Early Childhood
Debbie Phelan Kindergarten Teacher
Debbie is the Sunflower Kindergarten Teacher as well as the Sweet Peas
Parent/Child teacher. Debbie, her husband Brian and their three sons
moved to the Kootenays from southern Ontario in the early 1990’s. Just
prior to the move Debbie attended the summer intensive at the Steiner
Institute in Waterville, Maine, thus beginning her journey in Waldorf
education and Anthroposophy. Debbie recently completed her M.ED in
Waldorf Education through Antioch University in Keene, NH. As well
Debbie has completed a two-year diploma in Early Childhood education
and is a licensed B.C. early childhood educator. Recently, in Nelson,
with Myrna Martin, Debbie participated in a two year Pre and Perinatal
psychology training on bonding and attachment in early childhood, and
last summer with another colleague, Debbie traveled to Los Angeles to
complete Level I of the Resources for Infant Educators (RIE) training
based on the work of Magda Gerber. In the past, Debbie has worked with
special needs children in both Waldorf and public school settings, Her
interest in working with families of young children has let her to
take up the Parent & Child Program along with the kindergarten
where she can share her passion for supporting families as they meet
the challenges and joys of parenting.
Maria Seeger Kindergarten Teacher
Maria, our Bluebell Kindergarten Teacher, also teaches the Sweet Peas
Parent/Child program. Maria was born the youngest of three children
and grew up in Coventry England. After completing secondary school she
deferred university entrance for a year and went to live at Camphill
in Germany. It was here that she first met anthroposophy and Waldorf
Education. Upon graduating from the University of London with a
B.A. in German and Sociology Maria worked in Camphill Village Botton
in West Yorkshire for three years. This led her to her Waldorf Teacher
Training in Germany. Maria emigrated to Canada, and worked in Camphill
in Ontario. Maria and her husband Andreas and their 3 children moved
to Nelson 14 years ago. Enrolled at Selkirk College she completed the
Classroom and Community Support Worker Programme and worked in this
field for three years in the Community. Maria joined the Nelson
Waldorf School as a Kindergarten Assistant in 2000 when her third
child entered class one and took a full time teacher position in
2002. This past summer Maria traveled to Los Angeles to complete Level
I of the Resources for Infant Educators (RIE) training based on the
work of Magda Gerber. Maria nurtures an ongoing interest in the needs
and development of the young child and outside of school she also
enjoys reading, cooking, yoga, singing and crafts.
Alison Salo Daycare Manager
Erica MacLennan Daycare Lead Teacher
Erica was born the first of three
girls just outside Montreal, Que. At the age of six she moved to
California to spend five years at the seaside, in Disneyland, and
crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. Then it was back to Montreal for a
year before heading again to the west, spending her teenage years in
the suburbs of Vancouver. After high school, Erica began to read
Steiner’s works, and left university where she was studying Computer
Science, to work in a Waldorf Preschool. She then went for her teacher
training in Gloucester England with a scholarship from the
International Steiner Kindergarten Association. Upon returning to
Canada Erica completed her ECE Certification and began teaching in a
Waldorf preschool/ kindergarten. She moved to Nelson in 1991 to teach
at the Nelson Waldorf School. She then had a couple of boys of her own
teaching part time, doing some mentoring work, as well as
administration. She is glad to be back in Nelson working with our
school again.