Kelly grew up in a suburb of Sacramento and is a wife and mom to three kids, ages 4, 7 and 19. Her background is in design and branding, and after getting her start at an educational video company for teachers, she later moved into print publishing and worked as the Art Director for Comstock’s magazine for a little over a decade. Later, as her family grew, she opted for self-employment as a photographer and web designer.

Kelly describes herself as an “accidental homeschooler,” because, until recently, her kids had all spent at least some of their time in conventional schools.

Then, like for so many families, along came 2020 — the year that changed everything. From shifting priorities in the public school system, to lockdowns and policy changes at the Montessori preschool where her younger kids attended, the school systems she once loved had become unrecognizable. Not to mention, rising crime in their small town also meant it was time for a big change.

After seriously considering an out-of-state move, instead, she and husband Matt packed up their family and found their new home in Pioneer, the same California town where Kelly had spent many years visiting her grandparents as a child after they’d retired and built their cabin here.

Living in upcountry Pioneer also meant that homeschooling was back on the table, so Kelly began researching and talking to other parents in the community. She decided if she was going to homeschool, she wanted some of the amazing resources and classes here that were only available “down the hill,” more than an hour away.

“We knew we no longer wanted what traditional school had to offer, but the idea of being home with kids, all day every day? That was... a LOT. I think the hybrid model is what we’ve been wanting for our family all along — more involvement with our kids, but with the social benefits and community that comes from learning with peers.”