Founder/Educator & Where it all began

Rhonda Pollock

Rhonda has extensive experience in Early Childhood Education and Child Social Services. She holds a degree in Social Work from Rhode Island College. Her work-related expertise is both broad and comprehensive and includes the following:

She provided counseling and emotional support for terminally ill patients as part of Hospice Outreach, where she co-facilitated the adult bereavement support group and the child bereavement support group.
Counseling emotionally disturbed adolescents and children in crisis as a Child Care Counselor. She was also responsible for implementing and documenting all clinical and educational service programs in this position.
Child Protective Social Worker for the Department of Social Services, where she helped families with children from birth to age 18.
Provider Education and Enhancement Coordinator/Kindergarten Readiness Coordinator for the Nantucket Public Schools/C.N.C.

Rhonda has nurtured and connected children to nature since 1998, when she founded Pollywogs Playschool. Pollywogs Playschool began as a play-based program with regular excursions to our island's natural spaces.

Rhonda has been inspired by many who have come before her, including Zoe Weil. In 2003, after reading Zoe Weil's book Above All Be Kind, Rhonda decided to make nature the focus & curriculum, practicing nature-based education before she knew the term.

With nearly three decades of continued study and practice, Rhonda's unique and personal philosophy has evolved into what it is today.

Over the last two and a half decades, Pollywogs has morphed into an authentic nature-based program, which is why there's been a slight name change. Over the years, Rhonda has completed ongoing Professional Development in Environmental Education & Nature-based Education for Early Childhood Educators to hone her craft. In August 2018, Rhonda earned her Cedarsong Forest Kindergarten Teacher Certification with the esteemed Erin Kenny at Cedarsong Nature School on Vashon Island, WA. In 2024, Rhonda became a certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide with The Association for Nature and Forest Therapy Guides(ANFT)

Rhonda served on the Early Childhood Advisory Council for the Nantucket Community School and the Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools Board of Directors (now known as ANBE) for several years. Currently, Rhonda mentors for the online Cedarsong Way Teacher Certification program.

In addition, Rhonda is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care and is Red Cross-certified in CPR and First Aid.

Last but not least, she is the wife of Jeff Pollock and mother of three adult children- Molly, Sadie, and Chance, as well as Nana to Margot, Winnie, and Conrad.