Courtney Fincher
PreK Director and Team Teacher
Courtney Fincher is the director of the Odyssey Pre-Kindergarten program. She values the opportunity to nurture children through the rapid growth of early childhood and she believes it is never too early to instill the concepts of self-knowing, communication, compassion, and community.
Courtney strives to support the children in developing self-confidence in balance with interdependence. It is her goal that children leaving her class will have a core understanding of themselves and the skills that will serve them in every aspect of life. Courtney values working in a school where children can experience the developmental spectrum from early childhood through high school.
Courtney holds a B.A. in psychology from the University of West Virginia and has extended her coursework in the field of Early Education. She carries her love of service, psychology, and healing arts into her relationships with the children.
She is particularly interested in Interpersonal Neurobiology (the study of how relationships shape our brains) and what creates resiliency. She trained in Circle of Security in 2017 and now offers classes to parents on creating secure attachments. She attended the Interpersonal Neurobiology conference lead by Dr. Dan Siegel in April of 2019. She is finishing her third year of Somatic Experiencing training to deepen her understanding of the nervous system and regulation.
In harmony with the Odyssey vision, she sees a bright future for the children she teaches today, and looks forward to seeing what will happen as our special school community grows.
Courtney is engaged in our local early education professional community in a variety of ways. She has served on The AB Tech advisory committee for their Early Education program, was a NEXT Emerging Leader participant, and is a graduate of the Early Childcare Directors Institute. In 2015 she was awarded National Recognition for Childcare Excellence.
Current News & Events
We were excited to host James Beard nominee and local celebrity chef @acallcapps 🤩 in the podcast studio today! Stay tuned for our conversation about teaching in the kitchen. 🍽🎙#podcast #chefsofinstagram #cheflife #culinaryarts #bestpractices #professionaldevelopment #teachersofinstagram #integraleducation #podcastlife #asheville #ashevillenc
Day of the Heart at Odyssey School is all about community, compassion, and appreciation. Take time to connect with your heart today and with the people you love. 🌎❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💝 #valentines #heart #community #love #loveyourself #loveeveryone #heartcentered #integraleducation #holisiticeducation #privateschool #independentschool #k12 #prek #asheville #ashevillenc #yoga #kidyoga #studentleaders
High school study hall in action! Imagine feeling as comfortable curling up with a good book at school as you do at home. That’s what a day in a small community school looks like. #rigorous #personal #comfortable #curlupwithagoodbook #schooliscool #integraleducation #happyteen #happylife #studyhall #k12 #asheville #ashevillenc #dayinthelife #highschool
Well said, @edutopia. We believe this is 100% accurate and can’t wait to introduce you to the unquantifiably magical Odyssey School faculty tomorrow night during our Meet The Teachers open house event. 🎈#asheville #ashevillenc #openhouse #k12 #privateschool #independentschool #integraleducation #preschool #bestteachersever #lovewins
These are Ken Wilber’s words. Thoughts provoked? Curious to learn more about how this philosopher influenced a whole way of teaching and way of being for the Odyssey School community? 🦉 Come and learn with us on Wed, Feb 12th at 6:30 pm. It’s an Open House and you’re invited. ❤️ #openhouse #schooliscool #prek #k12 #kenwilber #integraleducation #creative #collaborative #reflective #philosophy #rainpuddle #reflectionphotography #asheville #ashevillenc #montford #ashevillephotography #ashevilleintherain #quotes #quotestoliveby #privateschool #independentschool #holisticschool
Hurry! Mark your calendar! It’s Meet The Teachers Night, Odyssey’s PreK-12 Open House event, on Wednesday, Feb 12. @ 6:30pm. 🦉 Learn more about why Odyssey School is an awesome independent school experience for bright, creative, and authentic kids. #rundontwalk #privateschool #independentschool #integraleducation #creativekids #authentic #enrollment #admissions #k12 #asheville #ashevillenc #highschool #middleschool #openhouse #february2020
On Feb 1st from 3-6pm @slygrog will be hosting an art opening for a group of @odysseyhighschool students. Their canvasses are old or thrifted jackets decorated with body positive messages and mixed media assemblages designed to promote diversity, inclusivity, and positivity around all bodies. 🎨 #studentart #artandsocialjustice #bodypositive #creative #collaborative #artshow #artiseverywhere #loveallbodies #schoolwithoutwalls #highschool #integraleducation #independentschool #asheville #ashevillenc
Both in our classrooms and our faculty meetings, we take play very seriously. 🎨 Thanks to @mhnuckols for leading our collaborative painting workshop! Flip through to see our before/after paintings created collaboratively! #paint #fredrogersquote #playisseriousbusiness #mrrogerswasright #learningthroughplay #collaborationovercompetition #teacherswhopainttogether #professionaldevelopment #art #savethearts #artinschool #abstractart #collaborative #creative #integral #education #k12 #school #asheville #ashevillenc
Today’s in-service began with “gutters,” a team building challenge led by our HS Environmental Justice teacher... Watch this with the sound on! #learningthroughplay #gutters #collaboration #collaborationovercompetition #worktogether #professionaldevelopment #getoutside #physics #physicsarefun #success #teachersofinstagram #teachers #asheville #ashevillenc #integraleducation #integral #school #k12
Here’s a peek into the #creative #collaboration our teachers engage to support each other in discovering best practices. 👩🏻🏫👩🏽🏫👨🏼🏫👨🏿🏫 These are notes from a peer observation (inspired by one teacher, used by another to support yet another) tracking a teacher’s movement throughout a lesson. #peersupport #collaborationovercompetition #reflect #bestpractices #teachersofinstagram #weloveourjob #observe #teach #k12 #integraleducation #leadingbyexample #ashevillenc
Pre-K Teachers
Featured Student Work
