Kirsten Carr
Parent-Child Teacher
Transitional Nursery-Buttercups Lead Teacher
Ms. Carr graduated summa cum laude from Endicott College, where she received a B.S. in psychology and an M.Ed. in elementary education. She later pursued a master’s degree in Waldorf early childhood education from Sunbridge College. After a number of years working as an infant and early childhood teacher, Ms. Carr joined the Cape Ann Waldorf School as a Head Nursery Teacher and later became the Head Teacher for the parent-child program. Ms. Carr joined the WSL faculty in 2004.
Jennifer Cumbie
Evergreen Kindergarten Assistant
Kindergarten Aftercare Teacher
Ms. Cumbie’s teaching experience began in Uzbekistan as a Teacher in the Peace Corps, where she taught English to 200 elementary students and collaborated with The Uzbek Ministry of Education and English educators to develop and implement an effective English language curriculum for elementary schools. After returning to the U.S., Ms. Cumbie taught a variety of elementary and middle school classes in Salem, MA public schools as a substitute teacher and coordinated exchanges and events for Project Harmony's School Connectivity Program in Waitsfield, VT. She has also provided ESL instruction for Boston Center for Adult Education and New England School of English in Cambridge. Most recently, Ms. Cumbie has been a substitute assistant teacher and class parent for Cherry Blossoms Waldorf Preschool and a substitute teacher at WSL. She holds a B.A. in English with Minor in Fine Arts and received a Humanitarian Award from St. Anselm College Alumni Association in 2004.
Lynne Czysz
Blue Sky Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Ms. Czysz has 18 years’ experience as an educator at the Aurora Waldorf School, serving in a number of roles in early childhood education, but primarily as a lead kindergarten teacher. She also has a decade of experience as a yoga teacher, and has designed movement and music lesson plans and taught classes for grades K-8 in both public and private schools in western New York. Ms. Czysz earned an associates degree in early childhood education from Sunbridge College and has attended training at The Association for a Healing Education for Extra Lesson.
Anna Estes
Blue Sky Kindergarten Assistant
Kindergarten Aftercare Teacher
Anna joins us with 18 years of experience working with young children and families, as an Early Childcare Educator. She is also a WSL alum, class of '93. Anna is excited to begin the year, “as a calm presence and a dependable support for both the children and the lead teacher in transitions and tasks throughout the routines of the day.”
Lisa Fantasia
Little Meadow Nursery Assistant
Nursery Aftercare Teacher
Lisa Fantasia has joined the WSL after two decades of dedicated service to Boston area families in caretaking positions. Experience in early childhood education through nannying has allowed Ms. Fantasia to cultivate a warm, gentle responsive nature which she is passionate about applying to her work at the WSL.
Gabi Ferreira
Little Meadow Nursery Lead Teacher
Gabi Ferreria has served on the WSL Early Childhood teaching staff for over five years. Prior to that, she worked for 10 years serving the Cambridge-Somerville Guidance Center Program. Gabi completed her Early Childhood Waldorf Teacher Training at Sophia’s Hearth and earned a Master’s in Early Childhood Education from Wheelock College. She received her Early Intervention Specialist certification from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Julia Galginaitis
Forest Kindergarten Teacher
Julia Galginaitis has over 20 years of experience working with children. She is a trained Waldorf Teacher that received her education at both Sunbridge College for Early Childhood Education and The Early Childhood Teacher Education Center at Sophia's Hearth. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at the State University of New York at Oneonta.
Julia worked at the Waldorf School of Lexington for many years as an early childhood teacher and then helped to establish an outdoor forest program called Forest Kids, which is now in its seventh year. Her deep love of being in nature with children led to her wish to bring the classroom into the Forest. All three of her children graduated from the 8th grade at WSL.
Meg Lynch
Fairy Bell Nursery Lead Teacher
Ms. Lynch is a WSL alumni, class of 2003. She graduated from High Mowing, a Waldorf high school, where she discovered her love of photography. Ms. Lynch received a B.A. in art with a concentration in photography from New England College and completed her Waldorf early childhood teacher training at Sunbridge Institute. She joined WSL as an assistant in the nursery program and currently leads our Fairy Bell nursery class.
Mary Mansur
Evergreen Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Ms. Mansur earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in optical engineering technology before setting her sights on a career in education. She went on to earn a B.S. in early childhood education, and received her Waldorf Teacher Certification from Antioch University. Over a 23-year career in education, Ms. Mansur has worked as a parent-child teacher, nursery teacher, and kindergarten teacher here at WSL and previously at the Waldorf School at Moraine Farm. Ms. Mansur is also an experienced puppeteer, gardener, and beekeeper.
Farjam Mohtadi
Nursery Aftercare Assistant
Farjam joins the WSL community with a rich and varied background in Child Care and Education as a Teaching Assistant, Case Manager, and former Vice President of Nancy Campbell Academy in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. She also has experience in Human Services as both an Interpreter and a Coordinator for a Human Rights Unit. She brings her excellent communications skills and her warm presence to assist with our Aftercare Program.
Marilyn Pelrine
Parent-Child Teacher
Ms. Pelrine began at WSL as a parent in the school’s early years, and her four children all graduated from WSL. Ms. Pelrine was inspired to join the faculty at WSL and taught in the afternoon kindergarten program for seventeen years. The next phase of Ms. Pelrine's teaching career sprang from a growing interest in developing parent-child classes. Since 1999 she has served families with infants up to preschool-age children. The education, support, and guidance of new parents continues to be her passion.
Maureen Ryan
Forest Kindergarten Teacher
Parent-Child Assistant
Buttercups Transitional Nursery Assistant
Ms. Ryan graduated cum laude from Lesley University with a B.A. in human development. She has also completed the level one course in early childhood education at Sophia’s Hearth Family Center. Ms. Ryan has worked at WSL for a number of years as an Assistant Teacher in kindergarten, nursery, and the parent-child program. Before joining the faculty at WSL she worked at Russell Cooperative Preschool and ran a Waldorf-inspired daycare center.
Kathi Stimson
Kindergarten Aftercare Assistant
Ms. Stimson joins the staff at WSL after having worked with children in various roles for over 10 years. After learning about Rudolf Steiner and Waldorf education during the course of her education at Goddard College and LifeWays North America, she feels like she has finally found her life’s work.