Our Story

The Dreamers’ School came out of the desire for a Waldorf-inspired enrichment program in the Orlando area. The Dreamers’ School has a sister school of the same name in the northeast Atlanta suburban area, and a full curriculum online sister school called Lotus & Ivy.

We are part of a movement away from the conventional idea of school, toward a new idea that centers on making a child’s education all it was meant to be – FUN, JOYFUL, CREATIVE, and INSPIRING.

We believe the best education is one that is authentically inspiring for each unique child, and we provide a diverse range of educational opportunities and experiences to encourage students to uncover their deepest desires and interests. This paves a path for them to follow their dreams, which is becoming more and more uncommon in our society. Several experts agree that people who live in alignment with their passions are happier, healthier, more generous, and they inspire others to do the same.

We hope The Dreamers’ School can be a place of inspiration for our children and for yours.

Our Staff

Meghan iorio, Director

Meghan, enjoys balancing her time between being a mother and wife raising three children, serving in the youth program at church, managing rental properties, and completing her Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Brigham Young University – Idaho. Meghan finds joy in helping others, solving problems, and being an extra set of hands. 

“I’ve always been taught to ‘work hard and play hard.’ I want my children to discover the joy of getting their hands dirty, stretching their brains, serving others and having a lot of fun while doing it.”

Kathleen Pierfy(she/her), Founder/ LOWER ELEM ADMIN

Kathleen Pierfy has been home educating her three children for seven years, in favor of an education that focuses on the whole child as well as the family unit. "I love the way that homeschooling allows my family to learn and grow together.  There is a unique bond between my children that I'm sure is a result of the loving attributes of the homeschooling environment.  When I discovered Waldorf education, the part that struck me the most was the emphasis on the child as a complete person; educating their hands, their hearts and their minds.  Education became an opportunity to take the time to uncover the beautiful souls of our children while also joining them on the journey of discovering the world around them."  

Working for Wright Entertainment Group, a music management company based in Orlando, she helped to develop and implement both the marketing and public relations campaigns for many up and coming artists. Working on the management side of the company, Kathleen served as an artist management representative, where she helped to guide the day to day activities of artists such as Danity Kane (Making The Band), Janet Jackson, and the Backstreet Boys.  A creative soul at heart, Kathleen enjoys writing and has several children's entertainment programs in development.
After starting her family, Kathleen decided to be a stay at home mom and give up the constant travel and grind of the music business. Her passions include early elementary and preschool education. "Working at The Dreamers School is an exciting opportunity for my whole family.  Serving as a Kindergarten teacher in a Waldorf environment has long been a dream of mine.  Having a school right here in the Orlando area, where my children can attend and benefit from the expertise of The Dreamers School staff, is something we have long hoped for.  As a family, we are thrilled to get to know all of the families at The Dreamers School and grow together as a community." This will be Kathleen’s second year serving as the Kindergarten teacher at the Dreamers’ School.

jen hoffman, yoga & mindfulness Teacher

Jen is a registered yoga teacher (eRYT-500) and Certified Personal Trainer-Restorative Exercise Specialist. She has taught yoga, movement and mindfulness classes to students aged 2-92 for the last 19 years, and is the founder and owner of https://Healthymoving.com

She and her husband are the parents to three amazing kids. They have been doing Waldorf-Inspired homeschooling for over six years. Jen is excited to bring her joy for teaching to the students at The Dreamers’ School!

sarah shope, advisor / founder

Sarah Barrett founded a sister-school to The Dreamers’ School in July 2015 in Orlando, FL. She had been seeking a homeschool enrichment program for her two children that combined hands-on, nature-inspired, whole-child learning with Waldorf philosophies. After envisioning what an ideal program would look like and not finding one nearby, she decided to open a school in Orlando that offers this unique program for homeschoolers.

Sarah’s educational background is in Industrial and Systems Engineering with a degree from Georgia Tech. Upon graduating, she started her career with Walt Disney World.

Math and science were always Sarah’s favorite subjects in school. In college, she took math classes beyond Calculus-6 along with numerous science and engineering courses. She also had an interest in physics, taking several physics courses outside of her major and teaching a physics undergraduate lab.

Disney recruited from GA Tech, and Sarah went to work in various engineering roles for Disney including managing a forecasting-and-workload team of engineers and statisticians.

“It was a rule of thumb at Disney that any presentation we gave should have more pictures on a page than words – on every page. This would make your presentation more effective. This rule even applied to the engineering teams where we were inclined to display numbers and facts. This simple rule has shaped much of my view of education, and has played a big part in what led me to discover Waldorf education. The best leaders are ones who teach by telling stories that paint pictures in your mind. Those are the ones you remember, and often the ones that stir in your heart. The ability to uncover our innate creativity and to use it to express what we are learning or to teach others is a powerful tool. And it adds beauty, something we all need more of.

The best presentations are those with more pictures than words. It has been an effective guideline in our homeschooling, and I even use it in our math lessons.”

After leaving Disney, Sarah owned a consulting company that primarily worked with internationally renowned health & fitness brands and functional medicine doctors. She has ghost-written articles, presentations, curriculum, and health programs for many clients including two NY Times best-selling authors, medical doctors, and various business leaders. She has also served as editor for two magazines, and is the founder of the Waldorf Homeschool Conference, a resource for families interested in learning Waldorf homeschooling methods.

After living in Orlando for over fifteen years, Sarah recently relocated to California and started an online, full curriculum Waldorf School called Lotus & Ivy.

Sarah currently homeschools her two children, and enjoys reading, specialty restaurants, and traveling with her husband and kids in their RV.

coral reyes-rodriguez, handwork Teacher

Coral been working with children since 2005. She is originally from New York City and taught herself to crochet when she was 19 years old. “I went to our local hobby shop and got a ‘teach yourself to crochet’ kit and the rest is history!” Coral started in childcare and, after moving to Georgia, became the director of a daycare. Once she moved back to Florida, she started directing her church nursery as well as volunteering and teaching senior citizens how to crochet. They now crochet for charity! Coral has a wonderful husband, a beautiful daughter, a sweet dog and one crazy cat. She can’t wait to meet you all!

Lee Butler, Gandhi Main Lesson Teacher

Lee has worked with preschoolers and elementary-aged children over the last five years from a private school setting to her local preschool. She has taught music and creative movement, providing young children with enriching opportunities to express themselves in a nurturing and supportive environment.

Lee was first introduced to Waldorf methods when her daughter was a toddler. It was a magical moment when they walked into a children’s center in California. To Lee, it felt like what childhood is supposed to feel like. It was filled with colorful murals, wooden trees, rainbows, handmade play structures, and costumes. This inspired her to rethink the way we traditionally teach and play with our children. Giving time and space for children to explore, create, and use their imagination can be so rewarding for the child and the parent.

Lee was born in Thailand and grew up in England. Her mother was a teacher in the Far East as well as in England. Lee noticed a huge difference in the education system when she moved to the states. “In England, I had so many fond memories of visiting museums, cathedrals, climbing trees, and getting muddy in the garden.” Lee wanted the same for her daughter’s education. With a combination of her childhood memories and the Waldorf and Montessori approaches, she began her homeschooling journey. Lee and her daughter love schooling outdoors in nature and they always make time for tea. “Education can be an adventure mixed with twists and turns as you delve into the areas that ignite the curiosity and passions of your child.” Lee prides herself on taking a hands-on approach to learning. “I like to get messy with the children and let them lead our explorations!”

Before teaching children, Lee had a fulfilling career in the natural health field. As a student at Florida State University, facing some unexpected health challenges, Lee’s educational path took an interesting and serendipitous turn. Searching for answers to resolve her health issues, she became curious about holistic methods. As her knowledge grew and her health returned, she quickly realized her true calling was to help and teach others. She opened her first store in 1996 where she sold herbal supplements and vitamins and facilitated consultations. She continued to teach about the benefits of natural health as well as lead workshops in journaling. She taught at Leu Gardens, yoga studios, and a variety of other centers around Central Florida.

“Taking a nurturing, gentle, and creative approach to education has always resonated with me. Homeschooling, goes a step further, creating space to explore the unlimited possibilities with your child.”

Lee is beyond excited to be a part of The Dreamers’ School and looks forward to many adventures with the children!

Shannon Collier, Art Teacher/Friday Douglas Main Lesson Teacher

Shannon Collier graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography from the University of Central Florida. She spent some time at the University of Florida Graduate Art program where she started to explore mixed media. Shannon began sewing on paper with found objects, uncovering and preserving fragments of everyday life. She loved responding intuitively to each new object and this soon became her favorite artistic medium.

When her daughter was a toddler, she became really passionate about process art for children. Shannon watched her daughter pick up materials and instinctively work with them and discover all the possibilities without fear of the final product. Shannon strives to give students the space to explore and manipulate materials which she believes aids in the development of their individual artistic expression.

Shannon loves spending time with her family and their miniature poodle, Fern. She loves reading, creating art, baking with her daughter, and spending time in nature.

Lynlee Holloway, PE Teacher/Galileo Main lesson teacher

Lynlee Holloway is a happy wife and mom to 5 wonderful children. She grew up in the snowy, mountain-town of Breckenridge, Colorado. During her youth, Lynlee was always heavily involved with athletics and youth programs. That experience, mixed with the generational line of teachers in her family, led her to pursue a career in education. After high school, she attended the University of Northern Colorado, majoring in Elementary Education. Shortly after moving to Florida, her family started growing. She became fully dedicated to staying home and raising her children while also teaching survival swim lessons. Today her main focus is her homeschool journey with all 5 of her kids. Along with teaching PE and being the Galileo class teacher, Lynlee also facilitates the Dreamers’ School Field Day event. She believes in the power of enriching kids' learning with movement, humor, games, and community.

Katie Locke, Dreamers Main lesson Teacher/Gardening teacher

Katie Locke studied Early Childhood at Athens Technical College in Georgia. She taught preschool for several years and fell in love with the Montessori and Waldorf styles of teaching. A few years later, Katie trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Atlanta. At the University of Georgia Center, she worked directly with the UGArden, collecting sustainable ingredients to be used in sustainable daily specials. This is where she fell in love with organic and sustainable gardening. Katie also worked as the head Chef at the McPhaul Center Daycare at UGA, where she got to combine her love of food and kids. She enjoys teaching culinary camps during the summer and holidays. Katie is married to her high school sweetheart and they have two girls and two fur babies.

Ashley Lambros, Creative movement/ Theater Teacher

Ashley discovered her love for the arts when she was very young. Her first role on stage was in middle school where she portrayed the iconic Captain Hook in the musical “Peter Pan.” This sparked a creativity in Ashley that could not be contained. Ashley has continued to do theatre and participate in productions as the opportunities arise. Ashley graduated from the University of West Florida with a Bachelor in Fine Arts for Musical Theatre in May 2023. She taught at Episcopal Day School in Pensacola as the assistant director and choreographer for their school musicals for two years. She also had an opportunity to student direct the play, “Almost, Maine” at the University of West Florida. Since graduating she has been working at Disney as a children’s recreational activities cast member. She wants to continue spreading the love of theater throughout her career. She plans on receiving her masters in Themed Experiences from the University of Central Florida in the near future. Ashley is a Floridian and grew up in the Orlando area. She loves to spend time with her family, friends, and partaking in theatrical activities.

Dawn KensingtoN, Johnson Main lesson Teacher

Dawn Kensington has spent most of her life working with children of all ages and abilities. Born and raised in Ohio, she taught Gymboree play, music, and art classes for ten years. Dawn studied at The University of Dallas and Cleveland State University, earning a degree in International Relations and Linguistics. Her love of travel has taken her all around the globe, with Italy, Hawaii, and South Africa as some of her favorite destinations. She spent several years working as a Newborn Care Specialist, including time assisting medically complicated infants. Along with her son, Dawn has lived in Windermere for ten years. They enjoy time at the parks, board games, and local theater. For the past several years, she has worked as a tutor and as a content creator for an educational app and website. Dawn is excited to start a new chapter in her journey finding fun and engaging ways to inspire a love of learning and discovery.