Faculty/Staff
Our Staff
Administrator
Conrad Rehbach has an M.A. in Social Pedagogy and brings a wealth of knowledge in his life’s work as a teacher, administrator, school founder, social worker, Waldorf educator, author, farmer, and father to Taos Country Day School. He found his way to Anthroposophy and Waldorf Education in the Camphill Movement. After completing Waldorf teacher training in 1993, he set up and taught in a small community-based Waldorf school in Minnesota for four years, before moving to Wisconsin, where he worked at an innovative Waldorf high school, teaching German, Math , and Life Skills, and taking on the administrative tasks as the school coordinator. In addition, he founded the beginnings of an adult education center, the Sophia Institute, which offers adult education courses in Anthroposophical foundations, early childhood education, online courses, Nurturing Arts, etc., Conrad has published course guides for students of Anthroposophy and teachers, and related works.
Enrollment and Community Outreach Director
Emily Cohen came to Country Day School with her daughters six years ago. She fell in love with Waldorf education for her children and started helping in the office. Emily is our Enrollment and Community Outreach Director. Prior to coming to Country Day School, Emily worked for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for eight years as the Writer / Editor for the West Mojave Plan. Emily received a Masters of Science from the University of Vermont and has an undergraduate degree in English Literature from McGill University. Emily’s background includes extensive traveling around the world, where she studied in London, England, taught English in Japan and explored Russia and Australia.
Office Manager
Mary Coleman is our Office Manager. She has been a parent at the Country Day School since 1998 where all four of her children have attended. Mary first moved to beautiful New Mexico 22 years ago and then onto Durango, CO to attend Ft. Lewis College where she studied Math. She has been employed as a bookkeeper for various businesses in town, as well as running her own natural body care business for a time. She brings to us her love for color and the arts as an experienced weaver. Mary has extensive knowledge of Herbology and Vibrational Remedies and currently offers private consultations.
Kindergarten Teachers
Silke Markowski, Gnomes Kindergarten Teacher, was born in 1965 in a small village in West Germany. After finishing her educator’s training, she traveled to the U.S., where through her work with children she discovered Waldorf education. She brings over twenty years of teaching experience to the Gnomes Kindergarten where she has shares her love of music and puppetry. Silke has been a happy Gnome teacher for fifteen years and feels blessed with the magic, beauty and love the children bring into her life and a community that makes her feel at home. Silke is also the Director of the Early Childhood Program.
David Gilman, Golden Aspen Kindergarten Teacher, attended U.C. Berkeley and College of the Atlantic, as an environmental educator and summer camp counselor, before traveling to Israel to study in a Foundation Year program in anthroposophy and Waldorf education at Kibbutz Harduf. He returned to California to complete his early childhood training at Rudolf Steiner College. He has taught kindergarten for the past seven years in three Waldorf schools: at the Corvallis Waldorf School in Oregon, at the Camellia Waldorf School in Sacramento, and here at Taos Country Day School. David loves to whitewater canoe; explore nature, cook wholesome foods, play music, and practice movement arts, especially Spatial Dynamics, which he has been studying for the past five years.
Grade One Teacher
Marjorie Rehbach was born and raised in Iowa, and discovered anthroposophy in her Waldorf teacher training in 1975. She spent 20 years in Camphill communities in the United States and Europe during which time she taught and cared for young children at the Beaver Run Special Schools, completing a training in curative education. After 11 years in Wisconsin as a class teacher and early childhood educator, she launched a career as a puppeteer following training with Suzanne Downe. Marjorie also teachers Puppetry classes at the Micha’el Institute and Sophia’s Hearth.
Grade Two Teacher
Chris Jansen will be the new 2nd grade teacher in the Fall of 2009. Chris and his family recently moved to Taos from Minnesota, where he was a class teacher at the Spring Hill Waldorf School. He is an experienced Waldorf teacher and brings enthusiasm and creativity along with his many artistic talents to the Country Day School.
Grade Three Teacher
Taylor Jaramillo graduated with honors from Colorado College and earned a master’s degree in Educational Psychology. She brings international teaching experience and integrates her love of the Taos community into the classroom. Taylor is fluent in Spanish and shares multicultural lessons and celebrations with her students. She also teaches swimming to children in the Taos community.
Grade Four Teacher
Rachel Miller is herself a Waldorf graduate, has an M.Ed. from Antioch University with K-8 and Waldorf Certification, and a B.A. with major concentrations in art history and French language, and a minor concentration in English literature from McGill University. Her work experience includes teaching at TCDS, the River Valley School in Upper Black Eddy, PA, and work as a volunteer social worker in a Camphill Community in France. Rachel wrote in her application: “I have a serious interest and enthusiasm for the Waldorf curriculum based both on my experience as a teacher in a Waldorf classroom, and as a Waldorf graduate myself. I bring with me a strong foundation in music, the arts, language, and experience working with children.”
Grade Five Teacher
Sarah Beasley earned her degrees in History and Geology at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where she also nurtured her love for the outdoors and traveled extensively while studying abroad in Europe. After graduating, Sarah had adventures collecting stories from Native American elders in Oklahoma, writing grants for a lake association in the northernmost part of Maine, and leading teenage boys on backpacking and climbing trips. Sarah discovered Waldorf education while working on a migrant farm crew, raking wild blueberries, and fell in love with the holistic approach to education. After completing her teacher training at the Arcturus program in Chicago, Sarah spent time in Ireland as a gardener and baker at a Camphill community. From there she was called to Taos by her wonderful class, and looks forward to starting fifth grade with them!
Grade Six, Seven Teacher
Sandra Houston came to Taos after teaching for five years in Montana at St. Labre Mission School on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. Prior to teaching in Montana, Sandra was a teacher for 15 years at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (where her son Matthew attended from the Early Childhood program through the eighth grade). Sandra shares with the school her love of singing, painting, foreign language, and yodeling from the mountain tops.
Grade Eight Teacher
Micah Roseberry became interested in finding an educational philosophy that nurtured and developed the whole child and mirrored her values while studying Humanities and Art Education at Indiana University. An educator with twenty years of experience, Micah brings her passion for nature, art, agriculture, outdoor education, and community service to the classroom. She has taught grades one through eight at the Country Day School, graduating the first 8th grade class in 2002. Inspired by Waldorf education, Micah helped found the Country Day School and has continued to study during summer sessions at the Rudolf Steiner College. She currently lives in Cerro, where she helps her husband and children run their organic CSA farm.
Specialty Subject Class Teachers
Handwork
Deborah Rogers is currently studying in her second year of Waldorf teacher training at Antioch University and has been an Anthroposophical student for twelve years. She brings her life long love of creating beauty into her handwork lessons. Teaching for the second year in Taos, Deborah brings a range of experience to the classroom. A felter for many years, Deborah’s creations grace our school store and are sought-after treasures.
Strings and Orchestra
Audrey Davis began as a classical violinist in New England and brings over 40 years of professional experience to the Country Day School music program. She received training in the Suzuki method of violin instruction, and for 26 years has been teaching the children of Taos and surrounding towns to play violin and cello. In addition to playing in orchestras, quartets and mariachi groups, she presently performs with the Jenny Vincent Trio, well-known for its Northern New Mexico music. In 2006, under her guidance, the Country Day School String Orchestra recorded a CD of high quality musicianship, “A Class of Strings”
Movement and Games
Javier Alvarez has been a Waldorf class teacher , Spanish teacher and is now teaching movement and games at the Country Day School.
Music
Vanessa Hunt-Jansen brings to her music teaching position her experience as a musician and Waldorf classroom teacher.
Spanish
Janssen King has recently moved back to Taos with her husband Rush and two children who are now attending our Kindergarten and 3rd grade. Janssen has a M.A. in Community Health Education, and a B.S. in Spanish and French. Janssen graduated from high school in Barcelona, Spain, has experience teaching ESL, Oak Meadow curriculum teaching, civil rights education and teen mentoring, and is an instructor in Carribean dance and song.
Contact Info:
Taos Country Day School
Mailing address:
Post Office Box 2276
El Prado, New Mexico 87529 USA
Physical address:
9 Don Ben Romero Road, El Prado, New Mexico 87529 USA
Phone: +1 575 751 7750