Faculty & Staff

Mandy McCloud

Preschool Lead Teacher

Little Violet Class

Bio coming soon.

Claire Twitty

Preschool Lead Teacher

Snapdragon Class

Claire is originally from Gig Harbor. She discovered OWS in 2017 and was captivated by Waldorf Early Childhood immediately. She combines her passions as both an artist and musician.

Susan Palmer

Kindergarten Lead Teacher

Sunflower Class

Susan was born in Olympia and returned in 2008 to begin teaching at OWS. She completed her training at Rudolf Steiner College in California and most delights in the children’s enthusiasm for each new day.

Shannon Kapp

Kindergarten Lead Teacher

Dandelion Class

Shannon was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. With over 11 years of early childhood experience, she nurtures a sense of wonder through music, story, movement and reverence for the world.

Lucina Strandjord

Kindergarten Lead Teacher

Thimbleberry Class

Lucina grew up in Sebastopol, California, spending most of her life in Waldorf education from kindergarten through Grade 12. She attended University of Puget Sound and enjoys beekeeping, baking, and hiking.

Ariel Corwin

1st Grade Teacher

Ariel grew up in Olympia and was introduced to Waldorf at age nine at OWS. She completed her training at Sound Circle Center in 2017 and loves bringing her passion for herbs and fiber arts to children.

Jackie Walsh

2nd Grade Teacher

Jackie was born and raised in Colorado. She graduated with a B.A. in Education and Behavioral Science from Metropolitan State University of Denver. She is the teacher for the class of 2029.

Kelly Horn

3rd Grade Teacher

Kelly grew up in New Jersey and discovered Waldorf education when searching for a preschool in Olympia. Known for being especially gifted at teaching math, she has graduated the classes of 2019, 2022 and 2023.

Sami Brisson

4th Grade Teacher

Miss Sami studied Philosophy and Peace and Justice Studies at Regis University and has taught in Micronesia and Djibouti. Her interests include yoga, art, camping, farming and gardening.

Ashley S. Wilson

5th/6th Grade Teacher

Born in southern Arizona, Ashley moved to Olympia in 1996. An Evergreen State College alumni, former journalist, and multimedia artist, she is the devoted teacher of the class of 2028.

Sweekriti Apple

7th Grade Teacher

A native of India, Apple attended Waldorf school at the Himgiri Rudolf Steiner School in the Himalayas. She graduated several classes at OWS in 2008, 2018 and 2020.

Lauren Lusk

8th Grade Teacher

Lauren grew up on the Kansas plains. A “highly qualified” certificated K-8 teacher in Washington State, she completed her Waldorf training at Sound Circle Center in 2024.

Jesse Partridge

Strings Teacher

Jesse grew up in Olympia and attended OWS as a child. He performs fiddle music at concerts and contra dances throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Ben Kapp

Music Ensemble, Faculty Support

Ben studied music composition at Evergreen and received his Master’s from Michigan State. He has performed across the US, UK, Europe, and Northern Africa.

Bee Ruane

Middle School English Language Arts

Bee has an M.A. in English from NC State and an M.S. in Library Science from the University of Illinois. She is back in the classroom after years in academic libraries.

Maso Roqueni

Middle School Math

Born and raised in Olympia, Maso draws strength from his Indigenous heritage. He earned his master’s in educational studies from WGU in 2024.