our educators

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EARLY CHILDHOOD 

LEAD TEACHER

Bridget Leibold and her family joined Raleigh Day School in our second year.  She developed our Parent Circle and joined our faculty as teacher assistant in the Early Childhood program.  The family relocated to Chapel Hill and Bridget again worked as a teacher assistant in the Emerson Waldorf School Early Childhood program where her daughter is a fourth grade student.

Bridget is a gifted teacher of young children.  She has assisted  two exceptional Early Childhood lead teachers and has embraced the principles of early childhood  education as envisioned in the Waldorf inspired school.   Bridget is a master crafter and has introduced our youngest students to the world of handwork. 

We are fortunate that Bridget has joined us this semester to help further develop our Early Childhood Forest program.

FIRST/SECOND GRADES

Dr. Adena Sexton holds a Ph.D. in Elementary Education from the State University of New York

in Buffalo; an M.S. degree in Literacy from the Buffalo State University in Buffalo, NY; and a

B.S. in Elementary Education from Houghton College in NY. Further, her mission to complete

her Waldorf certification shall add to her academic achievements.

Her over three-decade teaching tenure in diverse settings and teaching children of all ages with

varying cultural backgrounds has brought her “immense fulfillment.” Also noteworthy is her

ten-year service as an early childhood adjunct professor at the Buffalo State University where

she taught from her dissertation on the power of play, and courses on family-school-community

relations.

A native of Buffalo, NY, she is “gifted” with two beautiful adult sons, a one-year old cherished

grandson, and a forty-one year marriage to her late husband.

Adena’s joy is in the spirit of childhood. The essence of her educational philosophy is captured

in the following Native American quote:

When you go the children, try to become a friendly tree that they will want to sit near.

Enjoy them. Forget yourself. If we could all forget ourselves a bit more, then the

children will be free to be themselves. It is them we should try to know.

-A Pueblo Indian grandmother

THIRD/FOURTH GRADES

Rachel Caldwell holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from North Carolina State University and a Certificate In Early Childhood Education from the Micha-el Institute, a Waldorf-inspired program that is now a Registered Initiative with AWSNA, Milwaukee Oregon.  She also holds a Certificate in French Language Immersion from the Institute de Francais, VilleFranche Sur Mer, France.  Rachel has over 15 years of Waldorf education experience and for the seven years before joining Raleigh Day School held a mixed age Kindergarten class at the Waldorf School of Bend, Bend Oregon.  

While in Oregon, Rachel, her husband and her family were hands on in helping to grow and develop the school.  Her three children all attended the Waldorf School from Pre Kindergarten through 6th and 8th grade.  

Raising her own children in a Waldorf Education has given Rachel unique insight into the curriculum and personal experience both as a parent and as an educator.  While teaching she also served on the College of Teachers and Board of Directors as well as holding the role of Early Childhood Director.  

Rachel is dedicated to a lifelong love of learning and to Waldorf Education.  In her spare time, she enjoys camping with her family, reading a good book, baking and cooking with her children and snuggling with her dogs and cats.  Entering her third year with Raleigh Day School, Rachel is a member of the Board of Directors and a member of the Leadership Committee.  She is excited to expand the Raleigh Day School program by providing a first/second grade combined class for the 2024-2025 school year.

SIXTH GRADE EXPERIENCE AND HANDWORK TEACHER 

Joanna Hody lives among the pines in the beautiful heart of North Carolina with her wife, two children, and three dogs. She’s a North Carolina native and loves exploring the beaches and mountains with her family. 

Joanna graduated from North Carolina State University with a BS in Middle Grades English and History and taught Language Arts in public schools before finding her way to Waldorf education. An avid quilter, Joanna taught sewing to all grades after school and jumped at the opportunity to be a founding teacher at Raleigh Oak Charter in 2018. She fell head-over -heels in love with Handwork and proudly completed her Waldorf Handwork Certification with WHE (Waldorf Handwork Educators) in 2022.  

While her summers are spent poolside coaching swim team, you are equally likely to find her snuggled up with a book and a dog, crocheting, doing yoga, testing out delicious vegan recipes, or painting! 

MUSIC TEACHER

Jean Marie Whaley has had a life long curiosity about how people think, feel, and learn. She was drawn to the creative arts since childhood, with the pull toward music being especially strong. 

Through her career as a musician and music educator, she became increasingly interested in arts integration and what this means for our humanity and quality of life. Her own heart found resonance in Steiner’s philosophy on the importance of the feeling life that is so important in education in the younger grades. 

When she is not caring for children in the afternoon at Raleigh Day School, she may be teaching music through her own enterprise Pharos Music Studio. All other time involves her daughter Bess, her dog Stella, and husband Michael in varying degrees of shenanigans and ridiculousness. 

GAMES TEACHER/AFTERCARE TEACHER

 Olyvia is a recent graduate of Wake Technical Community College and will be pursuing her NC teaching license. Upon learning about Waldorf education and studying its principles and beliefs, Olyvia set her sights on establishing a career in this field of education. Olyvia grew up in Garner, North Carolina and has always been creative, charismatic, and curious. Throughout school Olyvia's special interests have been in sociology, psychology, and education.  She began working with children in 2014 as a camp counselor, and later became a nanny and tutor. Olyvia has had a special connection with children since she was younger and has always known that teaching would be a career that would bring her great joy.

When Olyvia is not engaging in her own schoolwork she likes to be active by spending time in nature, creating art, listening to music, or tending to her plants. Olyvia also enjoys spending time with family and friends or relaxing at home with her girlfriend and 2 cats. She has a passion for learning, exploring, and experiencing new things and places. Being open-minded, understanding, and compassionate are qualities that are important to Olyvia and she strives to treat every person around her with love and respect. She enjoys working with children because they inspire her as she helps them to understand and experience themselves and the world around them. 

JAPANESE TEACHER/AFTERCARE TEACHER

Yuki is excited to join Raleigh Day School as a Japanese instructor. She earned her degree in English and Education in Japan and brings meaningful experience from her previous role as an Exceptional Children Assistant at an elementary school in Wake County.

With a deep passion for teaching and a strong commitment to student growth, Yuki is dedicated to creating a welcoming and engaging classroom environment. Her strengths in patience and dedication help her connect with students and support their individual learning journeys.

Outside of the classroom, Yuki enjoys playing music and spending time with her family. She looks forward to contributing to the Raleigh Day School community and sharing her knowledge and love of the Japanese language and culture.