Early Childhood Teachers

Parent-Child Class Teacher

Étaíne Gannon

  •   Étaíne was born in New York and raised in Massachusetts, and fortunate enough to school both in the city of Cambridge and on Cape Cod. While the pulse of the city was exciting, her true joy has always been spending time in nature, and happiest by the ocean!

    Étaíne received her bachelor’s of Science degree in Human Services and Counseling/Psychology from Lesley University. In 1998, plans for pursuing a degree in medicine changed when the birth of her son led to the discovery of Waldorf education.

    In 2000, her family moved to Eugene Oregon after learning about the Eugene Waldorf School, where Étaíne graduated from WTEE with certificates in both Early Childhood and Grades.

    Over the past 20 years Étaíne has enjoyed teaching in Early Childhood programs as well as three years as a class teacher.

    Her personal interests include spending time along the Oregon Coast with family, singing in a local choir, gardening and making hats and booties for her one-year-old granddaughter! 

Sunflower Preschool Lead Teacher

Mariko Korican-Pentagram

  • Mariko is the eldest of three girls. She attended five different Waldorf Schools between Kindergarten and Sixth Grade on both US coasts, before settling in Olympia, Washington where her mother was a founding teacher of the Olympia Waldorf School. Moving a lot made her adaptable, approachable and outgoing.

    During high school she immersed herself in the performing arts, acting and singing her true loves. After graduating high school she moved to Seattle. Washington where she attended Cornish College of the Arts theater program.

    While traveling in Germany, she met a German fellow, got married and moved to Berlin, where she lived for 17 years. During her life in Germany, Mariko wore many hats. She was lead singer in a rock band, owned her own secondhand clothing sales/costume rental shop, worked as a private childcare provider and attended the Waldorf Early Childhood Teacher training at Forum Kreuzberg, Berlin. She assisted in both a large Waldorf Kindergarten and an after school program for grade school children. Mariko finds much joy working with children of all ages.

    After moving back to the US in 2012, Mariko married her husband Christo and their son Sage was born in 2015. In 2019 they moved to beautiful Eugene.

    Mariko, Christo and Sage are very happy to be involved in the lovely EWS community.

Sunflower Preschool Assistant Teacher

Jessica Hin

  • Jessica was born and raised in San Diego, California where she spent most of her days outdoors. She graduated from California State University having studied human development with an emphasis in child development.

    After college she moved to Europe where she worked and traveled for a year.

    When she returned to San Diego she got a job as a Behavioral Therapist with the YMCA social service department working with elementary school kids.

    After having her first child, and reading The Conscious Parent, she became more aware than ever of how important it is to raise children consciously. She was introduced to Waldorf education when she was exploring options for her son who was about to enter kindergarten and knew it was exactly what she wanted for her two children.

    She was actively involved in the Waldorf community in San Diego and has a deep passion for working with children. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, being in nature with her two sons, creating community, and staying dedicated to her spiritual practices.

Lilypad Preschool Lead Teacher

Elizabeth Starr Lily

  • Elizabeth Starr Lilly, known as Ms Eliza to her students and their families, grew up in NJ, just outside of Philadelphia. She moved to Eugene in 1994, and has been loving the beautiful green landscape of Oregon ever since. 

    Ms Eliza graduated from the U of O with a Bachelor of Arts in Fibers, and a minor in Anthropology. She is the mother of 4 wonderful children.

    With the experience she gained as a parent volunteer in her children’s classrooms, she worked at an in-home Waldorf preschool and kindergarten called Sol’s Garden for three years, and one summer at The Spencer Creek Farm School. She completed the Waldorf Teacher Training here at WTEE in 2023. 

    She spent 2 years as the assistant teacher in the Lilypad Preschool, where she is currently the lead teacher. It feels like such a blessing to get to teach in the same classroom that 2 of her children went to preschool in. 

    For the past 2 summers, Ms Eliza ran The Dancing Fairy Ring, a summer preschool program, from her home and she is looking forward to bringing that summery fun and energy to the EWS Cedar Summer Camps this year! 

Lilypad Preschool Assistant Teacher

Lina Meade

  • Lina’s bio coming soon!

Rose Kindergarten Lead Teacher

Rachel McDaid

  • I create a classroom where each child is seen and valued

    for their unique potential, fostering a sense of security

    and belonging through healthy, daily rhythms and

    thoughtful, hands-on learning. By integrating art,

    movement, and outdoor exploration, I help children

    develop a deep appreciation for the natural world and

    build meaningful connections with others. Through

    patience, empathy, and respect, I guide children toward

    becoming confident, compassionate individuals with a

    strong sense of responsibility for themselves and the

    world around them.

Rose Kindergarten Assistant Teacher

Jie Zou

  • Jie’s Bio Coming Soon!

Starflower Kindergarten Lead Teacher

Amy Thomas

  • Amy was born and raised in Springfield, Missouri to a family that values music, teamwork and the outdoors. All through her childhood, her family would take an annual Mother’s Day canoe trip on one of the many rivers in the Ozarks. Her love for the outdoors was seeded here. Amy’s family was full of athletes and she was always supported by her father and grandfather’s coaching in basketball and softball, learning the importance of  how to be a good teammate as well as being gracious whether winning or losing. Amy was a natural performer and took dance and musical performance seriously eventually receiving a musical scholarship to Oklahoma City University.

    After college, Amy moved to Colorado where her appreciation for nature and performance were bolstered by the majestic mountains and thriving artist community. It was here that she was introduced to Waldorf education through homeschool families. When Amy’s son was born, she knew that she wanted to guide his education in this way and decided to become a Waldorf teacher.

    In 2010 Amy entered into the WTTE program and has been in Eugene ever since. Amy’s experience working at Hazelwood Outdoor Kindergarten shaped her passion for outdoor education. Most recently this passion manifested as a homeschool pod where Amy took students from first through fourth grade with the intention of experiencing nature everyday.

    Amy enjoys playing her cello in local volunteer orchestras, hiking and rafting with her loved ones, and spreading joy through creative expression.

Starflower Kindergarten Assistant Teacher

Andrea Banfield

  • Andrea’s Bio Coming Soon!

Robin’s Nest Lead Teacher

Linnea Gardner

  • Linnea’s Bio Coming Soon!

Robin’s Nest Assistant Teacher

More Info Coming Soon

  • Bio coming soon!

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Grades Teachers