Faculty Chair

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Lark Bergwin-Anderson holds an M.Ed from Antioch University, a Waldorf Certificate and a B.A. in Anthropology from Wheaton College (MA) with an exchange scholar year at Dartmouth. Ms. Bergwin-Anderson is the mom of 3 Waldorf graduates of Acorn Hill and Washington Waldorf School. She has traveled extensively and speaks several languages. She encountered the works of Rudolf Steiner upon her graduation from college and has been a lifelong student. An avid gardener and lover of the arts, Ms. Bergwin-Anderson has represented anthroposophical artists including a large art show at the NIH.

lbergwinanderson@potomacwaldorf.org

Parent- Child Lead Teacher & Handwork Teacher

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Jennifer Scotti received a B.A. in International Relations from Stanford University. While working for the State Department, she traveled extensively and lived in Uzbekistan for two years. She worked on Soviet nationalities and refugee immigration issues, and helped open embassies in Central Asia and countries of the former Soviet Union. Her children began at Potomac Crescent Waldorf School in the first year of the school’s opening, and started in the first year of the Parent-Child class. She received her Waldorf Teaching Certificate from the Nova Institute in Bethesda in 2011. She has been teaching handwork since Fall 2009 and has been the lead Parent-Child teacher since 2011.

jscotti@potomacwaldorf.org

Parent-Child Assistant Teacher, Early Childhood Chair

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Ildiko Gal was born in Transylvania and has a degree in engineering from the University of Brasov. For seven years, she managed all of the machinery in a beer factory in Romania. She speaks Hungarian, Romanian and English and moved to the U.S. 26 years ago. She started her Waldorf teacher training the following year and during her training she was a student teacher at Acorn Hill and Washington Waldorf School. Mrs. Gal was one of the first Early Childhood teachers at PCWS and has been at the school on and off for twelve years. Her son, who is now 18 years old, went through Kindergarten at PCWS and her youngest daughter went all the way through 3rd Grade at PCWS. She has seen the school grow and blossom. Aside from teaching, she loves gardening and hiking.

igal@potomacwaldorf.org

Preschool Program Co-Lead Teacher

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Inna holds an MA in German Language and Literature from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and is conversational in Russian, German and Spanish. She started working with children while in Belarus, first as a summer camp counselor, then as an intern teaching Biology. Once she arrived in the US, she lead children's tours for the UN headquarters. Inna completed the NOVA Institute Waldorf teacher's certificate course and has worked at PCWS substituting and part-time teaching with our Early Childhood program for last five years. In addition, she has additional training in puppetry and storytelling and continues her Waldorf education through the Sunbridge Institute.  Inna loves the curative aspect of Waldorf education and its healing aspect for children and adults, in turbulent modern times. In teaching, she loves the element of surprise and wonder that children bring each time we are around them.  In her free time, she loves to read Russian poetry.

ilandowne@potomacwaldorf.org

Kindergarten Lead Teacher

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Janaki has a BA in Sociology from Madras University in Chennai, India. She also has a diploma in Special Education, specializing in teaching children with Autism. She was a lead teacher and school coordinator in Kaleidoscope Learning Center from 2003 to 2014, where she was responsible for 70 children with special needs and guided a team of 20 teachers.  Being a curative educator has added value to her life and she has been following teachings of Rudolf Steiner since 2008. She has been part of many training programs by Anthroposophic Society of India, Chennai Chapter. She received her Waldorf Teaching Certificate from the Nova Institute in Bethesda in 2017. She lives with her husband and two boys. Her older child completed his Masters from IIT in Chicago and her younger son is attending George Mason in the fall.

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jashok@potomacwaldorf.org

Kindergarten Lead Teacher
 

Amanda holds a BS in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education from Elizabethtown College. She received her Waldorf teacher training from Sophia's Hearth Family Center in New Hampshire. Amanda comes to us from Heartwood Charter School in California where she served as the Kindergarten Lead Teacher for four years. Prior to that, she worked for the Monadnock Waldorf School Waldorf where she worked in the kindergarten classroom, the parent-child program and the summer garden program as the lead teacher. She also worked for the Susquehanna Waldorf School as a kindergarten assistant teacher, as well as student taught in their first grade. In her spare time, Amanda loves to bike long distances, hike, cook, garden and craft and create for the children and loved ones.

Kindergarten Assistant Teacher

Yulia holds a BA in Management from Kaliningrad State University, an MA in History from Central European University and an MPA in Arts Management from the University of Illinois. Previously, Yulia worked as the Afternoon Program Assistant Teacher and the Extended Day Lead teacher for PCWS. In addition to teaching at PCWS, she is a movement therapist and Feldenkrais Method Instructor with advanced training from The Field Center for Children's Integrated Development in NYC.  Yulia is currently enrolled in the Waldorf Teacher Training Program at the Rudolf Steiner Centre in Toronto. 

ykriskovets@potomacwaldorf.org

2020-2021 First Grade Teacher 

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Adriana is originally from Bogota, Colombia. She holds a Master in Textiles from Universidad de los Andes. She first discovered Waldorf Education while looking for a school for her first child. She knew she wanted to find a school that was a departure from her own childhood education and became committed to finding an environment that created space for creative and artistic work and fostered innate curiosity and love for learning. She visited PCWS and immediately knew that Waldorf education was the right learning environment for her family.  Both of her children began their education at PCWS and continued on to Washington Waldorf School. She began working at our school as a long-term substitute teacher in the Grades Program and then became the Spanish Teacher. She has completed two years of Waldorf teacher training at the Sophia Institute. In addition to her passion for Waldorf education, she has a passion for handwork such as knitting, embroidery, woodworking and painting. She and her family live in Lorton along with their horses, angora rabbits and Bernese Mountain Dog.

agomez@potomacwaldorf.org

2020-2021 Second Grade Teacher

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Simi comes to us from Primrose Hill Waldorf School in New York. She began her experience with Waldorf education in 2000 when her family became co-founding members of Riverbend Garden Waldorf Homeschool Cooperative based in Northern Virginia. Her family then relocated to Geneva, Switzerland where her children attended L'Ecole Rudolf Steiner de Geneve and she was very involved in the grades program for over 10 years. From Switzerland, she moved to Nairobi, Kenya and while living there she decided to pursue her Waldorf Teaching Certificate. When she returned to the U.S., she accepted a job as an Early Childhood Teacher's Assistant at Primrose Hill and worked as the Lead Teacher for the Afternoon Program. In addition to her work in Waldorf education, she has an extensive background in dance/ movement and Pilates and has taught in French and Russian. Simi holds a B.A. in Russian Language and Literature from Barnard College, Columbia University.

snary@potomacwaldorf.org

2020-2021 Fourth Grade Teacher

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Russell Sage has worked with children, ages four to eighteen, in both academic subjects and athletics for over twelve years. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a B.A. in Anthropology and is currently pursuing a M.Ed in Special Education from Trinity University. Russell completed his Waldorf Teacher Training at the Nova Institute. Russell and his wife are raising three children in D.C. and are deeply committed to Waldorf Education. In his spare time, Russell enjoys cooking, camping, and playing his ukulele.

rsage@potomacwaldorf.org

Music Teacher

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Cynthian Knight holds a BA in Vocal Performance from Virginia Tech and an MM in Vocal Performance from the University of Michigan. She comes to us from Meadowbrook Waldorf School in Rhode Island where she worked as the Chorus and Singing class teacher for the Grades program. In addition to teaching music within a Waldorf school, she has a vast musical background that ranges from professional performing to teaching a variety of musical topics to all ages of students and collaborating with additional music departments to present concerts. She enjoys teaching within the Waldorf education program because it allows her to combine her professional musical background and holistic approach to music with the spiritual awareness and developmental understanding that Waldorf education provides.

cknight@potomacwaldorf.org

Strings Teacher

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Virgilio Joven holds a B.M. and a M.M. in violin performance from the Juilliard School. In addition to teaching at PCWS, he also teaches strings in the Alexandria City Public Schools and at Levine. He loves the willingness and imagination of the students at PCWS due to their Waldorf education. A Tagalog speaker, he lives in Manassas with his wife, son, 3 border collies, a pomeranian, a shihtzu, and two African greys.

vjoven@potomacwaldorf.org

Games & Movement Teacher

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Michael has a long history in Waldorf education. He received his Waldorf Teacher Training Certificate in 2008 and his Spacial Dynamics Certificate in 2009. Spacial Dynamics is the foundational study of movement therapy and movement education. It focuses on the developmental progression of age-appropriate games, group activities and exercises that introduce the pupil, student and adult to the changing dynamics between the body, the surrounding space and the world in which he/she moves. In addition to his extensive background in Waldorf education, Michael is also heavily involved in biodynamics  and founded the Chesapeake Biodynamic Network. Michael served as the Games & Movement teacher from 2010-2014 and we are pleased to have him back.

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mjudge@potomacwaldorf.org

We are pleased to welcome the Natural Leaders program back to PCWS. Our school has partnered with Natural Leaders once again to offer our elementary students a special block concentration in outdoor adventure skills.

This special curriculum provides students with the opportunity to learn about ecology, navigation, shelter-building, foraging, natural crafts such as whittling/weaving and to listen to Native stories.  And, of course, enjoying the additional time in nature - which brings its own set of benefits.

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Early Bird Teacher and Grades Afternoon Program Teacher

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Rebecca holds a Masters Degree in Water Resources from the University of Bergen in Bergen, Norway and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon. She is a PCWS parent and active member of the Parent Association. She enjoys participating in the Handwork Group and is a regular volunteer at school events. When she is not busy at the school, you can find her pet-sitting around the DC Metro area or learning a new language.

rvickrey@potomacwaldorf.org

Director of Administration, Marketing & Communications

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We welcome Paul Nary as the Director of Administration, Marketing & Communications. Paul previously worked as the Spanish teacher for our grades program and provided an engaging distance learning experience for students. Prior to coming to PCWS, Paul worked for over 15 years managing and providing technical leadership to international development and public health programs for UNICEF and US-based NGOs. This work included a strong focus on community-based advocacy, communication campaigns and interventions and adolescent health and development. Paul has also managed public relations campaigns for international and commercial clients and has taught English as a second language to children and adults in the US and Russia. Paul holds a BA from Hunter College of the City University of New York (C.U.N.Y.) and an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine/University of London.

pnary@potomacwaldorf.org

Director of Finance

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Claire Tran has a B.A. in German from Colby College and an MBA from American University, with a concentration on International Finance and Non-Profit Management. Prior to PCWS, she worked for various environmental and international development nonprofits in the DC area. She is drawn to Waldorf Education because it is play-based with structure and it looks at the whole child — not just academic development.

ctran@potomacwaldorf.org

Director of Operations

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John is a management professional with extensive experience in school and state/local government facilities environments.  He has worked on capital improvement projects and is deeply skilled at resolving facilities issues including repairs, renovations, and acquisition of new space using knowledge of current ADA, building trade and life safety codes. John has worked as a facilities director for almost 20 years, most recently serving as the Director of Facilities for Washington Waldorf School. Prior to his time at WWS he worked for the Arlington County Department of Human Services and also for The Key School in Annapolis, Maryland, where he was responsible for a campus of 14 buildings.

jcox@potomacwaldorf.org