational methods and curricula. She strives to combine the best in all educational philosophies, a practice she perfected as a classroom teacher for seven years at the Desert Marigold School in Arizona. Andrea also has a strong interest in the ergonomics of school environments and design and landscape architecture. She has designed both residential and school garden projects in several locations around the United States. Andrea’s hobbies and interests include literature and creative writing, book binding and leather craft, theatrical arts, music, travel, hiking, biking, yoga, water sports, and holistic medicine. She comes to Bali with her son Payton, and a wholehearted commitment to carrying out Green School’s ambitious goals.

 

Dawn Wiedemann
Lead Teacher
Year 1 - 2, 2008-2009

Dawn is a long-time teacher and artist who brings an incredible range of experience to her time in the classroom. In 1982, she began teaching in the United States in the fields of media and culture studies, where Dawn designed curriculum and taught children and young adults in universities, art schools, private colleges. She moved to Indonesia in 1994, teaching cross-cultural programs for university students as well as Sasak villagers in the mountains of Lombok. Three years later, she moved to Bali where she worked as an artist, consultant, teacher, educational mentor, and principal, most recently at the Pelangi School. Dawn is eager to bring her passion for truly holistic life to Green School, integrating community, education, permaculture, bamboo architecture, yoga, and spirituality. As a parent and educator, Dawn’s clarity and compassion shows every day in her classroom.

 

Desak Putu Ratmini
Indonesian Lead Teacher
Year 1 - 2, 2008-2009

Desak was born and raised in the town of Singaraja, on the northern coast of Bali. She earned a Bachelor of English from Undiksha University. After she graduated, she moved to Denpasar where she worked as kindergarten teacher at Taman Rama School. Desak has over seven years of experience working as a classroom teacher for students with a wide range of ability levels. In the kindergarten and primary level, she taught subjects as diverse as art and mathematics, drama and physical education, language arts and science. She enjoys teaching every subject and working with children to get them engaged in learning about their world. Desak is excited to have many new challenges at Green School and to have an opportunity to use her creative skills and experience in various capacities. She believes that Green School is the perfect place to express her ideas and hone her skills in developing children as creative, confident, and independent learners.

 

Johnny Ryan
Lead Teacher
Years 3 - 4, 2008-2009

Johnny brings with him an enormous zest for life and an infectious curiosity for learning. From his wide experience in mainstream and alternative schools he has developed a strong belief in the importance of a purpose-filled education. Alongside rich daily lessons Johnny has particular interest in exploring drama, performance, outdoor education, and circus skills with classes, as he believes these activities connect a vast array of integrated skills which help build healthy, active, and socially harmonious classrooms. Johnny considers the way we teach our children to be of paramount importance and that it must be grounded in an honest foundation of human experience, immersed in a growing knowledge of the world, supported by a practical, reflective curriculum and surrounded by a culturally diverse, receptive community. He strongly shares the vision of Green School and is accompanied by his wife Phillipa and their two young children.

 

Asisthya Muluk
Indonesian Lead Teacher
Years 3 - 4, 2008-2009

Asisthya, who goes by Sisi, is very excited to join Green School’s faculty. She is eager to guide children and help them become responsible global citizens who are able to make a change in the world. Sisi discovered her love of working with children when teaching hip hop dance with her friends in an after school program at Jakarta International School for kindergarten and elementary children. She then became a teacher at Sekolah Cikal in Jakarta where she has taught students in Pre-Kindergarten through Year 3 in an IB curriculum since 2005. Her passion for teaching and love of working with children has continued to grow ever since. Sisi believes that the best teachers are true life-long inquirers. She loves learning as much as she enjoys teaching and is enthusiastic about inspiring the same love of learning to her students. Sisi considers her students as partners in the learning journey both inside and outside of the classroom. She is constantly amazed how much she can learn from children and how her teaching experience has been shaped by what they have learned together. Sisi always puts herself in her students’ shoes when teaching and brings a vibrant, respectful, caring, and happy attitude in every classroom she enters. Sisi believes Green School is the perfect place where both she and her students can learn to make empowering decisions while working together for a better environment.

 

Carol Duval
Lead Teacher
Year 5 - 6, 2008-2009

At the heart of Carol’s teaching philosophy lie these words of Rudolf Steiner: ‘We must recognize in the children who are born today, a preview of what must be developed in the coming generations: we must learn to educate prophetically.’ With experience in schools throughout Australia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom, as well as educational science publishing in the United States, Carol feels privileged to be part of a school that is consciously attempting to ‘educate prophetically.’ Creating a curriculum in which the environment is integral to the learning experience, the imagination is fired, the mind honed to think critically and systematically, along with a rhythmical, integrated approach to learning, will develop true wisdom in our children – and hope for the future. Al Gore recently dared us to become the generation that writers, poets, and artists of the future will celebrate for rising to this challenge. It is Carol’s firm belief that Green School will be in the vanguard of this ‘Great Turning.’ Carol’s husband, Richard, will move with her to Bali. She will also now be closer to her two grandchildren and her son and daughter-in-law, who live in Brisbane, Australia.

 

Anak Agung Gede Putra Rangki
Indonesian Lead Teacher
Year 5 - 6, 2008-2009

Agung was born into a traditional family in the small village of Abianbase, Kapal, Bali. Like most Balinese children during that time, Agung spent a lot of time in the ricefields looking for eels and other things from the land for the family dinner. Being close to nature is second nature for him. He went to college at IKIP Negeri Malang, a well known teacher training college in East Java, where he majored in English. After he graduated, he taught English and cross cultural skills on Galang Island to Vietnamese and Cambodian boat people who were relocating to Western countries. He then moved across the seas to Kalimantan and taught English for the Huffco and other American companies before relocating to Jakarta to work for the American Language Training. In 1985 he moved back to Bali to teach Indonesian language and culture to the School for International Training’s (World Learning) College Semester Abroad students. It was here that he grasped a true understanding of the term “cross-cultural” in expounding upon the values and beauty of his home culture of Bali to foreigners. He continued with School for International Training for 5 years and then he and his wife started the Elderhostel Indonesia program, where North American retirees come to Bali, Jogjakarta, Sulawesi and Thailand for three weeks to immerse themselves in the culture. He organized their trips, including a short stay with a local family, taught Indonesian and helped the Hostelers wrap their head around Indonesian culture.

In recent years, university students from University of Montana, University of Ohio, and UCLA have all benefited from Agung’s deep knowledge of Balinese culture and language. And this teaching experience paved the way for other cross-cultural journeys: journalists and filmmakers from Australia, India, the US and Europe have traveled Bali and Sulawesi with Agung to create their own interpretations of things Indonesian, ranging from the ancient I La Galigo texts to the Bali bombers (where he was able to get a much coveted interview with then Head of Police Mangku Made Pastika for ABC television) Agung also helped to recreate a 14th-century palace scene for Ted Turner’s series on the Millenium.

One of Agung’s special projects in recent years is creating a palace of healing and sanctity filled with plants, rare trees and herbs used in healing and in Balinese Hindu rituals. This is Rangki, a 1.7 hectare property flanked by a river in his home village of Abianbase, where the ancient Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Kirana or the relationship of people to others, God and nature is reflected. His dream is to preserve the principles of traditional Balinese architecture as it relates to nature. Rangki definitely resonates with the mission of Green School. He is very excited to share his culture and knowledge with the new batch of 5th and 6th graders at Green School.

 

Victor Prussack
Lead Teacher
Year 7 - 8, 2008-2009

Victor brings close to twenty years of classroom experience to Green School, including faculty positions at the Calhoun School (his alma mater) in New York City; an inner-city Seattle middle school; a global-learning focused middle school in Seattle; and his present position as a 7th and 8th Year teacher at a rural K-8 arts-based charter school in the Sierra Nevadas of northern California. An avid environmentalist, Victor is excited by the philosophies driving the creation of Green School, literally and spiritually. He uses both the classroom and outdoors as his learning environment, deeply understanding that our planet is too small and our lives on it too interconnected not to emphasize its importance to his students. In every environment, Victor combines an intense level of focus and high expectations, with a wonderful playfulness and true respect for his students. Having taught Year 5-8 students for the majority of his career, Victor is deeply skilled and passionate about working with adolescents and guiding them in their transition from childhood to young adulthood. In addition to teaching, Victor was the executive director of a creative and performing arts camp for teens, the director of faculty at a K-8 school, and a planning commissioner for Nevada City, California. Victor also has experience teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) and has a particular interest and skill in French language. He comes to Bali with his wife, Lisa Kusel, a writer, and their 6-year-old daughter, Loy, who is excited to begin Year 1 at Green School.

 

Monika Hardjowasito
Indonesian Lead Teacher
Year 7 - 8, 2008-2009

Having lived in the United States for 11 years, Monika grew up embracing both cultures and considers both the USA and Indonesia home. In America she lived in Maui, Virginia, and Michigan, while in Indonesia she has always lived in Jakarta. Monika obtained her BA degree in Rhetoric Communications with an emphasis in International Development Studies from Calvin College. Since graduating in 2003 she has narrowed her focus to educational development work. Her teaching experiences range from teaching mathematics, science, and social studies at a private national-plus school in Jakarta to teaching East Timor refugee children and drama at a camp for physically disabled adults in Michigan. On school holidays, Monika frequently returns to Salatiga, Central Java to volunteer at the Institute for Social Research, Democracy, and Social Justice (PERCIK) as interpreter, translator, and communications department writer. During her spare time, Monika is vocal student of one of Indonesia’s leading sopranos. Once she has settled in Bali, Monika hopes to continue her vocal training of 10+ years. She feels privileged to be part of Green School’s educational vision and mission and looks forward to inspiring and being inspired by Green School students, faculty, and staff.

 

Katelyn Ransom
Classroom Teacher, Member of New Teacher Program
Pre-K - Kindergarten, 2008-2009

A recent graduate of Ithaca College, Katelyn brings to Green School a vibrant outlook towards education. Having designed her own Global Studies degree, Katelyn was able to approach learning from an interdisciplinary perspective and pursue her greatest passions and interests: environmental sustainability; foreign languages; and teaching. Katelyn feels fortunate to have experienced the tremendous value of international education. Having studied abroad twice during her undergraduate career, including a semester in Bali, Katelyn believes that both experiential learning and international mindedness play significant roles in today’s education.

In addition to her passion for learning and teaching in an international setting, Katelyn speaks Bahasa Indonesia and is familiar with Balinese society. She was greatly influenced by the culture’s unique arts and warm people during her studies here. While on the island, she had the opportunity to volunteer with a local permaculture-NGO that helped broaden her knowledge of sustainable agriculture systems. She is thrilled to be part of a campus community that respects the natural patterns of ecosystems and operates within a permaculture model. Katelyn is looking forward to encouraging and challenging students to utilize their full learning potential. She is delighted to join such a wonderful team of students and faculty, and is excited to help prepare young students to become curious, mindful, and responsible global leaders.

 

Glenn Chickering
Classroom Teacher, Member of New Teacher Program
Year 1 - 2, 2008-2009

A Michigan native who for many years made his home in the Colorado Rockies, Glenn brings a wide-range of experience to Green School. Before spending the past year teaching kindergarten and primary school in Taiwan, he taught earth science in the field to inner city children of New Orleans, taught at a summer learning camp for children with learning disabilities, substituted every level from K-12, volunteered for a community literacy program, and volunteered for an NGO building schools in developing countries. Working with disabled children profoundly shaped his teaching philosophy, focusing on the development of each child’s confidence in his or her own ability to learn. Children are empowered to trust their instincts and explore with confidence when teachers treat each student with respect and take seriously all of their questions and concerns. As a believer in physical health as a vital aspect of holistic education, Glenn will contribute years of experience as a coach and athlete to help develop our athletic program. He is thrilled to be part of the ambitious team with fresh ideas at Green School.

 

Ivan Boshoff
Classroom Teacher, Member of New Teacher Program
Years 3 - 4, 2008-2009

Ivan spent his youth in the mountains of Montagu, a small country town in South Africa. In this environment of great natural beauty and cultural diversity, he began to respect the subtle yet powerful interactions that we share with the world. Ivan believes an awareness of one's thoughts and that words and actions are essential ingredients for fruitful relationships.

With a thirst for challenging experiences and ultimately personal growth, he explored much of Africa, Europe, and Australia. While working as an Adventure and Field Studies Instructor in England, he led a variety of groups in fencing, rock-climbing, stream and dune ecology and management, and geology excursions. Arriving in Australia with strong social justice principles, he became an aide to students with mental and physical disabilities and volunteered with a number of environmental and social organizations, such as The Wilderness Society and The Gold Coast Project for Homeless Youth. Inspired by the holistic philosophies of the Steiner Education system, Ivan has now directed his life towards becoming a skillful facilitator of human development. He is amazed by the unique ability of every individual, and teaches with the respect that allows students to better know themselves and better understand their world. Ivan brings an admiration for Green School’s philosophies and practices and a passion to serve the community of individuals.

 

Kathryn Driscoll
Classroom Teacher, Member of New Teacher Program
Year 5 - 6, 2008-2009

A recent graduate of Brown University, Kate is excited to be joining Green School as a member of the New Teacher's Program. Kate's passion for cultural exploration and discovery is rooted in a breadth of international experiences, which range from organic farming in Italy and Ireland to studying Himalayan culture in India, Nepal, and Tibet. Her travels have enabled her to forge lasting relationships with people throughout the world, while informing her understanding of experiential learning as a powerful medium of intellectual and personal growth. Kate believes it is critical to instill students with global perspectives, and to foster enthusiasm for learning through a meaningful and creative educational environment. She is eager to collaborate with the diverse and remarkable individuals of the Green School community, and to contribute to the school's extraordinary vision that is bound to impact the future in tremendous and unpredictable ways.

 

Sara Mononen
Classroom Teacher, Member of New Teacher Program
Year 7 - 8, 2008-2009

Despite Sara's youth, she comes to Green School with quite a range of
experiences in the field of education. She has taught in South Korea, Spain,
New Zealand and Canada and has acquired a strong background in the areas of ESL (English as a Second Language), supplementary education, and the arts. Most recently, she has taught individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Sara brings with her a passion for creative expression and reflective practice. Her strong connection with today's youth has provided her with insight into the need for a more holistic approach to education. She is excited to be a part of such an inspiring community where she can grow as an educator and work collaboratively with talented and dedicated faculty. At Green School, she hopes to create a space where children can safely reach down inside themselves, light the lamp of their soul, and let it shine.

 

Leah Feder
Documentation Coordinator, Member of New Teacher Program
2008-2009

Leah comes to the Green School with a fresh and hopeful excitement. Inspired by the ideal of a holistic learning environment and a commitment to integrating practical skills with the world, Leah brings a passion for education to her position as New Teacher and Green School blogger. As an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, Leah taught health education in low-income West Philadelphia public schools. Informed by her experiences, she arrives at the Green School with a belief in student-driven learning: that our role as educators is to encourage exploration and constant inquiry. Raised in Toronto, Canada, and blessed with extensive travel experiences through Central America, Eastern and Western Europe and the Middle East, Leah has seen communities integrate diverse cultural knowledge and experiences--a tremendous achievement that she sees wholly possible at the Green School. She believes that a community thrives as its members actualize their potential, and is thrilled to be part of a community wherein each member is purposeful and creative. Armed with enthusiasm and inspired by the school's mission, Leah contributes her knowledge and excitement to the Green School's rich array of resources.

 

Hillary Kane
Arts Coordinator, Member of New Teacher Program
2008-2009

Hillary Kane has made an initiative of cultivating her artistic inspiration and abilities as an educator by heading out into the world and finding her classroom there. She has worked, studied, and found a home in a wide spectrum of cultures and settings, from rural Cameroon to metropolitan China, throughout Europe, and from north east to south western U.S. as everything from art resident to organic farmer, apprentice to tutor. Each experience has served to enrich and expand her natural inclinations as a teacher, while fueling her artistry. She has taught an equally wide range of age groups in both formal schools and unstructured classrooms, finding the wonderous and important interaction in both. During her years in Cameroon, she lead farmer groups in agroforestry and permaculture techniques, while also pioneering an environmental education program with youth—both reaffirming her desire to practice and share a sustainable lifestyle. Having taught oral language acquisition in numerous settings, and having studied many languages herself, she is also fascinated by the interplay of language with visual expression and communication. Most certainly, she is an advocate of the indelible impact of multicultural immersion and exploration. A dedicated artist, Hillary brings to the classroom the effervescence of her creativity and optimism in her every approach to teaching. An eternal student as well, she attributes some of the greatest moments of learning to her time spent teaching, finding great value in the holistic reality of give and take in a classroom—knowing that we each learn as much as we teach. She joins Green School with enormous enthusiasm to share, and is honored to be able to participate in a vision so verily reflected in her own: one of participatory learning, a classroom that extends far beyond the walls of its confinement, the holism of the entire faculty, student body, and cultural setting. Ever since having read, many years ago, Alan Weisman’s, Gaviotas, a documentary of a visionary and sustainable community flourishing in the inhospitable desert lands of Colombia in the very midst of political chaos and strife, she has been inspired to actively pursue the ideals of that community, described as “a village to reinvent the world”-- the very ideals Green School aspires to embody. Hillary comes to Bali directly from Japan, where she has been studying and researching wood-fired ceramics.

 

Ben Macrory
Head of Admissions

Ben Macrory’s experience with international education started early. Born in London to an Anglo-Irish father and an American mother, he spent most of his childhood in Washington D.C., with the exception of a year in Japan that sparked a life-long interest in Asian cultures and a passion for travel. Ben began studying Chinese in high school and spent undergraduate semesters in Beijing and Shanghai to solidify his Mandarin skills. After graduating summa cum laude with a degree in History and Chinese from the University of Michigan, he moved to Hong Kong to work as a reporter for a business magazine. A desire to work with young people took him back to the US, where he taught humanities at a private school in New York and received a Masters of Science in Teaching at the New School for Social Research. Ben was able to combine his love of teaching, Asia and exploration as admissions director for an experiential educational travel company, where he also designed and led summer programs for American and international high school students in remote regions of China, Tibet and Pakistan. Ben is excited about the chance to help realize the bold vision that inspires Green School, and he and his wife Paula can’t think of a better place than Bali to raise their sixteen-month old daughter, Maggie. Ben’s biggest claim to fame is as a three-time champion on the well-known American television quiz show “Jeopardy!”.

 

Ted Levinson
Head of Business Operations

Ted Levinson thinks a great education is the best gift you can give a kid. He was drawn out of the world of finance to Green School because he wants to share that gift with as many deserving and talented children as possible. Ted graduated from Tufts University with a degree in economics. While in college he was a National Endowment for the Humanities Younger Scholar and the recipient of the Paul Montle Prize for Entrepreneurship. A California native, Ted spent the last ten years working for a company that finances small and medium-sized businesses. Now instead of financing new ventures from the USA, he's managing the business end of Bali's newest educational venture as well as PT Bambu-Bambu, a startup bamboo furniture and bamboo architectural firm. Ted served on the Development Committee of a startup high school in San Francisco and spent years as a volunteer tutoring US citizenship. Ted has always enjoyed travel and he is now relishing the opportunity to see Indonesia as a full-time resident.

 

Purnami Lestari
Admissions and Enrollment Manager

Ami Lestari was born and raised in Bali and earned a Bachelor of English Studies from Udayana University. Ami brings a great deal of experience to her position in admissions at the School, including four years as a toddler and playgroup teacher and two years as Administration and Admissions Manager for a National Plus School in Bali. She is a dedicated mother of two.

 

Meliana Salim
Marketing and Public Relations Manager

Meliana Salim is the Marketing and Public Relations Manager of the School. She’s responsible for the development of the School’s marketing strategy, media relations, as well as communications. Meliana has a marketing background in the education industry, where she represented a private high school in Toronto, Canada, as the Asia area manager, travelling across major cities in Asia to recruit international students. Born in Surabaya, Indonesia, Meliana spent over a decade studying both in Singapore and Toronto. When she’s not engaged at Green School, Meliana volunteers her time as a moderator of a local diving forum, promoting marine conservation through diving and photographing Indonesia’s magnificent underwater world.

 

I Ketut Indra Saputra
Site Coordination Manager

Indra enjoys investing his time in relationships and common goals. Through years of experience in the hospitality industry, both in Bali and overseas, he delights in giving and getting the best out of a team. Having completed several bamboo construction projects over the last few years, Indra now leads a group of many staff in hands-on projects to realize a simple vision: creating a learning environment that lives up to the high expectations of Green School. Indra unreservedly interweaves his school activities with Harley Davidson motorcycle sunset rides with his two daughters as well as tirta yatra trips to Hindu temples across Bali with his family and friends.

 

Aldo Landwehr
Creative Director of
PT. Bambu-Bambu

Sculpture and jewelry are the major influences for Aldo's designs and architecture. As a former senior employee with John Hardy Jewelry, Aldo honed his skills through heading the Special Projects Department as their Art Director. Designing jewelry, furniture, showrooms, home products, interiors, and other products, Aldo discovered the possibilities of maintaining design integrity, ecologically and environmentally, with the sustainable materials such as bamboo. He is thrilled to take this knowledge of materials, passion for design, and talent as an artist to Green School.

 

Richard Dennis Evans
Project Manager

Born 40 years ago in Battersea, South London, Richard has worked in the United Kingdom construction industry from the time he was a boy until he graduated from the University of the South Bank with a degree in Civil Engineering. After a few years working on various projects in the UK, Richard left to go backpacking throughout Australia in 1994 and after six months travelling eventually arrived in Bali in the summer of '95. After a month of "finding his way" in Kuta, a trick of fate and a chance meeting in a bar found him arriving in Jakarta with a rucksack and $400. After his first job in the Bank National Paris in the prestigious Menara Batavia building in the C.B.D., Richard's love of Indonesia was sealed. He then went on to fit out the offices of some of the largest international companies operating in SE Asia including a stint in Sumatera.

After 10 years of working in remote jungle locations around the country for the oil, gas and mining industries, Richard can boast successful projects for companies such as Trakindo Utama, Freeport, SSB, British Petroleum, and K.P.C. He has worked in some of the most harshest conditions the country has to offer from snow covered mountains in Irian Jaya to the remote jungles of Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Papua. Wanting to cleanse his environmental karma, Richard joined PT Bamboo in December of 2007 to undertake the project management of Green School. Always interested in the restoration of older historical buildings and the use of architectural salvage where possible, Richard hopes to combine his experience, interests, and knowledge with the construction process to incorporate “green building systems” such as water catchment and recycling, hydro power generation and the use of alternative building materials.

 

Philip Beck
Architect

Philip’s goal at Green School is to help design a beautiful, humane, and sustainable school campus. In twelve years of professional experience as an architect, he has worked on a wide range of projects, from an auditorium for the Aspen Music Festival to an award-winning eco-resort in the Himalaya of Nepal. His approach to design explores ways to use new technologies as well as neglected traditions such as bamboo construction, and to craft buildings that are sensitive to the topography, climate, and cultures of their surroundings. Philip received a degree in East Asian Studies and a master’s degree in Architecture from Harvard University. He recently moved to Bali from his home in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

 

I Made Chakra
Permaculturalist

Chakra grew up on a fertile rice farm near Ubud. But after 20 years of intensive chemical rice cultivation, all the eels, frogs and other life disappeared from the fields and the land became barren. In 2005, Chakra began studying permaculture to restore his family's land. Now an expert in organic tropical growing, he teaches Balinese farmers to cultivate their fields without chemicals and return to traditional farming techniques and crops. As Green School’s permaculturalist, he oversees the project's environmental and agricultural design and adapts appropriate technologies for the School. His dream is to help bring Bali back to the unspoiled condition he knew as a child.

 

Putu Eka Pertiwisari
Legal and Human Resources Manager

Putu brings 12 years experiences to her position, including in depth knowledge of visas regulations, school legal documents, and government regulations. She brings a great combination of industry knowledge, pragmatic problem solving, and a healthy sense of humor to all Human Resource issues. She also helps with training and development of new employees at the School and welcoming them to our community. Putu graduated in Politechnique Udayana University in Bali with a degree in the hospitality tourism industry. As both a mother and someone interested in education, she strongly believes that the School's emphasis on multiple intelligence pedagogy is well suited to today's needs and is foundation of a happy and successfully education for the 21st century.

 

Erwin Sitorus
Web Developer

Erwin's commitment to ecological issues combined with his technical web skills have made him much admired colleague at Green School. A native of North Sumatra, he studied Environmental Engineering at Bandung Institute of Technology and was an Information Technology (IT) officer for the environmental action group, WALHI (The Indonesian Forum for the Environment). His passion for web development stems from its endless possibilities as a communicative tool. Erwin strongly believes that the internet is a key media for sharing Green School locally and internationally as well as for communicating the most innovative ways for offering the best education through stewardship of the environment. A natural team player, Erwin not only handles web responsibilities at Green School, but is also often found assisting with special events and patiently fielding various technical questions from his colleagues.

In his spare time, Erwin continues his involvement with WALHI as a volunteer. He also enjoys playing guitar, reading philosophical literature, and listening to music from all over the world.

 

Ida Bagus Manobhawa
Graphic Designer

Gustu was born and raised in Jakarta and earned a Bachelor of Visual Communication Design from Trisakti University. Bored with city pollution and traffic jams, he moved to Bali to go "back to his roots." Gustu has worked for the last four years as an independent graphic designer. His past experiences have included: designing promotion materials for the France Cinema Festival as a junior graphic designer; designing promotion materials for several music concerts and events; and freelancing as the lead designer for several companies throughout Indonesia. Gustu is eager to share his knowledge and love of graphic design with the Green School community and he hopes that he can use his skills to capture the magic of the project. In his spare time, Gustu helps his father to take care of a cacao plantation, a jati wood plantation, and several other agricultural projects.



Learn more about:

Our Vision

Our Influences

Our History


Return to Overview

Bookmark/Search this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•