Class 1 through 9
Tanya Thayer Class 1 and 2 Teacher
Tanya, her two children Bethany (in class 1/2) and Sierra (in kindergarten),
and husband Iain moved to Nelson from Eugene, Oregon in 2007. Tanya has worked for
nearly twenty years
in some capacity with children and in education. Tanya completed her
Waldorf Teaching Training in Spring 2007 (her teaching practicum was
at NWS). Tanya’s education also includes a B.A. in Elementary
Education and a Masters Degree in Curriculum. Her teaching experience
has included teaching in a farming community, Inner-city Native
American alternative school, a remote island in the Pacific, preschool
director - all with a common theme of teaching students, many from
very chaotic home lives, who had a deep need for a positive social and
emotional connection to the world, as well as for guidance to discover
their potential. Tanya looks forward to being here along with the
children of her class and their parents through the years to help the
children become the amazing people they are meant to be.
Suzanne Hunt Class 3 Teacher
Suzanne has a wealth
of teaching experiences such as teaching second grade to Navajo
students on the Navajo Reservation. She also taught in the Baltimore
City School System in which most of the students were low income
African-Americans, and in addition, many years ago she was a Peace
Corps Volunteer in Niger, West Africa, whereby she taught children,
teenagers and young women creative arts and physical games. She is
also a Dance Movement Therapist, and has worked with such clients as
developmentally handicapped individuals, physically handicapped
persons, the elderly, the criminally insane and women in
prison. Suzanne holds a Waldorf Teaching certificate from the Rudolf
Steiner Centre in Toronto, Ontario. Suzanne has shared that she feels
a deep commitment to creating an educational environment that fosters
a respect and a love for learning. Suzanne expresses that she is
honoured to be working here at the Nelson Waldorf School.
Ralf Hoerger Class 4 Teacher
Ralf was born and raised in Germany
moving to the U.S.A. in his early twenties. Completing his Foundation
Year for Anthroposophical studies in Fair Oaks, California and Waldorf
Teacher Training in Spring Valley, New York Ralf taught Handwork,
coached several team sports, substitute main lesson teaching and
taught adult education at the Waldorf Institute. Ralf joined the NWS
in August 2005 as the Class One Main Lesson Teacher. Ralf believes
that in the Waldorf School system teachers and parents have to work as
partners to achieve the best possible education for the physical,
mental and emotional health of the child.
Donna Switzer Class 5 Teacher
Donna was born in Edmonton, Alberta in
1954. In 1976 she graduated from the University of Alberta with a
B.Sc. degree in Household Economics. Her eldest daughter, Bree, was
born in 1977 and in 1979 Rob, Donna and Bree moved to Creston, B.C. to
build their own home, raise their own vegetables and grow their
children in the country. Two more daughters were born in Creston;
Kayla in November 1979 and Aspen in May 1982. In 1984 after becoming
enamoured of Waldorf education, the family moved back to Edmonton to
give Donna the opportunity to apprentice with well know Waldorf
Educator, Franklin Kane. When the apprenticeship year was completed
they moved back to Creston where Donna helped to found a small Waldorf
initiative called Skimmerhorn School. However, in 1986 Donna was
called to the Kootenay Valley School in Nelson and with two other
trained Waldorf teachers worked with the parents and children of this
strong Waldorf initiative, Bree joined class 3/4 which was the first
class of the school, Donna taught Class 1/2 with Kayla as her student
for eight years and Aspen stayed home with Dad! By the end of the year
the school was called the Nelson Waldorf School. Donna’s first class
graduated in June 1993. She was granted a one year sabbatical and
returned to teach in September 1994 and graduated this second class in
June 2002. Throughout the 2002-03 school year she co-taught a grade
two class with Barry Gray. This class she joyfully handed to Phil
Fertey in 2003 and took a full year of sabbatical. Donna returned to
take a new class one in September 2004 and they are now heading into
Class Four together. In addition to her class teacher duties Donna
works with teachers in the capacity of mentor. Besides her passionate
interest in Waldorf Education and anthroposophy Donna loves spending
time with her three grown daughters (whenever and wherever possible),
growing her own vegetables, walking, canoeing, singing and "being"
with her beloved husband of 31 years!
Carron Mulligan Class 6 Teacher
Carron was born and raised in
Boston, Massachusetts. Carron earned a B.A. in Sociology. Following
College Carron taught environmental education in New England public
schools and at an outdoor school in the Redwoods of coastal Northern
California. Carron spent summers leading high school aged youth on a
number of backcountry trail construction projects throughout the
U.S. A deep interest in natural rhythms, community, spirituality, and
alternate education led Carron to the works of Rudolf Steiner. In the
Spring of 2003, Carron completed her two years of studies at the
Eugene Waldorf Teacher Training Program in Eugene, Oregon. The
following fall she took a Class One Teacher position at the
NWS. Carron continues to work with these students as their Class Five
Teacher.
Vanessa Kuran Class 7 Teacher
Vanessa, our Class 7 Teacher and Movement Education
Teacher for the upper grades, grew up in beautiful British Columbia
near an awe-inspiring granite monolith called "The Chief" in Squamish,
BC. She is the daughter of a Dutch mother and a Croatian father, and
the youngest of five siblings. Vanessa always wanted to be a teacher
and began that journey teaching PE, Outdoor Education, and
Environmental Education programs in her 20’s. Her discovery of Waldorf
Education occurred while she was on a week-long hiking trip in the
Cathedral mountains near Keremeos, BC. Here, she and a friend were
camped next to the grade 9 class from the North Vancouver Waldorf
School. Whilst brushing their teach at the lake, Vanessa and two boys
from Class 9 made each other’s acquaintance. After chatting with the
boys for the better part of an hour she said "take me to your
leader". She then met her first real Waldorf teacher, David Hesketh,
talked Anthroposophy and Waldorf Pedagogy, and the rest is
history. Vanessa went on to do her Waldorf High School teacher
training in New Hampshire, which she completed in 2004.
In her spare time Vanessa takes a strong interest in the out-of-doors,
exploring with her partner Cheryl and their 2 dogs, Chester and
Willow. When not out-of-doors, Vanessa gives in to her renovation
cravings, thus leaving their house in a perpetual state of
"project". And this mirrors her personal journey in every way: One Big
Perpetual Project.
Phil Fertey Class 8 Teacher
Phil was born in Switzerland and spent his childhood years in France,
South Africa, Australia, Turkey, the U.S. and Canada,
respectively. Phil received his university degrees in Michigan (B.A.)
and Toronto (MBA). While working in the advertising industry as a
creative director and speech/copywriter, Phil met Anthroposophy and
began studying Waldorf education. In 2002, he entered the Waldorf
teacher-training program at the Rudolf Steiner Centre in Toronto. Phil
lives in Nelson with his spouse, Joanne, and daughter, Charlotte.