Teachers & Staff

General Education Teachers | Subject Teachers | Student Support Staff | Homeschool Teachers | Administration

Classroom Teachers & Assistants

The Waldorf model includes class teachers in grades 1-8 looping with their students for more than one year. Some teachers stay with their classes all eight years, some are middle school experts, some are early elementary experts. Kindergarten teachers are stable in their self-contained classrooms, continuing as kinder teachers year after year.

(Click on pictures for available profiles)

Hannah Lewis, Dandelion Kindergarten

Diane Krieger, Kindergarten

Steffany Wagner, Kindergarten Assistant

Quinn Wikelius, Kindergarten Assistant

Yesim Yuksel, Kindergarten Assistant

Lily Ruddle, First Grade

Christine Petrie, First Grade Assistant

Gee Isom, First Grade Assistant

Miranda Barness, Second Grade, Acacia Class

Nancy Carson, Second Grade, Blue Spruce Class

Alisia McCabe, Third Grade, Huckleberry Class

Julie Farrell, Third Grade Assistant

Ellie Arzate, Third Grade, Rowan Class

Liz Tomal-Keiser, Fourth Grade, Willow Class

Lori Kemmler, Fourth Grade, Ebony Class

Alexander Kalinske, Fifth Grade, Cottonwood Class

Amy Siebert, Sixth Grade, Hawthorne Class

Ieeda Banach, Seventh Grade, Violetwood Class

Katie Blum, 8th Grade, Evergreen Class

Jennifer Morrison, Kindergarten Teacher

Special Subject Teachers

Subject teachers specialize in areas of expertise and have the vantage point of teaching many classes, with some teaching all 1-8 students in the school.

(Click on pictures for available profiles)

Adam Wright, Ag Arts Coordinator

Matt Thomas, Ag Arts Teacher

Nathan Mays, Music Teacher

Tracy Gonzalez, Handwork

Stefanny Wagner, Handwork Teacher

Osman Yuksel, Middle School Math Teacher and Interventionist

Chad Salinas, Games & Movement Teacher

Oralia Venzor, Spanish Teacher

Student Support Staff

Our social-emotional and behavioral support staff includes our dean of students, our school counselor, and our school social worker. Our academic interventionists provide specialized support for students needing small group help in reading and mathematics. Special education teachers support students who qualify for special education. Our gifted and talented teacher provides support for students qualifying for advanced learning plans. Our paraprofessionals and assistants provide further support for students.

(Click on pictures for available profiles)

Jennifer Barnes, Reading Interventionist (K-4)

Michael Katzenberg, Special Education Teacher

Amy Deibert, Occupational Therapist

Beth Pelkey, Paraprofessional

Denise Neal, Reading and Math Interventionist

Lindsey Gordon, Kindergarten Assistant

Rachel Nordstrom, School Social Worker

Katherine Kates, Librarian & Interventionist

Courtney Gonzales, Student Wellness Specialist

Kathy Eans, ELL Coordinator, Interventionist

Kelsey Kaufman, Special Education Teacher

Kim Butler, School Counselor

Gabriella Guendulay, Reading Paraprofessional

Jessica Duncanson, Paraprofessional

Kristina Wilkerson, Paraprofessional

Sarah Hancock, Paraprofessional

Bekah Shaffer, Paraprofessional

Kyle McCabe, Substitute

Greg Kreger, Substitute

Breanna Boynton, Paraprofessional

Ryan Lindemulder, Paraprofessional

Dahlia Salcido, Paraprofessional

Noelle Strait, Paraprofessional

Theresa Romero, Paraprofessional

Shaela Hepworth, Speech & Language Pathologist

Sammi Cosgrove, Special Education

Sara Clement, Special Education

Nicole Mattson, Social Worker

Trish Reitinger, Psychologist

Kiera Lynn, Kindergarten Assistant

Homeschool Teachers

Homeschool teachers provide supplemental programming for students who are primarily educated in the home environment. We have an in-person homeschool program – the Village Homeschool. We also have an online homeschool program – the Frontier Homeschool.

(Click on pictures for available profiles)

Shannon Lang, Frontier Homeschool Teacher

Shannon Leifer, Village Homeschool Teacher

Executive Leadership Team

Nathan Mylin
Director of Education

Nate has been in the exciting field of education for over 30 years. He is a Colorado-licensed k-12 administrator with a science and math background, administrative training from Butler's innovative EPPSP program and from England with an Oxford mentor, and many years of international teaching and leadership experience. He has a broad range of skills and interests, including employee care and management, mission and vision alignment and development, staff and program evaluation, outdoor and environmental education, progressive curriculum development (with emphasis on STEM education, the science of reading, social studies, creative writing, hands-on math, Project Based Learning and integrated thematic units and projects), global education, fund raising, admissions, communication/PR, and strategic planning and partnerships. He recently served as the Lower School Director/Principal at The Colorado Springs School, leading positive strategic changes in curriculum and school culture. Prior to that he spent 5 years helping TPCS position itself as one of the premiere private schools in the Indianapolis area. Nate has been a teacher and school leader abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland, and he also worked for 15 years at Orchard School, the first progressive elementary school in the state of Indiana founded in 1922 on the progressive principles of both John Dewey and Rudolph Steiner. Nate is married to his lovely wife, Heather, and they have 4 children. This summer, while visiting his daughter who works as a Veterinarian in Scotland, he took time to connect with Waldorf educators overseas. Nate believes in servant leadership and is excited to begin his Director role at Mountain Song. He relates, "Nothing makes me more happy than bringing all of my life experience, energy and passion to make education the vibrant, challenging, engaging, memorable, inspiring, life-long adventure it can and should be for children and their families!" Nate's favorite Rudolph Steiner quote:

"Education is an experiment. I have told those who have dreamed of Waldorf schools as spreading worldwide that that is not my aim. Instead, I hope our Waldorf approach will be a model for future experiments in education based on the true understanding of child development."

Lauren Artino
Director of Student Services

With over 20 years of teaching experience in the field of Special Education, Lauren has a passion for creating quality programming opportunities for students in special programs. Lauren is an Ohio native and graduated from Ashland University with a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education in 2001. Her background includes teaching elementary and secondary students in Ohio, New Mexico, and Colorado. She was recognized as the Charter School Educator of the Year in 2019 and went on to participate in Relay Graduate School’s Special Education Leadership Academy the following year. Lauren remains committed to serving the students, staff, and families of Mountain Song and fostering a school culture that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion. When not working, she enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time with her family.

Brian Honeycutt
Director of Operations and Development

Brian Honeycutt has recently been appointed Director of Operations and Development by the MSCS Board. He brings extensive leadership experience in both the government sector and non-profit organizations. Brian has held key positions such as Director of Vocational Services at New Castle Learning Colorado, Director of Operations for the City and County of Broomfield, and Director of Motor Vehicles for the City and County of Broomfield. In these roles, he has collaborated closely with elected officials at city, county, and state levels, demonstrating his commitment to public service and community support. Brian holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, reflecting his strong foundation in operational management and technological expertise. As part of his professional development goals, Brian is actively pursuing his Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.

Administration

KARL JOHNSON
Pedagogical Director

Mr. Karl Johnson has been an educator for over 40 years and has taught in the Waldorf movement since 1986. He brings an absolute wealth of experience to Mountain Song. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Utah State University and his Master’s in Guidance and Counseling from Utah State University. He also holds a Waldorf Education Support Specialist Certificate from the Gradalis Institute. Mr. Johnson has been a Waldorf class teacher and music teacher for over twenty years and a Waldorf pedagogical leader, mentor, and trainer for the last decade.

An experienced adult educator, Mr. Johnson has mentored and trained hundreds of teachers at dozens of Waldorf schools including in China, Nepal, New Zealand, the Hawaiian Islands, Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. He currently serves on the faculty of Gradalis Institute in Denver, and has also previously taught on the faculty for the West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy in British Columbia and in the Xian Waldorf Teacher Training Program in Xian, China. He is the author of the forthcoming book, Honing Our Craft: Pedagogy and Leadership in the Waldorf Classroom.

MARY ANN MAJOR
Registrar & Enrollment Coordinator

Mary Ann began as the registrar for Mountain Song in 2022. For over 10 years she worked as a registrar for several Colorado Springs District 11 schools. Prior to moving to Colorado from Georgia, in 2008, she worked as the Media clerk in an Elementary school with over 600 students. She is a native of North Carolina where she graduated from University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Bachelor’s of Science from the School of Environmental Sciences. When not at work Mary Ann enjoys sewing, reading, the beautiful outdoors and spending time with her family.

JESSIE STEGE
Education Data Systems Manager

Jessie Stege has taught at Mountain Song since 2022 as a middle school teacher. They have a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from Webster University. They spent a few years after college working as a theatrical carpenter, painter, and parade float fabricator in Saint Louis. Jessie worked for the Fort Zumwalt School district for three years, teaching technical theater and working with the Performing Arts program. They moved to Colorado Springs in 2022 and were so excited when they heard about the opportunity to work in a school again. Jessie is looking forward to stepping into a new administration role at MSCS, and is looking forward to new challenges. In Jessie’s spare time, they enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons with their friends, spending quality time out on the town with their spouse, and enjoying much needed rest on the couch with their three pets.

LAUREN FERRARA
Marketing & Communications Director

Lauren Ferrara loves sharing the story of Mountain Song! She brings a wealth of expertise to her role at Mountain Song. She was the evening anchor for over 5 years at FOX21 News in Colorado Springs and previously anchored and reported at news stations in Tennessee, Nevada, and Texas. Lauren’s work has been recognized by the Colorado Broadcasters Association as well as the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (EMMYS). Lauren earned her B.A. in Psychology and Kinesiology from Rice University in Houston, Texas and spend time studying in Argentina and Ireland. Throughout her career in journalism and beyond, Lauren has worked with the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, the Air Force Association, the Children’s Literacy Center, Goodwill of Colorado, Junior League, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and others.