LEADERSHIP

Our Team


 

At Waldorf School at Moraine Farm our mission is to help students discover and develop their individual capacities so that they can fully engage in the world and contribute meaningfully to society. We aim to cultivate clarity of thinking, compassion and moral strength, and purposeful action in our students.

 


Faculty & Staff

Caitlin Auguste
Early Childhood Assistant
Heather Colllis Puro
Handwork Teacher
Brian Fizer
Grade 1 Teacher
Laura Freysinger
Main Office Support, First and Second Grade Afternoon Teacher
Corinna Hall
Middle School Teacher
J Hall
Jessalyn Hall
Grade 5 Teacher
Jessica Hanscom
Sunflower Kindergarten Teacher
Danielle Harrington
Director of Academic Skills
Kierstin Hazzard
5-Day Nursery Lead Teacher
Kate Hill
Parent and Child Lead Teacher
Stephanie Irvine
3-Day Nursery Teacher
Marian Jamison-Smith
Nursery After Care Teacher
Emily Kerrigan
Director of Marketing and Communication
Yana Lapaix
Clover Nursery Teacher
Andrea Ledesma
Spanish Teacher
Gretchen MacKilligan
Main Office Manager
Celia Martone
Grade 2 Teacher
Lisa Maynard
Grade 3 Teacher
Rachel McCarthy
Admissions Director
Liz Nugent
Early Childhood Assistant
Ana O’Shaughnessy
Games and Movement Teacher
Miranda Ovesen
Early Childhood Assistant
Deann Reyes-Wangh
Middle School Math
Johna Saltsman
Early Childhood Assistant
Anna Scalera
Grade 4 Teacher
Sabrina Schully
Early Childhood Assistant
Marshunda Smith
Instrumental Music Teacher, Director of Auxiliary Programs
Hannah Yaeger
Science, Nature, Engineering and Design Teacher
WaldorfMoraine_Faculty_grade5
Vanya Yoors
Director of Teaching and Learning

Board of Trustees

The Board’s is primarily accountable for defining the school’s strategic direction and managing its fiscal health. In addition, the Board partners closely with the School Director, providing guidance and oversight so that goals and priorities are implemented. The Board is responsible for all legal concerns of the school and works to ensure the school is in a strong and sustainable position to achieve its mission.

 

Nursery Classes

In Nursery, through a play-based curriculum, Waldorf lays the foundation of skills that are needed to succeed later on in academic studies. Through daily rhythms of free play, outdoor time, circle time, story time, visual arts, handwork and practical activities, children exercise their creative muscles, develop their fine motor skills and create a strong foundation for their emerging literacy skills.

We offer mixed-age Nursery classes for children age 2 years, 9 months old to 4½ years old, with options for 3-, and 5-days per week. These classrooms are vibrant communities of young learners who accomplish so much each day. Classes begin at 8:10 am and end at 1 pm, with aftercare available until 3:00 pm or 5:30 pm.

Please click here to learn more about our daily rhythm.

Jennifer Beardslee

Jenny has completed graduate programs in both school psychology and school counseling.  Her school experience includes working in a private Waldorf school, a public charter school and for the past six years a public school district north of Boston.  She, along with her husband Luke, have two students at Moraine Farm, one in Early Childhood and one in the Grades.  Both started in Mrs. Hill’s class and have loved every year since. Jenny and Luke have been a part of the school community since 2013 and consider the school to be central part of their life.  

Tim Braughler

Tim is the Chairman of the Board, he joined the Board of Trustees in 2021.  Tim is an attorney and partner at the law firm of Mirick, O’Connell, DeMallie, Lougee, LLP where he specializes in all aspects of family law and probate litigation.  He and his husband, Brian, have a daughter who currently attends the Waldorf and his family enjoys being part of our wonderful community.  Outside of work, Tim enjoys spending time outdoors with his family, hiking, running, and cooking.

Zoë Cohen

Zoë joined the board in 2020 and brings more than twenty years of experience in marketing and communications to the Waldorf School at Moraine Farm. Zoë has a deep history in both communications for not-for-profits and marketing strategy for large colleges, with an emphasis on driving enrollment. Currently the founder of Everbrightly, an agency that helps nonprofits tell their own vibrant stories, Zoë also teaches social media marketing for graduate students at Northeastern University. Her practical expertise is coupled with both a personal commitment to Waldorf education for her children and the belief that Waldorf education is what the world needs, now more than ever.

Marlene Dickinson

Marlene enthusiastically joined the board in the spring of 2023, she has been involved with Waldorf Education since 1997 and is delighted to have this opportunity to serve the Waldorf Community in a meaningful and impactful way.
Marlene is the founding Director of “Tot Spot,” an infant toddler and preschool still serving the Landmark School in Beverly Farms. In addition, she is the former President of Sandy Bay Preschool in Rockport and former Director of Religious Education at the Unitarian Church in Rockport. She is a professional in the health and wellness field with over 30 years experience in holistic health, teaching and business development.
Marlene is passionate about Waldorf Education and excited to bring her experience as an alumni parent, kindergarten through 8th grade; as well as, her experience as an educator and coach to the board. She holds degrees and certifications in Psychology, Wellness Coaching, Food as Medicine and Reiki. Marlene continues her education through the Center of Mind Body Medicine at Kripalu and currently works in her own private practice Sacred Wellness LLC.

Kate Hill

Kate holds a B.A. from Emmanuel College. She received her Birth to Three Years training at the highly respected Sophia’s Hearth Center in Keene, New Hampshire, and has studied at the Center for Anthroposophy. With over 15 years of development experience working with nonprofits, Kate has used this knowledge to grow our parent and child program. She was Vice President for Development at the Conservation Law Foundation and Director of the Harvard Medical School Alumni Fund. Kate lives in Magnolia with her husband Chris, her daughter Kat who is a 2016 graduate from Waldorf School at Moraine Farm, and golden retriever Winston. The Hill family joined the Waldorf community close to 20 years ago and the school has been an important part of their family life.

Rebecca Rugo
Matthew Sumner

Matt is a parent to two Waldorf students and joined our board in 2021. He was raised in England and moved to the US after attaining a master’s degree in Theoretical Physics from Durham University. He is an Engineering Leader at HubSpot, with over 10 years of experience building software products, and believes that being fulfilled and striving for balance is key. He is also a professional coach and helps others to work at a sustainable pace and set clear expectations. Matt balances his work life by playing games with friends and family, enjoying home-brewed beer, and the occasional running race.

Michael Sumner

Michael joined the Board in July 2022 and is the Head of Administration and Co-Director of the School. He is an English Chartered Management Accountant and has an MBA from Kinston University in London.

Vanya Yoors

Vanya Yoors joined the Board of Trustees in August 2017. Vanya is the Head of Pedagogy and the Co-Director of the School. Vanya studied Environmental Education with the Audubon Expedition Institute and spent a year studying Tibetan language and collecting Tibetan folk songs in Nepal under a program sponsored by the University of Wisconsin. He then received his BA in Waldorf Education from The Rudolf Steiner College and taught for four years at the Eugene Waldorf School in Oregon. Mr. Yoors came to Waldorf School at Moraine Farm in 1996, and has spent many years as a class teacher and as a Movement Teacher.