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11311 Mora Drive, Los Altos, CA 94024 Phone: 650.948.8433 | Fax: 650.949.2494 Web: http://www.waldorfpeninsula.org |
Nursery - Grade 8 FacultyEarly Childhood Program
Kim was born in San Francisco, California. She received her bachelor’s degree in philosophy and religion from San Francisco University and her master’s in social science from San Jose State University. Kim was led to Waldorf education while pregnant with her first daughter and has been following her children's wisdom ever since. She has been a doula and an apprentice midwife for more than eight years. |
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Kim Bick-Maurischat, Nursery School Teacher
Carole was born and raised in Delaware, where at a young age she “taught school” to neighborhood children. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Delaware. She continued teaching kindergarten in both public and private schools to culturally diverse populations in Delaware, Texas and California, where she earned teaching credentials. She also administered childcare services for three years and was a board member of the Houston Association for the Education of Young Children. Carole received her Waldorf teaching certification from Rudolf Steiner College in 1990, specializing in kindergarten. She has been the Rose Kindergarten teacher at Waldorf School of the Peninsula since 1990.
Barbara has been a Waldorf kindergarten teacher for more than 20 years. She has a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education. She loves the world of early childhood and how it lives and manifests in a Waldorf school. While working at the Rudolf Steiner School in New York City, Barbara had the opportunity to work in many positions, including administration. It gave her an appreciation of the need for mutual support between the various spheres of a school in order for it to succeed. 
Hans was born in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania into a household of Waldorf teachers. His mother is a kindergarten teacher, his sister is a music teacher, and his stepfather is a high school math teacher. He attended the Kimberton Waldorf School from nursery to 12th grade. Hans’ interest in early childhood education began when he did his high school senior project on children’s play. He attended Warren Wilson College for a year and a half, and then became a kindergarten assistant at Kona Pacific School in Hawaii. He came to California to take kindergarten training at Rudolf Steiner College, and he brings his energy, idealism and experience as a nursery/kindergarten assistant to our school.
Born in New York, Patricia spent her early childhood years in Japan, grew up in Sacramento, and graduated in International business from the University of Pacific in Stockton. She has taught in a variety of capacities, including substitute teaching for the Waldorf school and in the public sector, teaching handwork to adults, and leading outdoor adventure trips for children ages 7 - 16. As a WSP parent for 10 years, Pat has supported the school in a variety of capacities, from teaching handwork and assisting in kindergarten and first grade, to working in the business office. She has spent several years in an anthroposophical study group and will be completing her teacher training at Rudolf Steiner College this summer. We are looking forward to sharing her journey with the children and families of next year’s first grade class.
Allysun Sokolowski strives to find beauty in every day, loves to share a laugh, and holds her friends, young or old, close to her heart. Embarking on her journey as a Waldorf teacher at WSP has been her dream come true! Allysun started her work here in service of the graduating class of 2021, holding awe and wonder as her guides. She is the mother of one sweet, crazy girl and the wife of one amazingly loving man. Her life is wonderfully full: singing, playing the piano, telling stories, painting, sewing. Her commitment to anthroposophy is strong; she loves to eat delicious food and enjoys photography. The best way to know Allysun is by visiting the First Grade classroom and having a look around! She loves to talk about curriculum and welcomes all questions. Come and see the drawings on the chalkboard, the watercolor paintings hanging on the wall, or open a Main Lesson book to check out the form drawings and see what sparks your imagination!
Monica was born and raised in Milan, Italy where she graduated from the Catholic University of Milan with a Bachelor’s degree in business administration. She moved to the United States in 1992 and lived in Seattle and Chicago. She earned a Master’s degree in multicultural communication from DePaul University. She relocated to Los Altos in 1999, where she lives with her husband and three children. Monica graduated from the Rudolf Steiner College Teacher Training Program, worked as an intern with Bonnie River in the Educational Support Department for two years, and graduated from the Gradalis training in therapeutic education in April 2006. Monica is also trained in the Lindamood-Bell language program and attended the introductory training at the HANDLE institute. Monica substituted for grades K-8 for four years. Her son and daughter are students in our school
Cathy was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the eldest of six children. Her family lived in Boston for two years while her father served as a Navy doctor. They moved to Stockton, California in the late sixties where Cathy began first grade. She attended the public grade school, St. Mary’s High School, University of San Diego and University of the Pacific. She has a B.S. in Computer Engineering from UOP. She met her future husband, Muneer Waheed, at University of the Pacific. Moving to the Bay Area, Cathy began working at the networking software company, The Wollongong Group. She took an early retirement when her daughter Laila arrived. Michael sealed the deal. The Waheeds arrived at WSP in 1998 when Laila started Kindergarden. Cathy joined the handwork group, and three years later, she was working in development for the school. She started the Waldorf teacher training and began substitute teaching at WSP. Laila is part of the high school’s pioneering class of and Michael is in the Middle School. Cathy enjoys family, cooking, travel, running, skiing, sailing, gardening and reading.
Mireille has more than 16 years of experience working as a teacher and with children. She was the head teacher and owner of a Waldorf-inspired home-based preschool in Soquel. She is a graduate of the Waldorf Teacher Training program from Rudolf Steiner College and Waldorf School Driebergen, The Netherlands. 
As a child Lisa was a student at the Sacramento Waldorf School for Grades 1 - 3, and this is why she returned to Waldorf, as an adult, to teach. Lisa has a Bachelor of Arts degree from California Polytechnical State University, San Luis Obispo, and she received her multiple subjects teaching credential from Humboldt State University. She is a graduate of Rudolf Steiner College. Lisa has taught in Waldorf-inspired charter schools and was a co-founder of the Coastal Grove Charter School. Her ongoing professional development interests now consist of courses in Child Study and Remedial Education, Speech, Reading Reflex, Kodaly Music and Drama. Community building is her passion, with an emphasis on Compassionate Communication. Lisa was Faculty Co-chair for the 2007/2008 school year
Amie was born in Hong Kong. When she was ten years old her family moved to California. She graduated from Cal Poly State University with a Bachelor’s degree in biochemistry. She worked in a research laboratory for several years but decided to retire after her first son was born. This was when she discovered Waldorf education. Amie completed her Waldorf Teacher Training in 1996 and went on to form a Waldorf-inspired preschool in San Francisco. She acted as teacher/director for the preschool for four years. In the 2000-2001 school year she worked as a First Grade teacher at a public school in San Francisco. She joined our school as the First Grade teacher in 2001 and her class graduated from eighth grade in 2009.
Sandy was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During her childhood she moved several times, living in Florida, South Carolina and Missouri. Her undergraduate studies were in computer science, which led her to spend the next 18 years as a professional in the information technology field. In 1993, Sandy decided to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher and re-entered college to work toward a teaching degree in elementary education. Later, while searching for a school environment for her younger son, she discovered Waldorf education. She immediately developed a strong connection to the Waldorf philosophy and realized she wanted to be a Waldorf teacher. Sandy and her family moved from Denver, Colorado to Sacramento, California so that she could attend Rudolf Steiner College. In May 1999, Sandy graduated with a degree in Waldorf education. Sandy graduated the first class she took from First through Eighth Grade in June 2007.
Lisa teaches math practice periods in grades 6, 7 and 8, as well as math at the high school. Lisa received a PhD in science education from the University of Pennsylvania. She has three Master’s degrees including one in secondary math education. She has taught mathematics in middle school and high school for many years. Lisa’s most recent experience has been as a math teacher, director of educational programs, and dean of students in the middle school at Crystal Springs Uplands School in Hillsborough. Her son and her daughter are students in our school.
Michaela completed a five-year training course to become a stage eurythmist and eurythmy teacher for all ages, including adults, from the Eurythmeum Stuttgart. She also has a diploma from Micheshof Hepsisau, Institute for Therapeutic Pedagogy and has studied acting and drama. Michaela has been a eurythmy teacher for 10 years, and she recently taught kindergarten to sixth grade eurythmy at the Westside Waldorf School in Santa Monica. While at Westside Waldorf, she also taught handwork for all grades. Michaela is experienced in working with children with special needs using therapeutic eurythmy techniques. Michaela joined our school in 2003.
Carolyn was raised in Riverside, California. She went to the University of California, Davis, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in plant science and nursery management. She farmed in Yolo County until she moved to Los Altos, California in 1991. Carolyn worked with seven other rural families in Capay Valley to create a Waldorf-inspired play group/kindergarten for nine children over a three-year period. She joined our faculty as a gardening teacher in September 1991. Carolyn says, “I am very grateful for the opportunity to work with the school community and students in the garden. Sharing my love of gardening has strengthened my personal commitment to the ideal of being good stewards of the earth.” Carolyn is a graduate of the Rudolf Steiner College Teacher Training Program in Los Altos. Her two sons are alumni of our school.
Alecia has been teaching handwork and working with children in grades 1-8 for the last 14 years at the Waldorf School of Santa Barbara. She graduated from Sunbridge College's Applied Arts Program for handwork and woodwork teachers. She has a Bachelor of Science in home economics from University of California Davis. For the past three years she has been a teacher and program coordinator for the Handwork Teacher Training Program at Rudolf Steiner College. With her experience as a member of a college of teachers, Board of Trustees and faculty, she has a wealth of knowledge in governance, administration and working as part of a team.
Janet was born in Dublin, Ireland. She graduated from Trinity College, Dublin with an honors degree in history and a black belt in karate. After graduating, she took secretarial and credit control training and worked in the hotel industry. She obtained an Irish national fitness-training certificate and worked as a personal trainer, instructor and gym supervisor in Dublin. In 1993 she and her family moved to Calgary, Canada where she first worked as a day-home provider and then obtained YMCA and Canadian national fitness-training certificates. Janet worked at the YMCA as an instructor and then became the supervisor of the member services department. In 2000 her family relocated to California and her children transferred from the Calgary Waldorf School to the Waldorf School of the Peninsula. Janet is a graduate of the Rudolf Steiner College Teacher Training Program and Spatial Dynamics training. In 2006 she joined other Spatial Dynamic graduates in the Hands in Peace Conference, an international friendship festival, held in Beijing, China. Janet has three children. Her son and oldest daughter graduated from our school, and her youngest daughter is currently enrolled..
Lola was born in southern Spain in a small city by the Mediterranean Sea. When she was thirteen her family moved to Madrid, where she spent most of her adult life. She studied Art History at Universidad Complutense, while working as a computer programmer. Her love for traveling brought her to California eleven years ago. She intended to stay in the Bay Area for three months, and then go back to her work in an art gallery in Madrid. Destiny had a different plan. She met her husband here and stayed. Now she has two children, both enrolled at our school. For many years she was interested in children, education, the arts and psychology, and explored them on her own. She graduated from Rudolf Steiner College in 2005, and joined our school in September 2005.
Mark-Daniel received his Ph. D in music history from Northwestern University, his Masters of Arts from West Chester University, and a diploma in piano performance from the Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Stuttgart, Germany. Prior to coming to the Waldorf School of the Peninsula, he was an associate professor in music history and piano at Mansfield University in Pennsylvania, where he taught for nine years. He is the editor of the 
Pamela has been a substitute teacher for our school since 1999. She has taught kindergarten through grade 8 and special subjects. She graduated from the Waldorf Teacher Training Program in 2005. Pamela has completed her apprenticeship to become a Certified Handle Practitioner and was an intern with Bonnie River in our Educational Support Department. Her previous professional experience includes project management and designing, developing and delivering customer education for database software companies. She has degrees in business administration and computer science. Her son is a student at our school.