Our Amazing Team
Marcie Fusco, Director
Ms. Marcie Fusco has been the owner and manager of Wildwood Acres since 2013. She comes from a background of both Education (Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education) and Agriculture (riding and animal husbandry).
Ms. Marcie began as a horse owner and rider. She became a certified Therapeutic Horseback Riding instructor, which beautifully combines her skills with and love for children with Special Needs with horseback riding instruction. Ms. Marcie followed this passion and bought the property on Wigwam Rd. to create Wildwood Acres Farms, equestrian facility. Over time, she began incorporating other farm animals as well, and became a 4-H provider. She is a registered breeder of several types of farm animals.
Ms. Marcie has her A.A in Early Childhood Education from QCC and her B.S. in Psychology from SNHU, and has completed significant study in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis. She has worked in the public school system as a School Adjustment Counselor, a teacher trainer, and an ABA specialist.
Ms. Marcie believes that children will do well if they are given unconditional love, gentle guidance, much exposure to nature, and are free to create and explore their world.
Ms. Marcie is the mother of three children and one giant dog. She loves to hike, garden, and most of all to play with her human and animal families.
René LaVallee, Horseback Riding Instructor, Agricultural Teacher
Ms. René is an educator at Wild Wood Acre's Farm and Forest School, as well as the licensed lead horseback riding instructor on premises.
Ms. René graduated from SUNY Morrisville in 1989 with an associate degree in Applied Science in Agriculture (saddle horse management and production).
Ms. René’s expertise consists of over 40 years in the saddle and over 30 years in the field as a professional trainer. She has a passion for the outdoor farm life . She has an abundance of experience as a professional, managing summer horse camps, year-round horseback riding lesson programs, giving pony rides at birthday parties, teaching dressage, low level eventing, hunters and jumpers, and western pleasure.
Ms. René is also well experienced in local showing and trail riding. She also has a special passion for rehabilitating ex-race horses, including some hands-on experience at Suffolk downs racetrack.
Ms. René truly enjoys sharing her knowledge of horses, farm animals and agricultural farm life with the children enrolled at Wildwood Acres Farm and Forest School and Wildwood Acres Summer Camp.
Lauren Kostantin, Preschool Teacher
Ms. Lauren is one half of the preschool teaching team at Wildwood Farm and Forest School. She holds a bachelor's degree with a dual major in Early Childhood Education and English Literature.
Ms.Lauren worked as a Children’s Event Coordinator at a local library. This experience can be seen in her fun lessons which always have the perfect book to compliment them.
Ms.Lauren is passionate about connecting with nature and finding the wonders in everyday experiences. A self-proclaimed “Jill of all trades,” Lauren brings her creativity to every lesson and enables her students to tap into their own inner artist.
Casey Jolin, Preschool Teacher
Ms. Casey joined the Wildwood Acres Farm and Forest School in the Spring semester of 2021 in the newly established preschool program.
Ms. Casey has worked with preschool and school aged children for twenty years, and while she has found all these jobs rewarding in different ways, she has never found the fit she has at Wildwood Acres.
Ms. Casey brings to Wildwood a passion for learning that goes beyond the classroom. She loves sharing the natural world with her students and helping to ignite passion and purpose for preserving and respecting the world as it is. She believes in learning through play and allowing children to be imaginative and joy-filled in their quest for independence.
Ms. Casey enthusiastically shares her love of reading through animated story telling.
She shares her love and respect of animals with her children, helping them to care for and learn about their roles on a farm.
While she has formal education, having studied Creative Writing at Ithaca College, Ms. Casey believes in lifelong education, and she continues to develop and learn as she goes. She is constantly evolving to fit the needs of her students and the entire Wildwood Acres Farm and Forest School Community.
When not at work, Ms. Casey spends her time outside on her hobby farm. She also loves to write and read.