Administration

Development Support

Since graduating from the Waldorf Teacher Training in Eugene over a decade ago, Cricket has traveled in México, Brazil and Perú, visiting Waldorf school communities along the way. She has teaching experience as a Waldorf grades teacher, as a public school teacher and as a parent educator. Her biggest achievement of the past decade is becoming a mother and raising two children.
Maestra Cricket has a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language and South American Literature from the University of California Santa Barbara. She learned Spanish as an adult by participating in language and culture immersion programs in Córdoba, España; Santiago, Chile and Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. She lives in a bilingual household.
Maestra Cricket steps into the classroom with excitement to participate in the holistic education of your children by bringing life to global cultures and expanding perspectives through a multi-sensory and experiential language curriculum.
Cricket is passionate about her human community and the natural world around her. She spends her free time dancing, cooking big pots of food, and caring for stray kitties.

Site Coordinator

As a former Waldorf parent, Arlo became actively involved with the EWS staff and community during his children’s time at the school. Though his children have since moved on in their educational journey, Arlo maintained a strong connection to EWS, which led him to return when the Site Coordinator position became available. With a background in landscape construction and residential remodeling, as well as a business degree from the University of Oregon, Arlo brings a valuable combination of hands-on experience and strategic insight to the role. As the new school year approaches, he is excited to deepen his contributions to the community and looks forward to working collaboratively with staff, students, and families in the years ahead.

Administrative Assistant

Business Manager & Health Aid

Nicole grew up in the small town of Moab, Utah. The scenic beauty of the Utah desert provided many opportunities for outdoor exploration with her two younger sisters. Nicole developed a love of hiking and camping, and a deep appreciation of nature.
Some of the colorful life experiences Nicole has had include: traveling to Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Mexico, Jamaica and Belize; sky diving in Hawaii; living with six roommates at one time (in college); searching for the Solstice Snake petroglyph in the Utah backcountry without a map and actually finding it; getting married; and becoming a mom.
Nicole discovered Waldorf education while looking for preschools for her daughter to attend in Moab. Nicole will be forever grateful to Ms. Tiger for introducing her to this inspiring method of education during those preschool years.
In 2015, Nicole and her family moved to Eugene so her daughter could start first grade at the Eugene Waldorf School. Nicole had never owned rain boots, an umbrella or a rain jacket prior to moving to Eugene.
In 2016, Nicole joined the Administration Team at EWS. She has a bachelors degree in Family Life Studies. Nicole loves being part of the EWS community and loves working at a school.

Office Coordinator

Enrollment Coordinator

Desirea Stott-Rodgers grew up in the small town of Junction City, OR but spent as much time as she could petting cows, cleaning horse stalls, running from hissing geese, and climbing walnut trees on her grandmother’s ranch in close-by Cheshire.
Her studies (with a focus on philosophy and education) took her to Texas for five years, and her thirst for adventure and social justice settled her in Connecticut. There, she co-founded a non-profit that continues to combat child trafficking and care for survivors. Desirea worked with that non-profit for 10 years, both in communications and as their Creative Director.
Her interest in Waldorf education was sparked through a brief conversation at a party. Years later after her oldest daughter was born, Desirea remembered that conversation and began to read more about Waldorf education. She felt lucky to find EWS and attend the parent-child program with her daughter. Today, she feels even luckier to be part of the administration team and have both daughters attending EWS.
Desirea currently resides with her husband and two daughters on her grandmother’s land in Cheshire, OR, where she pets several furry animals, cleans out the bunny hutch, runs with her daughters, and occasionally still climbs those same walnut trees.

Accountant

Hi, my name is Jennifer Tharp, and I am thrilled to be the new bookkeeper here at Waldorf. I was born and raised in Eugene, where my family has deep roots — for over 50 years, my family owned a machine shop right here in town, and that's where my 30-year career in bookkeeping and office management began. For the past nine years, I've been running a handyman and renovation business alongside my husband.
I've been married to my husband Jimmy for 33 years, and we have three grown sons — Kristian, Taylor, and Austin — and two granddaughters, Maisie and Cora. This year I published two books, and I recently took up crocheting. I love to read and spend time outdoors, and my favorite place on earth is on the river in our drift boat, book in hand, while Jimmy fishes.
I am so excited to be part of this community. I have always thrived in a family-centered environment, and I have a feeling I've found exactly that here.

Specialty Teachers