Michael Baker (Woodworking) has been teaching at DWS since 1983. Michael served in the Air Force, and worked as an electromechanical engineer before coming to DWS. In addition to teaching woodworking, he taught gym for nine years, and he founded the Unicycle and Archery Clubs. He helped start a gym program in the Redwood City, California Waldorf school, and he has helped several woodworking teachers start Waldorf woodworking programs. He has served on the College of Teachers and he was a member of the Board of Trustees for 17 years. You may contact Michael at ext. 196.
Nancy Blanning (Therapeutic Support) has been teaching in Waldorf settings since 1982. After 17 years in the Waldorf Preschool Kindergarten, she began to offer therapeutic support lessons for children in our school. Her education includes a BA degree from CU Boulder in English, with teaching credentials, and a four-year therapeutic education training. She also serves as a board member with the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN). You may contact Nancy at ext. 164.
Jessie Cartwright (7th Grade) has been teaching at DWS since 2003. Before taking the 2nd grade class in 2005, she was the games teacher for two years. Jessie attended Fort Lewis College in Durango, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities. She graduated from Antioch New England Graduate School, where she earned her Master’s Degree in Waldorf Education in the summer of 2006. Jessie is a graduate of The Denver Waldorf School. You may contact Jessie at ext. 191.
Tom Clark (Middle School Support Teacher) has been teaching at DWS since 1985. He attended the Los Angeles Art Center College of Design. He first began working with children at the Parzival Shield Waldorf School’s Summer Camp. In 1985, he took on the teaching position with DWS’ 3rd Grade class. Since then, he has taken two additional classes from 1st through 8th Grade. You may contact Tom at ext. 167.
Betsy Doyle (4th Grade) has been teaching at DWS since 1995. She attended San Jose State College and received her degree in Humanities from New College in San Francisco. After receiving her Waldorf teacher training at the Rudolf Steiner College in San Francisco, she took her first class at DWS from 1st grade to 8th grade, then followed with her next class from 5th through 8th grade. Betsy also serves as our school’s 1st Delegate to the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America. You may contact Betsy at ext. 176.
Darlene Gaillot (Teacher on Sabbatical) has been a part of DWS since 1994. She enrolled at Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks, California, then began her teaching career with a Preschool Kindergarten teaching position in Texas before moving to Denver. As well as working for one year in our school’s administration, she worked in our Preschool Kindergarten for three years before moving into the role of a class teacher. She earned her Waldorf teaching certificate from Sunbridge College in March 2006. Darlene has taken one class from 1st through 8th Grade. She is spending her sabbatical year serving as our High School Coordinator. You may contact Darlene at ext. 193.
Vicki Hindes (8th Grade) has been teaching at the school since 1985. She taught three years in the Preschool Kindergarten before taking a position as class teacher, which she has held since that time, finishing three 8th grades. She also teaches lyre in the first and second grades, and social dance in the middle school. Vicki completed a BA in Speech Communication at Metropolitan State College, and an MA in Speech/Language Pathology at the University of Denver before becoming a teacher. You may contact Vicki at ext. 165.
Brianna Kaiser (3rd Grade) has been teaching at DWS since 2010. Brianna joined our school after teaching 1st Grade at Olympia Waldorf School in Washington. Brianna has a BA in Business Management with a minor in Art from Fort Lewis College. She completed her Waldorf Teacher Education at the Teacher Training Program in Eugene, Oregon. Brianna has also worked with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Emerald Valley, where she served as Education Coordinator working with children ranging in ages from 8 – 18.
Todd Matuszewicz (2nd Grade) has been teaching at DWS since 2000. He was born and raised in Denver, and he attended the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. Returning to Denver in 1993, he couldn’t ignore his desire to become a teacher. He began his Waldorf teaching studies at the Boulder Anthroposophical Institute and received his teaching credentials from the Rudolf Steiner College in Sacramento, California. He completed his first 1st through 8th Grade cycle in 2008, and taught Astronomy, Stained Glass, Optics and Copperwork in the High School during his sabbatical year. You may contact Todd at ext. 196.
Jeff McClendon (Music Director) leads chorus and orchestra instruction at DWS, along with teaching Recorder and Vocal Music in 3rd through 5th Grade. He studied voice, bassoon and composition at West Georgia College where he received his B.A., and received scholarships for his M.A. studies in vocal performance at the Julliard School and the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts. He has sung with many symphony orchestras and opera companies, including the Atlanta Symphony, the Birmingham Symphony, the Atlanta Ballet, the Atlanta Opera, and the American Symphony in New York City. He has toured Europe as a recitalist, he is a cantor and choir member at the St. Augustine Orthodox Church, and he plays bassoon in the Denver Philharmonic. In addition, he completed the two-year teacher training course in Waldorf Education at Sunbridge College in New York (SUNY). You may contact Jeff at ext. 169.
Sylvia Nordoff (Eurythmy) was born in New York. Her parents were Paul Nordoff, the famous composer and Sabina Zae, Broadway performer and choreographer. Sylvia showed an early interest for movement, performing eurythmy for the first time at age 12. She studied at the Theatre of Arts at New York University. She carried out her formal studies in eurythmy with Marjorie Spock, NY, and with Sabina Nordoff of the Zucholi School of Eurythmy in Switzerland. As well, she trained in modern dance at the Martha Graham Dance School in New York City and in flamenco with Margaret Flores in Woodstock, NY. Sylvia has spent over 25 years teaching movement to children at the kindergarten, elementary and high school levels, at the Ottowa and Parsifal Waldorf Schools, and the Santa Fe Waldorf School. You may contact Sylvia at ext. 152.
Faustina Pfister (6th Grade) is a former assistant in the Preschool Kindergarten here at DWS. She returned to DWS in 2005 to take the 1st grade after completing her Waldorf Teaching Certification in Eugene, Oregon. She also received her B.A. in Political Science and History from Austin College and a French Baccalaureate at the French Lycee in Kuwait. She is fluent in French, Spanish, and Italian and equally skilled in pottery, handwork, cooking, and printmaking. You may contact Faustina at ext. 163.
Michael Quinn (Athletic Director, Head Men’s and Women’s Basketball Coach) joined DWS in August of 2003. His recreational history includes eight years as a Recreational Instructor in Youth Sports and Arts at Harvard Gulch Recreation Center in Denver. He taught children ranging in age from 5 to 14. He is a graduate of South High School and attended Metropolitan State College. You may contact Michael at ext. 112.
Magally Luna (Spanish) has been teaching at DWS since 2000. She is a native speaker whose family hails from Colombia and Mexico. She received her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She has had the privilege of sharing Latin dance and music in Asia and Europe. She continues to sing with the Afro-Caribbean band Kizumba and she acts occasionally in plays at El Centro Su Teatro, one of the few bilingual theaters in the United States. You may contact Magally at ext. 159.
Mary Spotts (Reading Specialist) has been teaching at DWS since 1997. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Rhode Island College. She received certifications in reading from both Denver Academy and the Cherry Creek school district. Ongoing education includes courses in writing, continuing education in reading, and comprehension. You may contact Mary at ext. 186.
Rosemary Vermouth (5th Grade) has been teaching at DWS since 2005. Before joining us, Rosemary was part of the River Song Waldorf School community in Fort Collins, Colorado where she served for 13 years as a class teacher. Rosemary enrolled in the three year San Francisco Extension Course (Bay Area Teacher Training Program extension of the Rudolf Steiner College) and graduated in 1993. She also matriculated U.C. Berkeley and the San Francisco University Extension program in Early Childhood Education and received a B.A. in Psychology from the West Chester College in Pennsylvania. You may contact Rosemary at ext. 177.
Deborah Wolf (Handwork) has been teaching at DWS since 1990. She was born in New Orleans and moved to Colorado to attend Colorado College and the University of Denver School of Social Work, where she earned her Master’s degree. She taught in the DWS Preschool Kindergarten for three years, and then studied class teaching at Rudolf Steiner College in Sacramento, California. In 2005 she graduated her second 8th Grade class, and since then has held the handwork program. Deb completed the Handwork Training at Sunbridge College in 2010. You may contact Deb at ext. 174.
Grade School Faculty Biographies
Michael Baker (Woodworking) has been teaching at DWS since 1983. Michael served in the Air Force, and worked as an electromechanical engineer before coming to DWS. In addition to teaching woodworking, he taught gym for nine years, and he founded the Unicycle and Archery Clubs. He helped start a gym program in the Redwood City, California Waldorf school, and he has helped several woodworking teachers start Waldorf woodworking programs. He has served on the College of Teachers and he was a member of the Board of Trustees for 17 years. You may contact Michael at ext. 196.
Nancy Blanning (Therapeutic Support) has been teaching in Waldorf settings since 1982. After 17 years in the Waldorf Preschool Kindergarten, she began to offer therapeutic support lessons for children in our school. Her education includes a BA degree from CU Boulder in English, with teaching credentials, and a four-year therapeutic education training. She also serves as a board member with the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN). You may contact Nancy at ext. 164.
Jessie Cartwright (7th Grade) has been teaching at DWS since 2003. Before taking the 2nd grade class in 2005, she was the games teacher for two years. Jessie attended Fort Lewis College in Durango, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities. She graduated from Antioch New England Graduate School, where she earned her Master’s Degree in Waldorf Education in the summer of 2006. Jessie is a graduate of The Denver Waldorf School. You may contact Jessie at ext. 191.
Tom Clark (Middle School Support Teacher) has been teaching at DWS since 1985. He attended the Los Angeles Art Center College of Design. He first began working with children at the Parzival Shield Waldorf School’s Summer Camp. In 1985, he took on the teaching position with DWS’ 3rd Grade class. Since then, he has taken two additional classes from 1st through 8th Grade. You may contact Tom at ext. 167.
Betsy Doyle (4th Grade) has been teaching at DWS since 1995. She attended San Jose State College and received her degree in Humanities from New College in San Francisco. After receiving her Waldorf teacher training at the Rudolf Steiner College in San Francisco, she took her first class at DWS from 1st grade to 8th grade, then followed with her next class from 5th through 8th grade. Betsy also serves as our school’s 1st Delegate to the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America. You may contact Betsy at ext. 176.
Darlene Gaillot (Teacher on Sabbatical) has been a part of DWS since 1994. She enrolled at Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks, California, then began her teaching career with a Preschool Kindergarten teaching position in Texas before moving to Denver. As well as working for one year in our school’s administration, she worked in our Preschool Kindergarten for three years before moving into the role of a class teacher. She earned her Waldorf teaching certificate from Sunbridge College in March 2006. Darlene has taken one class from 1st through 8th Grade. She is spending her sabbatical year serving as our High School Coordinator. You may contact Darlene at ext. 193.
Vicki Hindes (8th Grade) has been teaching at the school since 1985. She taught three years in the Preschool Kindergarten before taking a position as class teacher, which she has held since that time, finishing three 8th grades. She also teaches lyre in the first and second grades, and social dance in the middle school. Vicki completed a BA in Speech Communication at Metropolitan State College, and an MA in Speech/Language Pathology at the University of Denver before becoming a teacher. You may contact Vicki at ext. 165.
Brianna Kaiser (3rd Grade) has been teaching at DWS since 2010. Brianna joined our school after teaching 1st Grade at Olympia Waldorf School in Washington. Brianna has a BA in Business Management with a minor in Art from Fort Lewis College. She completed her Waldorf Teacher Education at the Teacher Training Program in Eugene, Oregon. Brianna has also worked with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Emerald Valley, where she served as Education Coordinator working with children ranging in ages from 8 – 18.
Todd Matuszewicz (2nd Grade) has been teaching at DWS since 2000. He was born and raised in Denver, and he attended the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. Returning to Denver in 1993, he couldn’t ignore his desire to become a teacher. He began his Waldorf teaching studies at the Boulder Anthroposophical Institute and received his teaching credentials from the Rudolf Steiner College in Sacramento, California. He completed his first 1st through 8th Grade cycle in 2008, and taught Astronomy, Stained Glass, Optics and Copperwork in the High School during his sabbatical year. You may contact Todd at ext. 196.
Jeff McClendon (Music Director) leads chorus and orchestra instruction at DWS, along with teaching Recorder and Vocal Music in 3rd through 5th Grade. He studied voice, bassoon and composition at West Georgia College where he received his B.A., and received scholarships for his M.A. studies in vocal performance at the Julliard School and the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts. He has sung with many symphony orchestras and opera companies, including the Atlanta Symphony, the Birmingham Symphony, the Atlanta Ballet, the Atlanta Opera, and the American Symphony in New York City. He has toured Europe as a recitalist, he is a cantor and choir member at the St. Augustine Orthodox Church, and he plays bassoon in the Denver Philharmonic. In addition, he completed the two-year teacher training course in Waldorf Education at Sunbridge College in New York (SUNY). You may contact Jeff at ext. 169.
Sylvia Nordoff (Eurythmy) was born in New York. Her parents were Paul Nordoff, the famous composer and Sabina Zae, Broadway performer and choreographer. Sylvia showed an early interest for movement, performing eurythmy for the first time at age 12. She studied at the Theatre of Arts at New York University. She carried out her formal studies in eurythmy with Marjorie Spock, NY, and with Sabina Nordoff of the Zucholi School of Eurythmy in Switzerland. As well, she trained in modern dance at the Martha Graham Dance School in New York City and in flamenco with Margaret Flores in Woodstock, NY. Sylvia has spent over 25 years teaching movement to children at the kindergarten, elementary and high school levels, at the Ottowa and Parsifal Waldorf Schools, and the Santa Fe Waldorf School. You may contact Sylvia at ext. 152.
Faustina Pfister (6th Grade) is a former assistant in the Preschool Kindergarten here at DWS. She returned to DWS in 2005 to take the 1st grade after completing her Waldorf Teaching Certification in Eugene, Oregon. She also received her B.A. in Political Science and History from Austin College and a French Baccalaureate at the French Lycee in Kuwait. She is fluent in French, Spanish, and Italian and equally skilled in pottery, handwork, cooking, and printmaking. You may contact Faustina at ext. 163.
Michael Quinn (Athletic Director, Head Men’s and Women’s Basketball Coach) joined DWS in August of 2003. His recreational history includes eight years as a Recreational Instructor in Youth Sports and Arts at Harvard Gulch Recreation Center in Denver. He taught children ranging in age from 5 to 14. He is a graduate of South High School and attended Metropolitan State College. You may contact Michael at ext. 112.
Magally Luna (Spanish) has been teaching at DWS since 2000. She is a native speaker whose family hails from Colombia and Mexico. She received her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She has had the privilege of sharing Latin dance and music in Asia and Europe. She continues to sing with the Afro-Caribbean band Kizumba and she acts occasionally in plays at El Centro Su Teatro, one of the few bilingual theaters in the United States. You may contact Magally at ext. 159.
Mary Spotts (Reading Specialist) has been teaching at DWS since 1997. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Rhode Island College. She received certifications in reading from both Denver Academy and the Cherry Creek school district. Ongoing education includes courses in writing, continuing education in reading, and comprehension. You may contact Mary at ext. 186.
Rosemary Vermouth (5th Grade) has been teaching at DWS since 2005. Before joining us, Rosemary was part of the River Song Waldorf School community in Fort Collins, Colorado where she served for 13 years as a class teacher. Rosemary enrolled in the three year San Francisco Extension Course (Bay Area Teacher Training Program extension of the Rudolf Steiner College) and graduated in 1993. She also matriculated U.C. Berkeley and the San Francisco University Extension program in Early Childhood Education and received a B.A. in Psychology from the West Chester College in Pennsylvania. You may contact Rosemary at ext. 177.
Deborah Wolf (Handwork) has been teaching at DWS since 1990. She was born in New Orleans and moved to Colorado to attend Colorado College and the University of Denver School of Social Work, where she earned her Master’s degree. She taught in the DWS Preschool Kindergarten for three years, and then studied class teaching at Rudolf Steiner College in Sacramento, California. In 2005 she graduated her second 8th Grade class, and since then has held the handwork program. Deb completed the Handwork Training at Sunbridge College in 2010. You may contact Deb at ext. 174.