Faculty
Stephen Balmer was an English teacher from 1980 to 1983 before acquiring a J.D. degree from SUNY Buffalo in 1987. He was a practitioner of law from 1987 to 1999. Steve joined our faculty in 2000 after completing his Waldorf teacher training. Steve currently teaches our high school humanities classes.
Colin Boyd graduated from the University at Albany in 2008 with a Masters of Fine Arts. He has taught art at SUNY Albany, The College of St. Rose and Hamilton College. Colin joined the Waldorf School in 2006 as a guest instructor and became part of the school as a full-time faculty member in 2009. Colin teaches practical arts and fine arts classes in the High School and Lower School.
Holly Brashares studied Languages, Art, and Education at Indiana University. She received her Waldorf Teacher Certification in New Zealand. She holds training certificates in Eurythmy, Pedagogical Eurythmy, and Therapeutic Eurythmy. Holly joined our faculty in 1996 as the Lower and High School Eurythmy teacher and currently holds this position.
Karen Crandall received a a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Pennsylvania State University and a Master’s of Science in Education from Sunbridge College. Karen began her class teaching career at WSSS in 1992 with the class of 2004. She picked up her second class cycle in 2006 and is currently in her third class cycle for the class of 2024.
Michael D’Aleo is a co-founder of the Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs High School. A former engineer, Michael lectures widely on the topics of science and education and co-authored the book Sensible Physics, a teaching guide for sixth, seventh and eighth grade educators. He teaches physical sciences and mathematics in our High School.
Sigrid D’Aleo was born and raised in the mountains of Austria, but completed her Waldorf training in the United States at Sunbridge College. She has been teaching in our Early Childhood Program since 1998, and as a lead teacher since 2000. Sigrid is currently co-teaching our mixed-ages Forest Kindergarten program.
Amy Desmond holds a degree in Nursing and is currently enrolled in the Early Childhood Training Program at Sunbridge College. She has worked for four years as the Aftercare Coordinator at our Early Childhood Center. Amy is now teaching our three-day preschool class.
Deborah Frahme received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. She has served as our Lower School strings instructor since 2005.
Richard Fron studied music at Oberlin Conservatory and received a Bachelor’s of Music degree from Boston University. He has served as a Waldorf class teacher as well as a Waldorf music teacher. Richard is currently the Music Program director and also leads the Lower and High School orchestra programs.
Irene Gilb attended Sant Bani School, a small independent school with Waldorf ties in rural New Hampshire. She studied Music and German at Skidmore College and has been teaching German in our high school since January, 2009. In addition to German, Irene teaches English in the high school and the accompanies the Chorus on piano.
Christine Good holds a BS in Health Education from SUNY Cortland and a Masters in Waldorf Education from Sunbridge College. She was a class teacher at the Waldorf School of Baltimore and is our Aftercare Coordinator at the Early Childhood Center.
Jessalyn Hall completed her Masters of Science in Waldorf Education from Sunbridge College. She had previously spent three years teaching at a Waldorf charter school in Phoenix, Arizona. Jessalyn joined our faculty in September, 2009 as a class teacher.
Katie Hooper received a Bachelor of Music degree from Ohio Wesleyan University and also studied at The Cummington School of the Arts in western Massachusetts. She has been a Suzuki piano teacher for 26 years and has taught choral music at our school since its inception 30 years ago.
Patricia Hrebenach holds a B.S. in Water Resources Management from the University of Maryland and performed graduate course work in French Studies from the University at Albany. She joined our faculty in 2008 bringing with her seven years of teaching experience in the public and private school area as well as ten years of French/English and English/French translation work. Patricia is currently our Lower School French teacher.
Gina Gutierrez Karp graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1986 with a joint degree in English and Anthropology. She taught widely in public school settings (including ESL) before attaining a Masters degree in Waldorf Education from Antioch College. Gina joined our faculty in 2004 as a class teacher.
Marc Largie has a degree in Recreology as well as Physical and Health Education. He has also received training in Spacial Dynamics. Marc joined our Faculty in October, 2011 to teach movement and games to grades 1-12. He also leads our Afterschool Sports program.
Carly Lynn received a Bacelor’s degree from SUNY Potsdam in K-6 education, and holds a Master’s degree in Waldorf Early Childhood Education from Sunbridge College. She joined our school in 2005 and is presently co-teaching our mixed-ages Forest Kindergarten program.
Nellie Lovenduski received a BA in both Mathematics and Secondary Education as well as a Masters Degree in Education from SUNY Potsdam. Nellie taught mathematics in public schools for five years before joining our faculty in 2009. She recently completed her certification in Waldorf High School Education with the Center for Anthroposophy in Wilton, New Hampshire. Nellie has completed the Wilderness Education Association Leadership training program and has taught and led backcountry camping including wintercamping, canoeing, orienteering and biking trips. Nellie currently teaches High School and 8th grade mathematics.
Joshua Lytle received a degree in Philosophy and Creative Writing from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He completed his certification in Waldorf High School Education with the Center for Anthroposophy in Wilton, New Hampshire. Josh spent several years teaching English in Japan before coming to WSSS in 2001. A native of Saratoga Springs, Josh teaches humanities courses in our High school.
Mary Maschal holds a B.A. in Women’s Studies from San Diego State University. She came to us from the Eugene Waldorf School (EWS) in Eugene, Oregon where she served as an assistant teacher in their Kindergarten. Mary completed her Waldorf Teacher Certification there in 2006. Prior to her work at EWS, Mary worked in both public education and the non-profit arena. She joined our Early Childhood faculty in 2008 and is our current teacher in the Rose Kindergarten.
Robert McKay graduated from the Lake Champlain Waldorf School and holds a BA in Philosophy and Religion from Middlebury College. He is completing his Masters in Education from Antioch University. Robert is currently teaching Humanities in our High School.
Sydney Morrell received a B.A. in French and Italian Literature from London University’s Royal Holloway College. She formerly taught at the Princeton Waldorf School and has also directed and taught at Foreign Language Conferences for the Waldorf Teacher Education Center at Sunbridge College. Sydney has taught French at our school since 2002. She is currently teaching French in our High School.
Manon N’Dolo holds a degree from the Universté of Paul Valéry, France and a certificate in Waldorf Education from Sunbridge College. She was facilitator and teacher of a Waldorf-inspired Homeschool group. Manon taught French in our High School for three years and is currently the teacher of the four-day Preschool class.
Astrea Ravenstar holds a BA from Empire State College in Cultural Studies with an emphasis on creative writing. She completed her Waldorf Teacher training in 2009. Astrea has also worked as a massage therapist since 2000 and has practiced and taught many forms of healing arts including Reiki, Shamanic Healing and Craniosacral Therapy with adults and children. She joined our school in 2009 as a class teacher.
Abigail Reid holds a B.A. from Skidmore College and completed her Waldorf teacher training in 2001. In the early years of WSSS, she assisted in the Early Childhood Programs. Abigail has been a class teacher for several years and is currently a class teacher in the Lower School.
Mary Roberts was trained in Art Education at the State University of New York at New Paltz, and has done graduate work at St. Rose College, SUNY Albany, and Skidmore College, with an emphasis in fiber arts. Prior to coming to WSSS, she taught art in the public schools. Mary now teaches painting in various classes in the Lower School and in the High School.
Brian Ruel completed his Waldorf teacher training at Antioch University in New Hampshire and has taught in the early grades at Waldorf Schools in Maine, Washington, and Oregon. More recently, he has taught grades 2-5 at the Canterbury Steiner School in Kent, England. Brian joined the WSSS faculty as the second grade teacher in September 2007. He is currently a class teacher with the Lower School.
Elizabeth Sabatella earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from Wilkes University and an Education Degree from Old Dominion University. She taught in the public school setting for a number of years before returning to her hometown of Saratoga Springs. Elizabeth assisted in the WSSS Early Childhood Program and then received her Waldorf Teaching Certificate from Antioch University. She is a class teacher in the Lower School.
Katherine Scharff has reaped the rewards of a Waldorf education, having graduated from the Green Meadow Waldorf School in 1979. She is a registered nurse and worked in that capacity for several years. Katherine has also completed the Sophia’s Hearth training, receiving a certification to work with infants through age three. She has served on the WSSS Board of Directors since 2003 and was appointed Administrator in 2005. Katherine currently teaches our Parent-Child classes and two-day preschool program.
Linda Stallard holds a B.S. in Health and Physical Sciences from the University of Wisconsin. She has worked in a variety of educational settings, including the High Mowing Waldorf High School, where, among other things, she served as a dorm counselor. Linda has been working in our aftercare program since 2002, and is currently the Lower School Aftercare Coordinator.
Scott Stewart holds a B.S. in Elementary Education and a B.S. in Physical Education from Cortland College. He completed his Masters of Science in Waldorf Education at Sunbridge College. Scott has worked with children in educational, athletic and camp settings since 1994. He has also worked at the bio-dynamic Duryea Farm teaching farming and nature studies to public school children. Scott joined our faculy in the autumn of 2008 taking a new first-grade class. He is currently a class teacher in the Lower School.
Christa Therrien earned her Master’s Degree in Waldorf Education from Antioch University. She has over ten years of Waldorf teaching experience as an early childhood and class teacher. Christa joined our faculty in the 2011-2012 school year and is our Lower School Handwork teacher.
Cynthia Wright holds a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts, magna cum laude, from Houghton College, and a Masters in Arts Education from the University of Illinois. She taught public and private students for 18 years prior to coming to WSSS. Cynthia is one of the founding parents of the Northern Lights School in the Adirondacks. A painter, sculptor, and puppet maker, she completed her Waldorf Teacher training certification from the Center for Anthroposophy in Wilton, New Hampshire. Cynthia teaches Fine Arts in the High school and is our Guidance Coordinator.
Jan Zemba holds a doctorate in ocean physics from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is experienced as a physical oceanographer and is also an accomplished musician. Jan currently teaches mathematics, science and music in our Lower School and High School.
2012-2013 High School Guest Teachers
Joshua Chambers holds a Masters in Fine Arts in Directing for Theater from the California Institute of the Arts. He has been a director and composer for multiple theater departments and companies. Joshua is currently teaching our tenth grade playblocks.