ABOUT

MEET THE TEACHERS

Baillie Hults

Rachel and her husband are second generation homeschool parents to three children. Before moving to North Carolina Rachel studied Illustration at Savannah College of Art and Design and simultaneously ran an online custom art business. Growing up on a farm in the northeast, she developed a love for time spent outside and has come to realize just how irreplaceable a childhood steeped in nature is. Her own homeschooling experience as a child ignited her love for personalized education and hands on learning. It's this love that led her and Baillie to co-found and run a local homeschooling group in Moore county. There, they designed, lesson planned, and taught a group of 3-7 year olds. At DIRT Outdoor School, Rachel designs and illustrates most of the unit studies that are implemented throughout the school year. Her goal is to create a learning environment where children can explore, discover, and fall in love with the natural world, just like she did.

Jessica McAlpine

Jessica is originally from Germany and came to the US as an AuPair for a family with a child with disabilities. She then met her husband, and together they moved to North Carolina for the US Army. Jessica has a Bachelor’s in Psychology with a focus on Early Childhood Development, as well as a Master’s in Psychology with a focus on Applied Behavior Analysis. While staying at home with her two small children now, she has previously worked as a Behavior Technician for Behavior Analysis services for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and is currently in the process of acquiring her Behavior Analyst Certification. She has worked with children ages 4-16 in a variety of settings, but believes that children learn best through play and that true learning happens when children are free to experience the world around them at their own pace and with their unique interests in mind. She believes that being in the outdoors can teach them many important life skills, such as teamwork, problem-solving, and emotional resilience, and that it can foster curiosity, creativity, and a strong sense of autonomy. Nature not only boosts physical health but also nurtures a sense of wonder and responsibility toward the environment. She is looking forward to sharing her passion for getting kids outside and connected with nature, as well as promoting an active lifestyle with the DIRT community!