Golden Bridges School educates students led by inspired and creative teachers.
Our teachers share the vision and a passionate commitment to an education that is transformative. Collectively we strive to harmonize the physical, emotional, and intellectual life of each child as we equip our students with the tools to become free-thinking, moral human beings. All of our employees are asked to actively pursue and practice anti-racism, personal improvement, and service to the school's mission, bringing energy and excitement to serve all students, faculty, and families. |
Golden Bridges School is independently incorporated and self-administered. The Administration is responsible for finance, development, business matters, enrollment, and communication. The Steering Committee, comprised of teachers and administrators, carries the responsibility for all aspects of student life including the hiring and evaluation of teachers, admissions, academic standards, pedagogy, and curriculum.
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Kenya StrongPedagogical Director
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Kim PendletonInterim Administrative Director She/HerKim has been working with Golden Bridges during the 21/22 school year as a consultant, helping us with our strategic planning, administrative restructuring, governance support, and more. She comes to us with 18 years in Waldorf school administration and governance, having served schools in the US and abroad as an Administrative Director and Consultant, Interim Head of School, AWSNA Accreditation leader, and Regional Northern California ANA Rep to AWSNA. Kim will serve as an interim AD while recruiting and setting the stage for our next permanent AD.
Stacey FrankBusiness ManagerStacey was born in San Francisco and has lived here most of her life, except during an 8-year stretch where she lived in Europe, working as a staff accountant and project manager. She has over 20 years of experience in business operations, including running international programs bringing over students from abroad. She recently served on the board of directors of a social services nonprofit doing fundraising and community outreach. She holds a Bachelor's degree in business from San Francisco State University and an MBA from CSU Stanislaus. She enjoys working part-time in the business office.
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Jessie ElliotCo-Founder, She/Her
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Our Early Childhood teachers support our children to feel nurtured, protected, and secure in a rhythm of predictable activities and loving interactions. As Waldorf trained educators, we strive to meet the unique developmental needs, capacities, and cultural backgrounds of each child. We believe play is the “true work” of the young child. Our teachers support active, creative, imaginative, unstructured play as a way of experiencing and understanding the world.
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Lainie AllpressPreschool Teacher, She/HerLainie was born in Annapolis, MD and grew up in Newport, RI. She studied Early Childhood at Rhode Island College and while there, she also taught preschool at a Waldorf-inspired school before moving to San Francisco in 2012. Lainie graduated in 2019 from the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training which she did alongside working in the nursery at SF Waldorf. She is thrilled to be a part of this amazing community!
Justine CosterouseCo-Founder, She/They
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Jess BuslachPreschool Teacher, She/Her
Jess was born and raised outside of Seattle. Early in her career she studied cosmetology and worked in salons and spas. After traveling extensively around the U.S. and Central America, Jess gave birth to her daughter Maia, which inspired her Waldorf journey. Jess began working in preschools and then started her own home daycare Inspired by Waldorf and RIE philosophies. In 2018 Jess joined the Golden Bridges aftercare team and volunteered at Dandelion Preschool. She quickly knew it was her place in the world. Jess began Waldorf teacher training and the following year started teaching at Dandelion Preschool. Jess loves going to hot springs, finding new vegan restaurants, and spending time with her daughter Maia, a Golden Bridges student.
Kaori YamashitaPreschool Teacher, They/Them
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Danielle ConoverPreschool Teacher, She/Her
Born and raised in SF, Danielle is so proud to be a part of this growing community in the heart of her hometown! Danielle received her undergraduate degree in Performance Art and Dance at Sarah Lawrence College and her Masters in Creative Inquiry at CIIS. She is most proud of her title “Mama to June” (in 3rd Grade) and delights in bringing her love of play and creativity to Preschool.
Jimena BertschiKindergarten Teacher, She/HerJimena is a native of Argentina and her greatest love in the world is to observe a child's amazement at discovering something new, especially in nature. As her interest in education deepened, she moved to California in 2015 to pursue Waldorf Teacher Training. Jimena first worked as a Kindergarten assistant and later taught Spanish from 1st to 8th Grade students at the East Bay Waldorf School. In her free time, she enjoys singing, reading, cooking, and hiking.
Spanish / Español Lesley MacDonaldKindergarten Teacher, She/HerLesley grew up near Yosemite National Park and studied theatre at the University of California Santa Cruz. She received her Waldorf Grades training certificate from Rudolf Steiner College and taught at the Davis Waldorf School, taking her class from 1st-4th grade. Life then brought Lesley to San Francisco and Golden Bridges, to teach in both aftercare and Kindergarten since 2017.
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Beginning in First Grade, Golden Bridges students have a class teacher guiding their learning for multiple years. Our teachers foster wonder, reverence, attention, curiosity, and confidence to form the solid foundation on which the children are building their academic learning. Each morning, during Main Lesson, the class teacher provides an in-depth exploration of subjects in blocks of four to six weeks.
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Miel Alegre
Grades Teacher, She/Her
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Abbie Coburn
Co-Founder, She/Her
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Shirene Massarweh
Grades Teacher, She/Her
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Subject teachers support the core curriculum taught by class teachers. Subject classes such as Spanish, Music, Farm, Handwork, and Woodworking are taught by specialty teachers with expertise in their subject areas. While Main Lesson provides in-depth exploration of subjects in blocks of four to six weeks, subject classes are taught throughout the year.
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Stephanie BlairHandwork Teacher, She/HerStephanie grew up outside of Philadelphia and Houston, before moving out to San Francisco in 2007 to study Fashion Design at the Art Institute of California. After a few different jobs sewing cases for technology devices, making flower arrangements for a florist, and event planning weddings, she found Golden Bridges in 2017. Starting with aftercare at Dandelion Preschool, then moving to aftercare for the Grades, and then teaching arts and crafts and handwork, she thrives wherever she is needed. Stephanie welcomed her first child in 2021.
Maria Prieto DíazSpanish Teacher, She/HerMaria grew up in Spain. After graduating with a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Education, life brought her to San Francisco where she's been since 2011. She enjoys the diversity of this city, and the opportunities that being in a multicultural environment have for her family. She loves exploring, traveling, and is passionate about language learning. Maria is dedicated to nurturing personal and emotional growth in her students, and to help them reach their full potential.
Spanish / Español Natasha SinghSexual Literacy & Ethics, She/HerNatasha has worked in education for 20 years and taught at institutions including Rutgers University and The Collegiate School. She works as an educational consultant to schools committed to preventing sexual violence and teaching sexual ethics. She teaches about consent, sexual literacy, ending sexual harassment and gender-based violence, toxic masculinity and the hypersexualization of girls, and undoing gender-role training.
Natasha Co-Chairs the Board of Center for Domestic Peace and recently co-launched the Consent and Healthy Relationships Assembly, a vital educational tool for schools wishing to ignite a conversation around the prevention of sexual violence. She is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Asha Rising. Sandy MonzonSpanish/Dance Teacher, She/HerComing Soon....
Spanish / Español |
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Patti GelinasAfter School Director, She/HerPatti is a dog loving, club juggling, mother of two daughters. She has been delivering and administering enrichment and camp programs in SF for over 15 years. In that time she’s coached circus arts classes, managed STEM focused summer camps, and developed new enrichment programming from the ground up. She grew up in Southern Maine where she spent countless hours as a kid exploring the outdoors, peeking under rocks, climbing trees and cruising the neighborhood on her bike (she still loves doing all those activities, btw). She has a degree in Performing Arts from Emerson College and is a Certified Positive Discipline parent educator. She’s excited to continue evolving her understanding of how to support children holistically.
Kevin CamachoAftercare TeacherKevin was born in San Diego, grew up in Southern California, and studied Journalism and Landscape Architecture at the University of Oregon. He’s lived in San Francisco for the past four years and is excited to become more involved with the communities that call the city home. Prior to working at Golden Bridges School, Kevin has worked as a creative in the advertising industry and helped run the University of Oregon chapter of Camp Kesem."
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Golden Bridges School
415-912-8666 info@goldenbridgesschool.org 503 Cambridge Street. San Francisco, CA 94134 |
© COPYRIGHT 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRIVACY POLICY |