Rachel DeHoff
Rachel has been interested in giving young people more agency and respect in their learning environments since she was a young person herself! After many years of personal research into self-directed education and over a decade of diving into the home-based education community with her own 3 children, both she and her family now get to experience the unique benefits of a Sudbury education here at Tallgrass. Outside of school life, Rachel loves expressing her creativity through her small, custom baking business, HoneyCrumb Tea Party. She also enjoys frequenting her local libraries and YMCA, playing with her adorable dog and two sweet kitties, cooking from scratch for her friends and family, and getting out into nature to hike, camp, and gather around a fire as often as she can.
Rick Olson
Rick has been involved in teaching and mentorship within the homeschool/unschool community for the past 13 years and strongly believes in the power of learning through art, play, and out-of-the-box methods. A graduate of Northern Michigan University with degrees in Theatre and Media Productions/New Technologies, Rick has had the opportunity to live in diverse areas of the country, acting and teaching theatre everywhere from West Virginia to Sacramento to Chicago. Rick went to conventional public schools when he was growing up. That experience led him to want to work with young people in an environment where their voices are truly heard and respected.
Zoe Schwartz
Zoe received a BA in Creative Writing and Theater from the University of Illinois. She spent many years making theater and teaching creative writing in Chicago. Zoe's many odd jobs led her to become a program manager and facilitator for The Girls Scouts and Girls Leadership Institute, creating an interest in alternative education systems. Zoe also created and ran Swarm Artist Residency (a sliding scale retreat for Chicago artists) until 2019. She values play, creativity, community and exploration in teaching (as well as art) and can't wait to bring all of those things to her work at Tallgrass. She lives in Oak Park with her toddler, husband, and two goofy dogs. She loves riding bikes, having picnics, and exploring new ice cream shops.