MEET OUR
Faculty and Staff
Our community of teachers and support staff
are dedicated, creative, experienced, and joyful!
The primary unified goal of our educators is to nourish the genuine love of learning within each child.
Our classroom faculty stay with their students for several years, which creates a deep and meaningful teacher-student relationship. The faculty of Waldorf School of Bend hold advanced training in childhood education and the Waldorf approach.
Our teachers also play an important role in our school’s governance. Learn more about each of our classroom and specialty faculty!
Get to know us
Early Childood
Faculty and Staff
Early Childhood Program Director
and Teacher
Ms. Cyndi
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Cyndi grew up in the Midwest and Colorado, where she spent most of her young life exploring the world around her. From an early age, she loved being outside and she spent as much time as she could wandering through ravines and hiking in the mountains with her grandparents.
During high school and then in college, Cyndi worked in Early Child Care, first as an assistant and then as a lead teacher. After attending Colorado State University and graduating with both a B.A. and a B.S., Cyndi spent a year traveling through South America. She fell deeper in love with the mountains by spending weeks at a time in the backcountry. During this stint, she spent many months living out of her tent and volunteering on organic farms, eventually landing on a farm where they spoke about living soil and the farm as a living organism. Thus began her introduction to Biodynamic farming and the work of Rudolf Steiner.
After returning to the United States, Cyndi found a Biodynamic farm in Fort Collins, CO to trade time for vegetables. While working full time, she eventually went from a working farm member to a farm apprentice and eventually into co-management. During this time, she often had opportunities to utilize her early childhood experience with children who came to the farm for their farming block in Waldorf Schools. After her mentors began their transition into retirement, she landed a job as the Biodynamic Program Director at the Rudolf Steiner College (RSC), where she trained apprentices, taught Biodynamic classes, managed RSC’s Biodynamic farm production, and instructed neuro-diverse young adults in Animal Husbandry and farming.
In 2018, Biodynamic farming brought Cyndi to Central Oregon to work for a Herbal Supplement company specializing in organic and Biodynamic medicinal plants. Falling deeply in love with the Cascades and the culture of Central Oregon, she felt inspired to re-enliven her passion for teaching the next generation of stewards of the Earth.
In her free time she can be found consulting for farms wanting to convert to Biodynamics, driving giant tractors, gardening, camping, hiking, rock climbing and caring for animals. She loves Nature, Children, Animals and composting!
Ms. Erin
Early Childhood Teacher
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With a bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences (also known as Speech Language Pathology and Audiology), Ms. Erin’s true passion in her work with children lies in helping them be understood — jumping into their unique journey to identify what modes of communication work best, always seeking to make sense of their behaviors. Ms. Erin loves learning languages, particularly Spanish and American Sign Language. Her hobbies are baking and cooking, fiber crafts, occasional running, interiors, playing solitaire and gin rummy, learning about cinematography, and watching movies and TV shows (particularly, classic movies and nostalgic television). Ms. Erin loves our school because she is given the time and support to ensure that every child in her care is considered and held by the faculty of teachers collaboratively. They work together to elicit the best outcome for each child and family, with our broader community and the world in mind.
Ms. Amanda
Early Childhood Teacher
Ms. Gabi
Early Childhood Teacher
Ms. Rita
Early Childhood Teacher
Ms. Crystal
Early Childhood Teacher
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Ms. Crystal received a bachelor’s degree with a minor in Child Development and Business Management and attended Sound Circle Center for her Waldorf certification. Ms. Crystal has been an early childhood teacher for the past twelve years and has worked at various preschools in California and Oregon. She loves the beauty that nature gives and shares that beauty with the children. Since becoming a Waldorf teacher, Ms. Crystal enjoys creating puppets most and bringing the puppets to life through her stories. She strives to continue growing every day to become the whole teacher your child needs.
Ms. Taryn
Early Childhood Teacher
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Taryn was raised in beautiful Bend Oregon, where she knew from a very young age that she had a passion for education and a love for children. She’s spent most of her professional life in the classroom and has also received her degree in psychology. Now as a mother of two, education has become even more personal and she understands just how important it is to lead with compassion, empathy, respect and understanding. During Taryn’s free time, she enjoys being with her family, running, reading, snowboarding and photography.
Ms. Leighton
Early Childhood Teacher
Ms. Sierra
Early Childhood Teacher
Faculty
Lower Grades
Ms. Casey
Lower Grades Teacher
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I grew up on Wappo and Miwok land in Northern California. The redwood, oak trees and ocean served as an ample playground for me as a child. My parents, through their life example as career educators of special needs children and adults, instilled a love of social work within me. From the age of five I partook in Taekwondo, which taught me dedication, discipline, and perseverance. Living in such an abundant agricultural valley, I was introduced to Biodynamic farming as a young adult and fell in love with Steiner’s teachings.
After graduating high school, and attending a local community college, I worked as a farmer, birth doula, elder caregiver, and eventually gave birth to a daughter of my own, Sophia. We moved to Mount Shasta in 2014 and befriended an elder Waldorf teacher who gave me valuable insights into the Waldorf pedagogy.
In 2015, we moved to Portland, Oregon where I became a preschool teacher and continued to educate myself and take classes on Waldorf pedagogy.
In 2020 my family and I welcomed my son Orson, and in 2022 we relocated to Bend. We were so thankful to find Ms. Jessica through a friend’s recommendation, and eventually found our way to Waldorf School of Bend. In the fall of 2023 we enrolled my son in the early education program at Waldorf School of Bend, and I began teaching second grade!
In my spare time outside of school I enjoy spending time with my children and partner Nick, hiking, cooking and baking, singing, dancing, making herbal medicines, gardening, and taking on many other creative endeavors.
I am grateful to live in beautiful Bend, Oregon on the lands of the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Northern Paiute people, and to be a member of the fantastic facultyhere at Waldorf School of Bend!
Mr. Kris
Lower Grades Teacher
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Mr. Kris earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology and anthropology and attended a Waldorf teacher training. He has taught in Waldorf schools for 15 years and is passionate about teaching in this rich and holistic way.
Ms. Julia
Lower Grades Teacher
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Growing up in a farming family, in the mountains of Salzburg, Austria, I was fortunate to attend Kindergarten through 12th grade at the Salzburg Waldorf School.
My Waldorf experience certainly laid the foundation for my love of kids, nature, animals and the arts. I told my teacher in 5th grade that I was going to be a teacher when I grew up and decided after 12th grade to go study at Paedagogische Akademie Salzburg to become a teacher.
During a visit to Sisters, OR in 2001, I met the father of our son and moved to Portland, OR in 2003. Since then I worked myself up from an assistant instructor to the Director of a horseback riding school, French Hill Farm, which combined my love for horses with kids and teaching. After 8 years at French Hill Farm, I started my own horseback riding school and led that for 10 successful years.
Becoming a mother had me start working for Kozy Kids enrichment center as a preschool teacher. Family brought me to Central OR in 2020 and since then I call Redmond my home.That brings me to this beautiful place, the Bend Waldorf School, which feels like home already.
Ms. Mary Anne
Lower Grades Teacher
Faculty
Junior High
Ms. Jessica
Junior High Teacher
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Ms. Jessica has been involved with Waldorf education since 2001 as both a teacher and a parent. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology in 1999, and has attended numerous trainings and workshops focused on the Waldorf view of child development and education. With over twenty years of Waldorf teaching experience in both the early childhood and the grades, she has always found inspiration in the artistic and imaginative approach at the core of Waldorf education. Ms. Jessica has been awed to see how deeply the curriculum has engaged the many students she has had the privilege to teach over the years. The ability to develop deep relationships with both students and parents has brought her tremendous joy.
Subject Teachers
Ms. Becky
Handworks Teacher
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Becky has over four years teaching experience in early childhood and fiber arts. She loves supporting her students in fiber arts journeys. To help them grow and feel pride, creativity and the knowledge they can do hard things. In her free time, Becky is an avid tea drinker and book lover, she also loves reenergizing in nature.
Ms. Susan
Eurythymy Teacher
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Susan moved West from Virginia to teach high school English and Native Culture for The High Country School, a traveling, academic outdoor school. From this, she developed as a professional storyteller, learning to tell Native American Coyote Stories from many experiences with Native elders research in anthropological and linguistic texts. From a Nez Perce friend, Susan learned to speak a bit of Shahaptin, a Plateau Native language.
Today her performances included traditional stories from many cultures. Past venues for her performances, keynotes and workshops (The Passionate Fact: Storytelling Science) include: Smithsonian Natural History Museum, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Royal Botanical Gardens Edinburgh, Australian botanical gardens, National Geographic Society, SF Jazz, the Oregon Symphony and the National Park Service.
Although she learned to read late, she is the author of four books and six recordings. Her love of language lead her to Eurythmy training. She holds a B.A. cum laude and a Masters of English from the University of Virginia. She holds a Eurythmy diploma from Rudolf Steiner College after also studying at Eurythmy Spring Valley.
Ms. Carla
Spanish Teacher
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Carla Delfino was born in Buenos Aires, and grew up in Neuquen, Patagonia Argentina. She moved to the USA at 18 to study Marine Science and Biology at the University of Miami.
She then moved to Alaska to work in the Marine Sciences department at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. After almost four years in Alaska, and a year of travel, Carla worked in Hawaii for Dolphin Quest as an educator, teaching kids about the fascinating ocean world. She also worked as a field biologist doing research at the base of Mauna Loa.
In 2007, Carla and her husband moved back to the mainland, to be closer to family, finally settling in Bend in 2008. Since moving to Bend, Carla has worked as an educator at the Sunriver Nature Center and at the Natural Areas Association. When their daughter Rowan was two, Carla decided to become a full-time mom. Carla began teaching Spanish to pre-school aged children in 2015, and began teaching Lower Grades Spanish at the Waldorf School of Bend in 2017. Carla has been enjoying teaching in the Waldorf philosophy and actively learning more about the methods involved.
When not teaching, Carla loves to spend time with her family, traveling, hiking, skiing, canoeing, rafting, practicing martial arts and reading!
Bend. In the fall of 2023 we enrolled my son in the early education program at Waldorf School of Bend, and I began teaching second grade!
In my spare time outside of school I enjoy spending time with my children and partner Nick, hiking, cooking and baking, singing, dancing, making herbal medicines, gardening, and taking on many other creative endeavors.
I am grateful to live in beautiful Bend, Oregon on the lands of the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Northern Paiute people, and to be a member of the fantastic faculty here at Waldorf School of Bend!
Mr. Miro
Movement Teacher
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Miro Frankzerda grew up in Western Oregon, surrounded by lush forests and inspirational artists of all kinds.
After graduating with a B.A. in Biopsychology, he spent three years teaching around the world highlighted by contracts in Thailand and Ecuador. He has a calm and steady demeanor that is paired with a deep investment in the education of children.
Miro has a love of nature that he integrates into his educational approach. He recently worked with New Vision Wilderness Therapy, which is an incredibly rigorous program providing a physically and emotionally safe place for adolescents and young adults in the context of the outdoors.
Mr. Nick
Music Teacher
Administrative Staff
Ms. Cecelia
Pedagogical and Community Development Director
Ms. Katherine
School Administrator
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Katherine grew up in Sisters, Oregon and appreciates growing up in a small and involved community where “everybody knows your name”. She graduated from tiny Gutenberg College and then settled back in Central Oregon with her family.
She believes that WSB’s small nurturing environment, combined with its holistic education, fosters a sense of belonging. In small communities, especially within education, there are unique opportunities for individuals to be truly known and to interact in ways that are fundamentally human.
She is excited to help this school and community thrive. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, long walks, and attempting to emulate the ‘Great British Baking Show’ in the kitchen with her kids.
Careers
At the Waldorf School of Bend, education is a powerful vehicle for social change.
At the Waldorf School of Bend, education is a powerful vehicle for social change. Thus, core academic subjects are taught to ignite the imagination of students and teachers in order to help foster pragmatic and inspired solutions to the ever-growing challenges of our time. The rigorous academic curriculum allows students to move forward with a sense of strong social consciousness, strong academic skills, and a vibrant individuality to create their own futures. A strong reverence for nature and the desire to nurture the earth are primary foundations on which school practices are based. We are seeking qualified candidates to join our faculty!
Waldorf School of Bend is looking for energetic and motivated substitute teachers to work with students from Pre-K through 8th grade. The best candidates for substitute teacher jobs have:
A bachelor’s degree,
First aid/CPR training,
Are Teacher Qualified and enrolled in the Early Learning Division Central Background Registry,
Enjoy working with children.
They are flexible and have some sort of education/teaching experience. Successful candidates will have to undergo a background check.
If interested, please email a letter of interest and resume to teacherleadership@bendwaldorf.com.
Substitute Teachers
