Miss Shaylynn was born and raised here in the Cowichan Valley and attended Sunrise for Kindergarten which was extremely enriching. She recently completed Early Childhood Education Certification at Vancouver Island University and is currently working on her first year of my Waldorf training with West Coast Institute. Her goal is to be able to expand my knowledge and practice in Waldorf education while providing loving, comforting, and quality care to the children at Sunrise. She is passionate about working alongside the new generation as they truly are our future. She believes that we, as adults, need to be worthy of imitation because the quality of care which we provide defines the tone of our environment and relationships.

Natasha completed an extensive early childhood education program in former Yugoslavia and embarked on a journey, working in diverse educational settings across different countries. For 15 years, she owned and operated Waldorf-inspired daycare in Vancouver, creating a nurturing and holistic environment that encouraged imagination, creativity, and a deep connection with nature. Working with children brings her immense joy and fulfillment. She thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to engage with young minds and make a positive impact in their lives.

Yoga has been her lifelong passion for over 30 years. She received extensive training in India that laid the foundation for her practice. As well as joining and hosting numerous courses and workshops, she co-founded a yoga studio in Vancouver that was running for many years.

Her heart holds a special place for yoga for children, as she firmly believe in the transformative power of nurturing their physical, mental, and emotional well-being through yoga. It is an honour for her to share her love for yoga with the little ones.

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Born in Poland Dorota grew to love all forms of artistic expression and creativity. After finishing her studies of philosophy in Lublin she spent two years in Cambridge, England. In Canada she worked as a kindergarten teacher in Yellowknife. After a year of studies at the Waldorf Institute in Spring Valley, Dorota came to Vancouver Island where she worked as a biodynamic farmer, toymaker of Fairywood Toys, Celtic harp performer and substitute teacher at Sunrise Waldorf School. While raising her daughter in the Cowichan Valley, Dorota took the Waldorf teacher training with the West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy. She was the first kindergarten teacher at Alta Lake School in Whistler, completed her degree in Education at the University of Victoria and then taught at the Whistler Waldorf School.

Sara is grateful every day to be living, learning and raising her family on the traditional Hul’q’umi’num territory in the Quw’utsun Valley and to be part of the Sunrise Waldorf School community. After attending the Vancouver Waldorf school from grades 1-12, Sara had long wished to return to the Waldorf community and to give her children the gift of a Waldorf education, and moved here from Victoria in September of 2020 for her two children to attend Sunrise. 

During her 14 years in Victoria, Sara was on the Victoria Waldorf Society board promoting Waldorf education and community connections in Victoria and volunteered in many child-centered community initiatives while raising a family and working in the environmental field.

Sara holds a bachelor degree in biology and environmental management, and is currently completing her Waldorf Early Childhood Educator training. Sara is very happy to be working with children again, now for a second year in shining star kindergarten. 

Miss Mima was born in Yugoslavia to parents who were both elementary school teachers. She graduated from the Belgrade University of Economics, and was employed at the City planning Institute. She soon realized her heart was in working with children, so she entered a part time teacher training program. In 1989, she moved to Vancouver and worked as a nanny, in a children’s group home, and as a family services support worker. Ten years later she moved to the Cowichan Valley. In her search for the right education for her children she attended a parent education series and recognized a deep kinship with the strivings and philosophy of Waldorf education. Miss Mima enrolled her children at SWS and completed the Waldorf Early Childhood Teacher Training with the West Coast Institute. Miss Mima worked in the preschool for three years, before moving to Shining Star Kindergarten in 2007. She feels fortunate to have found her life calling where every day her encounters with children, parents and colleagues bring new joys and opportunities for growth.

After years as a student herself in French Immersion, Dana Crudo pursued studies in French, Psychology and Education at McGill and Simon Fraser Universities.  She then taught French Immersion in Vancouver for almost 15 years while also taking breaks to travel, get married in Sicily, and live in Switzerland for a few years.  Once a mother of three beautiful girls, Dana stepped away from the public school system, focused more on family while teaching yoga part time to both adults and children as well as working in a Reggio inspired preschool.  In 2021, the family took another leap to the Cowichan Valley where they have a small homestead with another family.  Dana is thrilled to have found her way to Sunrise and is enjoying working and learning in the ECE department.  Though she is not Waldorf trained (yet!), she feels very aligned with the approach and is so grateful to be surrounded by the philosophy and community.  In her time away from work, Dana enjoys spending time with family, working on the farm, and creating and sharing meals with loved ones.

Coming soon.

Growing up in Port Renfrew, Brad developed a love for learning on the land.  His journey led him to Alberta where he taught forestry and outdoor recreation before heading to the University of Alberta where he received his B.Ed with a major in Art and a minor in Drama. 

After teaching art, theatre, woodwork/construction, foods, physical education, social studies, as well as many other subjects, his journey lead him into school administration. He left his position of principal at Victoria School of the Arts in 2021 to move home to the island.

Now living in the beautiful Cowichan Valley, Brad is excited to return to the classroom and embrace the joy of curiosity and discovery with children and community once again.

Sara is grateful every day to be living, learning and raising her family on the traditional Hul’q’umi’num territory in the Quw’utsun Valley and to be part of the Sunrise Waldorf School community. After attending the Vancouver Waldorf school from grades 1-12, Sara had long wished to return to the Waldorf community and to give her children the gift of a Waldorf education, and moved here from Victoria in September of 2020 for her two children to attend Sunrise. 

During her 14 years in Victoria, Sara was on the Victoria Waldorf Society board promoting Waldorf education and community connections in Victoria and volunteered in many child-centered community initiatives while raising a family and working in the environmental field.

Sara holds a bachelor degree in biology and environmental management, and is currently completing her Waldorf Early Childhood Educator training. Sara is very happy to be working with children again, now for a second year in shining star kindergarten. 

Coming soon.

Mr. Naeem Datoo enjoys living in the Cowichan Valley and teaching at Sunrise Waldorf School. He loves the natural beauty of the area. Before coming to Sunrise, Mr. Naeem was a teacher in Vancouver for many years. He also teaches yoga and meditation and enjoys studying Anthroposophy.

Raja Chrimes is an experienced Waldorf teacher with almost a decade of Waldorf School teaching experience; she has her Waldorf Teacher Training certificate, a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Arts. She has also worked in different educational settings in Canada and abroad. She is artistically and musically talented.

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Raja returns to Vancouver Island this summer, which is a homecoming for her.

Lisa is grateful to be teaching and learning on traditional Hul’q’umi’num territory in the Quw’utsun Valley. She has been a teacher in many different environments since 1990, and has been a class teacher at Sunrise Waldorf School since 2010.  She holds a Bachelor of Education, a BFA in Theatre Performance, and attained her Waldorf Teacher Certification from the West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy. In 2018, she was awarded the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence in STEM, and is currently the BC Regional Representative to the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America. Originally from Victoria, Lisa began her Waldorf journey when her own children – now grown – started their schooling at Washington Waldorf School in Washington DC, and she has been on a continual learning path in this direction ever since. Lisa enjoys playing music with her family, planning her garden, hiking with her partner and dog, and learning more how to live in balance and harmony with our dear Earth.

Ms. Brooks has many wonderful memories growing up in Ontario riding horses. After studying child development at York University and training in strength and conditioning, she began a small gym. Angela's passion for teaching became more evident and she pursued her Masters of Science in education. For the next 20 years, Angela was fortunate to be able to combine a teaching career and operate her three training facilities. When visiting Whistler on a ski trip, Angela was introduced to Waldorf education and was inspired to take her teaching in a different direction. She completed her Waldorf Teacher training in Toronto and joined the Whistler Waldorf School in September 2018. Angela moved to Nanaimo and began substitute teaching at Sunrise in 2022. She is so grateful to call the island home and to be able to work with the Grade 6 class.

Soon after Katia Rheault was born in the city of Quebec, her parents decided to move back to Mexico City. This is where she grew up, studied psychology and got married. Her first job was teaching French at a private middle school; she then worked for many years as a professional translator and Yoga teacher. Katia and her husband decided to relocate to Quw'utsun (the Cowichan Valley). They enrolled their own son in the Parent and Toddler class in September, 2009, and soon became very involved with the school and its community.

Katia was always inspired by how Waldorf education (as both a trauma-informed and attachment-informed pedagogy) supports the healthy development of children. She pursued a Master's in Waldorf Education (Elementary focus), and was hired as the French teacher in 2013. Since 2018, Madame Rheault has worked as a long-term substitute teacher. For the past 3 years, she has also been providing counseling support to the clients of Cowichan Family Life Association.

Mrs. Lily Greenwood grew up exploring the beautiful landscapes of Vancouver Island, where her love for nature and creativity was nurtured. As a mother of four, she gained valuable experience in supporting her children's diverse learning journeys, which inspired her to pursue a teaching career. Lily graduated with a Bachelor of Education in Fine Arts from Vancouver Island University, with a focus on creating inclusive and relationship-centered learning environments.

She is excited to bring this passion to the Grade 7 class at Sunrise. Outside of school, Lily enjoys hiking, volunteering in her community, and spending time with her two dogs. She also loves to express her creativity through the arts and finds inspiration in the natural world around her.

Coming Soon.

Madame Powell started learning French in high school and then perfected her knowledge of the language while living in France as an exchange student. This experience inspired her to learn about other cultures and languages (Spanish and German). Madame Powell holds a BA in French and Spanish (completed in Bordeaux, France) as well as a BA in Education from the province of Ontario. She began her professional career teaching French at a public middle school in Toronto, and then became a part of the Waldorf movement 15 years ago at the Kelowna Waldorf School where she was inspired by its spiritual perspective on child development and teaching. Madame Powell was both a parent and a French teacher at the KWS and, after completing her Waldorf Teacher Training from Antioch Unoiversity New England, she bacame a class teacher and took a Class from G2 to G5.

Georgia was born and grew up in England where she attended Kings Langley Waldorf School from age 12 to graduation at the end of grade 11. She then attended Brockenhurst College where she learned sword fencing and archery and at 18 became the youngest sword fencing coach in the UK. She completed her training in Spatial Dynamics and Bothmer gymnastics in Germany in 1986, following which she visited and taught at Waldorf schools in Germany, India, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and the USA, before arriving in British Columbia, Canada. Here she was inspired by the mountains and water and knew this would be her home. She taught at Vancouver Waldorf School for 8 years before becoming a freelance Waldorf teacher throughout North America.  In 2001 - 2004 Georgia graduated Coventry University with a BSc Hons in Physiotherapy.

After moving back to Canada full time in 2006 Georgia joined Sunrise Waldorf School where she has been teaching movement and sports education for the past 16 years. She feels blessed to have been able to partake in the developmental journey of so many young people over such a large span of time.

Georgia and her husband Gary Ward own and run Coastal Bliss Adventures, Sea to Sky Expeditions and Cowichan Bay Kayaking. They  also have a partnership company in Tanzania, ‘Kilimanjaro Bliss’.

Coming soon.

Coming Soon.

Shannon and her family moved to the Cowichan Valley in 2017 so that her three children could attend The Sunrise Waldorf School. Being a part of the Sunrise Waldorf School and community has been an incredibly enriching experience for their whole family and they feel so grateful to be a part of it. Shannon holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the University of British Columbia, with a major in studio arts. She holds an Independent School Teaching Certificate. She has been inspired by Waldorf Education and anthroposophy since she first learned about it over twelve years ago. She deepened her knowledge and passion for the grade’s curriculum through the Teaching with Heart; Experiencing the Waldorf Approach Course two years ago and is eager to continue her own Waldorf Education Training. Shannon has worked in a supportive teaching role in art classrooms for children up to the age of 12. She is looking forward to meeting all the children and families that make up our community.

We are delighted to welcome Lyndon Crossman as the new Woodwork teacher at the Sunrise Waldorf School. Lyndon has a passion for supporting the education of the next generation, who will face important decisions that will shape the future of our world. Lyndon believes that observing nature can teach us valuable lessons, and that working with wood can foster the development of our head, heart,  and hands. Lyndon has a wealth of experience in woodwork, and is eager to share his skills and knowledge with our students. We look forward to seeing the wonderful creations that will emerge from his classes.

Growing up in the small town of Honeymoon Bay, surrounded by the  lake and mountains, Kurt spent most of his time outdoors. He learned to appreciate woodwork at a young age, as he idolized his grandfather, who owned a thriving construction company. Kurt attended Malaspina College for Heavy Duty Mechanics in 2003 and worked in that field for ten years before moving into heavy equipment sales. You can usually find him fishing, gardening, tinkering in the garage, building something or hanging out with his family. Kurt greatly enjoys the Sunrise community and is looking forward to the experience of learning and growing along side the children.

As a child, Cyle Serra has fond memories of learning how to garden from his Italian grandparents. He grew up on Salt Spring Island being captivated by the natural world around him which led him to become a kayak guide. His love of plants then inspired him to study Herbal Medicine and Horticulture. He has been in the Cowichan Valley since 2015 working as a farmer and gardener. In 2018 he had the opportunity to help develop a farm that focused on regenerative agriculture where he raised pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, and turkeys as well as running a market garden. He is overjoyed to share his passion for plants and food with the Sunrise School family.

Ms. Susan grew up on the Island and is grateful to have started her Waldorf journey over 10 years ago when her own children attended Sunrise. Before becoming an Educational Assistant Ms. Susan volunteered as a Roots of Empathy Facilitator  at many schools and worked as a Home Support/Resident Care Attendant. She has been a hairstylist for over 30 years and has owned and operated her own business since 2009. In her free time Ms. Susan is usually camping with family and friends, playing in her garden or out walking with her dog.  

​Rae has been an Independent School leader in BC for a decade and loves being in the education sector.  Prior to working in schools, she managed youth outreach programs and quality assurance compliance in social service settings.  Rae's formal education is in social work and her Master of Social Work Degree specialization was Leadership in the Human Services.   Rae is passionate about the education and wellbeing of children and youth as well as building intentional communities that espouse kindness and respect.  She is excited to expand her knowledge and understanding of Waldorf education as well as meaningfully contribute to the beautiful Sunrise community over the coming years. 

Rachel has been involved in Waldorf Education for 20 years and has over 10 years of experience teaching in Waldorf classrooms. She took a class from grades one through eight at Sunrise. Rachel has a degree in English Literature, and she completed her Waldorf teacher training along with a Masters of Education Degree at Antioch University in New England. She is now the Education Director at Sunrise Waldorf School.

Katherine attended Waldorf schools in Scotland from pre-school to grade 12 and went on to gain a BA hons in Fine Art at Edinburgh College of Art. She came to Canada in 2005 and has been part of Sunrise Waldorf School since 2016 when her daughter started attending preschool here. She is committed to her role in bringing Waldorf education to all those who seek a more meaningful, integrated and gentle approach to preparing children for today’s world.

Joy was BC born and raised, and in her early years, lived and travelled in various parts of the country pursuing careers in music and fitness. She settled on a career in finance and honed her skills in the Okanagan Valley. Years of holidaying on the Gulf Islands planted the seed of love for the ocean, and she and her husband moved to the Cowichan Valley in 2013.  Joy loves the energy and spirit of Sunrise Waldorf School and is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the admin team. She has two grown children, and a beautiful granddaughter. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, gardening, and music.

​Rubeena Sandhu has been a dedicated Waldorf educator, pedagogical administrator, mentor, and consultant for over 20 years. Currently a school counsellor, she also serves as the Northwest Pacific Regional Leader for the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America and as Council Secretary for the Anthroposophical Society in Canada. At the New Adult Learning Institute, Rubeena has co-developed 'Grounded in Practice', a new Waldorf Foundation Year program which brings anthroposophy alive in classrooms through practical approaches. Passionate about integrating neuro-affective research with Waldorf pedagogy, Rubeena fosters transformative and healing learning experiences for students and adults alike.

Being a first generation Canadian, Alicia began learning in her mother’s world of Reggio Emilia education. In looking for a community filled with natural wonder in which to raise her three children, Alicia found the Cowichan Valley and Sunrise Waldorf School.  

With the goal of growing with the Sunrise community, Alicia enrolled at the Goetheanum to begin studying Rudolf Steiner’s work and has completed her foundations in Anthroposophy, Waldorf Teaching Certificate through the West Coast Institute and additional studies in Curative Education.  

As a middle school class teacher, Alicia continued to seek training to better support the neurodiversity in her classroom. She trained as an Orton Gillingham Classroom Educator to support language-based learning differences, Sensory Mathematics, Emergency Pedagogy and Applied Behaviour Analysis. In addition to holding an BSc (Hons), Alicia is a M.Ed. Inclusive Education Student at VIU.  

Alicia is grateful to be part of the strong teaching team at Sunrise and support the community who has inspired and mentored her for many years.  

When not at school, Alicia can be found in her kitchen with friends or on a ski hill during the winter months.  

Stephanie has been part of the Sunrise community since 2021 when her daughter started Preschool here. She joined the Parent Association as a way to meet other families and to learn more about Waldorf Education and Rudolf Steiner. Soon after she was voted in as the Chair, where she served for 3 years.

Stephanie was born and raised in BC but spent most of her adult life in Alberta, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor in Education. 2020 brought her and her husband to the beautiful Cowichan Valley, where they always dreamed of raising their family amidst the lush forests and coastal landscapes.

She now feels blessed to serve the school in a new capacity and welcome families at the front door!

Coming soon.

Coming soon.