Melissa Clark, lead teacher, 4/5th grade

We are honored to welcome Melissa Clark to TLV as the new fourth/fifth grade teacher. Although Melissa is newer to the Waldorf method, she feels very passionate and deeply inspired by this new educational journey, after this summer's training at Sunbridge Institute. Melissa earned her bachelor's in Early Childhood Education and has nearly completed a Masters of Education, specializing in intervention, from Cleveland State University. Melissa carries a Fourth and Fifth grade endorsement from Akron University, and taught in and around the Cleveland school system for eight years and led a 5th grade class with Asheville Public Schools last year.

Melissa has a passion for holistic education, and believes in ‘whole person and whole environment’ learning. She is a dancer and yoga enthusiast with a background in Ballet and Modern Dance through Cleveland State University. Melissa has a love for story-telling and its place in education, and received training in this important art from the School of Integrated Living. Melissa has a passion for holistic education, and believes in ‘whole person and whole environment’ learning.

Sara Peninga, lead teacher, 1st grade

Many of you already know Sara from her previous years of service to TLV- as lead teacher and handicrafts teacher. Sara has 15 years of experience working with children and adults in Waldorf and other holistic educational contexts. Sara holds degree in fine arts from Calvin

College. She’s served TLV as lead class teacher for grades two, three and four, and also taught handwork for all grades, both here at TLV, and at Azalea Mountain Waldorf School in Asheville. She also lived and worked at Camphill Village, Kimberton for several years, where she served and taught adults and children with special needs. Sara is the mother of three girls, Chloe, Nehara, and Tova.

Sara is an enthusiastic during our seasonal festivals, and deep knowledge of the Waldorf Curriculum, farming, arts and fiber-work blesses all she does. Her students appreciate Sara’s warmth, authentic smile, confident guidance, skilled story-telling, creative talent, and the inspired and entertaining ways that she shares her artistic gifts and knowledge of the academic curriculum, animals, handicrafts, and the natural world.

Christopher Coffey, lead teacher,

grades 2/3

Christopher received his Waldorf Teacher Training at Antioch University, earning his master's degree in Waldorf Education in 2013. Christopher has an abiding love of storytelling as it is expressed in the Waldorf

curriculum, and a deep reverence and respect for his students.

His students appreciate the comforting, kind, patient, peaceful demeanor that ‘Sir Coffey’ always offers. His heart is authentically devoted to his students, and it is evident that he views teaching as a spiritual practice. He has experience working in both private and public school settings as a mentor, tutor, teacher, and teacher's aide. Christopher has previously led our 4th, 5th, and 1st grade classes. He is deeply called to his sacred work as a teacher and guide for our children, and is delighted to have found a place to live into the shared ideal of education-as-Sacred-encounter.

Laura Coleman, lead teacher, grades

6/7

Laura holds a master’s degree in education and received her Waldorf teacher certification from Sunbridge College. She has helped to vision, inspire and found the TLV grades program for the past 8 years.

She sees TLV as a place to live into her dream of Waldorf-inspired education set in the pristine, sacred space of nature. Laura has broad experience teaching kindergarten through 7th grade in many holistic educational environments, including Montessori, Waldorf and charter schools. She previously led the 4, 5, and 6th grade class at Azalea Mountain Waldorf school, and led grades 6,7 for the last 3 years at TLV.

Laura is eloquent, kind, and deeply dedicated to her student’s wellbeing, skillfully creating sacred space for learning with a natural grace and ease. Laura's students adore her, and carry abiding memories of her kindness and inspired leadership.

Joy Kennedy, Parent Service Mentor, Living Arts lead teacher

Joy has served as parent representative on the TLV Council for the past few years. Her newly refined role as parent service mentor will draw from the new and existing relationships she has with our parent body, as well as her intimate connection with the vital needs of TLV’s greater ‘community of life’. These relationships will surely be blessed by her loving and consistent presence. Joy will be teaching and modeling best stewardship practices with the land, facilities, and animals that serve the children. She will also continue in her role on TLV’s council, as parent representative. Joy is there for our parent body- to listen with kindness and openness, and represent the concerns, considerations, and wishes of our TLV parents within the governance of TLV Council. Joy is mother to a son, Henry, in 3rd grade with Mr. Coffey’s class.

Septimbor Lim, Founding Steward and Resource Relationships

Septimbor is co-founder of Sacred Mountain Sanctuary with her husband, Jonathan, and founder of The Learning Village. She has lived in service of the SMS and TLV vision for over 6 years, wearing many hats and offering her skills, time and energy to anything and everything that supported the foundational beginnings of TLV and SMS. With a renewed sense of her evolving role, Septimbor will be stepping into deep stewardship of resource relationships- grant writing, fundraising, and the refinement of the reciprocal economies and cottage industries

that generate financial, relational, and other essential nourishment for TLV. During 2016/17, Septimbor will also begin foundational work of TLV’s emerging high school program, which we hope to launch in 2017/18. Septimbor is mother of two girls, Eva and Beatrice.

Stephanie Nixon, Lead teacher, Starseed Forest Kindergarten

Working with young children has been a passion and calling for Stephanie for many years, and she is inspired and continually guided by Rudolph Steiner’s profound insights around the sacredness of the early years. Ms Stephanie holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Miami University in Ohio and a NC Early Childhood Certification from AB Tech.  She received Waldorf early childhood training at Sunbridge College in their summer intensive program. She also has several years experience working in a mixed aged preschool-kindergarten classroom and in the field of early childhood education.

Most importantly, she authentically engages what she does with gentleness, abiding love and presence. Stephanie has been with us for several years, and plans to be a part of Starseed Forest Kindergarten for many years to come. Stephanie has three children- Sebastian, Arizona, and Calliope, who will be in Ms Laura’s 6/7th class this year.

Nicole Almeida, Program Director

Many of you may know Nicole as parent representative on the TLV Governance Council, and mother of Diana, who will be a 6th grade student in Ms Laura’s class this year. Nicole has been an advocate and supporter of TLV, as well as the greater vision and mission of Sacred Mountain Sanctuary, for many years. She is stepping into this new role with great anticipation, and holds the skills and inspiration for stewarding healthy growth, refined vitality, and heart-full guidance of TLV’s children, faculty, parent body, and over all program. Nicole will be handling enrollment and administration while guiding and supporting the faculty, staff, and parent body. Nicole grew up attending Great Barrington Waldorf

School, has been a Waldorf parent for 12 years, and currently holds a degree in education. She will also be acquiring her Master’s in Waldorf Education from Antioch, over the next two years.

Jenny Brantley, Starseed Assistant, Handwork lead teacher

Jenny has served our kindergarteners at TLV for 3 years, as lead, co-lead, and assistant. Before working with us at TLV, Jenny served with Washington Waldorf School, as lead teacher & program developer for their multi-age

after school program. Jenny plays ukelele and guitar, is a passionate vocalist, and sings beautifully. She holds a Master's degree in fine art from School of Visual Arts NY, and has completed Waldorf Lifeways early childhood certification.

Jenny is vibrant, artistic, and quite accomplished as an artist and craftsperson. Her love for children and her work is always apparent within the creativity she brings to her teaching, sharing, and circle activities in the classroom. She strives to engage the whole heart, mind and soul of each learner through beauty and artistry.

Jenny’s skill and craftsmanship will infuse the handwork and handicrafts at TLV this year, as she is also serving as our lead handwork teacher for the grades students.

Lena Eastes, Nature Immersion, Ceremony, Rites of Passage

Lena is passionate about celebrating this life on amazing planet earth. Lena was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. Lena graduated from University of North Carolina at Asheville with a degree in Cross Cultural Sustainability. In 2013 she graduated from the Regenerative Design and Nature Awareness year long program and received her Permaculture Design Certificate from the Regenerative Design Institute in Northern California. She is the founder and director of Earth Path Education, and hosts many EP programs here at SMS, including Roots Day Camp, Nature Sisters Camp, and Growing Goddess Rites of Passage. She has guided young people through the mountains, rivers and caves of North Carolina and beyond, as part of the UNC Asheville Outdoors Program. She empowers youth working with Free the Children– the largest youth-led organization in the world– as the Regional Network coordinator for the Southeast. She also leads retreats, teaches Plant Medicine and facilitates Ecstatic Dance. Lena

loves lightning bugs, growing food, foraging, running, dancing, Appalachian crafts, deep breaths, bringing people together and waterfalls. She is currently a Nature Awareness Program Coordinator for the Riekes Center on Human Enhancement.

Rebecca Vann, Visiting Program & Rentals Coordinator, Biodynamic Land Steward Rebecca has been a part of SMS since its inception. She is the mother of two boys, Ayden (14yo) and Seamus (11yo), who both attend Evergreen Community Charter School. Rebecca has worn many hats at SMS/TLV; she was the administrator for TLV from 2012-2014, as well as the garden coordinator, and the founding visionary of our Biodynamic Land Stewardship practices. After a major life transition towards the end of 2014, she took a sabbatical from SMS to focus on her family’s healing.  She is now stepping back into the role of Visiting Program Coordinator and Rentals Coordinator. Rebecca welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with anyone interested in stewarding the application of the biodynamic preparations on the mountain.