Trice Atchison holds a teaching certificate from Sophia’s Hearth Family Center in Keene, NH, a leading training center for those working with parents and children from birth to three within Waldorf settings. Trice also holds an MA in writing from Emerson College, Boston, and a BA in philosophy and psychology from Wheaton College, Norton, MA—and is currently studying healing puppetry for young children through the Juniper Tree School of Puppetry Arts, based in Colorado. She co-edited A Warm and Gentle Welcome, a book of essays on caring for children from birth to three, published by the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America, and taught parent-toddler classes at GBRSS for five years after creating and leading a parent-child program in northern Vermont. Trice also can be found singing jazz classics in and around the Berkshires.
Tracey Brennan is a well-respected master teacher, with 26 years of experience in Waldorf education. 16 years of her teaching career have been at GBRSS, during which time she led two classes from first through eighth grade. Her three children are also GBRSS graduates. Ms. Brennan received her Bachelor’s degree from Colby College, and completed her Waldorf training and apprenticeship at Rudolf Steiner School in Manhattan, where she went on to work for 10 years as handwork assistant, librarian and class teacher.
Barbara Carr has been involved at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School since 1977, first as a parent and later as a handwork teacher.
Susan Elmore, is a seasoned eurythmy teacher who has taught in Waldorf schools from Toronto to Santa Cruz, CA. She has taught eurythmy at the Rudolf Steiner College and has been trained in and has practiced as a therapeutic eurythmist. While in California, Ms. Elmore toured with the Sacramento Eurythmy Performing Group.
Mark Eurich, is the 6th grade teacher 2012 – 2013 and faculty chair. He received his Bachelors in Education from Central Michigan University, majoring in Special Education, and taught nine years in public and Montessori schools. He received his Masters in Education. from Antioch New England Graduate School. His first class at GBRSS graduated in 1997. He is teaching his third class at present.
Nancy Franco, 5th grade class teacher 2012 -2013, earned an Associates degree in Fine Arts at Nassau Community College, completed an Apprenticeship Program at Franklin Kane and completed additional coursework at Rudolf Steiner College, CA, and Sunbridge College, NY. She was a founder and taught for eleven years at the Nelson Waldorf School in Nelson, British Columbia, where she spent two years teaching kindergarten and carried a class from first through eighth grade.
Pamela Giles, 7th grade teacher 2012 – 2013, attended Colby College, and received her Bachelors degree from Empire State College, S.U.N.Y. Albany. She is a graduate of the Rudolf Steiner School, NYC and completed her apprenticeship at GBRSS.
Shawn Green, middle school math and science teacher, is a graduate of Wesleyan University and has completed his course work in Waldorf education at Sunbridge College in Chestnut Ridge, NY. Shawn brings not only work in science education, but a rich experience in the Peace Corps in Thailand and as a Foreign Language Officer with the U.S. State Department.
John Greene is the faculty administrator and admissions director. John holds a certificate in Curative Education from The Sheiling School: Camphill and has completed the Waldorf Teacher Education Certificate Program at Sunbridge College. He was instrumental in founding and served as a class teacher at the River Valley Waldorf School in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. John has served as the Executive Director of the Rudolf Steiner Institute, the College Administrator at Sunbridge College and is currently the Executive Director of High Spirit Community Farm, Inc., a life-sharing, land-based program for special-needs adults.
Michelle Kuzia, kindergarten teacher, began her teaching career by founding the GBRSS nursery class in 1978, when the original school was expanding from a one-room kindergarten in a timber frame barn. Kuzia earned her Waldorf Early Childhood certificate from Sunbridge College and her Masters of Education in Waldorf Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Antioch University. A Berkshire native, Kuzia has been pivotal to the strong growth and success of the school, from which all four of her daughters, including Matrushka owner Brooke Redpath, matriculated.
Laura Lin is the kindergarten assistant for the Sun Room. Laura has a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. She is currently studying Waldorf education at Alkion Center. Laura has taught programs for young children since high school including dance with Jacob’s Pillow and Mandarin Chinese at local schools and libraries.
Kimberly Lynas, Early Childhood assistant, ran a very successful children’s clothing manufacturing company before switching careers. She completed the course work in the Foundation Studies in Anthroposophy and Waldorf Teacher Training in Harlemville, NY. She earned her Bachelors degree in World History and World Religions at University of California at Santa Cruz
Michelle Marks, 2nd grade class teacher 2012 -2013, has her Waldorf Teacher Certification and Masters Degree, from Antioch University New England. She moved here from Martha’s Vineyard, where she was the primary person responsible for the founding of the Plum Hill Waldorf Pre-School. Prior to working and teaching on Martha’s Vineyard, Michelle taught a class seventh and eighth grades at the Taos Country Day School in New Mexico. In addition to her Waldorf training and work, Ms. Marks has a BFA in Performing Arts from Radford University and is certified in the healing arts, natural health and alternative medicine.
Sigrid Mitchell, music teacher, earned her Bachelor of Music at the Eastman School of Music and has taught at Green Meadow, Hawthorne Valley, Cape Ann and the Rudolf Steiner School, NYC.
Rebecca Morrison, 1st grade class teacher 2012 -2013, returns to GBRSS, formerly teaching Eurythmy. She brings with her a wealth of life experiences and a great deal of Waldorf training. Rebecca was born in Wales but spent much of her childhood in Africa and later in England.
Rebecca received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from Pennsylvannia State University. Her work with children began in 1985 as Director of the YMCA summer camps. A highlight was working on writing and directing an original play performed in the woods. In 1992, Rebecca attended Sunbridge College, NY where she began her studies in Waldorf Education. The inspiring work of Rudolf Steiner led her to study Eurythmy and upon completion of the four-year training begin to teach this rejuvenating and expressive form of “dance”. Rebecca has taught pedagogical eurythmy to young children for the past 18 years as well as artistic eurythmy to adults with special needs. She completed her Waldorf Teacher Training at Antioch in Keene and at ALKION in Harlemville and is anticipating with much enthusiasm embarking upon the 8 year educational journey with her class of 2020.
Elizabeth (Beth) Oakley leads our new Star Room nursery class. Beth comes to us with over 12 years experience working with young children in Waldorf schools, public schools and specialty programs. A graduate of Bennington College in Liberal Arts with an emphasis on Early Childhood Education, she is currently completing her Waldorf teacher training at Alkion Center in Ghent, NY. For many years, Beth was an assistant classroom teacher in the pre-k programs at the Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs. Since moving to Great Barrington, Beth has been teaching at the New Marlborough Central School and Berkshire Pulse. Beth’s special skills include gardening, knitting and animal husbandry for goats, chickens and alpacas.
Elmer Orobio, woodwork teacher, received his law degree from Universidad Santiago de Cali and teacher training from the Rudolf Steiner Seminary, Sao Paulo. At the Cali Rudolf Steiner School he taught woodwork and clay modeling, and was Council Chair and a Board member.
Krista Palmer, athletic director, earned her Bachelors degree in Physical Education from Wittenberg University, OH, and received her certificate from the Spatial Dynamics Institute. She is a graduate of the Waldorf School of Garden City. Krista recently received her handwork certification from Sunbridge College
Elly Peterson, Earl Childhood assistant, earned her Bachelors degree in Liberal Arts in Forestry at University of New Hampshire. She completed her Masters in Waldorf Teacher Training at Sunbridge College. She taught in the grades at two other Waldorf schools before joining the early childhood at GBRSS six years ago.
Diane Prusha, has been an Early Childhood assistant for many years and is well known for her roles in Shakespeare and Company’s theatrical productions every summer. She completed her Bachelors degree at the University of Iowa in Theater.
Christopher Sblendorio (formerly Belski) 8th grade teacher 2012 – 2013, has been teaching classes, recorder ensemble and country dance since 1977. He has a Masters.in education from Fairleigh Dickinson University and did his Waldorf training at Emerson College, U.K. He is teaching his fourth class at present.
Somer Serpe, Kindergarten teacher, trained as an artist and a teacher, earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Parsons School of Design and her Masters in Education at Sunbridge College (Chestnut Ridge, NY). Ms. Serpe enjoys using puppets to tell stories to her class, frequently making the puppets herself. She is also a parent at the school, with 2 daughters in the grades, and is an avid Morris dancer who performs at May Day celebrations at the school and throughout the community. She has taught in the nursery program at GBRSS since 2007.
Kirsten Suberg, 4th grade class teacher 2012 -2013, grew up in Germany where her father taught in and was instrumental in starting a Waldorf school in Oldenburg. Kirsten graduated from the Freie Waldorf Schule Oldenburg and went on to complete Bachelors and Masters degrees in Education at the University of Oldenburg. In the United States, she completed an Associates degree in the teaching of foreign languages and completed her Masters in Education at Sunbridge. Ms. Suberg has taught German at the Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs for a number of years and has most recently been a class teacher at the Lake Champlain Waldorf School in Vermont.
Jo Valens, nusery and parent toddler teacher, attended the University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, where she received her Bachelors degree in Humanities. Her Waldorf teacher training certification is from the Rudolf Steiner College, CA.
Ursula Wirth, german teacher for grades 4 through 8, is a graduate of the Munich Rudolf Steiner School. She worked as a librarian and research assistant at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she also taught German for Siemens, Ltd. She has also worked as a German and English language tutor in Munich.
Maria Wolff, spanish teacher, has been a language and class teacher at the Rudolf Steiner School in Cali, Colombia. She received her Waldorf teacher training in Dornach, Switzerland.
Jean Zay, curriculum support teacher, received her Bachelors degree from Oberlin College and her Waldorf teacher training from the Rudolf Steiner School, NYC. She is one of the founding members of GBRSS, and graduated her first class in 1983.