*Please note* We have a limited number of openings for Fall 2024 in our mixed age Red Fox and Grey Fox classes. Please contact us at enrollment@mountaintopschool.com for more information.
Our Faculty
Wendy Weinrich
Founder/Director Emeritus
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Wendy has been a certified Waldorf Early Childhood Educator since 1996, having completed her training at Sunbridge Institute. She taught Kindergarten at Mountain Laurel Waldorf School for 11 years before starting Mountaintop School in 2007. Wendy has completed a three-year Advanced Therapeutic Course for Early Childhood Educators, which takes place in Denver, CO. She received an MA in Dance/Movement Therapy from Antioch/New England in 1987. She is continually striving to expand her understanding of the young child. Wendy is the mother of two grown sons, both of whom attended Waldorf schools, and she is a proud Grandmother.
Kate Werwa
Lead Teacher - Chipmunks
Director of Community & Campus
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Kate has been working at Mountaintop since 2016, both in the office as enrollment coordinator and in the classroom, working with the youngest children in the Chipmunk program. She also directs the Summer Camp Program in July. She holds a degree in English Literature and in her former life worked in book publishing and copyediting. She was introduced to Waldorf education when the younger of her two boys enrolled at Mountaintop, and she fell in love with the pedagogy and the community. She graduated in July 2024 from Sunbridge Institute where she received her Certificate in Waldorf Early Childhood Education. In April 2022 she completed a Waldorf Administration and Leadership Development Program through the Center for Anthroposophy. She is thrilled to continue to be a invovled in the Mountaintop community, both as a class teacher and administrator.
Kathryn Meyer
Lead Teacher - Chipmunks
Director of Office Management
Kathryn started teaching at Mountaintop Waldorf School in 2013 as a founding faculty member with the Little Ones (now Chipmunks) program. She completed her Waldorf Early Childhood Education training in 2018 at The Alkion Center in Hawthorne Valley, NY. She believes that caring for children in the Chipmunks program is about creating an extension of the home. Working with parents and children alike brings her great joy. Kathryn also holds a degree in social work. She and her husband are raising two daughters, both of whom have attended Waldorf schools.
Andrea Rosa McKiernan
Lead Teacher - Grey Foxes
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Andrea has been a certified Waldorf Early Childhood Educator since 2008 when she completed her training at Sunbridge Institute. She has been teaching Nursery and Kindergarten for the past 18 years. In addition to her training, Andrea has also completed a three-year Advanced Therapeutic Movement Course for Early Childhood Educators as well as a certification course in Therapeutic Puppetry and Storytelling for the young child. Andrea has three adult children and two grandsons. She enjoys spending time in nature as well as doll-making and fiber arts. Andrea is passionate about Waldorf Education and the healthy development of the young child.
Dakota Butler
Lead Teacher - Red Foxes
Dakota is native to the Hudson Valley. She found a deep interest in Anthroposophy and Waldorf Education when she was a nanny for a family whose children attended a Waldorf-inspired school. Over several years, she supported the Primrose Hill school in the grades programs, administration, committees, camps, and early childhood classrooms. She completed her Waldorf Early Childhood training through the Alkion Center in Ghent, NY in 2024. Dakota brings warmth, joy, and a dedicated presence to the children in her classroom. Dakota feels right at home at Mountaintop; with her young son just across the way in the Chipmunks program.
Leslie Arouh
Afternoon Lead Teacher - Grey Foxes
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Leslie Arouh has a BA in Fine Arts and a minor in Dance from Rowan University. She pursued Waldorf Teacher Training at Alkion Center in Ghent, NY and received her Grades Certification in 2016 and Early Childhood Certification in 2021. She has been a visiting artist at Mountaintop Summer Camp since 2010, and has been teaching in a variety of capacities at Mountain Laurel Waldorf School, since 2015. Prior to discovering Waldorf Education her love of travel and handmade textiles led her to create her own line of batik clothing in Bali, Indonesia. Leslie feels that Waldorf education resonates with her values and creativity.
Aja Sugameli
Afternoon Lead Teacher - Red Foxes​
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Ms. Aja began her journey with Waldorf Education as a grade-school child at Tucson Waldorf School. Her education inspired her to study mythology, philosophy, and the arts; taking focus on the fine arts in middle and high-school. As a young adult, she found her way into birthwork and served her community as a Childbirth Educator and Assistant home-birth Midwife for 7 years. Firmly believing “Peace on Earth begins with Birth”, Aja dedicated herself to supporting families and newborns find their way over the threshold of birth and into harmonious living. A mother herself, Aja brings a nurturing and joyful spirit to her work in the classrooms. Being the daughter of a Waldorf teacher has given her a jump-start into her teaching journey as she pursues her Early Childhood Training at Sunbridge Institute. She is thrilled to be joining MountaintopCommunity for the 24’-25’ school year.
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Maude Sipe
Afternoon Lead Teacher - Chipmunks
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Maud comes from a family of Waldorf teachers. She graduated from Hawthorne Valley Waldorf High School in 2013. Because of her own childhood Maud knew that she wanted to help share the love and warmth she experienced as a child in kindergarten by becoming a teacher. She received her Early Childhood degree from the Alkion Center in 2019. She most recently taught at the Garland School in Brattleboro VT. She has been teaching in various positions since the fall of 2017. One of her favorite parts of teaching is sharing her love of stories and puppetry with the children and their families. She is looking forward to getting to know Saugerties and the community with her two cats who she loves telling stories about.
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Lena Katz
Assistant Teacher - Chipmunks
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Lena has been working with children since 2010. She received her BA from Empire College majoring in early childhood education. She has been at Mountaintop since 2021 learning the ways of Waldorf Early childhood education. She is happy to have found this Waldorf Education because she feels it's made her a better teacher and a better person. She has always loved working with children because "they are the most amazing, honest, and kind-hearted people on this planet."
Sophia Elliot
Assistant Teacher - Grey Foxes
Sophia Elliot is currently pursuing opportunities to learn more about Waldorf education while also studying for a degree in Early Child Education focused on English at SUNY Ulster. Sophia feels that working with children has taken her into an accepting world of honesty, love, and imagination. She has been an assistant teacher at Mountaintop Waldorf Children’s Garden since 2023 and has been working with children at summer camps since the age of 15.
Florence Poulain
Assistant Teacher - Grey Foxes
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Florence grew up in Anjou, France and received her MA in Cinema Studies with the City University of NY. She worked in the film and television industry for 15 years. She completed her Somatic Movement Education with the School for Body-Mind Centering and also Infant Development Movement Education and is a Butoh theatre dancer. She has been an assistant teacher at Mountaintop Waldorf Children’s Garden since 2023.
Paula Williams
Parent/Child Teacher
Paula Williams worked as a Business Administrator before starting a family and discovering her natural love of being with children. While searching for a place to educate her then four-year-old child, she met with her child’s would-be kindergarten teacher at a Waldorf School. Instantly she knew she’d found what she was looking for. She enrolled in the Waldorf Teacher Training, received her teaching certificate, and became a Kindergarten teacher at the local Waldorf School. Along the way she was asked to teach Parent-Child classes. To her surprise it was a perfect fit, and she’s doing it still!
Luz Heredia
Aftercare Provider
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Luz completed her Law degree from University of Medellin in Colombia, South America in 1990. She holds her bachelor degree in Liberal Arts from FDU in 2007. She was introduced to Waldorf Education in 2014 when she became an assistant teacher and later an Afternoon lead teacher. Luz completed her Waldorf Early Childhood training through the Alkion Center in Ghent, NY in 2022. She has a grown daughter and a young grandson whom she often cares for at home. Luz enjoys working with children and says “ It’s heaven, little Angels around me all day long”. She is very happy helping their families too.
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Carol Jordan
Director of Operations
Carol has a BS in political science from Purdue University and a law degree from Indiana University. Carol came to Waldorf education in 2000, when her children began their Waldorf journey.
Carol was the Business Manager at Mountain Laurel Waldorf School in New Paltz, New York for eleven years. During this time, she served on the Board of Trustees, the Finance Group, the Personnel Group, the Enrollment Group and was the chair of the Full Faculty Business meeting for three years.
Carol is currently the administrator at Acorn Waldorf School in Accord, New York. She has done consulting for Mountaintop in the past and joined the administrative team in 2023. She appreciates the continued opportunity to deepen her connection to the Waldorf movement, such a vital and powerful gift to the world.
Barbara Krzywonos
Aftercare Provider
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Barbara has been involved in the Mountaintop aftercare program for over 10 years. This year she will also do the early morning care. Barbara has one daughter and two teenage granddaughters. She enjoys spending time playing with the children.