Susan Barnes – Lead Teacher, Sunflower Kindergarten Education – Early Childhood Education Diploma, Micha-el Institute in Portland.
Susan and her family came to the Anchorage Waldorf School through the Parent/Toddler Class when Susan’s eldest daughter was 3 years old. They fell in love with the Waldorf program and with our community. Susan felt drawn to early childhood education and began as a kindergarten assistant here at AWS. She went on to complete here degree in that field and became the lead kindergarten teacher. Their eldest, Isabeau, is now in 7th grade and their youngest, Talya, is in 3rd grade. Both Susan and her husband Dean are active parents in the school community, and have served on Finance, Site, Enrollment, and Long Range Planning Committees. Dean also has happily been the ‘GreenMan’ at many a May Faire.
Julie Driscall – Lead Teacher, Starflower Kindergarten
Education – M.S. Ed Waldorf Elementary Education, Sunbridge College; BA Philosophy, University of Delaware with minor in Religion
Julie Driscall comes to Alaska from the lower 48 where she taught Early Childhood Parent & Toddler classes as well as Kindergarten for the last three years. Prior to teaching Waldorf Kindergarten, she was an Elementary teacher with the Front Range Waldorf School in Lakewood, CO. She and her two daughters (2nd grade and 5th grade) have traveled to many places over the last 10 years. Now, finding her home in Anchorage, she feels that Alaska is just where she is meant to be. Her interests include spending time with her family, writing, and learning about the world around her. She hopes to experience the breathtaking joys of the Northern Lights for the first time this year.
Grade School
Amy Hettinger - First Grade Teacher
Education - M Ed. Harvard University, Graduate School of Education; BA Arts Administration, University of Kentucky.
Amy is seasoned educator and musician with varied experience in designing and implementing youth and family programming,. She brings enthusiasm and positive energy to her work, as well as a dedication to quality and to social and environmental justice. Her particular interests are the arts and nature, and powerful combinations of the two that encourage personal growth in people of all ages.
Besides teaching, Amy ‘s interests are many. Where to begin? Cooking vegetarian food, being outside, hanging out with kids, making music (songwriting, singing and playing the guitar and piano) with good people, flowers and gardens, travel, dancing, laughing, creating and looking at inspiring art, enjoying local festivals and restaurants, watching edifying documentaries, reading good books.
Kathleen Tischer – Second Grade Teacher Education - Diploma in Waldorf Teacher Education, Rudolf Steiner College, Sacramento, California; Undergraduate studies , University of Alaska, Anchorage.
Kathleen is a long-time Alaskan who brings 12 years of Waldorf educational experience to the community and is very happy to be here. She received her Waldorf certification in 1997 from the Rudolf Steiner College in Sacramento, California and recently returned to Alaska after being away for 15 years. Kathleen believes that being a teacher means accepting responsibility and being committed to helping children develop life’s capacities. She values the rich complexity of gifts in children and strives to be stimulating, resourceful, and supportive in helping children develop to their fullest abilities.
Brandy Steinhilber – Third/Fourth Grade Teacher Education – BA Foreign Language Education, University of Kentucky; Waldorf Teacher Certification, Waldorf Institute of Southern California
Brandy came to AWS in 2008, after completing her Waldorf Teacher training in California. She is originally from Kentucky where her extended family still lives. She serves on the Board of Trustees and works with several committees within the school, work that stems from and supports her core passion for teaching. Brandy feels inspired by her relationship with the children and the support of the community. “Every day, I am greeted with the warmest smiles and hugs. I feel very connected with my students and with their parents.” Brandy and her family enjoy skiing, cycling, cooking (eating, too) and camping.
David Westlake-5th Grade Teacher
Education: MA Liberal Arts, BA History/Latin, Univeristy of Maine, Orono; Waldorf Teacher Ceritificate Candidate, Rudolf Steiner College, California.
David began working at his first Waldorf school in the fall of 1998 as a Junior High Latin teacher. Since then, he has taugt at a variety of Waldorf schools around the country and abroad. This year he will step from an administrative roll as the Enrollment Director back into the classroom. He is excited to once again stand in front of students and discover whole new worlds of learning along side them.
When outside the classroom and away from campus, David enjoys road trips, yoga and writing. One can often find him at a local coffee shop working on some mysterious prose.
Charlotte Bailey- Sixth Grade Teacher
Education: BA History and History/Philosophy, University of Melbourne; Waldorf Teacher Training, Melbourne Rudolf Steiner Seminar; Diploma of Education (Secondary), La Trobe University.
Charlotte comes to AWS this year after teaching for two years at Collingwood College (the equivalent of a charter school) in Melbourne, Australia’s. She first became interested in Waldorf education as a teenager when seeing friends who had left other schools due to a lack of success and/or enjoyment. Once they had been placed in a Waldorf school, they were happy and academically successful. What’s important to her about teaching is contributing to the creation of healthy, well-rounded, open-minded and critical thinking individuals who will contribute in a positive way, be it large or small, to their community, society and planet.
After spending the past few years in Australia, her American husband wanted to return to his homeland. He had always wanted to live in Alaska; she was only too happy to come along. She finds Alaska stunningly beautiful and enjoys going for walks and hikes amidst the new flora and fauna. When at home, she enjoys reading and cooking.
Renee Parks – Seventh Grade Teacher Education: BFA Ceramics, University of Michigan; Early Childhood Training, Micha-el Institute, Portland, Oregon; Waldorf Teacher Certification, Rudolf Steiner College, California; The School of Uncovering the Voice with Christiaan Boele, Summerfield Waldorf School, California.
Renee began her teaching career at AWS in 2005. She finds great joy in witnessing the creative and intellectual growth of her students, many of whom have been with her since 1st grade. She is dedicated to finding and balancing the strengths in each, and is grateful for the community of families supporting the children and her work with them. She is invigorated by the challenge of mastering each year’s curriculum, and loves inspiring her students with new discoveries. She shares her musical talents widely for the benefit of all our students at AWS.
Renee and her husband Josh are avid outdoor recreationists, and once rode their bicycles the length of Alaska from Anchorage to Prudhoe Bay. Renee enjoys all things green and confesses to a secret love affair with orchids.
Specialty Subjects
Elke Coon - Handwork/Woodworking
Elke comes to the Anchorage Waldorf School as a full-time handwork/woodwork teacher. She has been a lifetime fiber artist, beginning as a small child with a grandmother who handed down knitting, crochet, cross-stitch and embroidery skills. She has, in the past, been self employed as a professional seamstress. Her interests in the fiber arts have expanded over the last 10 years to include spinning, felting, fiber working instruction and recently fiber dyeing. She does professionally consign fiber art, multi-media sculpture, seamstress work and private fiber working instruction. Elke has a strong desire to share her fiber art skills and nurtures the love of fiber arts with children and adults alike. She has worked professionally as a Labor & Delivery nurse, and Lactation Specialist before having children of her own. She is a parent of children in third, fourth and eighth grades at Anchorage Waldorf School.
Mary Schallert – Orchestra & Strings Teacher
Mary is an active member of the Anchorage music community and has been since 1977. She is the director of Alaska City Folk Arts Camp and an organizer of many music ensembles with a focus in the folk realm. She is the director for the Stellar school choir and teaches Orchestra at Anchorage Waldorf going into her 6th year. She has a very active private studio teaching multiple styles of music including fiddle and violin and has four CD recordings. She is the mother of two sons. Her oldest is a freshman at The University of British Columbia Vancouver and her youngest is a Junior at Polaris K-12. Her husband works for Resource Data Inc.
Amanda Kerr – Strings Teacher Education: Suzuki Instructor Training, Suzuki Association of Southcentral Alaska.
Born and raised in Anchorage in a family immersed in the vibrant local folk music scene, Amanda began fiddling when she was 4 years old. A 2004 National Junior Fiddle Champion and four time Alaska State Fair Fiddle Contest winner, Amanda now teaches Suzuki violin, fiddling and guitar to students of all ages at her studio in Anchorage. She joined the faculty at AWS in 2010 and is excited about sharing musical traditions with Waldorf students.
Amanda can be found playing a variety of musical styles with several local bands around Alaska, including Hot Dish and High Lonesome Sound. When she’s not fiddling, Amanda enjoys dancing, camping and traveling.
Lorena Medina-Dirksen – Spanish Culture & Language Teacher
Lorena Medina was born in Mexico City, where she grew up and discovered her love of culture, history and archeology. She has many interests and hobbies such as reading, writing, music, dancing and hiking. She earned a bachelor’s degree in archeology at the National School of Anthropology and History in Mexio City. Having recently attended a Waldorf Spanish language conference has given her another approach to teaching. Being a mother of two has shown her the importance of educating children with love, respect and honesty. She understands the significance of creating in children an interest in music and dance. Likewise she has discovered the benefits for children to learn more then one language. Lorena has a great interest in sharing her knowledge regarding Hispanic culture and history in in the most honest and clear way possible as well as teaching the Spanish language in an active, fun and direct way.
Clo came to AWS as a parent in 2006 and has taught recorder ensemble since 2008. She grew up in rural New England, the youngest of a large, loving and supportive family. After college, Clo moved to Alaska and worked as a geologist for over 10 years, first for the federal government and then in the private sector for mining companies and environmental engineering firms. Her work took her to many remote areas of Alaska. Throughout her adventurous life, Clo has found music to be a source of balance and joy. Having grown up playing the piano, flute and recorder, she embraces the opportunity to enrich the lives of students at AWS with music. Clo and her husband Bruce have chosen Waldorf education for their two boys, who are now students at AWS, because of the richness and depth of the curriculum, and the way it inspires independent, critical thinking.
Clo and Bruce continue their adventuring lifestyle with their sons, and find that there is nothing better than a day of skiing powder with the family.
Faculty Bios
Early Childhood
Susan Barnes – Lead Teacher, Sunflower Kindergarten
Education – Early Childhood Education Diploma, Micha-el Institute in Portland.
Julie Driscall – Lead Teacher, Starflower Kindergarten
Education – M.S. Ed Waldorf Elementary Education, Sunbridge College; BA Philosophy, University of Delaware with minor in Religion
Julie Driscall comes to Alaska from the lower 48 where she taught Early Childhood Parent & Toddler classes as well as Kindergarten for the last three years. Prior to teaching Waldorf Kindergarten, she was an Elementary teacher with the Front Range Waldorf School in Lakewood, CO. She and her two daughters (2nd grade and 5th grade) have traveled to many places over the last 10 years. Now, finding her home in Anchorage, she feels that Alaska is just where she is meant to be. Her interests include spending time with her family, writing, and learning about the world around her. She hopes to experience the breathtaking joys of the Northern Lights for the first time this year.
Grade School
Amy Hettinger - First Grade Teacher
Education - M Ed. Harvard University, Graduate School of Education; BA Arts Administration, University of Kentucky.
Amy is seasoned educator and musician with varied experience in designing and implementing youth and family programming,. She brings enthusiasm and positive energy to her work, as well as a dedication to quality and to social and environmental justice. Her particular interests are the arts and nature, and powerful combinations of the two that encourage personal growth in people of all ages.
Besides teaching, Amy ‘s interests are many. Where to begin? Cooking vegetarian food, being outside, hanging out with kids, making music (songwriting, singing and playing the guitar and piano) with good people, flowers and gardens, travel, dancing, laughing, creating and looking at inspiring art, enjoying local festivals and restaurants, watching edifying documentaries, reading good books.
Kathleen Tischer – Second Grade Teacher
Education - Diploma in Waldorf Teacher Education, Rudolf Steiner College, Sacramento, California; Undergraduate studies , University of Alaska, Anchorage.
Brandy Steinhilber – Third/Fourth Grade Teacher
Education – BA Foreign Language Education, University of Kentucky; Waldorf Teacher Certification, Waldorf Institute of Southern California
David Westlake-5th Grade Teacher
Education: MA Liberal Arts, BA History/Latin, Univeristy of Maine, Orono; Waldorf Teacher Ceritificate Candidate, Rudolf Steiner College, California.
David began working at his first Waldorf school in the fall of 1998 as a Junior High Latin teacher. Since then, he has taugt at a variety of Waldorf schools around the country and abroad. This year he will step from an administrative roll as the Enrollment Director back into the classroom. He is excited to once again stand in front of students and discover whole new worlds of learning along side them.
When outside the classroom and away from campus, David enjoys road trips, yoga and writing. One can often find him at a local coffee shop working on some mysterious prose.
Charlotte Bailey- Sixth Grade Teacher
Education: BA History and History/Philosophy, University of Melbourne; Waldorf Teacher Training, Melbourne Rudolf Steiner Seminar; Diploma of Education (Secondary), La Trobe University.
Charlotte comes to AWS this year after teaching for two years at Collingwood College (the equivalent of a charter school) in Melbourne, Australia’s. She first became interested in Waldorf education as a teenager when seeing friends who had left other schools due to a lack of success and/or enjoyment. Once they had been placed in a Waldorf school, they were happy and academically successful. What’s important to her about teaching is contributing to the creation of healthy, well-rounded, open-minded and critical thinking individuals who will contribute in a positive way, be it large or small, to their community, society and planet.
After spending the past few years in Australia, her American husband wanted to return to his homeland. He had always wanted to live in Alaska; she was only too happy to come along. She finds Alaska stunningly beautiful and enjoys going for walks and hikes amidst the new flora and fauna. When at home, she enjoys reading and cooking.
Renee Parks – Seventh Grade Teacher
Education: BFA Ceramics, University of Michigan; Early Childhood Training, Micha-el Institute, Portland, Oregon; Waldorf Teacher Certification, Rudolf Steiner College, California; The School of Uncovering the Voice with Christiaan Boele, Summerfield Waldorf School, California.
Renee and her husband Josh are avid outdoor recreationists, and once rode their bicycles the length of Alaska from Anchorage to Prudhoe Bay. Renee enjoys all things green and confesses to a secret love affair with orchids.
Specialty Subjects
Elke Coon - Handwork/Woodworking
Mary Schallert – Orchestra & Strings Teacher
Amanda Kerr – Strings Teacher
Education: Suzuki Instructor Training, Suzuki Association of Southcentral Alaska.
Amanda can be found playing a variety of musical styles with several local bands around Alaska, including Hot Dish and High Lonesome Sound. When she’s not fiddling, Amanda enjoys dancing, camping and traveling.
Lorena Medina-Dirksen – Spanish Culture & Language Teacher
Clo Giffen – Recorder Ensemble
Education- BA Geology, Middlebury College, Vermont
Clo and Bruce continue their adventuring lifestyle with their sons, and find that there is nothing better than a day of skiing powder with the family.