Administration

Bio Coming Soon

Sarah Eisner Kirch joined the staff at Prairie Crossing Charter School in August of 2009. Sarah's professional career has been focused on the nonprofit sector, and her energy and passion are strongly centered in the integral work this sector does. Ms. Kirch's primary interest lies in building the capacity and infrastructure of nonprofit organizations, thereby allowing them to better serve their mission. Formerly, Ms. Kirch worked as a Prevention Specialist and then as the Coordinator of Outreach and Prevention Services at Response Center, a nonprofit focused on providing essential outreach, counseling, and health services to adolescents and their families. In her role as Coordinator of Outreach and Prevention Services, Sarah was responsible for grant writing, budgeting, supervising the Outreach/Prevention staff, and organizing and facilitating a number of large events, in addition to a number of other duties.

Sarah's volunteer experience includes a practicum at Thresholds working with clinically mentally ill adults and writing grants in addition to experience organizing Special Olympics and Dance Marathon events. Ms. Kirch received her Master of Nonprofit Administration from North Park University in May of 2009, graduating with distinction. She is thrilled to bring her education and experience of the nonprofit sector to Prairie Crossing Charter School.

Naomi Hershiser started working at Prairie Crossing Charter School as a part time contractor in 2003. She signed on as a full time environmental education teacher in 2005, and worked in that capacity for the next 7 years. In 2012, she transitioned to an administrative role. As the Dean of Environmental Programs and Integrated Curriculum, she oversees and coaches teachers as they implement PCCS' integrated environmental curriculum. She works towards helping the school live up to its values, focusing on Ecological Understanding and Environmental Stewardship. Over the years, Naomi has shared wonderful and memorable experiences with the students at PCCS - from owl prowls to campouts, getting sweaty on sunny days to shivering through winter storms. She is proud to be involved in such an important educational innovation. 

Naomi received her BA from Carleton College in Northfield, MN. This experience taught her the value of learning to learn and the importance of life-long knowledge-seeking. She got a post-graduate certificate in Environmental Education from the University of MN Duluth and a Masters of the Arts in Teaching from Dominican University.

Before coming to Prairie Crossing, Naomi worked at the Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago, IL, where she taught classes on field trips and directed the summer programs. She spent one adventurous year teaching at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Finland, MN - which is WAY up north and just as cold and snowy as it sounds. Before that, she taught for a year at Driftwood Nature Center in Saint Simon's Island, GA. Through her years in high school and college, Naomi spent summers working camps at Heller Nature Center in Highland Park, IL, where she grew up. These experiences are where Naomi discovered her passion for teaching kids outdoors, and form the foundation of Naomi's career in environmental education.

When not working, Naomi and her husband (5th-6th grade teacher Mr. Hershiser) enjoy gardening; Naomi cooks and preserves local foods. She is an avid nature journaler and botanical artist. Naomi's most recently acquired hobby is running, which she tries to do 3-4 times a week. Her guilty pleasure is cat-napping with a good book and her two cats.

Biography Coming Soon.