Sally Hansen

Sally, an Early Childhood educator since 1994, brings her experience, creativity and warmth to the classroom and the school community.

Sally has a degree in Early Childhood Education and has spent the last 17 years studying holistic education, with a great respect and love for Waldorf approaches to learning for the young child.  After a five year hiatus from teaching in the 1990’s, Sally set out to create and open her own school.  Her youngest child was ready to start preschool and it was decided that founding a new school in Ormewood Park would serve her daughter and potentially build a new community.  Sally used her personal savings and accepted the help of a few kind friends and interested parents to get The Children’s Garden Preschool up and running.  In October, 2005, TCGP opened its doors.  Great fortune played a role in allowing Sally to cross paths with a wonderful new friend who is credited for exposing her to Waldorf education.  Seeing natural play and the reverence for and beautiful way of guiding child capacities into cultivated strength, inspired Sally to integrate this approach into the writing the school’s holistic curriculum.

With a childhood spent almost entirely in Australia, Sally draws much from the lush, wild and open experiences of her own younger years into the work she does with children today.  A deep passion for the natural world, free, open exploration and creative expression, Sally is committed to “meeting young children in their place” everyday.  Understanding that every child is following his/her own unique, divine path, Sally views her role in working with children, as that of loving leadership. Sally says, “I cherish the connection with each child and family in the school, to be entrusted in this beautiful, heart-felt work each day.  Teaching our children is a deep expression of reverence for life and love. ”

Sally offers parenting classes and support, including home visits and help in simplifying family life. Additionally, her work at the school involves teacher training, non profit fundraising, child and parent advocacy and community work.

Though there are many interests outside of school for Sally, she enjoys meditation, Buddhism, music, gardening, singing, cooking for friends, reading, writing. walking and hiking.  A long time resident of Ormewood Park (since 1994),  Sally recently moved OTP, for a quiet, village-like home life.  An “empty-nester” for the past couple of years, she shares her farmhouse cottage with her rescue Doberman-Corgi mix and two beloved cats.  Her daughter attends Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, and her son is on active duty in the US Navy, currently residing in Japan.

Sally is beyond delighted about starting The Children’s Garden Preschool’s seventeenth year in 2022!