Faculty

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Kim Prue

she / her 

Pre-k Teacher

Kim has been integrated in the lives of our Asheville children for almost a decade. During her time in previous classroom environments, Kim enjoyed fostering relationships through nature-based play and encouraged social emotional development through child-led artistic discovery. Currently, Kim is on a Pathway to becoming a Social Worker and hopes to use her gifts of compassion, action behind sentiment, and innovation to ensure all our neighbors’ needs are met with respect and dignity.

The greatest joy in Kim’s life is the peace and wellness of her two children. You can find the
three of them hiking and hunting waterfalls, playing with their dog, Buster and their kitty,
Pickles, or cooking together. Kim loves a good prank, believes it’s never too late to do the right thing (even if it means starting all over again), and is very excited to contribute to the enrichment of the lives of the Odyssey family.

Agustin Palomo Ramos

Music Teacher, Pre-K – 12th : Healing Through Drums & Music

Agustín is a national and international musical artist born in San Jose, Costa Rica. He earned a degree in Music & Social Behavioral Sciences from the University of Central Florida (UCF), and later attended Florida State University for Jazz Studies. He has been a Qualified Professional in North Carolina and has over 20 years of experience working with the IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) community.

As a drummer and percussionist he performs, tours, and is a recording artist with his bands.  Agustin is currently featured in the original rock band ExciterBox, who have a newly released album. He plays with Zabumba, a Brazilian drumline and dance troupe based in Asheville, NC. Some past ensembles include the 1995 Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps and Walt Disney World (3 ensembles). He has also played in several orchestras/symphonies, concert bands, percussion ensembles, steel drum bands, jazz bands, marching bands, percussion for theater productions and many pop/rock bands.

Since 2021, he has been the music teacher at the Odyssey School in Asheville NC for pre-kindergarten through high school students. He is a resident teaching artist at LEAF Global Arts (Schools & Streets program) in Asheville, NC. His music pedagogy work has included Winter Park and Trinity high schools in Florida, The Austin Waldorf School in Texas, and as a percussion master class clinician at festivals and conventions. He arranged and composed for Appalachian State University, UCF, Wake Forest, and high schools.

Agustín is also a live event producer and a sound mixing engineer whose Front of House/Monitor A1 work can be heard with XL Live Media USA, IATSE, local production companies and independently. Some of his past crews in Austin, TX include the Bass Concert Hall, Erwin Center, and numerous events (Broadway Across America with The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Mama Mia!, Jersey Boys, The Lion King, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, George Strait, John Meyer, Neil Young, George Clinton & The Parliament Funkadelic, SXSW, Austin City Limits, Santana, Willie Nelson, Blueman Group, Tom Petty, and Deadmau5). In New York City his credits include work at Studio Instrument Rentals (SIR), Rocket Studios, and more (Fiona Apple, Beyonce, Trey Anastasio, LL Cool J, My Chemical Romance, Burning Spear and The Foo Fighters).

Haviva Dror

Pre-k Director

she/her

Haviva Dror holds an AAS degree in Early Childhood Education and a certificate in Special Education. She has been an Early Childhood educator since 2003. As a teacher, Haviva believes in creating a nurturing, loving, and caring environment where each child is treated as an individual with respect and compassion.

Haviva truly believes that strong social/emotional skills are THE most important indicator for success, not only in school, but also in life. Mindfulness and meditation are two of the tools Haviva uses in her classrooms to help children with self-regulation, focus, and body awareness. She teaches children to listen to their bodies’ needs, and recognize the feelings they are experiencing.

While early childhood education is Haviva’s passion and the career path she has chosen, she also teaches Hebrew. Over the years this has given her the opportunity to continue her journey with some of her former preschool students. Haviva is happy to share her Hebrew knowledge with her Odyssey students as well.

In her spare time, Haviva practices yoga and meditation, enjoys spending time with friends and family, and continues to deepen her knowledge in a wide array of subjects. Haviva considers herself a lifelong learner and is excited to continue her journey here at Odyssey!

Meredith Rucker

PreK Afterschool Teacher

she/her

Meredith Rucker is grateful to be a part of the Odyssey community. She experiences joy and meaning in her life by nurturing children’s individuality, imagination, and development through intentional engagement. Meredith is currently a student at AB-Tech studying Early Childhood Education. She also studies herbalism during her free time and enjoys learning about gentle plant remedies for everyday use. Nature and creativity are vital components of her daily life.