Rocki Naron

Hello! I’m Rocketa (Rocki) Naron, MA, LMFT. I hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rutgers University and a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from St. Mary’s University. For the last 13 years I have been and continue to be in private practice as a licensed marriage and family therapist with specializations in collaborative medical family therapy and relational coaching for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

I believe my love of growing food started with the stories my mother and my Oma told me about picking and eating fresh fruit from their families gardens as children. They so often told me (and in the case of my mother, still do) how much they loved them, and how much those gardens shaped their growth. I wanted to give my own child that opportunity. I wanted to give her something that would demonstrate my love for her through a labor that would nourish her physically and nurture her growth mentally, emotionally, and spiritually through the direct connections with earth and life that a garden can provide. I also hoped that the experiences her childhood garden provided her would be a treasure trove of useful lessons and comforting memories that she will carry with her throughout her adulthood.

My journey with Buckner Fanning began when I enrolled my daughter in the Buckner Fanning Pre-K 4 program.  From the very start, I was moved by the mission and values of this school and its staff and the importance placed on fostering the wholistic growth of the students. The enthusiastic support that Buckner Fanning School shows for parent involvement in its learning community lead to my invitation to help start the school garden program. That lead to helping to teach garden classes to each grade level, and the positive feedback from those efforts lead to my management and administration of the garden curriculum.

I look so forward to this school year and all of the exciting opportunities for hands on learning that the garden program will provide for our students. We’re hoping to continue to improve and expand our program to match the growth of our school, and we love feedback, parent support, and parent involvement! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, feedback, and/or if you’d like to help in any way!