The Woodland Star Education Foundation is looking for a Development Director.  This person would direct and coordinate programs for fundraising, grant writing, family giving and other avenues to maintain and grow our budget to insure the quality of our education and programs.  The primary objective of this position is to consistently raise a minimum of $150,000 - $200,000 per year.  This will start as a part time position, initially funded by private individuals who will donate to the Education Foundation to cover the first year's salary of $20,000. Deadline for applications is October 24, 2008.  Please submit experience and resume to WSEF: P.O. Box 53, Sonoma, CA 95476 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Current Woodland Star Faculty, 2008-2009:

Monnica O’Grady
Sweet Pea Kindergarten Teacher
Monnica O’Grady earned her BA and California teaching credential from Sonoma State University and her Waldorf teaching certificate from Rudolf Steiner College. She is also trained as a remedial reading teacher. Ms. O’Grady has been a Kindergarten teacher at Woodland Star for nine years and previously worked in Kindergartens and the primary grades of public schools and private Waldorf schools. She has taught at Woodland Star since 2000.

Katie FitzGerald
Morning Glory Kindergarten Teacher
Katie FitzGerald earned her BFA from the University of California at Santa Cruz. She earned her California multiple subject teaching credential at Sonoma State University and is earning her MA in Waldorf Education at Touro University. She worked as a Waldorf Kindergarten Assistant for two years, including one at Woodland Star Charter School before becoming a lead Kindergarten teacher at Woodland Star in 2006. 

Carrie Reuther
Grade One Teacher                                                                                                              
Carrie Reuther earned her Waldorf teaching certificate and MEd in Waldorf Education from Antioch University New England; her BS from Eastern Michigan University and her California multiple subject credential from San Francisco State University. Her most recent teaching experience was as a class teacher in first and second Grade at Yuba River (Waldorf-inspired) Charter School in Nevada City, CA. She joins Woodland Star in 2008.

Dorothy Iselin
Grade TwoTeacher
Dorothy Iselin has both a public school credential and an MA in Waldorf Education from Adelphi University. She has been a Waldorf teacher for twenty years and has taught Kindergarten through eighth grade as a class teacher as well teaching Handwork, German and Special Needs. While most of her experience has been in private Waldorf schools, Ms. Iselin was involved with the formation of the Pine Forest (Waldorf-methods) Charter School in Flagstaff, Arizona, where she was in charge of staff development. She joined us in 2007.

Ariana Kanwit
Grade ThreeTeacher
Ariana Kanwit attended Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School in upstate New York through fifth grade. She graduated with BA degrees in Anthropology and Spanish from Bennington College in Vermont. During her time at Bennington, she studied for a year in Spain and spent two internships in San Francisco. She earned her MA in Education and her teaching credential from Mercy College Graduate Program. She is fully bi-lingual and certified as an ESL teacher. Prior to joining Woodland Star in 2006, Ms. Kanwit taught for two years at Public School 209 in The Bronx, New York City. Ms. Kanwit is earning her Waldorf certification at Rudolf Steiner College.

Carol Nimick
Grade Four Teacher
Carol Nimick earned her BA in Botany from Pomona College, her multiple subject teaching credential from St. Mary's College and her Waldorf Certificate from Rudolf Steiner College. Ms. Nimick taught for ten years at Yuba River Charter School, California's first Waldorf-methods charter school. Prior to that she was a Waldorf teacher in the private sector for seven years and a public school teacher for nine years. She has also worked as a mentor, curriculum specialist and as a naturalist in the National Park system. Ms. Nimick joined Woodland Star in 2005.

Mary Alice Reis                                                                                                                 Grade Five Teacher
Mary Alice Reis was a class teacher at Summerfield Waldorf School for ten years, teaching grades one through eight. She earned her Waldorf teacher certification and also her Handwork teacher certification at the Waldorf Institute at Sunbridge College in New York; she earned her BA in Early Childhood Education from Southern Oregon University and her MA and multiple subject teaching credential also from Southern Oregon University. Ms. Reis also taught for four years at Sonoma State University and as a preschool teacher for four years. She joins Woodland Star in 2008.

Phil Stone
Grade Six Teacher
Phil Stone earned his BS in Computer Science from Cal State LA and his California multiple subject credential from Sonoma State University. He has studied Waldorf education at Rudolf Steiner College and is currently enrolled in the MA in Waldorf Education at Touro University. Prior to joining Woodland Star in 2007, Mr. Stone taught at Stone Bridge (Waldorf-inspired) School in Napa, where he graduated the eighth grade class in June of 2007.

Bob Harrington
Grade Seven Teacher
Bob Harrington earned his BA in History from University of California Santa Cruz, an MA in International Affairs with an emphasis in History from Ohio University and his multiple subject teaching credential from Dominican University. He taught grades five though eight at Novato (Waldorf-inspired) Charter School. Prior to discovering Waldorf Education and teaching at Novato Charter, Mr. Harrington taught at the University of West Virginia and at Ohio University; he has studied and taught internationally at the university level in Indonesia, Japan and Russia. He joins Woodland Star in 2008.

Johnny Graham
Grade Eight Teacher
John Graham earned his BA from Cal State University, Northridge, his Waldorf teaching certificate from Rudolf Steiner College and his California multiple subject teaching credential from Sonoma State University. Mr. Graham has over 20 years experience teaching first through eighth grades at the San Francisco Waldorf School, the Marin Waldorf School and Novato Charter School, a Waldorf-inspired public charter school. Mr. Graham is Spanish bi-lingual and has also taught Spanish, woodworking, games, drama and Kindergarten. He joined Woodland Star in 2003.

Gaylan Paige
Special Education Assistant and Aftercare Director
Ms. Paige earned her BA from San Francisco State University and has worked in education for the last twenty-five years. Ms. Paige directed the After School Program at the San Francisco Waldorf School for fourteen years and has worked as a special education assistant, teacher, Kindergarten teacher, school librarian and special programs instructor. She has founded and directed several businesses, including a consulting firm that specialized in children and family issues and challenges. Ms. Paige joined  Woodland Star in2001.

Heather Zavaleta
Spanish and EL Teacher, Grades K through 7
Maestra Zavaleta earned her BA in Spanish, graduating with Highest Honors from UC Davis. She earned her multiple subject credential with BCLAD and her single subject credential in Spanish from U.C. Davis. She has taught grade school, high school, adult school and ESL in the California public school system. She lived and taught for two years in Oxaca, Mexico and has traveled extensively throughout Mexico. Maestra Zavaleta is the mother of a Woodland Star student.

Wendy Aguilar
Handwork Teacher, Grades 1 through 5
Wendy Aguilar teaches Handwork in grades one through five. She earned her BFA degree from Carnegie-Mellon University, her California teaching credential from Sonoma State University, her Handwork teaching certificate from Rudolph Steiner College, and her Waldorf teaching certificate from the Center for Educational Renewal. She has taught Arts and Crafts in South Carolina and in Bay Area public middle and high schools. Ms. Aguilar also teaches the developmentally disabled at the Sonoma Developmental Center. She joined Woodland Star in 2001.

Stacy Duval
Math Specialist, Grades 6 through 8
Stacy Duval earned her BA in Economics with an emphasis in Computer Science at UCLA and her Waldorf certificate at Emerson College. She has taught at Summerfield Waldorf School, Emerson College and Michael Hall School in Forest Row, England. Ms. Duval is the mother of two Waldorf students. She had a significant career in computer sciences before becoming a Waldorf teacher. She joins Woodland Star in 2008.

Katelyn Willens
Singing and Recorder Teacher, Grades 4 through 8
Katelyn Willens earned her BA in History at Trinity College, an MA in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing at Sonoma State University, an MA in Music Education at Sonoma State University, her multiple subject teaching credential at the University of San Francisco, and her Waldorf certification at Rudolf Steiner College.  She has taught at San Francisco Waldorf School, Summerfield Waldorf High School, Sebastopol Independent Charter School and Sonoma State University. She studies Werbeck singing with Christiaan Boeles. Ms. Willens joins Woodland Star in 2008. 

Barbara Neumann
Eurythmy, Grades K through 4
Ms. Neumann earned her BA from the University of Arizona and her Eurythmy diploma from Eurythmy Spring Valley in New York. She has taught Eurythmy for over 16 years at the Chicago Waldorf School, Willow Wood Waldorf School in Sebastopol and, most recently, at Marin Waldorf School. She has also worked as a Waldorf Kindergarten Assistant, and is the mother of two Waldorf students. Ms. Neumann joined Woodland Star in 2006.

Sheila Reilly
Administrator
Ms. Reilly earned her BA from Eastern Illinois University, her nursing degree from Santa Rosa Junior College and is completing her MBA at Sonoma State University. She has studied Waldorf education for many years and is currently pursuing her MA in Waldorf Education from Touro University. Prior to joining Woodland Star as Assistant Administrator in 2007, Ms. Reilly managed a surgery center in Napa for seventeen years. A Woodland Star parent, Ms. Reilly has directed parent education and served on the Parent Council and Charter Council.

Penni Sparks: Curriculum Director
Penni Sparks earned her BA at Ohio University and her Waldorf training at Rudolf Steiner College. She has worked as a Waldorf class teacher in grades 4 through 12 and as a specialty subject teacher in grades 1 through 12 at schools including the Sacramento Waldorf School, Shining Mountain Waldorf School and Live Oak Waldorf School. She has mentored teachers in numerous Waldorf and Waldorf-inspired schools, and has been an instructor of teachers at Rudolf Steiner College. She is founder and president of Take Heart, Inc., a consulting, coaching and mentoring firm based on her child development and parenting strategies called Ennobled Solutions. She joins Woodland Star in 2008.

Chip Romer: Assistant Administrator
Mr. Romer was an early pioneer and the lead developer of Woodland Star when it was founded in 2000. He has served on the boards of private and public Waldorf elementary schools for ten years, and as the Administrator of Woodland Star for six years. He served on the member board of the California Charter Schools Association from 2005-2007 and currently serves as a founding board member of the Alliance for Public Waldorf Education. Prior to his career in education, Mr. Romer worked as a writer and editor, a business entrepreneur and a U.S. Department of Labor economist. His BA degree is in Economics from the University of Notre Dame.

Susan U’Ren: Office Manager
Susan U’Ren is a graduate of Santa Rosa Junior College and worked many years in bookkeeping and business administration. Ms. U’Ren spent seven years as a licensed childcare provider before becoming a public school business and office manager in 2001.

Janis Lynne
Business Manager
Janis Lynne served as the Business Manager of the Petaluma Charter School from 1997-2004, where she also served on the Board of Trustees. She has extensive experience in managing all aspects of school finance and worked for Woodland Star in 2004-05 as a consultant before joining our administrative staff.