Staff

Steve Molnar (center) is the director and a teacher at Little River Community School. He has a Masters of Science in Special Education from SUNY/New Paltz and New York State Certification in Elementary Education and Special Education K-12. He has over 30 years of experience in alternative, multi-age classroom settings.  Steve is the Olders teacher and teaches Spanish, swimming, and special topics to the other students.

Steve lives at Birdsfoot Farm, an intentional community and organic vegetable farm adjoining the school.  He and his wife Dulli live with their two children in a passive solar house they built together using hand tools.  Steve has worked for the past twenty years with Peace Brigades International, a Gandhian-inspired group that works in areas of violent conflict providing protective accompaniment to human rights defenders.  He serves on the governing board and travels internationally for meetings.

Maria Corse (right) has a Bachelors degree in Anthropology from SUNY/Potsdam.  Maria has been the Middles teacher at Little River since 2003 and she also teaches anthropology and writing to the other students.  Maria has two teen-age children who attend the school.

Maria is a native of Northern New York.  She and her family live a sustainable lifestyle in an off-grid home on thirty-seven acres in Pierrepont. They operate Deep Root CSA, providing vegetables to twenty-three families in the Canton area.  Maria is also a writer; she has self-published a book through Amazon geared toward elementary-age children.  She currently serves on the board of the National Coalition of Alternative Community Schools.

Desiree Holmes (left) is the primary teacher in the Youngers classroom.  She also teaches art to all three age groups.  Desiree has two Bachelors degrees from SUNY Potsdam, one in Studio Art and one in Psychology. She has an undergraduate minor in Education, completed her student teaching and certification requirements through St. Lawrence University and is currently NYS certified in K-12 Visual Art. Currently she is finishing her Masters of Science in Education in Curriculum and Instruction at SUNY Potsdam.

Desiree has a daughter who continues to help her learn and grow.  She also has a variety of pets including ferrets and lizards.  Her leisure-time pursuits include silversmithing, ceramics (both hand-built and wheel-thrown), and horseback riding.  Desiree resides in Colton, NY, which is a wonderful area for outdoor recreation and artistic inspiration.