Early Childhood

Debbie Phelan Kindergarten Teacher

Debbie Phelan 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 Seeger 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

Alison
Salo

 

Erica MacLennan Daycare Lead Teacher

Erica MacLennan 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.