Faculty

Early Childhood

Shannon Landis - Kindergarten Teacher
Education: Early Childhood Associate Degree, Rudolf Steiner College: A.D. Nursing, Kansas City, KS Community College.

Professional Experience: Early Childhood Teacher, Children's Garden, Merriam, KS; Primrose Garden, Gardner, KS; Registered Nurse, psychiatry, oncology, midwifery.

The shining joy of young children at play in the Waldorf kindergarten is testament to their gratitude for life in this wondrous universe. My understanding of our spiritual heritage gives me strength to cultivate and practice in myself the reverence and gratitude which supports the child's belief that our world is good. I wholeheartedly share with parents the responsibility of guiding children into our school, community and world.

Anne-Marie Fryer - Kindergarten Teacher
Faculty Administrator
Education: B.S. Economics and Teaching, Copenhagen, Denmark; Computer Science Program, UCLA; Systems Analyst, IBM; Waldorf Early Childhood Education; The Art of Teaching Grades 1-8, Rudolf Steiner College, CA; Teacher Training Course, Arcturus, Chicago, IL; Spirit Healing, School of Spiritual Psychology, NC.  

Professional Experience: 27 years of teaching practices (17 years at PRWS), including Copenhagen College of Computer Science; elementary and high schools, Norway & Wisconsin; Waldorf Kindergarten Teacher, Class Teacher, grades 1 through 8,  Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School;  Foundation Studies Course and Youth Initiative High School, Viroqua; Early Childhood education, Sophia Institute, Viroqua; Mentor; Artist; Nutritional Counselor; Biodynamic Farmer; Co-author of a series of ten books on Health and Diet and I Find My Star, Coming of Age Curriculum. Member of the Anthroposophical Society, First Class & Pedagogical Section.

My goal in teaching is to nurture a healthy, respectful relationship with the world and ourselves in order to enthusiastically pursue life and the longing of our heart.

Heidi Burke - Kindergarten Teacher
Education:  B.A. in Early Childhood/Exceptional Educational Needs, Cardinal Stritch, Fox Point, WI.  Foundations in Anthroposophy, Sophia Institute, Viroqua, WI.

Professional Experience:  Substitute Teacher, Kindergarten, Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School;  Co-teacher, Parent-Child Class, PRWS; Kindergarten Teacher, Southern Door Elementary School, Brussels, WI; 1st Grade Teacher, Urban Day School, Milwaukee, WI; Artist, Musician, Multi-linguist (German & Spanish).

At a time when our mainstream culture is accelerating the pace of life of our young children, I feel it is more important than ever to experience the precious qualities a Waldorf kindergarten has to offer. I realized I wanted to work in a school that builds reverence and beauty in one''s life, nurtures the soul, and instills a love of learning.

The Grades

Esperanza Lantro - Class Teacher, Grade One
Education: Waldorf Institute of Southern California Rudolf Steiner College;  Four Winds/Arcturus Teacher Training; Bradley Natural Childbirth Certification; Social Services & Developmental Disabilities on-going training at University of Illinois; Moraine Valley Community College.

Professional Experience: Teacher, administrator/coordinator-Mt. Shasta Waldorf-inspired Learning Collective/SolSeeds Home-schooling Coop; facilitator & key-note speaker for national Waldorf in the Home conferences; Waldorf-inspired home schooling consultant & program developer; La Leche League Leader & international consultant.

Waldorf Education deeply inspires me with wonder of life, truth, learning, beauty, goodness and hope for humanity and this precious world we come to be in and pass through.


Aaron Schmidt - Class Teacher, Grade Two
Education:  B.A. in Liberal Studies, Concentration in Elementary Education & Earth Science, Cal State Northridge, CA. Waldorf Institute of Southern California, Class Teacher Preparation.

Professional Experience:  Class Teacher, Substitute Teacher/Coordinator, Sports Coach at Highland Hall Waldorf School, Northridge, CA.  Scenic Artist: preparation of sets for music videos, film and television.






Peggy Abbott - Class Teacher, Grade Three
Education: MA elementary education, Smith College, Northampton, MA; Waldorf foundation year and kindergarten teacher training, Waldorf Institute, Southfield, MI; Thai language and cross-cultural training, Peace Corps, Thailand; BA English, MA in American literature, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI.

Professional Experience: College instructor of composition and literature, Northwestern Michigan College and Eastern Michigan University; Kindergarten assistant and head teacher, Rudolf Steiner School, Ann Arbor; Santa Cruz Waldorf School, CA and Acorn Hill Children's Center, Silver Springs, MD; Teacher of English as a Foreign Language, Michigan Language Center, Ann Arbor and Chieng Rai Teachers College, Thailand.

I appreciate the respect that the Waldorf approach gives to the unfolding of each child's individually, so that children emerge well-rounded, creative, aware of the world, and with their unique abilities intact.

Drew Shonka - Class Teacher, Grade Four
Education: BA in Photography, minor in Psychology, Metropolitan State University; Sozialwissenschaft at Fachoberschule Amberg,Germany; Foundation Studies and Teacher Training, Novalis Institute, Minneapolis; First Grade Prep Course, Sunbridge College, NY

Professional Experience: Hospitality Management, Germany, US; Mental Health Program Development and Direction, St. Paul, MN; Photography and Free Lance Writing, MN; Substitute Class/German Teacher, City of Lakes Waldorf School, Minneapolis, MN

My values-the importance of spirituality, community, service, children, family-are affirmed by Waldorf education. Being a Waldorf teacher allows me to work in a way that honors everything and everyone that is valuable to me.


Steve Lawless - Class Teacher, Grade Five
Education: B.A. English, Marquette University, Milwaukee; Jesuit Novitiate, St. Paul; M.A. Education, Goddard College, Plainfield, VT; Writing Fellowship, Iowa State University, Ames; Michigan Teacher''s Certificate 7-12 Language Arts

Professional Experience: Creighton Prep High School, Omaha, NE; L''Arche Community for Developmentally Disabled, Storyteller in the Schools, Toronto; Montpelier High School, Vermont; Traverse Bay Community School, Many Hands Farm School, Traverse City, MI; Beaver Island Lighthouse Alternative High School, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Alternative High School, Northport Community School Learning Center, MI 

I''m here to bring a big hearted, hard working, robust yet gentle verve to the children I teach.  We set off on our learning adventure with a joy to do good and generous work in this world as well as a humility and open mind to see beauty and grace in all things.

Maureen Karlstad - Class Teacher, Grade Six
Education: B.A. American Studies, Miami University, Elementary Education, University of North Dakota; Fundamentals of Waldorf Education I,II, & III, Rudolf Steiner Institute; Teaching Grades 4, 5, &6, Sunbridge College; Working with Adolescents, Teaching Science, workshop with Eugene Schwartz.

Professional Experience: Special Education Teacher, Emotional Disturbance Program, Richland School District, Richland Center, WI; Class Teacher, Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School, grades 1 through 8.

In Waldorf teaching I find a reverence for the spirituality of everyday life that is enlivening and that grounds me deeply in my work. At Pleasant Ridge I have found a community of devoted and hardworking people who continually inspire me. I am grateful to be a part of such a wonderfully challenging community.

Jackie Kolenko - Class Teacher, Grade Seven
Education: B.A. Fiber Arts, U.W. Oshkosh; Foundation Year, Viroqua, WI; Fundamentals of Waldorf Education, Art of Teaching Grade One and Two, Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks, CA.

Professional Experience: Fiber Arts Teacher, Youth Initiative High School, Substitute Teacher, LaFarge, Viroqua, Westby public schools and Pleasant Ridge.

What a gift Waldorf Education provides for the child to discover who she is at a gradual pace like a lotus flower unfolding. I strive to cultivate patience, respect, creativity, wisdom, gratitude and wonder within myself, as well as the children, as I grow with them year to year. I seek to have open and honest relationships with parents as we support the children on their journey through life.

Christiane Babb - Class Teacher, Grade Eight,
Education: B.A. Elementary Education, Minor in Children's Literature, Illinois State University; First and Second Grade Teacher Training Seminar, Rudolf Steiner College, CA; Third Grade Teacher Training Seminar with Eugene Schwartz, PA; Foundation Year, Viroqua, WI.

Professional Experience: Worked with children in youth drama programs; Assistant Librarian in children's department at Normal Public Library, IL; developed a Waldorf-inspired summer day camp for young children, IL; Substitute Teacher, public and private schools, IL; Substitute Teacher at Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School.

When I discovered Waldorf education, I felt as if a bright light had been turned on in me. This was the type of education I had been seeking for my children and for myself!



Specialty Teachers

Vicky Eiben - Spanish, Grades 1 & 2
Education: BA in biology & secondary education, Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa; BS in elementary education, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa; MA in education, Antioch University, Seattle; Waldorf Foundation Year, Seattle.

Professional Experience: Science teacher, grades 7-10, Baudette, MN; second grade teacher, Postville, IA; one room school teacher, grades k-6, Holden Village, WA; bilingual teacher, grades K-3, Chelan, WA; multiage teacher, grades 1-3, language arts, Chelan, WA; during summers, weekends, evenings worked as a fiber arts teacher, adult literacy & ESL instructor, biology research assistant, facilitator & teacher in children's outdoor education program.

When I was first introduced to Waldorf education 20 years ago, I was profoundly impressed by the reverence for the child, the awareness of the developmental process as well as the role of the arts in the curriculum. Waldorf education became the ideal which I carried into my teaching experiences. I am delighted to, at last, be part of a Waldorf community and to be able to share my passion for the Spanish language and Latin American culture with children.

Laura Negronida - Spanish Teacher-Grades 3, 4, 6 & 8
Education: BA Michigan State University; Teaching Credential, San Francisco State University; assorted Waldorf summer training programs, Rudolf Steiner College and Sunbridge College.

Professional Experience: Teacher pre-K through 12 in public and alternative schools, urban and rural; teacher K-3 bilingual program in rural San Jose, CA; Pleasant Ridge Class teacher one year with grade 5/6 combination, then carrying a class grades 1-4.

I like to teach because I am curious, I enjoy learning from others, and I like to watch others grow in skill and knowledge. Knowing another language, and through it a different culture, is an expansive experience which I hope to convey to the children through my love for the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures. Pleasant Ridge draws me again because the children are beautiful, the faculty is dedicated, and because Rudolf Steiner was incredibly wise about how to teach children.

Betsy Farrell - Spanish Teacher, Grades 5 & 7
Education: BA Psychiatric Social Work, Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA; Leadership Development Training, 1981-1986; Body Alignment Technique Practitioner Training, 2001-2003; Graduate, One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, NY,NY, 2002-2004.

Professional Experience: Music Teacher, Epiphany School & Bertschi School, Seattle, WA ,1980-87, Co-Executive Director of Renaissance Educational Associates, Loveland, CO ,1988-91; Instructor and Board Member for Educo International Multicultural Leadership Programs, ages, 9-21, 1989-1994; Project Manager, Group Facilitation, Sunrise Ranch Conference Center, Loveland, CO, 1992-1999, Early Childhood Educator, Kids' Harbor, Loveland, CO, 1999-2002; Private practice as Personal Coach and Guide, Certified Practitioner of Body Alignment Technique and Licensed Interfaith Minister, 2001-2004.

I love children and creating an atmosphere for them to discover new dimensions of themselves. Through my teaching I hope to share my love for the genius, musicality and passion of the Spanish language and culture(s). I hope to cultivate ease and expertise with Spanish and to foster international citizenship and understanding.

Nannette Tuttle - Handwork
Education: Attended Handwork Training at Sunbridge College, Spring Valley, NY In the Waldorf curriculum, handwork unites the thinking, feeling and willing life of the child.

As a handwork teacher, I would like to bring to children the pleasure of creating something beautiful with their own hands.







Annette Conlon - Eurythmy Teacher, Grades K-8

Education:   Studied Liberal Arts at Heidelberg and Frankfort Universities; Curative Education degree from Lebensgemeinshaft, Bingenheim, Germany; Eurythmy Training, Dormach Eurythmy School; Curative Eurythmy Training, Stuttgart, Germany.

Professional Experience:  Guest teacher, Eurythmy (Grade 8, K), Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School; Teacher: Eurythmy, Music, German (Grades 1&2) Atlanta Waldorf School; Eurythmy therapist, Lebensgemeinshaft, Bingenheim, Germany; Eurythmy therapist, Clinic Herdecke, Germany.



Lerie Alstad Van Ells - Physical Education
Education: Five-year study in Spatial Dynamics for Physical Education in Waldorf Schools with Jaimen McMillan.

I am drawn to Waldorf teaching because I believe in keeping alive the spirit that lives in childhood. My goal in teaching has been to create for every child an inner joy in movement.






Monika Sutherland - Strings Teacher
Education: BA music, Indiana University; MA music, Northwestern University; Suzuki teaching certification.

Professional Experience: Active performer and teacher in Chicago, Baltimore and Japan; member of music faculty, Goucher College; Director Strings Program, Four Winds Waldorf School.

I am grateful for the opportunity to teach an instrument that I love in a school that values music so highly and amongst a staff that is so supportive and dedicated. In my class I hope to give the students a sense of how music can be fun, joyful and a satisfying part of daily life, as both a means of expressing individuality and as a way to work together in a group and community.


Kristina Gullion - Strings Teacher

Education: BA and MA music, Indiana University

Professional Experience: violinist with the Orquest Sinfonica de Galicia, Brooklyn Philharmonic. Teacher in Chicago.