Bonnie Holden, Director of Pedagogy
Bonnie has a B.A. in English from Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences in Akron, Ohio. She has her Waldorf Certificate from Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks, California. She taught for four years in the Spring Garden Waldorf School in Akron where she carried a class from grade 3 through grade 6. Bonnie joined The Waldorf School of San Diego in 1986 as a kindergarten teacher. In 1996, she took a first grade class. The class was combined the following year. Her first 8th grade graduated in 2003; her second 8th grade graduated in 2004 and her third grade 8 graduated in 2009. Her fourth grade 8 graduated in 2010. Bonnie is a member of the Pedagogical Group.
Early Childhood - 2011/12
Veronica Connaughton, Perwinkle Kindergarten Teacher
Veronica received a Bachelor's Degree in Communications from the University of San Diego, California and a California Teaching Credential and Master's Degree in special education from National University. She worked in the San Diego Unified School District as a special education teacher, tutor and student advocate. She was led to Waldorf education by her eldest son and has three children in the school. Veronica graduated from the Waldorf Teacher Training program in San Diego in 2008.
Katherine Giglio, Sweet Pea Nursery Teacher and Morning Glory Playgroup Facilitator
Katherine has over 15 years teaching experience in public and private schools. She has taught and assisted in Waldorf pre-schools and kindergartens in California, Colorado and Texas. Katherine received a B.A. in psychology with a minor in health science from San Francisco State University. She has completed the Foundation Studies and Goethean Studies Programs at Rudolf Steiner College. She also attended Sophia's Hearth: Birth to Three Years teacher training course. She finds great joy in caring for and supporting our youngest children and their parents. Katherine has two sons (eighth grade and sixth grade). This year she serves as the Early Childhood Chair, Pedagogical Group Member, and Social Inclusion Member.
Christy Klincewicz, Sunflower Kindergarten Teacher
Christy and her family come to us from the Great OaksWaldorf School in Evanston, Illinois. Christy worked as a kindergarten assistant for three years, a nap teacher, and summer camp lead teacher before coming to WSSD in 2002. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and her Waldorf Kindergarten teaching certificate from Arcturus Rudolf Steiner Education program in Chicago. Christy’s daughter, Antonina, graduated from WSSD in 2005, and her son Julian is in the 10th grade.
Aminta Penman, Morning Glory Playgroup Facilitator/Early Childhood A.M. Assistant
Aminta was born and raised in Ocotepeque, Honduras, and has had a lifetime connection with nature and children. She earned her teaching degree and came to the U.S. in 1989. She has been on the early childhood path for over 14 years. She worked as a Waldorf Kindergarten assistant for over two years and has completed two years of Waldorf teacher training. She teaches Spanish to young children. Her interests are many, but include cooking, running, hiking and spending time with her daughter Sophia Grace and her husband Louis.
Susan Starr, Rosemary Kindergarten Teacher
Susan majored in kinesiology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia and went on to social work before discovering Waldorf Education. She has studied eurythmy at the Eurythmy School of Spring Valley, New York and is a graduate of The Waldorf Early Childhood Training in Wynstones, England. She joined us after teaching 17 years at The Waldorf School of Princeton, where she was a founding faculty member. Born and raised in San Diego, she taught kindergarten at Sanderling School, an initiative, from 2002-03. Susan completed a three-year training in puppetry with Suzanne Down and looks forward to her seventh year as a kindergarten teacher with us.
Early Childhood Assistants
Gina Garcia-de-Marrujo, Early Childhood Aftercare Co-Teacher and A.M. Assistant
Gina loves working with children and families and has 20 years of experience as a teacher ranging from pre-school through adult education in both private and public school settings. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, in English, with an emphasis in literature and holds a California Multi-Subject Teaching Credential from Chapman University having taught for San Diego Unified School District. She is certificated as a Labor Support Specialist, Childbirth Educator, and Lactation Educator, and continues to support families privately and at our local hospitals for the last 10 years. Recently she completed the three-year Foundation Studies Program for Waldorf Teachers through Rudolf Steiner College. She has been a part of our school community for 9 years and has three daughters with her husband, Guillermo; Ruby (gr. 7), Iliana (gr. 5), and Emilia "Emi" (gr. 3).
Leticia Ortega, Early Childhood Aftercare Co-Teacher and A.M. Assistant
Leticia has been an early child educator for over 20 years in mainstream, as well as private, schools, in Los Angeles and San Diego County. In addition, she worked for the San Diego Unified District for several years in the special education department, which led to further studies inWaldorf Education. She received her B.A. in Early Childhood from Cal State Los Angeles, and is a graduate of the Waldorf Institute of Southern California (WISC). She has shared this wonderful journey with her daughter, Chesna, and son, Tristan, who is in tenth grade at our Waldorf High School.
Mayra Sandelin, Early Childhood Assistant
Mayra is originally from the coffee-growing highlands of Nicaragua. She grew up inMatagalpa, the regional capital city, but spent much of her childhood on her grandfather’s farm. She earned her teaching degree and worked for five years as an elementary school teacher in Nicaragua. In 1992, she moved to the U.S., where she married her husband Raul, whom she met while he was re-building the school where Mayra was teaching. Since Raul is a native San Diegan, they settled here, while Mayra began taking college English and child development classes. During this time, she continued to work in child care and met Cynthia Caywood and David Hay. She became an extended member of their family, while helping watch their two children, Judith and Abby (who would eventually enroll at WSSD). That is how Mayra discovered the Waldorf family, which she fully joined as a kindergarten assistant in 2003. Mayra graduated from the Waldorf Teaching Program in San Diego in 2011. Her son Dylan is in third grade.
Grades 1-8 Class Teachers
Jeff Almon, 1st Grade Teacher
Jeff graduated from Humbolt State University, in Arcata, California in 2006. After University, Jeff spent his time and knowledge working in wilderness programs for various age groups, more recently with "at-risk-teens" in a Wilderness Therapy Program. Jeff was inspired early on in his life with Waldorf Education having grown up in Fair Oaks, California and having close friendships with students at the Sacramento Waldorf School. He attended his first Anthroposophical Adult Conference at the age of 19 and knew then that one day he wanted to be a teacher. He completed his Waldorf Teacher Training at Rudolf Steiner College. Mr. Almon is happy to be a part of the WSSD community and looks forward to his journey with his first grade class.
Emily Stewart, 2nd Grade Teacher
Emily graduated from New York University in the spring of 2003 with a B.A. in Economics. After university, she spent time backpacking through Europe, Costa Rica, Australia and New Zealand, developing an interest in organic farming and natural construction. Her travels eventually led her to Hawaii, where she discovered Waldorf Education and enrolled with Kula Makua. While completing her training, she worked as a tutor and taught art classes to young children. Emily received her teaching certification in the summer of 2010 from Waldorf Teacher Education Eugene. She loves being a part of the WSSD community and is excited to continue her journey with her second grade class.
Elyse Stussi, 3rd Grade Teacher
Elyse grew up outside ofWashington, DC, and attended the WashingtonWaldorf School from grades 2-8. She received herMaster’s degree in Education from the GeorgeWashington University and taught for two years as an ESOL teacher for the Maryland Public Schools. She then went to Brazil for five years where she taught at the Cecilia Meireles Waldorf School, first as an English teacher and then as a remedial teacher. She received her certification as a remedial teacher from the Association for Healing Education in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She received herWaldorf teacher training both in Brazil and in Washington, DC, at the Nova Institute. Elyse worked from 2008 as Educational Support Teacher/ Remedial Teacher at WSSD. Her son, Sean, is in Mrs. Carmichael’s seventh grade class.
Sherina Walker-Cirone, 4th Grade Teacher
Sherina graduated from San Diego State University with a B.A. in Psychology in 1994. She later returned to SDSU to earn a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential in 2001, and in 2005, she received both a Master’s degree in Reading and Language Arts and a Reading Specialist Credential. She completed the WISC program in the summer of 2006 and received her Waldorf Teacher Training Certificate. Sherina has two daughters, Brianna, who is in the eighth grade, and Cheyenne, who is two years old.
Heather Scott, 5th Grade Teacher
Heather has a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. in English from the University of New Hampshire. She has her Waldorf Teacher Certificate from Antioch New England Graduate School. This is her 9th year at WSSD. She has a daughter, Nia, in 8th Grade.
Adam Kilcollins, 6th Grade Teacher
Adam grew up in a small town in Nova Scotia, Canada, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Education and Outdoor Recreation from Acadia University in 1998. After university, he took a position in Vermont as a Park Ranger, where he met and married his wife Jodi Abelow. In 2001, Adam and Jodi moved to California to escape Vermont’s snow and began teaching environmental education to fifth and sixth graders for the County of Santa Clara in the Redwood forest above Santa Cruz. During this time, both Adam and Jodi enrolled in the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training in San Rafael (Marin County), CA. After completing one and a half years in this part-time program, Adam and Jodi moved to Sydney, Australia, and enrolled in a full-time Waldorf teacher training program based at the Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School. Upon completing their training, Adam and Jodi moved back to Northern California and resumed teaching environmental education until moving to San Diego, where Adam began with his current class in grade one. Adam is the proud father of Matthias (born 4/20/09) and Rhyley (7/18/11) and when not chasing after his son and changing his daughter’s diapers, he enjoys triathlons, hiking, cooking, and lying on the beach. Adam is a member of the Sports Committee and the Faculty Search Committee for the 2011-2012 school year.
Lynne Ross-Witscher, 7th Grade Teacher
Lynne (“Mrs. Ross”) has a B.S. in Business Administration from Chapman University. Lynne was a kindergarten teacher atWSSD for 8 years and then moved to Fair Oaks for her daughter's high school years. For 6 years, Lynne was the Extended School Care Director for K-6 at the SacramentoWaldorf School. In July 2005, Lynne graduated from the Rudolf Steiner College, and accepted a class teacher position back atWSSD. In September 2005 she took a first grade class which will be grade seven this year. Lynne’s three children attendedWSSD, and her grandson is currently in 1st Grade. Lynne is a member of the Pedagogical Group and the Finance Committee.
Mary Carmichael, 8th Grade Teacher
Mary has a B.A. in Community Health Education from California State University, Chico. She attended the Foundation Year Program through the New England Waldorf Teacher Training Institute and completed her studies at Rudolf Steiner College. She has a strong commitment to her study of and work in anthroposophical medicine. This is Mary’s sixteenth year at WSSD. Her son, Nicholas, graduated in 2004, and her daughter, Christina, graduated in 2008. Mary is a member of School Wide Governance and Care Group.
Grades 1-8 Class Assistants
Laura Ford, Class Assistant/Cello Teacher
Laura has a B.A. in Music from San Diego State University. She completed the Waldorf Teacher Training program at Antioch New England, and has been teaching at WSSD since 2003. She has three children: David is 21, Emily is 18, and Paul is 16. When she is not at school, Laura spends her time costuming musical theatre productions and working for Visionary School for the Performing Arts.
Sylvie O’Connell, Grades Assistant /Woodwork
Sylvie was born and raised in Germany, where she attended the Rudolf Steiner School in Munich from grades 1-12. She has lived in San Diego since 1991, received a B.A. in Business and Marketing from Point Loma Nazarene College, and a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from SDSU in 2004. She has 2 children: Niko and Eileen. Sylvie is currently in her 3rd year of High School Teacher training at Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks with Betty Staley.
Mark Polesky, Pianist
Mark Polesky has been a professional pianist for 17 years. He received music performance degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory and the University of Georgia. Besides instructing piano in his studio for eight years, he performs with ensembles and accompanies classical instrumentalists and vocalists. Mr. Polesky specializes in premiering, performing, and recording works of post avant-garde and contemporary classical composers.
Grades Extended Care Supervisors and Assistants
Joaquin Chavez, Grades Extended Care Assistant
Joaquin presently attends Grossmont Community College. He is interested in art, architecture and costume design. Joaquin attended WSSD from kindergarten through Grade 6. He then transferred to Sacramento Waldorf School in Fair Oaks where he completed his middle and high school education.
Peter Hodges, Grades Extended Care Assistant/Woodwork
(See “Special Subject Teachers”)
Theresa Kruchowski, Grades Extended Care Assistant
Theresa comes from St. Louis, MO and moved to San Diego in 1999. She currently works full time at Whole Foods Market in Hillcrest as a Whole Body Team Leader. She has a passion for herbs and natural healing. She is also a DJ and a dancer. Theresa loves to be involved in the Waldorf School of San Diego whenever she can and is looking into furthering her education in the direction of becoming a Waldorf teacher.
Jerilyn McKinney, Grades Extended Care Supervisor
Jerilyn received her BA in Youth and Family Studies from Colorado Christian University in 1994. She has worked in daycare, as a lifeguard, and has been a pastor for middle, high school and college age students throughout the past 15 years. She worked for three years as a residential specialist with homeless shelters and with domestic violence shelters. Jerilyn also has completed a two-year program in the study of spiritual formation. She has a love of painting, writing, dark chocolate and having coffee with friends. Jerilyn is the parent of Autumn in our seventh grade.
Special Subject Teachers
Laura Ford, Class Assistant/Cello Teacher
(See “Grades 1-8 Class Assistant”)
Sara Gomes, Games/Movement Teacher/Grades and High School
Sara holds a B.A. in Women’s Studies from San Francisco State University. She came to the Waldorf School when her daughter was a toddler in the Morning Glory Program; she’s been here ever since. In preparation for becoming a teacher, she has put in many volunteer hours at various schools. Sara has two children, Maya (7th Grade) and Felix (5th Grade).
Jennifer Hedin, Handwork Teacher
Jennifer has held a lifelong interest in handwork. She is skillful in knitting, sewing, quilting, crocheting, embroidery and other handwork activities. Jennifer has been involved in Waldorf education for twelve years beginning in Tucson, Arizona. She has four children: Lars (15), Owen (11, 5th grade), Molly (11, 5th Grade) and Elanor Rose (3). Jennifer has an B.A. in Botany from the University of California, Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology with an emphasis in Tropical Botany from Washington University in St. Louis. She has completed the Handwork Teacher Training at Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks, CA.
Healy Henderson, Violin Teacher
Healy Henderson currently plays with the San Diego Symphony, the La Jolla Playhouse, and is Assistant Concertmaster of Orchestra Nova. Healy has had the opportunity to play in numerous festivals through out the world and has studied at the Peabody Conservatory and Moscow Conservatory. She enjoys teaching all level of musicians and has a private teaching studio with students age 4-89. She is very pleased to have the opportunity to work with the Waldorf students and teachers this fall!
Peter Hodges,Woodwork/Grades Extended Care Assistant
Peter received his BA in Economics from Claremont McKenna College in December 2003. He is a member of the first graduating class of the WISC San Diego program. He began working as a class assistant in January 2005. His son, Owen, was part of the first Morning Glory Pre-School group and is now in the 5th grade at WSSD. His stepdaughter Molly is also in 5th grade. His stepson Lars is in 9th grade at La Mesa Middle School. He is the proud father of three year old Elanor Rose. Peter’s other interests include Tai Chi Chuan and Chinese swordsmanship, and the study and play of competitive chess.
Sarah Lambert, Cello Assistant
Sarah holds a BA from Pomona College and an MM from San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She is in her second year of teacher training at the Waldorf Institute of Southern California. Last year she assisted her former kindergarten teacher Ms. Holden in eighth grade, Ms. Laurelin in fifth grade strings class, and Ms. Ortega in early childhood aftercare.
Johanna Müller-Laurelin, Eurythmy/Strings Teacher
Johanna attended the Kassel Waldorf School from first grade through thirteenth/Arbitur.While at the University in Hamburg, she discovered the Eurythmy School where she co-founded the Orchestra Hamburg as the principal violinist. In 1985, Johanna became a member of the Stuttgart Eurythmeum performing group. In 1988, she was invited to co-found the Los Angeles Eurythmy Ensemble, which in 1997 evolved into the South Coast Eurythmy Ensemble. Johanna is a widely acclaimed eurythmist who performs with stage groups in Europe and the U.S. An experienced eurythmy teacher inWaldorf schools, Johanna is also a teacher and co-director of The Waldorf Institute of Southern California (WISC). She joins us for her ninth year of teaching Eurythmy and Strings. She is also a member of the Pedagogical Group.
Sylvie O’Connell, Woodwork/Grades Assistant
(See “Grades 1-8 Class Assistant”)
Lyudmila Rockett, Music Teacher
Lyudmila was born and raised in the beautiful Southern region of Russia where the Caucasus Mountains meet the Black Sea. She received her BA in Music Education, her Master’s degree in Choir Management and has extensive training in Orff and Kodaly methods which are rhythm and pitch development approaches. Lyudmila absolutely loves to learn and enrich her knowledge in music pedagogy. Besides constant self-education, she attends wonderful Waldorf music conferences, music teachers’ workshops and trainings and is an active member of the San Diego American Orff Schulwerk Association. Lyudmila has taught in many different public and private schools in Russia and in America for 17 years and is thrilled to share her love for and knowledge of music with her students at The Waldorf School of San Diego.
Amy Schick, Eurythmy Teacher
Amy has had a life-long passion for the arts. Growing up in New York City, she attended classes in dance, singing, music theory, acting, drawing and painting. Amy graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in N.Y.C. with a degree in Fashion Design. Amy's other life-long passion is caring for and teaching young children. She was introduced to Waldorf Education through her sister-in-law, a Waldorf kindergarten teacher and early childhood educator. While attending the foundation year at Rudolf Steiner College, Amy received lessons in Eurythmy and decided to pursue this training because it allowed her to combine both her passions for art and for nurturing and teaching children. Amy graduated from the Eurythmy School in Spring Valley, N.Y. and completed her pedagogical training at Emerson College in East Sussex, England. She was a member of The Los Angeles Eurythmy Ensemble and The South Coast Eurythmy Ensemble where she took part in performances for adults and children as well as for Anthroposophical Festivals. Since 1992, Amy has taught Eurythmy to students in Nursery through 8th grade at the Waldorf School of Santa Barbara, the Journey School in Aliso Viejo, and is currently teaching at the Waldorf School of San Diego and the Sanderling School in Encinitas.
Amanda Womble, French and Gardening Teacher
Amanda comes from a family of farmers. She grew up on an organic walnut farm in the San Joaquin Valley. She began studying language in middle school, and continued her study of both French and Spanish through college. She majored in French at San Diego State University and finished her senior year in the south of France, Aix en Provence, at the Institut d’Etudes Francaises pour Etudiants Etrangers. She completed her year of studies and received her Diplome d’Etudes Françaises. She then moved to the southwest of France where she lived with a French family and worked on their small farm. She has completed two years of Waldorf Teacher Training for class teachers and two years of Foreign Language Teacher Training. She also completed a Biodynamic Gardening Training at Rudolf Steiner College.
Renee Woodring, Music/Grades and High School
(See High School "Part-Time Faculty")
High School
FULL-TIME FACULTY
Gayle Ansel, Art and Humanities
Gayle Ansel received her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Science Degree from San Diego State University and a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She has her Waldorf Teaching Certificate from Antioch, New England. She came to the Waldorf School of San Diego in 1998 as a class teacher and graduated a combined class in 2005. She then guided the sixth grade class through to graduation in June 2008. After completing a 6-month sabbatical, she is now teaching art and humanities in our high school. She also teaches veil painting and dark and light drawing for the Waldorf Institute of Southern California. Prior to teaching at the Waldorf School of San Diego, she exhibited her artwork in both Canada and the United States. She taught painting, drawing, printmaking, and various crafts at the San Diego Children’s Museum/Museo de los niños, San Diego, CA; San Dieguito Continuing Education, Encinitas, CA; Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts, Idyllwild, CA; and the San Diego Community College District Continuing Education Programs, San Diego, CA. She is a member of the Pedagogical Group and finance committee. Her daughter, Clara graduated from the Waldorf School of San Diego in 2004, and attends Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts where she will graduate in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree.
Michelle Boynton, Mathematics and Physical Science
Michelle has been teaching math and physics in the High School since it opened in the fall of 2008. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Architectural Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University, where she graduated with honors. Her graduate studies include two years of Industrial Design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. During her professional career, Michelle has served as a technical consultant to a wide variety of corporate clients including Philips Lighting North America and Qualcomm. Her experience includes teaching at the Design Institute of San Diego and the New School of Architecture and Design in San Diego. She is a graduate of the Waldorf High School Teacher Education Program (WHiSTEP) at the Center for Anthroposophy. Michelle is a skilled massage therapist and enjoys yoga, dancing, and watching her daughter play softball. She joined the school as a parent in 2003, and her daughter is currently in 8th grade.
Barbara Dagman, Humanities
Barbara is honored to join the high school faculty after serving teens for nearly 20 years in public high schools. Recently, she attended the teacher’s institute at the Getty Villa Museum in Los Angeles and led a student Art History tour to Europe. Long ago, she earned her bachelors and masters degrees from UCLA in English Literature, specializing in the Renaissance and Victorian periods. Barbara minored in Art History and vocal music, but spent most of her time in the weight room or on the water, competing with the UCLA women’s crew team. Barbara enjoys the arts and physical movement, particularly spatial dynamics. She has completed her second year of Waldorf teacher training at Steiner College. This fall, her son Hayden enters first grade just as her daughter Madeleine departs for Seattle University. Her husband Brooks Dagman –whom she married at the UCLA boathouse -- has coached men’s rowing at USD for twenty years.
Maria Morales, Science and Mathematics
Maria has been teaching at the post-secondary level since 1995 at various colleges as an adjunct faculty. Her subjects have included biology, environmental science and skills for professional development. Her time away from the classroom has been spent in working as a consultant in the environmental field. She has written wildfire management plans, co-edited scientific proceedings and has worked on marketing campaigns for innovative technology. With her three children she enjoys brass music, river rafting and choral singing. Maria is currently enrolled in the High School Teacher Training Pogram at Rudolf Steiner College. Previously she earned a B.S. in Genetics, a minor in Forestry and a M.S. in Wildland Resource Science from the University of California, Berkeley
Julia Nuñez, French, Spanish, Humanities
Julia Nuñez has a B.A. (honors) in French from Wichita State University. She lived in Avignon, France, where she taught at the Lycée Fredéric Mistral de Garçons. She did graduate work in French at L’École Française at Middlebury College, in French and Linguistics at Georgetown University and in Spanish at Hunter College. Since completing her Waldorf teacher training at Emerson College in Sussex, England, Julia, has been a Waldorf teacher for 25 years. She taught French at Michael Hall School in Sussex, UK, Spanish at the Rudolf Steiner School in NYC, and Spanish, Hispanic Folk and Social Dance, as well as Elementary Music at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School and the Great Barrington Waldorf High School. Julia moved to San Diego from the East Coast to be a founding teacher of our high school. She has two daughters, Rebecca and Tristana, who are Waldorf graduates, and is the happy grandmother of Nico, who lives with his parents in Spain.
Nathan Wood Wilcox, Humanities
In addition to his high school teaching duties, Nathan serves as the High School Chair and is a member of the Pedagogical Group and Board of Trustees. Nathan earned his B.A. in English from Pomona College in Claremont, California, and Jesus College in Cambridge, England. He completed his Waldorf High School teacher training in literature at Rudolf Steiner College. Nathan spent eight years teaching disabled adults and directing programs for United Cerebral Palsy prior to joining the school in the summer of 2006 as the Director of High School Development. He is a founding teacher of our high school. Nathan and his wife Megan have three children: Magnolia, in 4th grade, Donovan, in 1st grade and Pippa, age three, at home with mom.
PART-TIME FACULTY
Sara Gomes, Movement
(See “Special Subject Teachers”)
Beth Holmberg, Science and Metalsmithing
Beth recieved her B.A. in Geology (with department honors) from Boston University and Sc. M. in Geological Sciences from Brown University. She has been teaching and doing science since age 15-- in the field, NASA-funded labs, museums, and both traditional and alternative high schools. Her post-graduate education includes courses and certifications in education, history of science, wilderness first aid, Danish, and blacksmithing. She is glad to be back at the high school after a year away living in Odense, Denmark where her spouse, Sarah Elkind, was a Fulbright Fellow. While in Denmark, Beth expanded her historic blacksmithing to the Viking era (about 850 A.D.), helping to rebuild the 22 m. Ladby Viking ship (and learning to love Viking cooking). Her passions (beside teaching) include hiking and orienteering, cooking, reading plays, building beautiful boats, and seeing science in the world. This year, Beth is teaching Oceanography, Geology, First Aid, and Metalsmithing.
Johanna Müller-Laurelin, Eurythmy
(See “Special Subject Teachers”)
April Wilson, Spanish
Melinda Rocha, Science and Mathematics
Melinda was born and raised in Corpus Christi, TX, where she attended a small Catholic school. Following graduation, she went on to study education with an emphasis in Chemistry at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX. It was at Texas Tech, where she worked as a college tutor and found her calling as a teacher. She graduated Cum Laude in 2008, and shortly thereafter began a Navy journey with her husband, taking them through four states in three years. In Maryland, she taught and tutored high school geometry at North County High School. In South Carolina, she taught physical science at Ashley Ridge High School, where she was honored as the school’s “rookie teacher of the year”. Finally, she has had the opportunity to instruct the wonderful students at WSSD in an array of subjects from organic chemistry to algebra. She also tutors math and reading at the Sylvan Learning Center. She is truly grateful to have experienced the challenges and delights of students from many backgrounds, and looks forward to contributing to Waldorf’s history of success. On a personal note, she enjoys running and has completed 4 half marathons in the past year. She is currently working towards the “Triple Crown” and finishing her first marathon. She also enjoys cooking and spending time with her husband and puppy and of course trying her very best to take advantage of the gorgeous San Diego sun.
Kate Vance, High School Costume Design
This will be Kate’s 18th year with WSSD. She has a passion for costumes and has overseen the costume locker for the past 17 years. She also raises Guide Dogs for the Blind, so you might see her on campus with her newest trainee, Harvey. She received her B.A. from Cal Western. Her daughter, Amelia, graduated from our school in 2005 and is currently a junior at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington.
Bryan S. Whelan, Band
Bryan is a professional guitarist and accomplished teacher with both private students and performing ensembles. Having studied jazz and classical music theory at San Diego State University, Bryan has performed in a variety of professional groups and recently spent two months performing in Copenhagen, Denmark. Currently he instructs and leads the high school jazz ensemble at the Children’s Creative Performing Arts Academy in addition to his work at WSSD.
Renee Woodring, Choir
Renee earned her B.A. in Music from Pennsylvania State University. She has been teaching private singing lessons since 2001, and is currently a Teaching Artist with the Vocal Conservatory and choir and Canyon Crest Academy. While Renee has a diverse musical background, including several musical theatre productions, and a brief stint in a rock cover band, the majority of her professional singing has been in a classical, liturgical, or choral setting.