MCWS 21-22 Annual Report

Maine Coast Waldorf School
2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT

Maine Coast Waldorf School 2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT
CONTENTS
THE MISSION
of Maine Coast Waldorf School is to awaken the
highest potential in every student by fostering
clarity of thought, warmth of heart, and strength
of resolve to make a difference in the world.
Our Emergence Post COVID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Embracing Each Moment of Strife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Waldorf Education is a Form of Social Education ..... 4 - 5
MCWS Finances ....................................6
Thoughtful Fiscal Management .......................7
How Philanthropy Supports MCWS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
With Deep Gratitude to our Donors ............... 8 - 10
Philanthropic Stewardship ..........................11
The Beauty of Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 - 13
The Rhythms We Establish ...................... 14 - 15
Class of 2022 Graduation ........................16 -17
Spring for Waldorf Auction & Dance Party. . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Go Behind the Scenes ..............................19
Alum Notes .......................................20
Moving On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover
MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL
2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT 1

Our Emergence Post COVID
A LETTER FROM FREDERICK VEITCH, PRESIDENT, BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Embracing Each Moment of Strife
A LETTER FROM JOSH LYTLE, CHAIR, COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
The 2021-22 school year was one
of emergence and of laying the
groundwork for a renewed path
of sustainability and growth at Maine
Coast Waldorf School. We began the year
with cautious optimism that we would
slowly, and eventually, regain the sense
of normalcy that we had lost in the early
spring of 2020. Our focus remained on
evolving the COVID-19 blueprint to meet
the diverse challenges we faced across
our community: eligibility for vaccines was
not uniform and new variants and new
policies emerged seemingly every month.
As they had since that fateful spring,
our parents, students, teachers, and
staff remained patient, kind toward one
another, and undeterred in their passion
to make good on our mission while slowly
bringing back those aspects of the closeknit
MCWS community that we had lost.
At the beginning of the year, singing in
classrooms and chorus had returned.
As we moved into the winter, class plays
were once again held in Merriconeag
Hall in front of full audiences. By spring,
May Faire, the Pentathlon, and a recordsetting
Spring for Waldorf were back,
capped off by both a fully attended Rose
Ceremony and Graduation at school
year’s end. It was an incredible journey to
get back to where we had been before,
and one that would not have happened
without the perseverance and love of an
entire community supporting and taking
care of one another.
Through this emergence, the Board of
Directors worked tirelessly to address
the economic hardships that these past
three years have created for all who
work for and attend MCWS. Higher costs
of living from rent to housing prices as
well as housing shortages, and inflation
have all adversely impacted the ability
to live, work, and send one’s children to
independent private schools like ours.
In addressing these issues head-on,
the Board of Directors held discussion
sessions with our teachers and staff
throughout the year to learn firsthand
what was critical for their support and
sustainability. We also held numerous
meetings to research and evaluate
the salary and benefit structures of
surrounding public and independent
private schools. From this came the
creation and implementation of
a comprehensive overhaul of our
compensation and benefits structure
to ensure that everyone who works at
MCWS makes a competitive wage at
or above those at surrounding schools
based on the same levels of educational
background and experience.
This plan phased in over a two-year
period, not only takes into account
inflation but addresses wage gap
inequalities with increased health benefits
to all employees. To balance these efforts,
the Board was also mindful of the impacts
on the costs of families sending their
children to MCWS. With modest tuition
increases and the implementation of a
renewed five-year tuition plan, the Board
sought to mediate the need for increased
tuition revenue with the reality that too
significant a tuition increase would be
difficult for many of our families to bear.
The Board’s historical financial prudence
and conservative fiscal policies with a
focus on carefully allocated reserves
from past years’ surpluses allowed us
to balance the budget this year while
rolling out these essential changes to
our benefits structure. With a renewed
focus on the cultivation of a culture of
giving in everything we do over the course
of the 2022-23 school year, we remain
enthusiastic and confident that the MCWS
community will continue its growth out of
the pandemic. With your help, MCWS is on
the cusp of incredible times to come.
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
2021-2022
Derek Blackburn
Mary Bloch
Frank Chessa
Justin Corcoran
Phoebe Dolan
Kari Guddeck
Lisa Lukis
John Manganello
Jeannie Mattson
Karl Schatz
Frederick Veitch
Dan Walker
Faculty Members:
David Barham
Chloe Dowley
Josh Lytle
Caitlin Pow
Non-Voting Staff
Lyn Baird
Laura Bonarrigo
David Eichler
Lynne Espy
Christopher Kasprak
Jennifer Pochurek
Melissa Watson
At a recent conference, I heard
Douglas Gerwin, one of the
leaders of the Waldorf Education
movement, speak about the concept of
“strife,” which is etymologically related
to “strive,” and even to “stride.” He was
looking for a touchpoint to consider
the current state of contemporary
society and the world, which can often
appear conflict-laden, polarized, and
disheartening. I found these relationships
of meaning quite interesting, particularly
the “stride” relation–the idea of two
opposing movements: of a leg pushing
backward in opposition to the one moving
forward, and that this forward “striving” is
a result of the “strife” between these two
forces of the “stride.” So often, life seems
to thrive out of a series of interactions or
potential contradictions.
In June as this past academic year came
to a close, our faculty came together
for a week-long series of meetings and
professional development, closing out
the old year, laying certain seeds to grow
and develop over the summer. Our first
activity was to review the year, starting
with the most recent events, and then
tracing backward from event to event
(literally, from that very review, into
Graduation, the Rose Ceremony, etc., etc.)
until we arrived back at the fall of 2021,
when we had gathered together before
welcoming students.
It was a powerful activity to perform as
an entire faculty: Early Childhood, Lower
School, and High School teachers sat in a
circle, thought collectively back into our
year, and beheld that which we had all
engaged in to create a living experience
for our students, parents, and each other.
There were many events from the year
that were mighty positive, and a number
which were flagged as in need of change
and attention: together, it was the striding
through positive and negative elements
that collectively formed our forward
striving at Maine Coast Waldorf School.
This activity had particular resonance
for me, as it was three years ago that my
family and I arrived at MCWS, and COVID
hit that very first spring. As such, this was
the first year that I could see the rhythm
of the year in its entirety, start to finish.
Rhythm is an important part of our work
as Waldorf teachers, and the rhythm of
each school has its own life and flavor,
unique to each location and group of
individuals that comprise their community.
Now, as I write this, it is early July.
According to the Calendar of the Soul,
which lays out a series of meditations that
reflect upon the relationship of the human
being to the turning of the seasons over
the course of the year, summer is the
time when our intellectual powers recede
somewhat, becoming “dormant” in the
face of our physical body and senses,
which have been fully awakened. It is a
way for our inner self to rest and store
up its energy so that when we return in
the fall, for another invigorating year of
striving together, we are ready to meet
both the physical and the intellectual
challenges that await us. Fascinating,
how elements of our being must sleep
in order to expand, how these forces of
conflict, opposition, and struggle are part
of growing and living fully.
Embracing each moment of strife we
encounter in this next school year (and
beyond) serves to move this School
forward and allows us to continue
evolving as a vibrant, flourishing Waldorf
School. I’m hopeful we all keep this in
mind as we strive towards a powerful new
year of possibilities!
COLLEGE
OF TEACHERS
2021-2022
Josh Lytle
Johanna Flath
Nancy Goldberg
Helen-Ann Ireland
Jeff O’Brien
David Barham
Caitlin Pow
Margaret Samuelson
Cerridwen McQueen
Lauren Kerr
Jill Fox
Lynn Thurrell
Marta Rackmales
Michael Fenderson
Ezra Smith
Chloe Dowley
Lynn Wetterhorn
Melissa Watson
David Eichler
2 MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL 2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT 3

Waldorf Education is a Form of Social Education
A LETTER FROM DAVID EICHLER, PEDAGOGICAL DIRECTOR
As we have begun the 2022-2023 school year I am mindful of how
special Maine Coast Waldorf School is. We are in the process of our
ten-year re-accreditation through the New England Association of
Schools and Colleges (NEASC) which jointly happens with the Association of
Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) and the Waldorf Early Childhood
Association of North America (WECAN). This process, when it is completed in
the spring of 2023, will have spanned two years and brought in voices from
many members of the community—family members, students, alums, faculty,
staff, and members of our Board of Directors. This process is a labor of love
that brings the community together in a monumental task that culminates in
our self-study, in which we take an honest look at where we are going, where
we are thriving, where we are actively focusing our efforts for improvement,
and how we are changing to meet the needs of our ever-evolving community
of students, families, and faculty/staff.
As we move from year-to-year, we have the opportunity to see the ways in
which the children of today present their needs to our school. This in turn
compels us to look for ways to better ourselves as a school to meet those everchanging
needs. Throughout my Waldorf teacher training, we were told that
we, as teachers, needed to be models worthy of emulating for the students.
Not just models worthy of imitations in how we act, but how we think and
in how we relate to one another. In Waldorf-speak we refer to this as being
an upright individual. Others may refer to this quality as genuine integrity.
Whatever you call it, it is the ability for us to be able to stand in front of the
children and model what it is like to be a true human being: it is not only okay
to make mistakes, but more importantly, to learn grace when making mistakes
and practicing acceptance, patience, and compassion for others.
Waldorf education is a form of social
education. At the heart of this is
the awareness that social struggles
happen throughout life, and the best
way to prepare a child to be able to
meet and overcome these struggles
during their lifetime is to provide
them with a solid foundation of
social health. Within our educational
pedagogy, this happens through
learning opportunities in which
our students work with each other
from the earliest classes in our Early
Childhood through their senior
year of High School. While these
experiences are not without some
challenges under the watchful eyes
and compassionate, loving support of
their teachers, they serve to develop
internal capacities within the children
which will help them to face, and
move through, adversity in life. These
capacities which are fostered and
developed over the years include
tolerance, compassion, resilience,
critical thought, and grit.
This is achieved, in part, through
the curriculum and experiences we
bring to our students. Some of these
growth opportunities are provided
through the diversity present in our
student body, their families, and
our faculty/staff. The generosity of
previous donors has given MCWS
the capacity to welcome students
and families representing greater
financial- and neuro-diversity
which in turn enriches and evolves
our community. In order to best
prepare for necessary innovative and
responsible changes our Waldorf
School must undertake to continue
to meet the needs of the children
of today, we value the assistance
of those in the community with the
means to help close the gap between
what is brought in through tuition
and actual operating costs. In this
way, MCWS can be best positioned to
provide a rich education to MCWS’s
wonderful students.
As we loosen many COVID-19 related
restrictions, many social scientists
are beginning to recognize the toll
the pandemic has taken on children.
Educators, including those at MCWS,
have also seen the effects both in
academics and the social-emotional
realm. We are committed to being
responsive when these issues arise
that are, in part, related to delays
manifested as a result of physical
distancing and the stressors inherent
with learning during an emergency.
During the pandemic, generous
donors made it possible for outdoor
learning to take place. This innovative
pivot allowed our students to
experience some of the highest rates
of in-person learning in the region,
which we now know undoubtedly
improved outcomes for hundreds of
students during this challenging time.
This is just one example of the myriad
ways donors are able to make a
meaningful and immediate difference
for our children and faculty at School.
As we move forward and address the
impacts that COVID-19 has had on
our students over the past two years,
along with the needs that arise out
of our re-accreditation process, your
engagement and generosity will be far
more important than ever.
At the heart of this
is the awareness
that social struggles
happen throughout
life, and the best
way to prepare a
child to be able to
meet and overcome
these struggles
during their lifetime
is to provide
them with a solid
foundation of social
health.
4 MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL 2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT 5

MCWS Finances
A SUSTAINABLE BUDGET, SUPPORTED BY PHILANTHROPY
Thoughtful Fiscal Management and Investing for Our Future
JOHN MANGANELLO, BOARD TREASURER
Financial Summary (Unaudited)
2021-2022 Fiscal School Year: July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022
Annual Income Amount % Of
Tuition & Fees $4,668,053 88%
Fundraising $582,452 11%
Additional Program & Misc Income $31,117 1%
Total Income $5,281,622 $100%
Annual Expenses
Salaries & Benefits $3,486,721 68%
Tiered Tuition $920,383 18%
Programs $93,848 2%
Buildings & Grounds $214,598 4%
Administration $254,517 5%
Debt Service $164,965 3%
Total Expenses $5,135,032 100 %
Net Operating Income (before depreciation) $146,590
Capital Improvements $30,032
Surplus/(Deficit) $116,558
Summary of Fundraising (Reflects funds received & booked July 1, 2021- June 30, 2022)
Maine Coast Waldorf Fund 2021-22 (Annual Appeal) $251,606
Spring for Waldorf Annual Auction (Net) $66,681
Tiered Tuition Fund $75,550
Endowment $110,000
Opportunity Fund $75,167
Giving Tree $3,448
Total Giving 2021-22 $582,452
ANNUAL
INCOME
ANNUAL
EXPENSES
Annual Income
l Tuition & Fees $4,668,053
l Fundraising $582,452
l Additional Program
& Misc Income $31,117
Total $5,281,622
Annual Expenses
l Salaries & Benefits $3,486,721
l Tuition Assistance $920,383
l Programs $93,848
l Buildings & Grounds $214,598
l Administration $254,517
l Debt Service $164,965
Total $5,135,032
It takes a strong and engaged
community to provide, year after
year, the high-quality Waldorf
education that has been cultivated
since the School’s founding in 1984.
One of the pillars that allows our
community to sustain, and grow, is
the School’s financial health, that
is underpinned by tuition revenue
and the generous giving from the
MCWS community. Below are a few
highlights from the 2021-22 financials:
• Tuition and fees make up nearly 80% of the School’s
annual revenue and was flat when compared to the
2020-21 school year. Increasing enrollment, reducing
student attrition, and also reducing our reliance on
tuition revenue by increasing our Endowment Fund
remain top priorities. A significantly larger endowment
fund is needed to generate annual revenues at least
equivalent to our tiered tuition expenses.
• The tiered tuition expense increased $66K (or 8%) from
the previous year, highlighting the need for this program,
and our commitment to making a Waldorf education
inclusive and accessible. Increasing annual giving to the
Maine Coast Waldorf Fund, the Tiered Tuition Fund, and
the Opportunity Fund, all help make this happen.
• Salaries and benefits increased by $210K (or 6%) from
the previous year, the result of filling vacancies and
annual wage adjustments.
• Our buildings and grounds expense decreased by $260K
(or 45%) from the previous year of extraordinary COVID-
19 related expenses, bringing this budget item closer to
pre-pandemic levels.
• Although not reflected in the accompanying financial
statement or last year’s annual report, the School
recognized the forgiveness of nearly $600K from COVID-
19 related federal loans, such as the Payroll Protection
Program (PPP). This one-time boost to revenue had an
outsized impact on our revenue during the pandemic years.
So much of our collective time, treasure and talent
has been consumed in recent years by navigating the
challenges brought upon by COVID-19. With thoughtful
fiscal management of the School’s financial resources,
we are on solid footing as we collectively turn towards
the future to take on what comes next. Like many other
schools, MCWS has been impacted by the nationwide
teacher shortage, which is amplified by the high cost
of living in this area. The Board recognizes that action
must be taken to retain and attract the very best faculty
members whom we entrust to guide our children. To that
end, the board began a process last year to invest in
our future by bolstering our compensation and benefits
package, beginning in the 2022-23 fiscal school year.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
The Giving Tree
The Giving Tree is a way for parents and friends to
purchase “wish list” items to benefit MCWS classrooms,
workspaces, and programs.
Every MCWS employee can submit wish list items to be
included on the Giving Tree. The items can be something
for the students to work or play with, something for the
office or gathering spaces that makes the space better for
everyone, or something that improves teaching across
grades. Descriptions and prices of the wish list items are
displayed on leaves of the tree. If you would like to purchase
an item, visit the tree, select and remove a leaf, and connect
with the Development Office. The actual ordering of the item
is handled by administrative staff. Once the item is delivered
to MCWS, you will be contacted and delivery to the recipient
will be arranged. Remember to check in often, the Giving
Tree will be continuously updated with new items.
Our Goal is to
Make Giving Easy
Mobile and Online Giving help make giving easier.
Easily Transfer QCDs for those over age 70 and a
half from individual IRA accounts.
Stocks, DAFs, and Foundation Gifts to meet your
long-term financial and estate planning needs
Planning for the Future naming MCWS as a
beneficiary of a bequest in your Will or trust.
The first step is making the decision to give.
The details can be tailored to meet your goals. Start
the conversation today with the Development Office
at development@mainecoastwalorf.org and visit
mainecoastwaldorf.org/give.
How Philanthropy Supports MCWS
WITH GRATITUDE FROM LAURA BONARRIGO, DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
The Maine Coast Waldorf Fund, our largest annual
unrestricted fundraising effort, predominately supports
MCWS’ faculty salaries and benefits, and student Tiered
Tuition. Each year we ask board members, faculty, staff,
families, and the greater community to participate in this
Annual Appeal. In 2021-22, 263 donors contributed a
total of $251,606 to this essential fund.
The Tiered Tuition Fund is supported through directed
gifts by individuals, businesses, and foundations, and
through the Spring for Waldorf Auction & Dance Party.
During 2021-22 this Fund received $142,731. This
provided tuition support to over 40% of MCWS families.
Generous donors established the Opportunity Fund in
the spring of 2021 to increase diversity and accessibility.
It provides supplemental tuition assistance for a number
of high school families who qualified through TADS
(Tuition Aid Data Services). In 2021-22, donors contributed
$75,167 in pledged support for MCWS students.
The Endowment Fund is supported primarily by larger,
directed, planned gifts and is open to all donors and any
amounts. The Endowment Fund ensures MCWS’ future
financial sustainability by providing annual revenue from
investments. Last year The Endowment Fund increased
by over $110,000 thanks to generous philanthropic
donations and an overall favorable stock market.
6 MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL 2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT 7

With Deep Gratitude
EXPANDING THE REACH OF PHILANTHROPY IN 2021-22
Every donor to our School is essential and every gift is significant. Donors listed in the following categories
made unrestricted and/or restricted gifts to MCWS during the 2021-2022 school year in direct cash and
securities. We extend our warmest gratitude to all our generous contributors.
Maine Coast Waldorf Circle ($15,000
- $24,999+)
Anonymous (3)
Lynne & Jay Espy
Sarah and David Hyde
Moser Family Foundation
Leaders Circle ($10,000 - $14,999)
Laura and Ross Emerson
Carleigh & Josh Lowe
Lisa & Kevin Lukis
Heather & Frederick Veitch
Sally Veitch
Partners Circle ($5,000 - $9,999)
Anonymous (1)
Danielle Dignan and Dan Zuiches
Portland Volvo, Bill Waldron
Royal River Natural Foods
Waldorf Circle ($2,500 - $4,999)
Anonymous (4)
David & Trisha* Barton
Christi Berube & Jonathan Huntington
John & Lauren Manganello
Mr. & Mrs. William R. Martens
The Gerrish H. Milliken Foundation
Jennifer & James Pochurek
Stew & Liz Strawbridge
Taproot
Phoebe Whipple
Friends Circle ($1,000 - $2,499)
Anonymous (1)
Appolon New England, Justin Coffin
Leslie Baldridge
Roger Berle & Lesley MacVane
Derek & Stephanie Blackburn
Paul & Mary Bloch
Renee Bourgeois & Brian Eng
Clark Insurance
Henry Cline & Jessica Madore
Heather & Richard Dahlberg
Thomas Delaney and TKS Design
Studio LLC
Jesse Deupree
Freeport Hardware
Donald Grand & Ann Martin Calder
Foundation
Hannaford Brothers
HM Payson, matching gift
Horizon Homes, Kristie Green and
David Milliken
Sarah Day Guzman & Francisco
Guzman
Melissa & Nathan Hoy
Insight Eyecare and Rich Young
Inspire Dental of Maine
Barbara & Peter Guffin
Michelle & Thomas Keleher in honor of
Ruth Burchstead
Jeannie & Kevin Mattson
Irene & George Minich
Jeremy R. Morton MD
Bob & Katy Neveu
Jeff O’Brien
Ben & Sandy Pearson in honor of
Lynne Espy
PepsiCo Foundation, matching gift
Wesley & Jenny Post
Preti-Flaherty Law Firm and Dan
Walker
Katie Pulsifer & Steve Morton
Jeanne Sanders
Jennifer & Leonard Sherwood
Ben & Mariana Tupper
Fred & Linda Veitch
Community Circle (Up to $999)
Anonymous (7)
AmazonSmile.com
Diane & Richard Armstrong
Rebecca Armstrong
Back Cove Financial
Lyn Baird & Bill Seretta
David & Kelly Barham
Henry & Kate Barrett
Peggy & Peter Barrett
Megan & Andrew Barrier
Julie Beane
Elizabeth Berle & Nathaniel Smith
Jim Bly
Angela Bonarrigo
Laura Bonarrigo
Edward Brained & Florence Lusk
Susan Brooks in memory of Grampy
Ward
Emily Bruce
Larry & Susan Bruce
Brad Burnham & Laura Lee
Rose Mary & Brian Burwell
Cornelia Calder & Nate Krenkel
Mary Calder Bush
Elizabeth & Keith Cameron
Robert & Susan Caron
Anna Charlotte
Jennifer & Thomas Charrette
Frank Chessa & Susan Stark
Lee Chisholm
Kathryn & Nicholas Ciarimboli
Sarah Clark & Jeremy Shute
CLYNK
Justin & Briana Coffin
Justin Corcoran & Meghann Donahue
Doug & Eleanor Cowan
Jessica & Stephen Cowan
Brianne & Johnathan Cox
Jeffrey Crowder
Katy & Tom Daly in honor of Heidi &
Evan Pyle
Heidi Davidson
Karen L. Day
Conan Deady & Cynthia Berliner
Lily Deupree
Ann & Larry DeVan
Angie Dierks & Chris Brown
Rebecca & Ethan Dobrow
Emma Dolan
Phoebe Dolan
Carol & David Dowley
Chloe Dowley & Tom Boutureira
Gena & Ian Doyle
David & Monika Eichler
Lauren Eichler
Vic & Ruth Eichler in honor of David &
Monika Eichler
Sylvia & Herbert Einstein
Avner Eisenberg
Martha Eshoo & Keith Dolan
Adele Espy in honor of Lynne Espy
Hannah Espy in honor of Josh Espy
Kristina Färm-Morrill & Manning Morrill
Lauren Farnsworth
Sylvie Fenderson
Belle & Donald Finfer
Betsy Fitzgerald
Jill Fox
M. Fox & T. Shartar in honor of Ruth
Burchstead
Craig Freshley & Carol Nelson
Guardian Life Insurance Company,
matching gift
Alice Gauvin
Craig Giddens
Seth & Margo Goodman
Michelle & Peter Gordon
Shaina Graff in honor of Lynne Espy
Hanna & Chris Graham
John & Penning Graham
Anne & Gordon Grimes
Kari & Bill Guddeck
M. Elie Gundersen
Lars Gundersen
E & R Hale-MacKinnon
Paul Harrison
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Foundation Mini-Grant
Jeanine Hathaway in honor of Lynne
Espy
Michelle & Michael Hathaway
Charlie Hayes
Henry & Alicia Heyburn
Sylvia Holland
Tarek Ihaddaden
Helen-Anne Ireland
Barbara Kappelmann
Christopher Kasprak
Barbara & David Kaufman in memory
of Dara Kaufman
Michelle & Aaron Kaufman
Ananda Kaymen & Dolf Shearer
Mary Rackmales
Amy & Brian Kessler
Sara Ellen Kitchen in honor of Georgia
Benn
Anna Korsiak
Morgan Lake Adams & Tim Schneider
Ruairi Lake
Tadhq Lake
Mary LeMaistre
Sara & Shai Levite in honor of Lee
Chisholm
Linzee & Peter
Alan Lyscars in honor of Margaret F.
Cleveland
Jake Lyscars in memory of Margaret
Cleveland
Joshua & Kimberly Lytle
Christie & Joel Mahaffey
Lisa Mainella & Hans Gundersen
Jennifer McLeod-Marenghi & Charlie
Marenghi
Emily Martin
Erin & Marc Matthews
Tom Matthews
Kevin McElroy & Kate Butler
Gayle & Walter McGuire
Betty McLeod
Cerridwen McQueen
Lucas Milliken
Dana & Jess Moore
Rosita Moore & Will Johnston
Willard Morgan & Jennifer Barton
Kevin Morris & Diana Norwood
Mary Beth & Christian Muentener
Misti Munster & Marcel Ouellette
Bruce & Roxanne Murphy in memory
of Fritz Koelln
Sue & John Murphy
Meghan Anderson-Nathanson & Josh
Nathanson
Joseph Newlin
Mitch Newlin
James & Elizabeth Obernesser
Karine Odlin
Sarah Oliver & Scott Carter
PayPal Giving Fund
Barbara Peirson
Suzie Peirson & Paul Ritger
Jack Pierce
Patricia Pochurek
Bill & Kathi Polachek in honor of
Juliette Ciarimboli
Dick & Janet Post
Caitlin Pow
Susan Purcell
Marta & Tom Rackmales
John & Coco Reinhart
Denley Poor-Reynolds and Matthew
Reynolds
Briana Robillard
Nancy & Daniel Roderick
Tom Roeber
Sarah Russell & Joe Reynolds
Pat Sanford
Bruce & Nancy Schatz
Karl Schatz & Margaret Hathaway
Elizabeth Scherer*
David & Sonja Schmanska
Laura Seretta & Tyler Callnan
Shaw’s Give Back Program
Eric & Catharine Shurtleff
Hyam Siegel
Leslie Joy & Miles Simmons
David & Christine Sloan
Debra & Doug Smith
Ezra Smith
Susan Sonntag
Nagesh & Jayashree Sonti
Amanda & Stephen Soule
Adams Staples
Charles O. Staples
Charles & Sara Staples
Michael & Victoria Stefanakos
Tom & Juva* Stefanakos in honor of
Lynne Espy
Katy Stetson
Betta Stothart & Eric Connor
Peter & Laura Strauss
Jeremy Stultz
Nancy Sveden
Maureen Sze
Marta Szücs
Bob & Lynn Thurrell
Ben Tindall
Carlin Tindall
Molly Urich
Sarah & Jim Van Fleet
Kristan Van Hook & Ranjit Sidhu
Gwen Wahlquist
Melisa & Dan Walker
Robert S. Walker, MD
Melissa Watson & Matt Burke
Nan & Ed Welch
Lynn & Markus Wetterhorn
Tom & Jule Whelan
Tom & Susan White
Holly & John Williams
Warren & Ursula Wilmot
Jamie Worster & Douglas Hall
Restricted Gifts for Tiered Tuition
Fund: Spring for Waldorf Business &
Family Sponsorships & Donors
Anonymous (3)
Dana & Eric Anderson
AWSNA & Patrice Maynard
Back Cove Financial
Glen Baldridge
Leslie Baldridge
Kate & Henry Barrett
Charlotte & Max Barus
Christian Beckstein, Lovelab Studio
Bella Luna Toys
Paul & Mary Bloch
Angela Bonarrigo
Laura Bonarrigo
Lila Bossi & Wild Petal Maine
Brunswick Diner
Ruth Burchstead
Susan Bryant Caron Handcrafted
Jewelry
Cedarworks
Chavall
Clark Insurance
Justin Corcoran & Meghann Donahue
Curtis Lawn & Yard Care
Derosier’s Pizza
Desert of Maine
Danielle Dignan & Dan Zuiches
Rebecca & Ethan Dobrow
Natalie & Andrew Durham
East End Wax Company
Ross & Laura Emerson
Lynne & Jay Espy
Foundation Brewing
Freeport Hardware
Freeport Nutrition
Fuzzy Lovies
Garbage to Garden
Gracie’s Garden
Grandpa’s Garden
Gingham
Ian Guzman
Sarah & Francisco Guzman
Margaret Hathaway
Dr. Johanna Hill
Horizon Homes, Kristie Green and
David Milliken
The Hoy Family
Insight Eyecare, Rich Young
Inspire Dental of Maine
Helen-Ann Ireland
Ara Jerahian
Christopher Kasprak
Brian Kessler
Lake & Co
Kevin & Lisa Lukis
Josh & Kimberly Lytle
Maine Coast Waldorf Faculty, Staff, and
Students
Mainly Grains
Malone Commercial Brokers
Lauren & John Manganello
Julie Mattei
Erin & Marc Matthews
Jeannie & Kevin Mattson
MOFGA
Moser Family Foundation
Mother of Purl Yarn Shop
Sarah Oliver & Scott Carter
Palmer & Co Homegoods
Patagonia
HM Payson
Pineland Farms
Pinetree Family Chiropractic
Jennifer & James Pochurek
Portland Pottery, Lisa Bonarrigo &
Christopher Bruni
Portland Volvo, Bill Waldron
The Post Family
Preti-Flaherty Law Firm
Katie Pulsifer & Steve Morton
REVE Cycling Studio
Denley Poor-Reynolds and Matthew
Reynolds
Barbara Richardson
Briana Robillard
Royal River Natural Foods
Scales seafood restaurant
Louise Sheldon
Sherman’s Books
Society Hill Farm
Susan Brown Stoddard & Brooks
Stoddard
Symphony Soap Co
Taproot
Ten Apple Farm
The Met
TKS Design Studio LLC
Tuscan Table
The Veitch Family
Mia Waisman
Dan & Melisa Walker
Kelly Welch
Wolfe’s Neck Center
Woodford Food & Beverage
Jamie Worster
The faculty, staff, College of
Teachers, and Board of Directors
of Maine Coast Waldorf School
appreciate contributions from the
following Maine Coast community
members:
Alum Students
Anonymous (2)
Megan Barrier
Emma Dolan
Phoebe Dolan
Lauren Eichler
Adele Espy
Hannah Espy
Sylvie Fenderson
Alice Gauvin
Hanna Graham
Eli Gundersen
Lars Gundersen
Charlie Hayes
Sylvia Holland
Tarek Ihaddaden
Anna Korsiak
Jake Lyscars
Emily Martin
Lucas Milliken
Joseph Newlin
Mitch Newlin
Jack Pierce
Laura Seretta
Adams Staples
Ben Tindall
Carlin Tindall
Alum Parents, Grandparents &
Friends
Diane & Richard Armstrong
Lyn Baird & Bill Seretta
Peggy & Peter Barrett
David Barton
Roger Berle & Lesley MacVane
Edward Brained & Florence Lusk
Bill & Sue Bristol
Susan Brooks
Larry & Susan Bruce
Sissy & Sandy Buck
Rose Mary & Brian Burwell
Mary Calder Bush
Robert & Susan Caron
Anna Charlotte
Frank Chessa & Susan Stark
Lee Chisholm
Doug & Eleanor Cowan
Paula Craighead & Michael Saucier
Heather & Richard Dahlberg
Kathy & Tom Daly
Heidi Davidson
Karen L. Day
Jesse Deupree
Ann & Larry DeVan
Angie Dierks & Chris Brown
(Donors continued on the next page.)
8 MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL
2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT 9

With Deep Gratitude (Continued)
Carol & David Dowley
David & Monika Eichler
Vic & Ruth Eichler
Sylvia & Herbert Einstein
Avner Eisenberg
Martha Eshoo & Keith Dolan
Lynne & Jay Espy
Belle & David Finfer
Betsy Fitzgerald
Marty Fox & Thyle Shartar
Craig Freshley & Carol Nelson
Michelle & Peter Gordon
Donald Grand & Ann Martin Calder
Anne & Gordon Grimes
Barbara & Peter Guffin
Jeanine Hathaway
Mollie Heron
Henry & Alicia Heyburn
Melissa & Nathan Hoy
Barbara & David Kaufman
Samuel* & Louisa Kaymen
Mary Rackmales
Amy & Brian Kessler
Sara Ellen Kitchen
Mary LeMaistre
Sara & Shai Levite
Gail Liberty
Linzee & Peter
Donna & Larry Lukis
Alan Lyscars
Lisa Mainella & Hans Gundersen
Mr. & Mrs. William R. Martens
Tom Matthews
Kevin McElroy & Kate Butler
Betty McLeod
George & Irene Minich
Dana & Jess Moore
Rosita Moore & Will Johnston
Kristina Färm-Morrill & Manning Morrill
Jeremy R. Morton, MD
Elizabeth Moser
Dan Morgenstern & Moriah Moser
Sue & John Murphy
Bob & Katy Neveu
Jeff O’Brien
James & Elizabeth Obernesser
Karine Odlin
Ben & Sandy Pearson
Barbara Peirson
Suzie Peirson & Paul Ritger
Patricia Pochurek
Bill & Kathi Polachek
Dick & Janet Post
Katie Pulsifer & Steve Morton
Susan Purcell
Denley Poor-Reynolds and Matthew
Reynolds
Tom Roeber
Margaret & Nord Samuelson
Jeanne Sanders
Pat Sanford
Bruce & Nancy Schatz
Elizabeth Scherer*
David & Sonja Schmanska
Jennifer & Leonard Sherwood
Hyam Siegel
Leslie & Miles Simmons
David & Christine Sloan
Debra Smith
Susan Sonntag
Nagesh & Jayashree Sonti
Charles O. Staples
Michael & Victoria Stefanakos
Tom & Juva* Stefanakos
Peter & Laura Strauss
Nancy Sveden
Maureen Sze
Marta Szücs
Bob & Lynn Thurrell
Fred & Linda Veitch
Sally Veitch
Robert S. Walker, MD
Nan & Ed Welch
Tom & Susan White
Holly & John Williams
Current & Former Faculty & Staff
In addition to furthering the School’s
mission in all that they do, a great many
current and former members of the
faculty and staff of Maine Coast Waldorf
stepped forward to support the Maine
Coast Waldorf Fund, Tiered Tuition,
the Opportunity Fund, and the School’s
Endowment. We greatly appreciate all
they do for our School and community.
Morgan Lake Adams
Dana Anderson
Lyn Baird
David & Kelly Barham
Jim Bly
Laura Bonarrigo
Rose Mary Burwell
Lee Chisholm
Heidi Davidson
Lily Deupree
Chloe Dowley
David & Monika Eichler
Laura & Ross Emerson
Lynne Espy
Lauren Farnsworth
Craig Giddens
Michelle Gordon
Shaina Graff
Hanna Graham
Barbara Guffin
Melissa Hoy
Sarah Hyde
Helen-Ann Ireland
Christopher Kasprak
Ananda Kaymen
Michelle Keleher
Amy & Brian Kessler
Josh Lytle
Lisa Mainella
Jennifer McLeod-Marenghi
Cerridwen McQueen
Jess Moore
Kristina Färm-Morrill
Moriah Moser
Roxanne Murphy
Jeff O’Brien
Sharon Peavey
Suzie Peirson
Jennifer Pochurek
Wesley Post
Caitlin Pow
Marta Rackmales
John & Coco Reinhart
Briana Robillard
Nancy Roderick
Tom Roeber
Margaret Samuelson
David & Christine Sloan
Ezra Smith
Susan Sonntag
Katy Stetson
Susan Brown Stoddard
Bob & Lynn Thurrell
Lisa Trafton
Molly Urich
Sarah Van Fleet
Gwen Wahlquist
Melissa Watson
Lynn Wetterhorn
Ursula Wilmot
Rich Young
MCWS Local & Online Businesses
Anonymous (1)
AmazonSmile
Apollon New England
Back Cove Financial
Clark Insurance
CLYNK
Freeport Hardware
Gingham
Guardian Life Insurance Company,
matching gift
Hannaford Brothers
Harvard Business Services, Inc.
HM Payson, matching gift
Horizon Homes
We have made every effort to be as accurate as possible while compiling our lists of donors. If your name has been listed
incorrectly or has been omitted, please reach out to the Development Office @ 207-865-3900 Ext 116.
Legacy Gifts to the
Maine Coast Waldorf Fund
Lynne & Jay Espy
Insight Eyecare
Inspire Dental of Maine
Lake & Co
Portland Volvo
Preti-Flaherty Law Firm
Royal River Natural Foods
Shaw’s Give Back Program
Taproot
TKS Design Studio, LLC
*indicates donor is deceased
Funds, Foundations, and Matching
Gifts
Anonymous (5)
Donald Grand & Ann Martin Calder
Foundation
Harold W. & Mary Louise Shaw
Foundation
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Foundation Mini-Grant
Henry Clay Frick Foundation
HM Payson, matching gift
The Gerrish H. Milliken Foundation
Guardian Life Insurance Company,
matching gift
Louise and Samuel Kaymen Gift Fund
Maine Community Foundation
Morgan Stanley Gift Foundation
Moser Family Foundation
PayPal Giving Fund
The PepsiCo Foundation, matching gift
We are deeply touched
and grateful to the Moser
Family Foundation and
their thoughtful and
generous contributions to
Maine Coast’s students.
Over the past two decades the
foundation has championed
every step of the School’s
creation, development, and
sustainability. The foundation’s
passion for educating the whole
“being” continues to make this
education accessible for all
children and has translated
into supporting families and
students, as well as our facilities
and faculty over many years.
Philanthropic Stewardship
A LETTER FROM LAURA BONARRIGO, DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
We are grateful for
all the ways donors
contribute to the School
from cash gifts that
fill immediate funding
needs to major and
planned gifts that will
build our Endowment
and make future
dreams come true.
Joining Maine Coast in the middle
of our academic school year, I
have been so impressed with all I
have learned about the community.
I’ve met parents deeply committed to
Maine Coast and Waldorf education as
they volunteer their time and talents
in a myriad of ways to make sure
the School is vibrant and welcoming.
The faculty and staff are not only
committed to their classrooms and
this unique education, they are
also deeply engaged in the School’s
reaccreditation process, asking
important questions and assessing
where we are as a community and
where change is necessary. And of
course, I’ve been so impressed with
the students; they have showcased
their academic work through song,
dance, theater, sports, and artistry
everywhere I’ve turned.
As the new Development Director, I
have been privy to the most interesting
conversations from every facet of
the community including alums and
major donors. These conversations
also center around where we are
as a community today and where
we want to go next? The questions
and conversations are thoughtful,
important, and promising. There
is much to consider - and much to
celebrate. I am deeply moved by the
thoughtfulness and excitement as we
continue to emerge from COVID-19
and into the next stage of development
for the community at large.
One realization keeps coming up - the
School as an institution is moving
from literally building a campus and
erecting new buildings into a period of
growth that will sustain and shepherd
the School to the next generation.
In order to sustain and nurture this
transition, I ask each and every one
of you to be involved even more. You
may have literally built this School
(and I’ve seen photos of you doing
so!). Now it is time to stop and think
about how you fit into the next stage
of development.
One realization keeps coming
up - the School as an institution
is moving from literally building
a campus and erecting new
buildings into a period of
growth that will sustain and
shepherd the School to the
next generation.
The stewardship of Maine Coast
Waldorf School falls upon everyone in
the community. I invite you to consider
making MCWS your number one
philanthropic endeavor. In order to
help move Maine Coast into the next
iteration of its development, we are all
tasked with finding our place and the
ways in which we can ensure that our
School continues to thrive and can live
up to its mission. This School is truly
amazing with its beautiful campus,
buildings, heart-filled education, and
smiling children, so I ask you… where
do we go from here?
DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE
2021-2022
Jeanne Mattson
Justin Corcoran
Justin Coffin
Lisa T. Lukis
Kate Barrett
Heather Veitch
Jennifer Pochurek
10 MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL
2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT 11

The Beauty of Teaching
A LETTER FROM CAITLIN POW, CO-BRANCH CHAIR, GRADE SCHOOL
In the summer of 2014, just before I was to start teaching my first First
Grade at Maine Coast Waldorf School (then Merriconeag), I remember
telling a friend that I had a sense that I was going to get a large,
rambunctious, and, yes, a rather naughty class for this eight-year journey.
‘Don’t jinx yourself,’ she admonished, but it was too late! The universe and I
were in agreement about what the constellation of the class would be and,
sure enough, as I greeted their very cute faces on the first day of school at the
doorway of the first-grade classroom, I knew my hunch was delightfully true. I
was in for a handful as a new teacher
Now, eight years later, having passed that more mature, but still rambunctious
group of Eighth Graders off to the joys of summer before they begin High
School next fall, I’ve been reflecting on what it meant to me to have the group
of students that I had for eight happy years.
As many new teachers do, I began my first year of teaching with very wellplanned,
precise, and rigid ideas of how each lesson would flow, what
questions I would ask to generate the answers I was looking for to achieve
the learning goals, and how we’d seamlessly segue from one activity to the
next. This all worked marvelously for about a month as the First Graders
showed me their best behavior in their big kid classroom at their big kid
desks, but after that honeymoon phase, they began to do what children do
best: give their teachers honest feedback about how the teaching was going.
The beauty of teaching is that you receive instant feedback on job performance.
If the lesson is boring, pedantic, or confusing, young children will immediately
let you know through their questions, engagement, and behavior. During
those first few years as a new teacher, this boisterous class of students
gave me excellent and instantaneous feedback each and every day as only
The beauty of teaching is that you receive instant feedback on
job performance. If the lesson is boring, pedantic, or confusing,
young children will immediately let you know through their
questions, engagement, and behavior.
children can, forcing me to develop
the flexibility to pivot, switch up the
activities, spend more time on a topic
than I had planned, and sometimes
realize that my entire lesson plan was
really not that good or exciting and
scrap it altogether.
Teachers around the world have this
experience, but unique to the Waldorf
model, I got that feedback from the
same children year after year. This
prolonged model of relationship
allowed me the opportunity to see
how their learning and engagement
changed each year as they aged
while simultaneously allowing me to
fine-tune and hone my teaching as I
learned to read the room, work with
the energy of the students that day,
and meet the interests and strengths
that I was able to witness developing
in my students over years.
I could write a whole novel full of the
adventures, activities, and anecdotes
from the experience of teaching
this class; this group of children and
I summited mountains together,
put on plays, rode the subway,
kayaked, and made outrageous
messes during art projects, had
conversations ranging from hilarious
to serious, worked on endless math
problems, and enjoyed each other’s
company for eight long years. Yes,
they were rambunctious and a little
naughty throughout, but because
I had the privilege of being their
teacher year after year, I also got
to witness them being wise, funny,
kind, compassionate, innovative,
profound, enthusiastic, thoughtful,
and educators themselves as they
truly taught me how to be a teacher.
As I turn my thoughts away from
the graduating Eighth Grade Class
of 2022 and to the little ones I’ll
be starting over with again this
upcoming fall, I feel well prepared
to begin again. This time, however,
I’m excited to have the hard-earned
experience to allow me to craft even
stronger lessons than my first-yearteaching-self
could have imagined,
while at the same time having the
experience to be ready to toss it out
and pivot when my students show me
that they need something different.
12 MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL 2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT 13

The Rhythms We Establish
A LETTER FROM LYNN WETTERHORN, EARLY CHILDHOOD FACULTY
The four Early Childhood classes began this year 100% outdoors as we
continued to emphasize the health and safety of our community during
the pandemic. And despite all the stress around us in the world, what
joyful times we had! We played in the mud, ran through the forest, tended to
our chickens and gardens, listened to stories, and participated in Circle Time
songs, verses, and movement journeys. The seasons informed our curriculum,
and festivals marked important milestones where our families joined us.
The Fall Harvest Festival at the beginning of the school year found us gathering
apples from our abundant orchard to press for cider. Magical singing rang out
as we walked with our hand-made lanterns under late-autumn evening skies
for our Lantern Walk. As the winter solstice approached we gathered in the
backfield on a calm evening to walk through our Winter Garden spiral. And
when spring arrived, teachers and children alike danced around the May Pole.
All of our activities take place
from our understanding that
in the first stage of human
development, from birth to age
six or seven, children learn best
through imitation.
As the winter set in, the classes
spent some time indoors each day
but always managed to have time
outdoors except for the occasional
freezing and windy days. Our students
have amazing resilience! They are
hardy, capable, and formed strong
relationships with their teachers and
each other. Their amazing parents
kept them well-dressed for whatever
weather came our way.
All of our activities take place from
our understanding that in the first
stage of human development, from
birth to age six or seven, children
learn best through imitation.
Through circle, free play, story, and
practical work, the children are
offered plentiful opportunities to
develop conceptual foundations of
algebra, geometry, mathematics,
and the physical sciences, as well
as phonics, rich vocabulary, and
rhymes that will serve them well
as they continue their educational
journey through the Grades and
the High School, and will establish
a healthy, balanced foundation
for life. Experiences of cooking,
handwork, clean-up, gardening and
farm work, movement, and outdoor
exploration create opportunities to
count, classify, measure, use abstract
symbols, observe nature and the
seasons, build attention to detail,
and a genuine curiosity for learning
and wonder.
The rhythms we established this
year in our orchards, forests, and
cozy classrooms allowed the children
to follow their natural curiosity– a
freedom that will set them up to
become curious, life-long learners in
an ever-changing world.
14 MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL 2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT 15

Class of 2022 Graduation
A REMARKABLE CLASS INSPIRES THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
Maine Coast Waldorf School’s Class of 2022 graduated on Saturday
afternoon in a beautiful ceremony that featured live music, heartfelt
speeches by every member of the senior class, and the love and warmth
of family and friends in attendance. These fourteen Seniors are ready to
meet the world with courage and enthusiasm.
CLASS OF 2022
COLLEGE ENROLLMENT
Alfred University
Bishop’s University
Castleton University
Central Maine Community
College
Colby College
Colorado College
Husson University
Santa Clara University
Simmons University
Smith College
University of New
Hampshire
University of Vermont
Vassar College
16 MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL 2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT 17

Spring for Waldorf
AUCTION & DANCE PARTY
Our Spring for Waldorf, Retro Prom came to life this May, thanks to
the support, participation, collaboration, leadership, and enthusiasm of
all the organizers and volunteers, who worked endless hours to make
this a special evening. Spring for Waldorf symbolizes our commitment to
diversity, equity, and inclusion.
THANK YOU for your participation, passion, and inspiration.
THANK YOU
to our Spring for
Waldorf Committee
Co-Chairs
Dana Anderson &
Lauren Manganello
Members
Nelly Calder
Kate Ciarimboli
Briana Coffin
Laura Emerson
Erin Matthews
Jeannie Mattson
Melisa Walker
Hannah White
Go Behind the Scenes
A LETTER FROM PHOEBE DOLAN ALUM REPRESENTATIVE, BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
After being a Waldorf lifer at two
different Waldorf Schools, I
joined the Maine Coast Waldorf
School Board for two years of service
as an alum representative. It was an
easy choice to join: the School that put
so much care and energy into my life
needed me to come back and offer
perspective on the ways the School
could continue to bring up generations
of inspired and excited students. I was
excited to join!
The education I received
taught me that there should be
a reason and intention in what
we are doing.
Being on the Board was the true
behind-the-scenes experience that
I was hoping for. I jumped into July
2020 learning about, reading through,
and implementing COVID-19 policies
with the rest of the Board and got to
be part of the on-the-ground Schoolwide
decisions each month. I spent a
year on the Climate Action Committee
and some time as well with the DEI
Maine Coast Waldorf School’s
“Add a Zero” Challenge
For every donation of $10 - $100 made by an alum or former student
to the Maine Coast Waldorf Fund by December 31, 2021, anonymous
donors added a zero. Gifts of $10 became $100, $50 became $500,
$100 became $1,000. This was an opportunity for our Alums to make
a big impact on the lives of our students and teachers and we are
incredibly grateful.
Committee, which allowed me to see
the care and loving work that goes
into our School and all the pieces that
make us, us!
MCWS fundamentally formed me
into the person I am today—a thinker
and doer. I feel that I use all my
Waldorf skills. Everything from my
cross country running technique, to
critical thinking about how to change
systems that don’t work for society, to
water-color painting thank you cards
to funders for the non-profit where I
work. The education I received taught
me that there should be a reason and
intention in what we are doing. If we
can’t find one, then we need to think
critically about why we are doing it.
Being on the Board and being involved
as an alum has been a fantastic,
rewarding, and overall fun experience.
As I end my two years this summer,
I encourage you all to come back to
MCWS when you are able and go
behind the scenes as I have!
See you at the Fall Fair!
Phoebe Dolan, Class of 2016
18 MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL 2021-2022 ANNUAL REPORT 19

Alum Notes
ALICE GAUVIN
MCWS ‘07
LINCOLN SAMUELSON MCWS ’15
Lincoln survived Naked and Afraid, season
12, episode 6 A Tangled Web in Texas. The
show can be viewed on DiscoveryGo,
DiscoveryPlus, or any other network that
supports Discovery. Lincoln is living in New
Zealand completing his Masters at the
University of Auckland.
MYAH GARRISON MCWS ‘20
Alice, a Grade 8
Alum recently
opened Alice
Gauvin Gallery
on York Street
in Portland,
Maine. She and
her husband
Adrien welcomed
their first child
Leonora in
August.
Myah, currently a student at Bennington
College, is a newly published author. Her
debut book, Igor in Therapy, which was
born the summer before her senior year at
MCWS, is available. Myah has also signed a
five-book deal with her publisher, Spuyten
Duyvil Publishing.
NORAJEAN FERRIS MCWS ‘10
Norajean is an
accomplished
artist and well
on her way of
making a name for
herself through
her intense, raw,
and unapologetic
pieces that bring
human rights
issues to the forefront. Two of her pieces
On These Pandemic Streets and The Most
Vulnerable were featured in the University
of New Hampshire’s On the Edge exhibit
from January 25 through March 31st, 2022.
REBECCA WILDES MCWS ‘11
Rebecca went to
college at UMF
and circled back
to Waldorf as
an assistant for
two years before
the pandemic
hit. She learned
the most about
herself through
being a student and teacher at MCWS.
With passion for early childhood ed, she
is currently taking classes and furthering
her professional development. This fall, to
help remedy the child care shortage, she
is opening her home for child care. She is
eager to offer families a Waldorf inspired
early infant/toddler experience with loads
of outdoor time and warmth.
NICHOLAS NEVEU MCWS ‘18
Nicholas just
graduated from
Loyola Marymount
University with
a degree in Civil
Engineering and
has started a job
with Black and
Veatch as an
engineer in their
water division.
Moving On…
WE GREATLY ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED AT MAINE COAST FOR
OVER SEVEN YEARS
LYN BAIRD
As one of the founding parents
of MCWS, (with two children
who attended The Merriconeag
School through Grade 8), Lyn
joined the faculty twenty-eight
years ago. Hired initially as
Development Director, then
Admissions Director, then serving
as a combined Development &
Admissions Director, her responsibilities broadened as
the school grew. In 2006, the Board split Development
and Admissions into separate positions, and Lyn became
Admissions Director for EC-Grade twelve. Over her nearly
three decades of service, Lyn worked with hundreds if not
thousands of families as they found their way to MCWS at
every age level, helping each family feel connected to the
education, the teachers, and the community. Her warm
and welcoming smile, caring and professional demeanor,
and ability to remember every student and family she
worked with will be her enduring legacy.
DAVID BARHAM
David will join his wife Kelly in
Maryland after fourteen years of
teaching at MCWS, the first two in
middle school and the remainder as
a High School Humanities teacher.
He was one of the early members
of the High School faculty, helping
build its reputation as a dynamic
and engaging place of learning. He
has spent the last three years as the High School Chair,
leading the High School through the complexities of the
pandemic. His contributions to the school community
could fill a novel, and we’ll miss his musical skills, creativity,
and the passion he brought to the classroom and
community every day.
KELLY BARHAM
After nine years of teaching in the
Early Childhood Program, the last
seven as a lead teacher, plus serving
as Chair of the Early Childhood
Program, Kelly Barham has decided
to stay in Maryland to be closer to
her granddaughter, Bernadette.
She will continue on in her Waldorf
career, serving as the Faculty Chair
at Acorn Hill Waldorf Kindergarten and Nursery in Silver
Spring, MD. She writes that she has been “honored to have
walked, sung, jumped, and had meals” with the children
who have graced her Bluebell Classroom over the years.
LYNNE ESPY
After twelve-and-a-half years as
MCWS’ Development Director
and thirty years as a community
member, Lynne Espy retired
this past December. Lynne’s
contributions to the community
have been immense as a Board
President, Development Director,
parent, and volunteer. She
spearheaded several capital campaigns and joyfully
created a culture of gratitude and philanthropy. She’s
already making the most of her retirement, spending time
outside, exploring new passions, and of course, perfecting
several recipes.
LISA MAINELLA
For many years, the helm of the
lower school office was held by
Lisa Mainella. She balanced so
many logistics that seemed to keep
everything running smoothly. Lisa
was not only organized, timely, and
meticulous in her attention to detail,
but she was also always prepared
to dole out bandaids, kind words, a
joke, or a listening ear to teachers, parents, and students
that paid her office a visit. She fearlessly chaperoned
skiing trips and ropes courses, modeling for students of
all ages how to have fun and be brave in the face of new
challenges. Her warmth in our faculty circle will be missed!
In addition
we thank faculty and staff who have
moved onto other ventures.
Ross Emerson
Kendra Gaarder
Christopher Kasprak
Amy Kessler
Christopher Lee
Jennifer LoRusso
Callie McMaster
Barbara Paschke
Jennifer Pochurek
Delaney Randall
Nowell Stoddard
20 MAINE COAST WALDORF SCHOOL

MAINE COAST
WALDORF SCHOOL
57 Desert Road, Freeport, Maine 04032
NON PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Freeport, ME
PERMIT #44
MAINECOASTWALDORF.ORG | development@mainecoastwaldorf.org | (207) 865-3900 Ext.116
Photos by Christopher Kasprak, and by Sharyn Peavey Photography • Design by Charlie Pollock, Badgerhound Design