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Heather Kidd, Grade 1 Teacher
Heather lived her early childhood years on the west coast, and moved to Dallas, Texas at age six, where she grew up with her four younger siblings. In those first years, her mother home schooled Heather with ideas inspired by Waldorf Education. She loved (and still loves) to craft gifts, sing songs, explore creeks, climb trees, and create new worlds! Heather took her love of crafting and creating with her to college to earn a MFA in Theatrical Design from Tulane University. She went on the build houses in Austin with the Americorps, Casa Verde Builders, before finally finding her way back to the west coast seven years ago.
Since moving to Oregon and completing her Waldorf Certification in both early childhood and grades, she has taught both early childhood and grades at home and farm schools which utilize Waldorf methods. Heather is grateful to have the opportunity to become a part of the Eugene Waldorf community and inspired to guide and educate this dear group of children. -
Tricia O'Neill, Grade 2 Teacher
Tricia grew up in a suburban setting near Berkeley, CA, on 1 1/2 acres with a small barn, two horses, fruit and walnut trees and a small creek. She felt very close to nature there. She was involved with choirs and musical theater in high school and enjoyed skiing, swimming, and sewing. She was married when she was 20 years old, and is still married to the same wonderful man! They have four children (who all attended EWS), and two grandchildren.
Tricia first heard about Waldorf education in 1976 when their oldest child was 6 months old. They have been privileged to be part of the group that founded this school. She taught handwork here for 18 years beginning in 1984, and started as a class teacher in 2002. -
David French, Grade 3 Teacher
David was born and raised in Kansas City, near the start of the Oregon Trail. He studied psychology and French, and worked as a counselor and statistical consultant—but primarily taught college courses (at UO and Northern Arizona University). He earned his Waldorf teaching credentials in 2005. David married Caitlin Wallace during autumn in the Appalachians, and they have joyfully welcomed two daughters, Lia Grace and Ellen, to their family. David taught at the Charlottesville Waldorf School in Virginia before returning to Eugene. He spends lots of time singing, gardening and backpacking.
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Jeannie Schwanekamp, Grade 4 Teacher
Jeannie grew up with her two older sisters under the wide blue skies of Encampment, Wyoming. On her family’s ranch, a great love for the natural world grew in her heart. When she met her first grade teacher, she knew that she too would become a teacher. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and classical literature from the University of Minnesota, where she met her husband Max. Their daughter Oona was born in the heart of the Midwestern winter.
The Schwanekamps moved to Eugene shortly afterward, and they took to their new home like blackberry brambles on a creek bank. Within a year of the move, their son Jera was born in the heat of the Eugene summer. Jeannie completed the Teacher Education Program in 2005. She feels blessed to serve the families of Eugene. -
Linda Marooney, Grade 5 Teacher
Linda was born in Wisconsin, where experiences of lightning bugs, fall colors, snow, and lakes and rivers provided an ongoing relationship to nature. A love for music and the arts began early in her life, and continued to be nourishing and inspiring throughout her education.
Linda went to high school in Sacramento, and then majored in music and elementary education at San Jose State University. She married a park ranger, and while raising her son and daughter in state parks, she was introduced to Waldorf Education. Her love of educating young children led her first to teaching at the Santa Cruz Waldorf School. Her two children still live there and maintain close Waldorf friendships. In 1994, she married Patrick Marooney. Linda has taught for 25 years in Waldorf education. -
Jelena Jaehnig, Grade 6 Teacher
Jelena was born in Stuttgart, Germany and was later joined by two younger brothers. When she was four, her family moved to Denver, Colorado where her father worked as a Christian Community priest and her mother helped found and taught at the Denver Waldorf School. Jelena attended Waldorf schools through the eighth grade, first back at the original Waldorf School in Stuttgart and later at the Denver Waldorf School. After high school she attended colleges in Denver and Bochum, Germany, receiving a bachelors and masters degree in history from UC Colorado. It has been Jelena’s intention to become a Waldorf teacher since she was in first grade.
In 1993 she moved to Eugene to teach at the Eugene Waldorf School, and taught in the high school for three years before becoming a class teacher. After taking a class from first through eighth grade, Jelena spent a sabbatical year in Mexico volunteering at a Waldorf school. She is now very happy to be back in this community teaching another class. -
Erika Finstad , Grade 7 Teacher
Erika was raised in Gettysburg, PA, and is the younger of two daughters. She moved to Minnesota to attend college, where she completed an undergraduate degree in the arts, with a concentration in music, and a graduate degree in elementary education.
Erika’s first full-time teaching job was in South India, where she taught middle school language arts and music, and traveled to many diverse corners of the country. Erika discovered Waldorf education when she returned to the States. She began her Teacher Education in Eugene a year later and completed the training in 1995. She completed her first cycle of teaching eight grades in 2004. Besides teaching, Erika loves to travel, to explore other cultures, and hike in the mountains. -
Ian Stearns, Grade 8 Teacher
Ian was born in Camarillo, California, where he spent the early part of his childhood with his parents, an older sister, and a lovely Old English sheepdog named Sweet Rosie McDuff. When he was in second grade he moved to a town on the Merrimac River in semi-rural Missouri. He lived there, enjoying the forests in summer and the hills in winter until his family moved back to California. After high school Ian went to college at UCSB where he majored in political science.
After college Ian hopped around a bit before landing in Eugene, where he has worn many hats: culinary student, care provider, baker, cook, husband and papa. He completed the Teacher Education Program in Eugene in 2003, and spent a year tutoring at the school before starting as a grades teacher. He loves teaching and studying anthroposophy, as well as painting models, reading, and playing games with his children in his spare time. He lives with his wife Cameron, their two sons William and Paul, their 100-pound lab, Angus.
