Teachers & Pods
Our Founder & Lead Teacher
Jessica Smalls
Founder & Lead Teacher
Jessica was born and raised homesteading, which included quilting, hunting, fishing, sewing, baking, cooking and growing. Her passions include energy medicine, herbs, healthy eating, and being the best leader she can be. Jessica is also a Medicine Woman, medical intuitive, clinical herbalist, author, musician, singer/songwriter and empowerment coach.
Our 2026-27 school year is shaping up to be an incredible year of learning. Our students will range in age from 4 years to 14 years. We will be utilizing a community approach to learning and break out pods for Sprouts, Seedlings & Saplings.
Our smaller pods are supported by teachers enrolled in our Teacher Training Program. This program ensures TSOP teachers have the necessary skillsets to support individualized instruction and course creation for students, adequately manage their own energy and emotions to have capacity to guide students in managing theirs, and put our observational assessment and feedback system to work to provide real time effectiveness for each student's educational program.
Teachers 2026-2027
Pamela
Support Staff 2026-2027
Pamela is a creative and passionate individual who holds a lifelong commitment to learning. She has a background in environmental sustainability and socio-cultural anthropology. Her well-rounded skill set includes teaching, research, program coordination, and community engagement. In alignment with our program, Pamela brings extended knowledge of sustainable gardening practices and healthy eating to our students. Pamela is the mother of one of our 2025 graduates and has worked for The School of Purpose as both the Outdoor Teacher and as an Occasional Teacher. Pamela is currently enrolled in the Becoming An Educator Program.
Pamela will be supporting the Seedling & Sapling age students by guiding their curiosities to classroom resources, contributing to curriculum extension, and supporting the Lead Teacher in the 2026-27 school year.
Teachers 2025-2026
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Courtney
Founding Sprout Teacher
Courtney was born and raised in London, Ontario. Her passions include outdoor education, crystals, healthy eating, travel and living authentically. Courtney has been with our school since it's inception and has been responsible for developing the Sprout Program based on the vision for education at The School of Purpose.
Courtney is shifting gears to pursue her dreams and live her most authentic life. We have been blessed to experience the gift of her contribution to our curriculum, our student's hearts, and our community members. We are sad to see her go, excited for her future and wish her all the best.
Hiring for the 2026-27 School Year
We are currently hiring two part time teaching support positions. ​
If you have interest in supporting The School of Purpose as a teacher support, please submit your resume and cover letter by uploading it below.
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Our ideal candidates have experience supporting ages 4-10 years in a learning setting for four and more years, have a thirst for learning new things, a strong holistic mindset, and a passion for supporting students in the ways that best suit them.
All applicants are required to submit a clean vulnerable sector screening, and a custom training program, the length of which will vary based on experience and formal education, to be considered for employment.
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TSOP Pods
Sprouts
4 - 8 yrs
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Students in this pod explore all of the magic subjects outlined in our curriculum package, with an emphasis on literacy and math basics. In a centre-based scenario, students learn about the magic behind letters and numbers that will allow them to read, write and further explore the world around them. A variety of other inquiry based lessons will be taught, both indoors and out. Students will have the opportunity to make their first drum, explore daily breathwork and movement activities, build a foundation for their emotional intelligence, learn business basics and much more.​
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The ages outlined above are used as guidelines to place students when entering our school. Children will graduate to the next pod when they are developmentally ready.
Seedlings & Saplings
8 - 14 yrs
With basic reading, writing and numeracy underway, students in these pods will dive deeper into the “why” behind our magical subjects and explore a variety of research projects directed by student interests. These projects allow them to work towards earning badges - which are tokens of accomplishment that demonstrate the work they have completed to date. A stronger emphasis is placed on our business program in this pod, as students create and operate their own business and support its growth and expansion throughout the years.
Seedling and Sapling students are also given the opportunity to create lessons and teach them to our Sprouts, fostering the flow of student-led learning and the value of community connection within our school.
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