Lauren Flesher
Nature Preschool Director at Fernbrook Farms Environmental Education Center- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Credentials
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Nature-based Teaching Certification Level 2
Eastern Regional Association of Forest and Nature SchoolsJul, 2022- Nov, 2024 -
Nature-based Teaching Certification Level 1
Eastern Regional Association of Forest and Nature SchoolsJul, 2021- Nov, 2024
Experience
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Fernbrook Farms Environmental Education Center
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United States
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Primary and Secondary Education
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1 - 100 Employee
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Nature Preschool Director
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Jul 2022 - Present
Handles day-to-day operations for our full day, full time nature-based preschool program. Supervises and guides staff in their lesson planning and student interactions, with a focus on inquiry-based and child-led emergent learning. Assists the teaching team as needed in daily outdoor exploration and structured learning activity time on our working farm. Tracks individual development for all students in physical, social-emotional, and cognitive skills.Manages communication with families, including through monthly newsletters and yearly conferences. Develops marketing materials and leads tours for prospective students and their families. Maintains and expands a library of learning materials and seasonal outdor gear. Develops and revises program policies and procedures, staff training materials, and family handbooks. Show less
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Nature Preschool Lead Teacher
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Sep 2020 - Jul 2022
Saplings Program Lead Teacher (July 2021 - July 2022)Saplings Program Co-Teacher (Sept 2020 - July 2021)Led students aged 3-5 years old in nature-based learning and outdoor ecosystem exploration on a working farm. Developed hands-on lesson activities, including crafts and songs, to deepen engagement with the natural world, following child-led emergent curriculum techniques. Documented daily learning outcomes and individual student progress, and communicate these results daily to parents and the teaching team. Developed plans with parents for individual student growth in the academic, physical, and social-emotional realms. Co-established the Saplings program in 2020 and oversaw its expansion in 2021, including a newly built outdoor classroom space. Show less
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Missouri Department of Conservation
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United States
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Government Administration
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700 & Above Employee
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Assistant Natural History Biologist
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Mar 2019 - Nov 2019
Worked with the Natural History Biologist to conduct surveys for rare species of all taxa, assess quality of natural communities, update the Missouri Natural Heritage Database, control for invasive plant species, and assist on prescribed burns and other management strategies. Worked with the Natural History Biologist to conduct surveys for rare species of all taxa, assess quality of natural communities, update the Missouri Natural Heritage Database, control for invasive plant species, and assist on prescribed burns and other management strategies.
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Holmes Stamps & Sign
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United States
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Retail Office Equipment
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Shipping Clerk
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Dec 2018 - Feb 2019
Seasonal employment at a growing e-commerce company selling customized business supplies and home goods. Assembled, packaged, and shipped company products, worked individually and in small teams. Thrived in the fast-paced, high-pressure workplace. Quickly learned new trade skills on specialized machinery. Commended for my work ethic and attention to detail; was asked to stay on permanently. Seasonal employment at a growing e-commerce company selling customized business supplies and home goods. Assembled, packaged, and shipped company products, worked individually and in small teams. Thrived in the fast-paced, high-pressure workplace. Quickly learned new trade skills on specialized machinery. Commended for my work ethic and attention to detail; was asked to stay on permanently.
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Missouri Department of Conservation
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United States
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Government Administration
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700 & Above Employee
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Seasonal MOFEP Botany Technician
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May 2018 - Sep 2018
Learned and identified over 400 species of ground flora, and took data on coverage, reproduction, and canopy closure. Cheerfully endured long hours, steep terrain, and tough field conditions. Learned and identified over 400 species of ground flora, and took data on coverage, reproduction, and canopy closure. Cheerfully endured long hours, steep terrain, and tough field conditions.
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Missouri Department of Conservation
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United States
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Government Administration
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700 & Above Employee
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Seasonal Prairie Research Technician
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Sep 2017 - Dec 2017
Provided support to multiple research projects investigating grassland ecosystems. Assisted a game bird population demographics study by trapping, banding, and radio-tracking Northern Bobwhite quail. Conducted site-based vegetation surveys on managed prairie ecosystems to assess cover and composition changes in response to a variety of management techniques. Provided support to multiple research projects investigating grassland ecosystems. Assisted a game bird population demographics study by trapping, banding, and radio-tracking Northern Bobwhite quail. Conducted site-based vegetation surveys on managed prairie ecosystems to assess cover and composition changes in response to a variety of management techniques.
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Missouri Department of Conservation
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United States
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Government Administration
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700 & Above Employee
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Seasonal Research Technician
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Apr 2017 - Jun 2017
Contributed to the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project by cataloging the growth of understory woody vegetation under a variety of forest management strategies. Also conducted avian point counts using the double-observer protocol and received training in ground flora identification. Duties required off-road driving skills, competency with GPS equipment and Microsoft Access, and extensive map-and-compass navigation while hiking in isolated areas over uneven terrain. Contributed to the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project by cataloging the growth of understory woody vegetation under a variety of forest management strategies. Also conducted avian point counts using the double-observer protocol and received training in ground flora identification. Duties required off-road driving skills, competency with GPS equipment and Microsoft Access, and extensive map-and-compass navigation while hiking in isolated areas over uneven terrain.
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Duval Audubon Society and St. Johns County Audubon
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Northeast Florida
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Volunteer
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Nov 2016 - Apr 2017
Commended for identification skills and data precision while conducting avian censuses. Helped habitat restoration efforts, including identification and removal of invasive species Complimented on public engagement skills after leading wildlife tours, particularly those aimed at families with young children. Redesigned St. Johns County Audubon website to better showcase organization’s work and mission Commended for identification skills and data precision while conducting avian censuses. Helped habitat restoration efforts, including identification and removal of invasive species Complimented on public engagement skills after leading wildlife tours, particularly those aimed at families with young children. Redesigned St. Johns County Audubon website to better showcase organization’s work and mission
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Michigan State University
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United States
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Higher Education
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700 & Above Employee
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Seasonal Research Technician
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Jun 2016 - Aug 2016
Worked under the Center for Global Change and Earth Observations to contribute to research regarding avian pest presence in fruit orchards. Conducted strip transects, variable-distance transects, and point counts to estimate avian density and diversity and to monitor avian foraging behavior. Additionally, I conducted a small-scale field experiment, including design, data collection, statistical analysis, and compilation of results. Worked under the Center for Global Change and Earth Observations to contribute to research regarding avian pest presence in fruit orchards. Conducted strip transects, variable-distance transects, and point counts to estimate avian density and diversity and to monitor avian foraging behavior. Additionally, I conducted a small-scale field experiment, including design, data collection, statistical analysis, and compilation of results.
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Cornell Lab of Ornithology
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United States
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Research Services
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100 - 200 Employee
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Course Facilitation Assistant
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Sep 2015 - May 2016
Worked independently under the Education Department to organize, archive, and update multimedia presentations for the Spring Field Ornithology adult education course. Additionally, crafted educational materials and quizzes to test avian ID and biology knowledge throughout the course. Duties required proficiency in Microsoft Powerpoint and WordPress. Worked independently under the Education Department to organize, archive, and update multimedia presentations for the Spring Field Ornithology adult education course. Additionally, crafted educational materials and quizzes to test avian ID and biology knowledge throughout the course. Duties required proficiency in Microsoft Powerpoint and WordPress.
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Quails R Us Plus
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United States
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Farming
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Farmhand and Intern
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May 2015 - Aug 2015
Despite the name, this farm raises meat and egg chickens, sheep, goats, and pigs in addition to quail. I assisted in all aspects of farm duties and management, including daily animal husbandry, slaughter and processing, and representation of the farm at multiple farmer's markets every week. I also built the farm its first website using Weebly. Despite the name, this farm raises meat and egg chickens, sheep, goats, and pigs in addition to quail. I assisted in all aspects of farm duties and management, including daily animal husbandry, slaughter and processing, and representation of the farm at multiple farmer's markets every week. I also built the farm its first website using Weebly.
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Cornell Lab of Ornithology
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United States
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Research Services
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100 - 200 Employee
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Student Administrative Assistant
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Sep 2014 - May 2015
Worked under NestWatch in the Citizen Science Department to assist with a wide range of duties. Regularly contributed engaging science-based articles to the Citizen Science blog and Cornell Lab publications, organized user-submitted multimedia collections in WordPress, and compiled research. Responsible for maintaining a positive social media presence. I crafted educational materials about avian nesting biology aimed at young children and families and served multiple times as the representative of NestWatch at public outreach events. Show less
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Advanced Tropical Field Ornithology Class
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La Selva Biological Research Station, Heredia, Costa Rica
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Student Researcher
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Mar 2015 - Mar 2015
This nine-day research trip was part of a semester-long class offered by Cornell. With my team, I located and mapped breeding territories of White-breasted Wood Wrens, conducted playback experiments, and maintained precise notes on behavior. This research required regular hiking along unmaintained trails in dense jungle habitat. Our results were later published in PLoS ONE. This nine-day research trip was part of a semester-long class offered by Cornell. With my team, I located and mapped breeding territories of White-breasted Wood Wrens, conducted playback experiments, and maintained precise notes on behavior. This research required regular hiking along unmaintained trails in dense jungle habitat. Our results were later published in PLoS ONE.
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Education
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2012 - 2016
Cornell University
Agricultural Sciences, Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture
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