New title

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  Amy KesslerAdmissions Assistant
  

  Amy Kessler

  Admissions Assistant

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2016

  BS, Biology,Tufts University; MEd, Elementary Ed, Lesley University

  Amy grew up outside of Boston. While her school days immersed her in city life, it was her time spent at her family's rustic island cottage with no electricity or running water that shaped her love of nature and longing for a more rural life. After more than a decade of teaching both outdoor education and in the classroom, Amy, her husband, and two children moved to Maine so that their children could attend MCWS. Much of her spare time is spent growing, preserving and cooking the food from their small farm. Amy also enjoys spending time with her family, walking her dog on the trails behind her house, camping, and baking healthy-ish treats.

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  Ananda KaymenHandwork
  

  Ananda Kaymen

  Handwork

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2014

  BA, Cultural Anthropology, Friends World Program, Long Island University; MA, Counseling Psychology, John F. Kennedy University Foundation Program, Maine College of Art Fibers/Clay, Haystack Mountain School of Arts and Crafts, Simplicity Parenting Group Leader Certification, Simplicity Parenting

  Ananda grew up on an organic farm in southern New Hampshire, where she attended both the Pine Hill and High Mowing Waldorf Schools. From a young age, Ananda felt a sense of responsibility to the world around her; to be of service to all beings. A brief devotion to the study of fine arts gave way to many years of travel, study and work in Latin America and New York City, where her focus was social justice and human rights. Ananda found her inclination for healing work when she moved to Northern California, becoming first a massage therapist and later a somatic psychotherapist. She moved to Maine in 2007, where she has been guiding individuals and groups in mindfulness and meditation practices. Woven throughout all of her life experiences has been the thread of creating beauty, crafting, and working with her hands.

• Anastasiya DariavachAfter School Program Teacher, Apprentice Grade 6

  Anastasiya Dariavach

  After School Program Teacher, Apprentice Grade 6

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2017

  TBA

• 
  Ann ColtmanHigh School German and Humanities
  

  Ann Coltman

  High School German and Humanities

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2016

  BA, Liberal Arts Honors, University of Texas; MA, ESL, University of Texas; Waldorf High School Teaching Certificate, Humanities, Center for Anthroposophy, Wilton, NH

  Ann grew up in Johannesburg (South Africa), Lusaka (Zambia), Lawrence (Kansas) and Austin (Texas). Chance took her to Germany for twenty years where she fell in love with the countryside, music, dances and language and lived in a big old house in a tiny village in the Franconian meadows of Northern Bavaria. There she taught ESL and English and Humanities at a local high school and raised three children who attended the Freie Waldorfschule in Erlangen before immigrating to the USA to graduate from the Austin Waldorf School where Ann taught German and Humanities. She is a rusty musician playing piano, cello and Hackbrett and loves folk dancing, gardening, reading, and doing genealogy.

• 
  Barbara GuffinFinance Director
  

  Barbara Guffin

  Finance Director

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2004

  BA, Economics/Accounting, Rutgers University; MBA, Finance, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; Waldorf Teaching Certificate, New England Waldorf Teacher Training

  Barbara joined the school as a parent in 1987 when her oldest daughter was three years old. Since then she has been a volunteer, substitute teacher, class coordinator, member of the Finance Committee, Early Childhood Assistant, Extended Day teacher, and Accreditation Coordinator. Since 2012, she has served as the Finance Director. Barbara is an avid biker and also enjoys hiking, gardening and playing the ukelele.

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  Beatrice Perron DahlenHandwork Teacher
  

  Beatrice Perron Dahlen

  Handwork Teacher

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2016

  BFA, Sculpture, Massachusetts College of Art and Design; MEd, Integrated Learning, Antioch University

  Beatrice spent her childhood traveling with her military family. The places and people she encountered helped create a sense of awe of the natural world and a curiosity in people and their cultures. Her strongest memories are of learning to embroider and sew, habits that took root. She designs and writes knitting patterns and always has needles in hand. When she is not sewing, knitting or embroidering she can be found gardening, cooking and dabbling in other art forms.

• 
  Brian KesslerCaretaker
  

  Brian Kessler

  Caretaker

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2016

  BS, Parks and Recreation Management, Lake Superior State University; Associate Degree, Natural Resources Technology, LSSU Journeyman Electrician in Maine and New Hampshire

  Brian, his wife Amy, and their two children, Grace and Noah, moved to Maine in 2011. What brought them here was their commitment to giving their children a Waldorf education all the way through high school. Before joining MCWS, Brian spent 16 years as an electrician in New Hampshire. His most interesting job, however, was raising baby cranes while wearing a crane costume. Brian's hobby, or if you ask his family, life consuming passion, is beekeeping. He started with two hives but was soon “hooked” and now has over 30. He also enjoys gardening, camping and spending time outdoors with his family (and bees).

• 
  Caitlin PowFourth Grade Teacher
  

  Caitlin Pow

  Fourth Grade Teacher

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2014

  BA, Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst; BA, Spanish, University of Massachusetts Amherst; MEd & Waldorf Teaching Certificate, Antioch University New England

  After bouncing around the world for a bit, Caitlin spent the latter half of her childhood in the beautiful Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. She attended UMass Amherst for her undergraduate degrees, studying Anthropology and Spanish, with a focus on community organizing, social justice and critical race theory. Upon returning after time spent living in South America, she was lucky enough to discover The Hartsbrook School in Hadley, MA, and was introduced to Waldorf education through assisting in the lower grades. After becoming intrigued by Waldorf pedagogy at work, Caitlin made her way up to New Hampshire to receive her M.Ed in Education and complete her Waldorf Teacher Training. When not with her students, Caitlin is an avid cook, soccer player and runner, and is enjoying exploring the cross country trails up and down the coast.

• Cerridwen AkerFirst Grade Teacher

  Cerridwen Aker

  First Grade Teacher

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2017

  BFA Goddard College, Waldorf Teaching Certificate, Antioch University New England

  Cerridwen was raised on a homestead in coastal Blue Hill, Maine where she attended The Bay School (the Waldorf school) from Early Childhood through Grade 8. When Cerridwen was in third grade she remembers her class teacher asking the students what they might want to be when they grew up. Her answer was a teacher.

  Cerridwen has had the opportunity to live, work, and teach in many diverse places—from the Florida Keys to the Pacific Northwest. Before returning to Maine two years ago, she lived and worked on an organic farm and artist residency in coastal Georgia.

  Cerridwen is currently completing her Masters of Education with a thesis focusing on Compassionate Communication and Restorative Justice in the classroom.

• 
  Chloe DowleyKindergarten Assistant
  

  Chloe Dowley

  Kindergarten Assistant

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2016

  BA, Education & Sociology, Swarthmore College

  Chloe is a recent transplant to Freeport from the rural coast of Maine, where she spent a decade raising two children, farming, gardening, organizing mothers' support groups, coaching youth sports, volunteering at local schools and non-profits, and teaching Spanish and English to individuals of all ages. She is delighted to be joining a community working together to nourish and nurture children. Chloe enjoys practicing yoga, walking the neighborhood dogs, cycling, running, gardening, playing with her family, and travel, especially to Spanish-speaking countries.

• 
  Christine SloanAdministrator in Transition
  

  Christine Sloan

  Administrator in Transition

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2008

  BA, Speech, Drama, Waldorf Teacher Training, Emerson College, Sussex, England

  Christine discovered Waldorf education soon after graduating from College, and moved to Detroit and then England to complete her Waldorf teacher training and meet her husband, David. After teaching English for one year at a Waldorf High School in NY, she taught English and Drama for several years in a residential school in the San Bernardino mountains, eventually moving back to NY with their young family. For the next 25 years Christine helped raise their three sons and daughter, and built a not-for-profit natural foods cooperative, that is still the community hub of the Waldorf community in Chestnut Ridge, New York. These years of full-time, not-for-profit business management, combined with over 20 years of parent meetings and volunteering in a Waldorf School, have been excellent preparation for her work in Administration at Maine Coast Waldorf School. Local food, farm markets and family celebrations centered in the kitchen are still her favorite pastimes.

• 
  Christopher ChasseMusic
  

  Christopher Chasse

  Music

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2012

  BA, Music Education, University of Southern Maine; AA, Liberal Arts, Southern Maine Community College

  Christopher grew up in northern Maine and spent most of his child learning to play musical instruments, playing in the woods and working in the potato fields. It was around fourth grade that he began teaching, starting with his fellow classmates on recorder and later on saxophone, trumpet, clarinet, and later the bass and guitar. Christopher is also a local musician and performs in a variety of musical settings ranging widely from rock 'n roll to Bluegrass, from Vivaldi trumpet concertos to the Beatles. Chris's position at MCWS draws from his love for shaping and harmonizing young voices, arranging music, and performing all types of music.

• Christopher LeeHigh School Math

  Christopher Lee

  High School Math

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2017

  TBA

• 
  David BarhamHigh School Humanities
  

  David Barham

  High School Humanities

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2008

  BA, English & Religion, Tufts University; MEd, Waldorf Teacher Certification, NH State Teacher Certification, Antioch University New England

  David discovered the teachings of Rudolf Steiner and Anthroposophy through work as a Biodynamic farmer in California. His desire was to change the world and he felt that first Biodynamic agriculture and later life in Camphill Village and in Waldorf Education was the way to marry his professional, political and spiritual life. David loves to sing and play music as well as being outdoors, reading fantastic books and spending as much time as possible with his family. He still believes in the power of Waldorf education to change the world!

• 
  David BeringerEducational Support
  

  David Beringer

  Educational Support

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 1999

  BA, Literature, Thomas Edison College; MEd, Early Childhood Education, Antioch University New England; Certification, Waldorf Education, Antioch University New England, Certification, Transdisciplinary Therapeutic Education, Gradalis Institute, K- Level 4 Training, Awareness Through The Body, Antioch University New England, Fairy Tales and Social Change, Hampshire College,

  From sharing the archetypal power of Fairy Tales to helping students develop a deep connection with their physical and natural world, David has committed himself to fostering authentic, holistic human development. Years of political and social activism have convinced him of the world's deep need for empathy and imagination, and that positive social change becomes possible through an education based on the human being's full development. He lives in a straw-bale, solar-powered house that he built with help from many friends. David is passionate about many things, but math, making music with others, and getting as close to the natural world as possible are some of his current priorities.

• 
  David EichlerPedagogical Director
  

  David Eichler

  Pedagogical Director

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2017

  BA, Psychology & Human Development, MA, Human Development and Family Life, University of Kansas; MAT, Special Education, Pittsburg State University; Education Support Program Certificate, Extra Lesson, Association for a Healing Education

  David and his wife, Monika, moved their family from Kansas to Maine in 2016 so their daughters could attend Maine Coast Waldorf School. Co-founding a Waldorf school in Kansas in 2001 was David’s introduction into Waldorf education. He was an active member of the Board of Trustees and faculty during his time involved with that school, Prairie Moon Waldorf School. David has worked as a Behavior Analyst for the last 30 years, the last 20 of which he provided technical assistance to public and private schools across Kansas at the levels of the individual student, classroom, building , district, and state. David has been an amateur magician for many decades and, when he is not at school, is likely exploring the beauty of Maine.

   

   

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  David SloanHigh School Humanities
  

  David Sloan

  High School Humanities

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2006

  BA, Harvard College; MFA, University of Southern Maine; Waldorf Teacher Training, Emerson College

  David taught at Green Meadow Waldorf School (NY) for 25 years before joining MCWS in 2006 as a founding high school teacher. He also helped to launch the Shining Mt. Waldorf High School in Boulder, Colorado. He has authored three books: Stages of Imagination—Working Dramatically with Adolescents, Life Lessons—Reaching Teenagers through Literature, and a poetry collection entitled, The Irresistible In-Between, as well as several articles for Renewal magazine. David is a faculty member of the Center for Anthroposophy, teaching humanities in the Waldorf high school teacher training summer program. He is also enjoying life's latest delight: grandfatherhood!

• 
  Deeda BurgessPublic Relations Coordinator
  

  Deeda Burgess

  Public Relations Coordinator

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 1994

  BA, History, Salisbury University; MA, Waldorf Education, University of Detroit Mercy; Waldorf Teacher Training Certificate, Waldorf Institute of the University of Detroit Mercy, Foundation Year, Anthroposophical Studies, Rudolf Steiner College

  When Deeda learned about Waldorf education from her childhood friend in 1972, she felt the first inklings of her life's path. After working as a Waldorf class teacher in Texas, she moved to Maine with her husband, Jack, in 1986 and joined the Board of Directors of Merriconeag Waldorf School. Since that time Deeda has worked as a kindergarten assistant, in both the development and admissions offices, and most recently as Public Relations Coordinator. Deeda has served the school as faculty chair, college chair, and is a member of the Teacher Development Committee. She was a parent in the school for 21 consecutive years!

• 
  Ellen McCann LabbeHigh School Life Sciences
  

  Ellen McCann Labbe

  High School Life Sciences

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2012

  BSc, Environmental Science, University of Guelph; MS, Biology, University of Southern Maine; Currently enrolled in Waldorf High School Teacher Training Program, Center for Anthroposophy

  Ellen has been an active explorer of the living world since childhood. Working with others to understand the intrinsic connection between human beings and their environment inspires her work as both an experiential educator and ecologist. Her favorite fieldwork has included mountain meteorology, coastal wetland ecology, and most recently her thesis research on the population genetics of alewife in Maine rivers. Ellen is an avid naturalist, citizen scientist and homesteader. You can find her outdoors in all seasons with her husband and son.

• 
  Ezra SmithWoodworking, Physics
  

  Ezra Smith

  Woodworking, Physics

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2016

  BA, Physics, Earlham College; MAT, Math and Physics, Earlham College

  Ezra grew up at the Himalayan Institute, a yoga ashram in Northeastern Pennsylvania in the company of people dedicated to spiritual striving. This inspired him to focus his life on learning and improvement. He relishes designing authentic learning experiences for his students. Ezra is from a Quaker background and welcomes challenging questions. He loves most things, specifically math, science, woodworking, and wildcrafting.

• 
  Hannah CampbellEC Afternoon Assistant
  

  Hannah Campbell

  EC Afternoon Assistant

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2017

  BA, Liberal Studies, Sarah Lawrence College; MFA, Creative Writing, University of California, Riverside

  Hannah is from Upstate New York, though she has also spent years in New York City, Kansas, Missouri, California, Pennsylvania, and Southern India. Her interest in progressive education blossomed during her years at an all-girls' boarding school, and continued to grow during college, at which time she visited schools in Bangalore, India, worked with children in both Houston and New York, and taught music at an Early Childhood laboratory school. She has always hoped to end up at a Waldorf school, and is so grateful to be a part of the Maine Coast Waldorf community! In her spare time, she enjoys writing poetry, cooking, and learning to play the fiddle.

• 
  Heidi DrexelEducational Support Teacher for Math, Grades 1-8 Faculty Co-Chair
  

  Heidi Drexel

  Educational Support Teacher for Math, Grades 1-8 Faculty Co-Chair

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2013

  BA, Painting and Drawing, Warren Wilson College; MEd in Waldorf Education, Sunbridge Institute

  Heidi grew up in northern New England and spent most of her childhood playing outdoors.  She was a Waldorf elementary teacher for seven years, in New Hampshire and California, before the birth of her first child. At MCWS, she is happy to be able to combine her love of teaching with her passion for art and nature. In her spare time, Heidi writes, gardens and sings.

• 
  Ida DymentSixth Grade Teacher
  

  Ida Dyment

  Sixth Grade Teacher

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2012

  BA, Nutritional Anthropology, Hampshire College; MEd, Waldorf, and Elementary Education Certificate, Antioch University New England

  While growing up in New Hampshire in a house her father built, Ida was homeschooled by a Waldorf Teacher, her mother. This afforded a great deal of time for delving deeply into the fine arts, handcrafts, music, and dance. After completing her high school education at a private, college-prep school in New Hampshire, Ida went on to a self-designed undergraduate major in Nutritional Anthropology. After receiving her MEd and completing her final internship in the south, she happily returned to her New England roots and moved to Maine. Ida has extensive experience in classical and world music, and has an abiding interest in the natural world and cooking.

• 
  Jane PalizayAcademic Support Teacher for Literacy
  

  Jane Palizay

  Academic Support Teacher for Literacy

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2015

  BA, Sociology, Gordon College; Graduate courses in reading, University of Southern Maine; Wilson Language System Introductory Training, Visualizing and Verbalizing Training Workshop

  After graduating from college, Jane earned a teaching certification for grades K-8 and enjoyed 10 years of classroom teaching in both private and public schools. She became a stay-at-home mom after the arrival of twin sons. During that time, Jane authored a phonics and spelling workbook and started a private tutoring business. Because many of her students struggled with reading, she pursued specialized training which allowed her to target specific reading skill deficits. Over the past 17 years, Jane has worked with nearly 100 students assessing reading difficulties and providing individualized instruction. She also has experience working as a Literacy Strategist, designing and providing instruction for students and teachers while employed by the South Portland School Department. Jane and her family live in Brunswick.

• 
  Jeffrey O’BrienHigh School Math and Physical Sciences, HS Faculty Chair
  

  Jeffrey O’Brien

  High School Math and Physical Sciences, HS Faculty Chair

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2007

  BA, Mathematics, Colby Colleg;, M.Ed, Antioch University New England; Waldorf High School Teacher Certification, Center for Anthroposophy

  Jeff grew up six miles south of Freeport in Yarmouth. Jeff has been teaching high school math and science since 1987. He is a founding faculty member of MCWS's high school and has been teaching math and phenomenological science since its inception. Prior to that he taught at North Yarmouth Academy, The Academy at Charlemont, Northfield Mount Hermon School, and The White Mountain School. He also plays bass and sings in an adult "garage band". At one time he was a fly fishing guide in Montana.

• Jenn CorningKindergarten Assistant

  Jenn Corning

  Kindergarten Assistant

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2017

  TBA

• 
  Jennifer McLeodNursery Assistant
  

  Jennifer McLeod

  Nursery Assistant

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2014

  BA, Musical Theatre, University of Southern Maine

  Jennifer McLeod comes to MCWS after working with mixed ages at the Peaks Island Children's Workshop, both as a teacher and as a lifeguard. Jennifer has a background in educational entertainment, working with local organizations such as PORTopera and Portland Symphony Orchestra with their educational outreach.

• 
  Jenny FitzpatrickEC Afternoon Assistant
  

  Jenny Fitzpatrick

  EC Afternoon Assistant

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in

  BA, English w/ Education Certification, SUNY Geneseo; Waldorf training, WISC; Foundation Studies, Center for Anthroposophy

  Jenny grew up in Upstate NY and Southern VT. After college, she headed to Los Angeles, CA where she began cultivating some life passions including Waldorf Education. After spending six years in international live-event TV and another six as a birth/postpartum doula and massage therapist, she started her own family and began working in the early childhood at Westside Waldorf in Santa Monica. Her family moved to Maine in 2006 and now both her daughters are MCWS alumni. As nurturing children and feeding people have been life-long themes for Jenny, she feels well-suited for her position at the school.

• Jessica GouldEC Afternoon Assistant

  Jessica Gould

  EC Afternoon Assistant

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2017

  TBA

• 
  Jessica MooreKindergarten Teacher
  

  Jessica Moore

  Kindergarten Teacher

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2010

  BA, Humanities, New England College; MH, Master Herbalist, Australasian College of Health Sciences; Waldorf Early Childhood Teaching Certification, Sunbridge Institute, Foundation Studies, Center for Anthroposophy

  Since 2007, Jess has been teaching both Early Childhood and Handwork in Waldorf Classrooms. Originally at Seacoast Waldorf School, (formerly Tidewater Waldorf School, Eliot, ME), in 2010 Jess, her husband and daughter moved up to Freeport to join Maine Coast Waldorf School, where Jess has taught in Early Childhood and First Grade. She possesses a rich artistic background with an affinity for the fiber arts.

• 
  Jill FoxSeventh Grade Teacher
  

  Jill Fox

  Seventh Grade Teacher

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 1994

  BA, History, Carleton College; MEd, Antioch University New England; Spacial Dynamics® Institute - Level I

  Jill grew up in a family that loved traveling and hiking. A year spent in Switzerland, just before college, brought fluency in French and her first experiences working on organic farms. Her work as a naturalist exploring the redwood forests with children led her to Waldorf education. Long stretches in the wilderness—canoe trips in Labrador and the Boundary Waters, backpacking trips in the Wind Rivers and Cascades—as well as travel in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Central America continue to give her perspective and inspire her love of teaching. When she is home, she spends as much time as she can outdoors.

• 
  Johanna FlathHigh School Art
  

  Johanna Flath

  High School Art

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2010

  BFA, Rhode Island School of Design

  Johanna grew up on the island of Bermuda and had an active and creative childhood. She moved to Maine in 2001, along with her husband, to restore a 225 year old house, a place to live out their artistic ambitions. She has shared her joy of painting with children and adults for over a decade, teaching in many different private schools and institutions, both in Maine and Bermuda. She loves working with the high school students at Maine Coast Waldorf School, inspiring them to look deeper into the beauty of the natural world. She feels passionately that art-making is a vital skill of communication and self-expression for young people. She has two young children of her own and spends her time with her family cooking, playing, painting and in nature as much as possible.

• 
  John SacconeMovement Education
  

  John Saccone

  Movement Education

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 1995

  Spacial Dynamics® Institute - Level I, Spacial Dynamics® Institute - Movement Therapist, Spacial Dynamics® Institute - Level III Trainer Bothmer Gymnastics® - International Bothmer Certification Board

  John toured in Tony Montanaro's Celebration Theater Ensemble. He is a resident guest artist with the Portland Ballet Company and has performed for over 20 years as Drosselmeyer in the Nutcracker. He is a past host of the Portland Symphony Kinderkoncerts. He taught for many years at the Rudolf Steiner Institute, and presently is an instructor at the Spacial Dynamics® Institute. He is a founding boardmember of Seeds of Independence, where he continues to facilitate in their Jumpstart program for first-time youth offenders. He performs a duet show with his wife.

• 
  Julie YeoHigh School Art
  

  Julie Yeo

  High School Art

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2016

  BA, studio Art, Connecticut College; AA, Classical Animation, Sheridan College of Applied Arts and Technology; MEd, Curriculum and Instruction, University of Colorado, Foundations Studies, Center for Anthroposophy

  Throughout her life Julie has always been a maker. She is motivated most when using her hands to create, She has worked in many media including wood, clay, glass, metal, stone, painting, drawing Teaching has always allowed her to learn and share her enthusiasms. Julie will always seeks out the opportunity to make something over buying it. She finds her greatest inspiration spending time with her family in the outdoors actively engaging in every season. She also loves to cook and share meals with friends, xc ski, and pick blueberries. Julie considers Maine her home where she lives a busy life with her husband and their daughter in a house they built on a little farm they created.

• 
  Karyn KurlandEducational Support
  

  Karyn Kurland

  Educational Support

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2014

  BA, French and Special Education, University of Vermont; MA, Special Education/Consulting Teacher, St. Michael's College

  Karyn became acquainted with the MCWS community through her private tutoring practice, and grew to appreciate and admire the values inherent in the Waldorf approach to teaching and learning, as well as the high level of commitment MCWS teachers have to their students. She has been working part-time at the high school as a student support teacher since the fall of 2014. Prior to joining the faculty at MCWS, Karyn taught in a variety of public and private educational settings, worked as a consulting teacher/learning specialist, and lectured at educational conferences about the positive impact of collaborative planning teams on students with unique learning needs and on educational institutions as a whole. In addition to teaching at MCWS, Karyn co-owns a learning cooperative called STARS (Students Taking Action Reach Success) in Freeport.

• 
  Katy StetsonAccompanist
  

  Katy Stetson

  Accompanist

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2006

  BA, Music, Amherst College

  Katy has been accompanying choirs in the greater Portland area for more than 20 years. She regularly works with several schools in the area, as well as many private choirs, ranging in age from elementary school through high school and beyond. Katy also teaches piano to students of all ages.

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  Kelly Smith BarhamNursery teacher, Parent-Infant, Parent-Toddler Teacher
  

  Kelly Smith Barham

  Nursery teacher, Parent-Infant, Parent-Toddler Teacher

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2012

  BA, Peace and Conflict Studies, University of California Berkeley; AAS Fiber Arts, Crafts and Production, Haywood Community College; MEd, Early and Elementary Childhood Education, and Waldorf Certification, Antioch University New England

  Born in North Carolina, Kelly inherited a love of fibers, children, and nature from her Scots-Irish grandparents who had their roots in the Appalachian mountains. Growing up during the turbulent times of the 1960s and 70s gave her flexibility of thinking, courage,  creativity, and inspiration to constantly seek ways to make the world a better place for everyone. She has worked with young people in a variety of settings, from intense work on race relations and shelters for homeless youth, to kindergarten classrooms. She has finally found her favorite classroom to be the outdoors with our nursery children! She continues to weave in her "spare" time, and is currently studying homeopathic medicine as well.

• 
  Kristina Färm-MorrillKindergarten Teacher
  

  Kristina Färm-Morrill

  Kindergarten Teacher

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 1986

  Elementary Education and Therapeutic Education, Teachers Training College, Sweden, Remedial Teacher Training, Association of Healing Education, U.S.A

  Kristina grew up in Finland and moved to Sweden to study. After Graduating in 1978, she moved to Washington State for five years, giving birth to three daughters. In 1983, her family moved to Maine and in 1984, Kristina joined the Board of Directors of Brunswick Waldorf School. She started helping in the existing kindergarten class and in 1986, became the Nursery Teacher. Kristina has been a Kindergarten teacher since 1990 and continues to treasure the earnestness of the young children as they still teach her something new each day.

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  Lisa MainellaGrade School Office Manager, MS Athletic Coordinator
  

  Lisa Mainella

  Grade School Office Manager, MS Athletic Coordinator

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2006

  BA, English, University of New Hampshire; MA, Early Childhood Education, Lesley College

  Lisa grew up in New Hampshire surrounded by woods, apple trees and back country ski trails.  She was a plant lover and an avid athlete, especially enjoying little league baseball, field hockey and spring track. An early fascination with travel and job earnings from work at a local florist took her to Indonesia, Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Though studies in English Lit were deeply enriching, she wished she had paired that with a horticulture minor.  A teaching degree—earned a year before the birth of her first son—has proven useful as a mother and to meet daily visitors to MCWS's grade school office, where she has spent the past 8 years. Lisa enjoys growing all sorts of things—especially raspberries—Nordic skiing, reading, traveling, knitting, quilting, baking, running and dark chocolate in a variety of forms!

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  Liva LaswellApprentice, High School
  

  Liva Laswell

  Apprentice, High School

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2017

  BA, Literature and Creative Writing, University of California Santa Barbara; Foundation Studies, Center for Anthroposophy; Currently enrolled in Waldorf High School Teacher Training Program, Center for Anthroposophy

  Liva grew up in Sacramento, California, where she graduated from the Sacramento Waldorf School. During a gap year from college, she volunteered as a coworker in a Camphill community, where she first began to realize that she might want to become a Waldorf teacher. Liva dove deeply into the study of literature and creative writing at UC Santa Barbara, and also enjoyed a semester abroad, studying German and political science in Berlin. Following her graduation, she taught English in southern Austria through the Fulbright Program, exchanging her knowledge of German for a facility with the Austrian dialect.

  While completing her Foundation Studies through the Center for Anthroposophy, Liva was a part of the residential life faculty at High Mowing School. She has previously taught English at the Haleakala Waldorf High School on Maui, and for the past three years has been teaching high school humanities at the Sacramento Waldorf School. When she has spare time, Liva enjoys running half marathons, knitting baby hats, reading about new ideas, exploring eurythmy, making art, and being the adoring aunt of two little nephews.

• 
  Lyn BairdAdmissions Director
  

  Lyn Baird

  Admissions Director

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 1994

  BA, English and Philosophy, Wheaton College

  Lyn’s childhood was full of family moves (12 different schools in 12 years) and many adventures in the US and abroad. A child of the 60s, she was active in economic and social justice causes and became the first director of the National Center for Service-Learning in Washington, DC. Her interest in experiential and socially conscious education led her to Waldorf, and she was quite invested in helping MCWS launch its grade school in 1992 (her first-born was in the first first grade). She served as Development Director when the School was establishing its permanent campus, and now, as Admissions Director, loves her role in expanding the Waldorf school community.

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  Lynn ThurrellMiddle School Support Teacher
  

  Lynn Thurrell

  Middle School Support Teacher

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 1991

  BS, Education, English, Keuka College; Waldorf Certificate, Antioch University New England

  When plucked suddenly from her complacent New England habitat in early adolescence and immersed in the warp and weft of life in South Africa, Lynn's eyes and interests were opened to a very different world perspective. Though primed for the adventure by her father's stories from annual sojourns to the Far East, experience proved the more immediate educator. After graduating from high school in Hong Kong, she once again became a mostly settled, slightly restless New Englander. It was on meeting Waldorf Education that she found a reflection of her early experiences in the exploration of the world's cultures as they unfold in the elementary curriculum. Besides her continuing fascination with indigenous peoples everywhere, she brings her love of the arts, a pleasure in the world of nature, and an enthusiasm for creating with her hands into her classroom.

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  Lynn WetterhornNursery Teacher
  

  Lynn Wetterhorn

  Nursery Teacher

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2014

  BS, Plant and Soil Science, University of Vermont; MEd, Antioch University New England; Waldorf Certification in Early Childhood

  Lynn has worked in both Waldorf and non-Waldorf schools for the past 20 years where she taught Parent-Child Classes, Young Nursery, Nursery, Kindergarten and Handwork. She has also worked as a parent educator for families with young children. Her enthusiastic love of gardening and the outdoors permeates her work with children. She and her husband built and restored houses, raised sheep and chickens, and enjoyed outdoor activities while raising their two children in southwestern New Hampshire. They are happy to now be living near the ocean and are restoring yet another home. In her spare time, Lynn enjoys weaving, knitting, cooking, hiking, and kayaking.

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  Lynne W. EspyDevelopment Director
  

  Lynne W. Espy

  Development Director

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2009

  BA, Geology, Middlebury College; MFS, Master of Forest Science, Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies; Certificate, Foundation Studies in Anthroposophy and the Arts, Center for Anthroposophy

  Lynne loves working with volunteers and donors to make the school’s dreams become realities through their shared generosity and fundraising efforts. Lynne uses her data-driven approach, her sense of humor, and plenty of home-baked goods to facilitate the school's development work and sustain the community’s enthusiasm. In her spare time she enjoys baking, gardening, learning to play mandolin, hiking, and spending time with her husband and three adult children.

• 
  Margaret SamuelsonFifth Grade Teacher
  

  Margaret Samuelson

  Fifth Grade Teacher

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2013

  BA, Classics, Bowdoin College; MEd, Antioch University New England

  Margaret found her way to Maine by way of Cincinnati, Ohio, to attend Bowdoin College. While there, she studied Latin and Greek, and met a great guy, upon graduation married him, and has been in New England ever since. She is still not so sure about the cold, cold winters, but she does love the Maine summers, and the gorgeous landscape of the Maine coastline. When she and her family spent a year abroad in Australia, she found her way to Waldorf education there as well, and it was in Melbourne, Australia that she began her studies to become a Waldorf teacher. She finished her M.Ed with a specialty in Waldorf Teaching when she returned to the United States. Margaret began with her current class in first grade in the Fall of 2013.

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  Marta RackmalesEighth Grade Teacher
  

  Marta Rackmales

  Eighth Grade Teacher

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2009

  BA, Religion, Hamilton College; MEd, Elementary Education, Sunbridge College

  Marta grew up on Cape Cod where her family ran a fish market; she shared the work of filleting and preparing seafoods from an early age. It was on a hilltop in Avignon (following a semester in Stockholm) that she learned of Waldorf education from her travel-mate. She began teaching in Washington, D.C., where she met her husband and enjoyed 10 years of city life. They ventured up to Maine where Marta taught in the Bath Public Schools. Marta and Tom grew their family by adoption; experiencing their children's birth cultures of Kazakhstan and Ethiopia and raising these two wonderful children has broadened their world infinitely. Marta continues to love the ocean, her family, and her two sweet cats.

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  Mary MartinEvents Coordinator
  

  Mary Martin

  Events Coordinator

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2013

  BA, Business, Columbia College; Teachers Certificate, Antioch University New England

  I spent my childhood in a small town in the Southern Tier area of Upstate New York. After completing my Associates Degree in Business at S.U.N.Y. at Alfred I lived and worked in Syracuse, NY for the next 15 years. For the majority of those years I worked for Guardian Life Insurance Company and also completed my Bachelor's Degree by taking evening courses. I eventually obtained the revered position of Service and Sales which included selling employee benefits and servicing existing accounts throughout Upstate New York.

  With the good fortune of meeting my potential husband who lived in Freeport, through mutual relatives in Syracuse, I moved to Maine when we married and have not looked back. Once my daughters where entrenched at MCWS I took over the position of managing the school store on a volunteer basis which increased my desire to understand Waldorf education. This led me to the Waldorf Foundations Study Course, After completing this course and with a fabulous opportunity to achieve a Waldorf Teachers Certificate at Antioch, by taking weekend classes,I obtained the Waldorf Teacher's Certificate after 2 years of study and internships. I jumped right into teaching main lesson classes and substituting at MCWS and began as the Events coordinator in 2013. This position draws on the many skills I've developed through chairing various non-profit initiatives as well as my understanding of the MCWS community.

  Other than being extremely involved with my daughter's class activities, volunteering in the community and at school events,and working as an insurance consultant at my husband's company, I was a competitive runner. I have since taken up cross country skiing and enjoy the outdoors.

• 
  Melissa HoyBookkeeper
  

  Melissa Hoy

  Bookkeeper

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2012

  BS, Business Administration, Southern NH University
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  Michael FendersonFrench, College Chair
  

  Michael Fenderson

  French, College Chair

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 1998

  BA, International Affairs/Political Science and French, University of Maine; MA, French Literature, University of Massachusetts

  A love of travel and adventures abroad, beginning with a high school exchange to Brazil led Michael to study and then teach both French and Spanish. He has enjoyed living and teaching in France and leading student trips to Central America and Quebec; experiences which have inspired a strong passion for world cultures that he brings to his students in stories, songs, and games. His favorite pastimes include spending time with family and friends, working outdoors building and landscaping, playing guitar, and singing songs late into the night.

• Michele BurkeyFirst Grade Afternoon Teacher, Fifth Grade Assistant

  Michele Burkey

  First Grade Afternoon Teacher, Fifth Grade Assistant

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2017

  TBA

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  Nancy RoderickClassroom Music, Strings, Chorus
  

  Nancy Roderick

  Classroom Music, Strings, Chorus

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2002

  BM, University of Miami School of Music

  Nancy is a violinist and teaches strings, classroom music and chorus.  She has served as principle violinist for the Maine State Ballet Orchestra and has performed with the Portland Symphony, the Bangor Symphony, the Maine Chamber Ensemble, the Portland Opera Repertory Theater Orchestra and the trio Musica Sorrella. Nancy has served as a conductor with the Brunswick Regional Youth Orchestra, the Southern Maine String Academy and at several District Festivals across the state. Nancy is the founder of the Coastal Youth Orchestra and conductor of CYO's Fiddleheads and Coastal String Ensembles. Nancy is well known for her enthusiasm and sensitivity in working with young string players and for her dedication to music education. In her free time she enjoys running and spending time skiing at Sugarloaf with her husband and two children, Alexandra and Christopher.

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  Nathan DoanHigh School Math and Physics
  

  Nathan Doan

  High School Math and Physics

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2013

  BS, Math and Physics, Tulane University; Currently enrolled in the high school teacher training program, Center for Anthroposophy

  Nathan grew up in Pennsylvania where he graduated from the Susquehanna Waldorf School in Lancaster County. Living in New Orleans, Nathan developed a passion for long-distance bicycling and bicycle repair, eventually becoming the manager of a community bike-education program. Nathan's interests include juggling, playing music, and having good conversations.

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  Oliver Kinzer
German
  

  Oliver Kinzer

  
German

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2005

  BA, German Philology, German as a foreign language, Philosophy University of Cologne, University of Salzburg, University of Vienna

  Oliver is a native of Germany who came to Maine in 2001. Since 1990, Oliver has been working with children and teenagers in various settings in Europe and the US. Through his many years of experience in arts, language, nature studies, athletics, social work, culinary arts, crafts, and music—as well as being a father—Oliver feels at home in creating exciting, inspiring, and versatile activities for children of all ages. Oliver has been the German teacher for Kindergarten through 8th grade at Maine Coast since 2005. His many tasks at the school have included teaching high school German, woodworking, cooking and coaching middle school cross-country.

• 
  Rebecca BrownSecond Grade Teacher
  

  Rebecca Brown

  Second Grade Teacher

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2015

  BA, Double Major: Globalization Studies, Studio Art; MEd, Antioch University New England

  During high school in Weston, Connecticut, Rebecca found a home for herself in art and thrived in English. Service trips to Ecuador opened her eyes to another way of life and inspired her to major in Globalization Studies at Gettysburg College. She continued to cultivate her love for the arts by declaring Studio Arts along with Globalization Studies for a double major. While pursuing her academic studies at Gettysburg, Rebecca led rock climbing, kayaking and backpacking trips for students. Time in nature continues to play an integral part in her teaching.

  After college, while Rebecca was waiting to join the Peace Corps, she worked at an outdoor center in Vermont and it was there that she met her first Waldorf students. She was so impressed with the relationships between those students and their teachers that she began to research Waldorf education. After serving in the Peace Corps in Ecuador where she taught children, Rebecca attended Antioch University and received her MEd in Waldorf education. Fond memories of summers spent in Maine led her to Portland and Maine Coast Waldorf School.

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  Rebecca WaddleGrade School Office Assistant
  

  Rebecca Waddle

  Grade School Office Assistant

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2016

  BA, Psychology, The College of Wooster

  Rebecca comes to MCWS after 8 years as Telecom Billing Administrator for IDEXX Laboratories, where she managed the billing and usage reporting for over 3,200 voice & data circuits around the word, and over $5M in annual telecom expenses. Prior to that, she was chief cook and bottle washer for a small but integral wharf-side lobster shack on a tiny island community off the coast of Acadia where, among other things, she learned how to make a killer blueberry pie (just sayin’). In her twenties, Rebecca enjoyed several seasons as a licensed whitewater raft guide on the Kennebec and Penobscot rivers in Western Maine, where she also obtained Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification (advanced wilderness first aid, one step below EMT). In those off-seasons, she was a ski coach (and waitress) at Sugarloaf, USA in the Carrabassett Valley of Western Maine. Rebecca is thrilled to be a part of the important work being done here to nurture the child as a whole being, to instill empathy, character and determination necessary to share their gifts with the world.

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  Regine Routier WhittleseyHigh School French
  

  Regine Routier Whittlesey

  High School French

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2007

  BA, Université de Nantes, France; MAT course work, University of Maine, Orono; Certificate, School for International Training Certificate, Foreign Service Institute

  Régine, born and educated in Nantes, France, came to Maine as a teaching intern in the 1970s where she met her husband who became a diplomat. They embarked on an international life that took them to Iceland, Morocco, Switzerland, France and Bangladesh in addition to Washington, DC. While teaching for 35 years in International Schools and raising four bilingual, bicultural children, Régine did volunteer work in the slums of Morocco and Bangladesh, where she ran the UN Women's Association Welfare Program. She still helps Buddhist schools in Nepal and India, such as the Siddhartha School in Ladakh, India, where she started MWHS sponsoring of one of their students. It is no surprise that she established our International Exchange Program!

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  Robert ThurrellWoodworking
  

  Robert Thurrell

  Woodworking

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 1998

  BSc, Geology, Colgate University; MSc, Geochemistry, University of Rochester; Waldorf teacher training, Center for Anthroposophy

  Bob spent 5 years as a State Geologist in Connecticut after his undergraduate years and then taught math and sciences at two New England private schools. During these years he discovered his love for using antique woodworking tools and started his own company restoring historic structures. One of his many structures over twenty years was St. Bartholomew's Church  in Yarmouth. He was a founding member of the Timberframer's Guild of North America and is a past President of the Guild of Maine Woodworkers. He loves teaching at Maine Coast Waldorf School for it offers him an opportunity to teach in many of the areas that he is passionate about.

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  Sarah YanniDirector of Counseling
  

  Sarah Yanni

  Director of Counseling

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2014

  BA, English and Education, Mount Holyoke College; MA, Counseling Psychology, Lesley University

  Sarah grew up in southern New Hampshire and attended the Pine Hill and High Mowing Waldorf schools. As an undergraduate, she studied secondary education and completed the Teaching Certification Program at Mount Holyoke College. Sarah has worked in several independent schools and educational programs offering one-on-one support to middle and high school students with learning differences and psycho-emotional challenges. In addition to her work at MCWS, Sarah is a part-time clinician at the University of New England Counseling Services where she specializes in issues relating to adolescence and emerging adulthood. Sarah brings a compassionate, strengths-based approach to supporting students and their families through these rich and sometimes challenging years.

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  Susan SonntagHigh School Office Manager, HS Athletic Director
  

  Susan Sonntag

  High School Office Manager, HS Athletic Director

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2011

  BA, Computer Science, University of Buffalo

  Susan has happily spent most of her life in the northeast, gradually making her way eastward from upstate New York to Maine. Following a corporate career in computer tech support, she began working her way into MCWS, managing the school store, volunteering in the classroom, serving as class parent, and assisting in the lower grades. These days you can find Susan at the high school, where she does a little bit of everything: office manager, registrar, athletics, transportation, and tech support. When she's away from school, Susan enjoys hiking, skiing, playing with her dog, and giving advice to her (grown) children.

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  Suzie PeirsonThird Grade Teacher, Grades 1-8 Faculty Co-Chair
  

  Suzie Peirson

  Third Grade Teacher, Grades 1-8 Faculty Co-Chair

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2004

  BA, Elementary Education, Ohio Wesleyan University; Waldorf Teacher Training, Antioch University New England

  Suzie is a native New Englander who knew from a very young age that she wanted to be a teacher.  During her first career, Suzie had a wide range of experience in the hospitality industry. She discovered a way to nurture her love of the outdoors by shifting from the sales department of the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston, to a management position supporting the back country huts for the Appalachian Mountain Club in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  Marriage and motherhood brought Suzie to Maine, where her family grew to four children and many pets. Suzie readily admits her current career direction was inspired by the experiences of her four children, all educated at Maine Coast Waldorf School, from the early childhood program onward. Her own Waldorf faculty experience includes time as a volunteer, full time handwork instructor and classroom teacher.  Suzie loves to knit, swim and spend time with her family.

• Tania ZuckermanNursery Assistant

  Tania Zuckerman

  Nursery Assistant

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2017

  BA, Creative Writing/Philosophy, Loyola College; MS, Environmental Education, Lesley University/Audubon Expedition Institute K-8, Elementary Education, Teacher's Certification, Lesley University

  Tania grew up in Southern Vermont where she developed a deep connection to nature. She has years of experience in the fields of education, the environment, and the healing arts and is excited to be part of such a vibrant and creative school experience as Maine Coast Waldorf School. Tania is also a yoga teacher and Somatic Breath Therapist and leads a nature-based Waldorf-inspired summer program on her family's 13 acres in Durham.

  Over the years, Tania's love of working with children has led her to teach in a variety of settings including the Creative Playhouse pre-school, nature programming at Maine Audubon, summer camp at Friends School and most recently as a substitute in the Early Childhood classrooms of Maine Coast. She has been in Maine since 1998 when she moved here for a teaching job at the School Around Us in Arundel.

  Tania is currently in the 2-year Foundations Studies Course through the Center for Anthroposophy and is excited to be more involved in a Waldorf school about which she feels very passionate and inspired. Tania is actively trying to learn fiddle and loves gardening and spending time with her husband, who works in the alternative energy field, and their son, who is in the grades at MCWS.

• 
  Whitney BruceCollege Counselor
  

  Whitney Bruce

  College Counselor

  Joined Maine Coast Waldorf School in 2016

  BA, International Studies, Johns Hopkins University

  Beginning with her experience as a college senior interviewing prospective first year students, Whitney has spent more than two decades working with students as they make the transition from high school to college. She has worked as a college admissions officer, a high school counselor, and an independent counselor. She visits several dozen colleges each year and is always amazed by the diversity of higher education opportunities available in the United States and abroad. Whitney currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Higher Education Consultants Association.