sea star village

Christina Sbarra has worked as a teacher and school administrator for 18 years, most recently for 9 years at Maple Village Waldorf School in Long Beach. In her career, Christina has been involved in the opening of three schools, including Sage Hill School in Newport Beach, a dual immersion charter school, and Maple Village Waldorf School. Through her experience as both a teacher and a mother, Christina has developed a passion for hands-on learning experiences that nurture wonder, vitality and joy.  She holds a B.A. in Spanish and Italian, an M.A. in Italian Cultural Studies, and a Waldorf Teaching Certificate.

 

Nola Casserly is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, speaker and parenting consultant with a private practice in Newport Beach.  She is committed to helping families in Orange County realize mental and physical health and well-being. She also is a Waldorf trained early childhood educator, developed the Parent/Toddler Playgroup at the Waldorf School of Orange County, and served as the Director of Children's Services at the Center for Hope and Healing in Irvine. As the mother of two grown children and partner in a thriving marriage of 30 years, Nola has also supported the families of Orange County through the long running series of "Conscious Mothering" classes and OC Parenting.

 

Kathy Kipp comes from a family of educators and her own earliest childhood education was in a Waldorf-inspired school in Northern Germany.  She holds a B.S. degree in Marketing, a B.A. degree in East/West Cross Cultural Studies and a Certificate in Youth and Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary as well as a California State teaching credential.  As an ordained Youth Minister at Corona del Mar Community Church, Congregational, Kathy has been faithfully involved in Christian Education for the past 21 years. She has been married for 29 years and is the mother of four children, all of whom attended the Waldorf School of Orange County. Kathy was President of the Waldorf Parent Association for the school and active in Waldorf pedagogy for over ten years.

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Natalie 'Nandi' Pencak is passionate about partnering with parents to create a “bubble of love” during the first few years of a young child’s life. She brings 20 years of early childhood experience based upon RIE and Waldorf principles. She holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Michigan and a Waldorf Elementary Teacher Certification from the Waldorf Institute of Southeastern Michigan. Nandi taught K-3 in both public and private Waldorf schools, owned and operated a daycare/preschool and co-founded a parent education center in Michigan.  She is the proud mother of two successful Waldorf graduates.  Nandi is joyfully dedicated to preserving the magic of early childhood. She believes that when you do what you love, love is what you do.

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