Intimate Learning, Immersed in Nature

Meet Our Team of Learning Guides

Our founder

FOUNDER | DIRECTOR | LEAD LEARING GUIDE

Dayana Philippi, Ed.D.

Dr. Dayana Philippi, known by her colleagues as Dr. Dee. is the founder of Naples Microschools (NMS). Dr. Dee believes that engaging with animals and nature can enhance student motivation, learning, leadership and character building. 

The passionate mother of 6 curious, outdoorsy, and adventurous children, Dr. Dee and family own and operate a moderate-sized 2.5 acre hobby farm in Golden Gate Estates, the hub for all NMS programs. The farm boasts a delightful Caribbean garden, and a menagerie of goats, cows, fowl, and classroom pets, specifically gerbils.

Dr. Dee has the uncanny ability to connect with kids and make tough concepts comprehensible and fun. A former professional athlete and kid-at-heart, Dr. Dee teaches students through methods she herself learns best—total physical response, field experience, and hands-on, inquiry-based projects. She has carefully selected and trained a team of learning guides whose primary goal is to spark joy in children through exploration of and in the natural world. 


She holds masters and doctoral degrees in education and is a Florida certified educator and K-12 school leader. She is trilingual and possesses a wealth of classroom and building-leadership experience having taught Spanish, English as a second language (ESL), secondary English/Language Arts, and middle school math, and alternative education for troubled youth. Over her 20+ years as an educator, she has tutored and mentored many children, and created curriculum and programs for global organizations.

Email 

Meet the Team

  • Ms. Leyla

    K-2 learning guide specializing in Montessori teaching, hands-on math, and foreign language instruction.

  • Ms. Sydney

    K-2 learning guide specializing in Montessori-style instruction, early learning, and positive behavior management.

  • Ms. Deb.

    Grades 3-4 learning guide specializing in executive functioning, early literacy instruction and life skills.

  • Dr. Dee

    Grades 5-8 learning guide and FL certified teacher and school leader specializing in secondary (6th-12th grade) cross-curricular instruction, classroom management, and project-based learning. Dr. Dee is the founder and heads of school at NMS.

  • Chandra Brewer Mason

    LEARNING GUIDE | CAMP DIRECTOR

    Camp director and remote tutoring instructor, specializing in phonics and reading. Chandra is a FL certified educator skilled in organizing engaging outdoors programs for kids.

  • We're Recruiting!

    LEARNING GUIDES

    Naples Microschools is actively recruiting and screening top-level educators to join our team. Check back here and see how we grow.