Our Administrative Team
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Jeff Turner is the founder and Executive Director of Tree Top Academy. Following the birth of his two children, Jeff took an interest in early childhood education. After conducting some research on the topic he quickly realized that there was a gap between well-researched best practices in early education and what was generally available in the community. That realization led to more research and to the creation of Tree Top Academy and its vision of providing a rich, child-centered learning environment. Jeff earned a bachelor's degree and master's degree at the University of Florida. He has been a board member of the Association for Independent Schools of Florida (AISF) since 2016. AISF is an accrediting organization for progressive independent schools in Florida. He is the past Vice-President of Early Childhood Accreditation Programs for AISF.
Jeffrey Turner
“We believe (and science confirms) that children are born with the ability to acquire and incorporate an immense amount of information from their constant interactions with the world around them.”
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Cassandra Keller, EdD has served as the Head of School and Teacher Development at Tree Top Academy since 2013. She also serves as an adjunct professor in the College of Education at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). She has been studying effective teaching methods for over 30 years and has been inspired by the schools of Reggio Emilia and Visible Thinking routines from the Harvard Graduate School of Education for over a decade. Dr. Keller holds earned degrees in teacher education and special education from the University of Florida and Florida Atlantic University. In 2023, she earned a Certificate in Early Education Leadership, from The Zaentz Early Education Initiative at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This certificate provides Early Childhood Education leaders with the knowledge, management skills, and tools necessary to build and advance high-quality early education programs. She has had nine publications and presented at over 30 state, national, and international education conferences. She has two children of her own who both attended Tree Top Academy.
Cassandra Keller, EdD
“All children need to feel loved and valued in order to thrive. We demonstrate this to our children by talking with them and listening to their ideas and questions, then using this as a starting point for our learning experiences.”
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Jennifer Rivera maintains our wait lists and helps new families get acquainted with our school. She also assists current families with the enrollment process. She holds a Bachelor's of Science in Early Childhood Education and has been at Tree Top Academy for over seven years.
“Early Childhood Education is so inspiring to me because I love witnessing the children’s out of the box thinking.”
Jennifer Rivera
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Director + Curriculum Coordinator
Lauren Watrobsky provides support to our teachers. In addition, Lauren is our VPK curriculum coordinator and liaison. She is responsible for VPK assessment submissions.
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Megan James is our Creative Director. She designs our nature-inspired aesthetic and collaborates with teachers on art and Visible Thinking projects and displays. She curates the monthly school publication, "The Chatter", along with the Tree Top website and social media.
Megan James
“Creative expression is a language that feeds children’s imagination, activates curiosity and builds a sense of individuality and confidence.”
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Assistant Director
Jennifer Bravo is our Assistant Director and has been part of the Tree Top family for about three years. She supports our teachers, assists families with Brightwheel, and ensures questions are thoughtfully directed to the right person.
“ I value early education because it allows me to observe children growing into confident, curious thinkers who actively engage with the world around them.”
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Sara Malvasia serves as the Safety Director and is responsible for maintaining a safe and supportive school environment. Her duties include monitoring school security cameras, conducting foot patrols throughout the campus, and leading emergency drills. She performs regular risk assessments and completes maintenance checks of the school building and outdoor equipment to ensure safety standards are met.
In addition to safety responsibilities, Sara supports teachers with student behavior concerns and assists with a variety of staff needs. She also teaches social-emotional learning classes to elementary students and participates in parent-teacher conferences. Sara maintains student medication lists and ensures classrooms are compliant with DCF regulations.
Sara Malvasia
It is our mission to empower teachers and parents with support, information and guidance while navigating the early childhood educational experience