Dr.
Collage Day School From there, Katie went on to complete her undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, her graduate degree at the University of North Carolina, and her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Fielding University. After continued progress, she is now a board-certified behavior analyst and licensed clinical psychologist with her own private practice. As for her experience, she has worked in both pediatric and academic positions pertaining to psychology and mental wellness. This included working as faculty at the University of Florida between 2006 and 2008 before she shifted her focus to serving the pediatric needs of the Northeast Florida community.
Child-First Education It is well known that not all toy blocks fit into the same hole. This is a concept that many children learn at a very young age, and yet, these same children are expected to fall into the same cookie-cutter mold as all other children when it comes to their education. Dr. Katie Falwell, CEO and founder of Collage Day School, understands this flaw in the educational system. That is why she and her team of educators look at each and every child as a unique individual and focus on developing strengths.
partner spotlight By Brandon Jerrell
12 • May 2022
Collage Day School is a private school offering differentiated educational services for children three months through fifth grade.
“I’ve always been inspired to help others: make positive changes, solve problems, and promote resilience. This also later turned into educational endeavors because I strongly believe that education and mental health are symbiotic.”
PATH TO PEDIATRIC CARE
BUILDING COLLAGE DAY
Katie grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia, where she was frequently around horses. She recounts that it was this childhood experience with horses that taught her both patience and trust. “You have to learn to build trust early on,” she says. “If you and your horse can’t trust each other, then there is no partnership.”
Katie has a total of four children. When her oldest son reached preschool age, Katie went looking for a school that she felt shared her vision for early childhood education. She believed that such a school should stimulate the developing mind of a child while also nurturing and exciting children as they spend their earliest formative years in their care. When she could not find a school that could give her children the environment that all students deserve, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
“I actually started school for veterinary medicine since I grew up with such a strong love for animals. I hit a big wall in school,” she explains. “I couldn’t get past doing surgery on the lab dogs. My heart hurt too bad for them. You cut them open and sew them back up every day. When I had kennel duty, I would just end up in tears. I think that was my core moment when I turned to psychology. I wanted to study and heal the mind without having any reservations.”
Knowing that there must be other like-minded people out there, that was when Collage Day was created.
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WHAT IS COLLAGE DAY?
Collage Day School is designed to be the realization of Katie’s vision. Built on an 8-acre wooded campus, it is already well beyond anything traditional. Collage Day School focuses on each and every child, unlike traditional schools, which view all children through a categorial filter. Here, it can be assured that the whole child is the focus. Both the skills of standard academia and that of beyond are honed here. This especially includes the physical, emotional, and mental development of a child.
Katie and her husband Breon enjoy working together to enhance the 8-acre campus of Collage Day School.
“The halls are filled with laughter — alive with projects and wonder,” Katie beams. Collage Day School firmly believes that the early years are fundamentally the important years for providing the foundation for self-esteem, cooperation, social values, sharing, friendship, respect, and many more essential skills. “I’m reminded every day that we are fostering a love for learning.”
Katie and Breon and their dog, Zelda.
The school also provides auxiliary services on campus, including but not limited to speech therapy, occupational therapy, educational testing, and mental health therapy. KATIE’S FAMILY LIFE
Katie loves to travel with her family. “When the kids are not in sports, we are most often traveling,” she shares. “I have been a traveler my whole life, and I was lucky enough to have a family that prioritized travel. I strongly believe that travel is one of the most powerful ways to teach our kids.”
Two of Katie’s children enjoy learning at Collage Day School.
Jacksonville Real Producers • 13
