Grade Teachers
Kate Russell - Kindergarten
Pamela Bruehl - 1st grade
Pam was introduced to Waldorf education 25 years
ago, when her oldest daughter entered first grade
in the Pine Hill Waldorf School in Wilton, New
Hampshire. As an active parent, Pam assisted in
handwork classes, chaired a Winter Faire, and
helped to raise funds as a Development Committee
member. Her participation also included Waldorf
education study groups. This led Pam to Antioch
New England Graduate School where she received
her Waldorf Teacher Training Certificate. Pam
received her B.A. in Elementary Education at Prescott
College. She holds an Arizona State Certification.Pam began her work in Waldorf education in 1993
at The Waldorf School in Lexington, Massachusetts,
where she taught grades 3 through 7. She taught
at Terra Rosa School in Sedona, and Desert Marigold
School in Phoenix. Pam recently returned to Sedona
from Cedarwood School in Portland, Oregon. Pam has mentored teachers to support Antioch
New England graduate students, Arizona Red Rock
Teacher Education Center students, and the Center
for Anthroposophy students in their foundation
studies. Pam enjoys the outdoors, particularly gardening,
hiking, and canoeing. Her newest interests are
drumming and cello playing.
Marc
Bruehl - 2nd grade
Marc received his BA degree at Franklin
& Marshall College and his M.Ed. and Waldorf
Certification degrees at Adelphi University, in
Garden City, NY. Marc began his teaching career
at The Waldorf School in Lexington, MA. In 1981,
he took his first class at the Pine Hill School
in Wilton, NH, where he was a class teacher for
12 years. Marc returned to Lexington School to
graduate his second class. In 1999, lured by the
red rocks and former colleagues, Marc joined the
Terra Rosa Charter School. In 2005, Marc became
the Pedagogical Director at the Desert Marigold
School in Phoenix. After two years, he returned
to private Waldorf education, joining the Cedarwood
Waldorf School in Portland, Oregon as the 6th
and 7th grade teacher. For over twenty years,
Marc has enjoyed working closely with teachers
as a mentor and evaluator through Antioch, ARRTEC,
and the Sacramento Training Programs. Over the
years, Marc has lectured on the Waldorf curriculum
and child development. Outside of the classroom,
Marc enjoys hiking and canoeing with his wife
Pam.
Sarah Van Dam- 3nd grade
Sarah grew up in rural New Hampshire, and received her early education at Pine Hill Waldorf School and High Mowing Waldorf High School, grades 1 - 12. After graduating from Harvard University with a BA in history, Sarah moved Sedona AZ, to begin her Waldorf teacher training. She graduated from the Arizona Red Rock Teacher Education Center (ARRTEC ) in 2004, receiving her Waldorf teaching certification. Sarah is in the sixth year of her teaching career. She taught for one year at a Waldorf inspired charter school in Phoenix, and she has just begun her fifth year with Desert Star. Having loved her educational experience in the Waldorf school as a child, it is rewarding for Sarah to full come circle and teach the Waldorf curriculum to her students.
Sarah was married to Greg Van Dam in 2010. Outside of the classroom Sarah enjoys traveling, trail running, biking, reading, dancing and spending time with her husband Greg and their dog, Lucy.
Deborah
Williams - 4th grade
Looking out into the beauty of the desert from
her classroom window while spending time with
these remarkable children, Deborah is pleased
to be near nature and teaching at a school with
conscious, green intentions. She began her journey
into teaching with a BA in education from Westminster
College in PA, and shortly afterwards, moved out
west to Flagstaff, Arizona, where she acquired
her AZ state teaching credential. Here, she spent
a year as a Kindergarten assistant in a Montessori
school, and soon received the honored opportunity
to descend into the Grand Canyon and teach in
the Kindergarten with the Havasupai people.
She relocated in Prescott, and
was then introduced to Waldorf education for the
first time while assisting a master Waldorf teacher
in her 2nd/3rd grade private classroom. Soon,
she was offered a position at Terra Rosa in Sedona
as the first grade teacher. After teaching there
for a year, Deborah was re-introduced to Montessori
education, and went on to teach at Sedona Charter
School for five years. She became Montessori certified
in the 6-9 age group, served as the Principal
Educator for one year, and finished her Master's
of Education degree. Now Deborah is pleased to have
re-entered the Waldorf teaching sphere, yet bring
her understanding of Montessori education, as
well. She has received two separate week-long
intensive trainings at the Rudolf Steiner College.
When not in the classroom, Deborah enjoys nature,
organic gardening, backpacking, kayaking, yoga,
biking, music, and dancing.
John Marcus -
4th/5th grade
John arrived to the sun-filled campus of Desert Star after a twenty year’s journey through many experiences in the field of education. John spent 19 years with the Los Angeles Unified School District as a bilingual teacher in grades 1-5, a Title 1 and Bilingual Coordinator and as an Assistant Principal. In 1994, John attended a course at Rudolf Steiner College entitled “The Waldorf Approach Applied in the Public School Classroom,” and for the next three years applied multiple Main Lesson blocks and other Waldorf-inspired pedagogy in a bilingual public school classroom, following a class from 3rd to 5th grade. Relocating to Arizona in 2008, he was able to pursue and deepen his interest in Waldorf education as a class teacher in grades 1-3 at Pine Forest Charter School in Flagstaff. One of the aspects of the Waldorf approach that most inspires him is the integration of the arts into every facet of teaching.
John holds a B.A. in Music and a Masters in Educational Policy and Leadership Studies from California State University, Northridge. When not teaching or preparing lessons, John enjoys exploring a life-long interest in music, hiking, spending time in nature, ceramics, and the company of his wife, children and grandchildren.
Specialty Teachers & Teaching Assistants
Karen
Boehm - Handwork for all grades
Karen was born and raised in New York City and
graduated cum laude from Queens College C.U.N.Y
with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a minor
in secondary education. In the arts her areas
of concentration were in oil painting and black
and white photography. Karen loves working with
children and has a great deal of experience in
various educational settings. She has worked at
Morningstar Childcare, a Waldorf early childhood
program, as well as at the Headstart preschool
as a teacher’s aide, Red Rock high in the
special education department and is currently
at Integrated Preschool working with both general
population as well as special needs children.
She has also taught art to both children and adults.
She is a great supporter of the Waldorf education
and her eldest children attended Terra Rosa for
several years. Karen’s daughter Emma will
be in fourth grade at Desert Star and she feels
fortunate that her life will be enriched by the
things a Waldorf education has to offer.
Catherine
Weld - Remedial Specialist
Catherine Weld spent 20 years at Pine Hill Waldorf
School in New Hampshire as an involved parent,
admissions coordinator, fundraiser, administrator
and remedial teacher. Her two children both attended
Pine Hill kindergarten through grade 8. Catherine
has an BA from Kenyon College and MA from Tufts
University. She began her teaching career teaching
high school in Baltimore. She has completed the
Waldorf Administrator's Training and the Waldorf
Remedial Training. Catherine taught at Terra Rosa
School in Sedona as well as Gateway School. Her
real love is helping children overcome their difficulties
and attain success and joy in school.
She is an avid hiker and canoeist and loves working
in a Waldorf Inspired Charter School.
Samilisa Enright - Spanish
Tom Cadigan - Games & Woodworking
Maggi Cricks - Handwork Assistant
Updated 2-2012
