our educators

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EARLY CHILDHOOD 

INTERIM 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 GRADE

Rachel Caldwell holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from North Carolina State University and a Certificate In Waldorf Early Childhood Education from the Micha-el Institute, 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.

THIRD GRADE

Patricia Fox has a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Appalachian State University with a minor in theater. Her interests in the arts have always been a part of her life. She began exploring through nature studies and theater at an early age which brought her to studying the theater arts and education.  Patricia has a combined experience of 16 years of teaching. During this time she has had the opportunity to work with children from early childhood through sixth grade including working with students with special needs. These teaching experiences include working in a variety of academic settings in both public and private sectors spanning four states. 

Following these years, after her first daughter was born, Patricia began a self-study of Waldorf education and anthroposophy, working with Life Ways of North America studying the Waldorf approach to early childhood, attending Sun Star Farm School, hosting and leading a Waldorf-inspired home Play garden, attending Waldorf Homeschooling conferences, and collaborating and leading local events with the Triangle Waldorf Homeschooling Organization. Over this time she gained a wealth of experience while working with her mixed aged children in her home. 

Prior to joining Raleigh Day School in 2021 Patricia taught 2nd grade at Raleigh Oak Charter School.   While Embarking on the study of Waldorf philosophy, Patricia found she was called "home." The holistic approach Waldorf Education provides resonated fully with what she had always been seeking as an educator. This fit beautifully into her home life with her children and community. Now entering her third year with Raleigh Day School, Patricia will be the rising 3rd grade class teacher for the 2024-2025 school year as well as the chairperson of the  College of Teachers

When not teaching, Patricia enjoys spending time with her children, family, and community, exploring art, reading, playing guitar, practicing yoga, running, hiking, and gardening. Patricia is dedicated to Waldorf Inspired education and is excited to continue this journey with the third grade class of  Raleigh Day School. 

FIFTH GRADE

Heather Power has been an educator for over 15 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science from Boston University, and a Master of Education from Antioch New England University with Waldorf Education specialization. She has held teaching positions at Monadnock Waldorf School, Cobb Meadow School, and was the director of a home-based Waldorf-inspired program called Summer Song School.

Heather has a deep understanding and love of Waldorf education which she has developed by living into the philosophy both professionally and personally. She raised two children who attended Waldorf schools in New Hampshire where she and her family resided until 7 years ago, when they moved to sunny North Carolina.

Following her move to NC, Heather became involved with the effort to launch the Raleigh Oak Charter School, where she worked alongside Jamie Kelly as a lead kindergarten teacher, and as a mentor in the art of Waldorf principles of education to her fellow educators. Heather joined Raleigh Day School in its first year as Faculty Mentor, Chair of the College of Teachers, and to provide curriculum support. In this role, her many years of experience enhances the strengths of our grades and kindergarten teachers.

She has a magnificent talent for the arts, such as puppetry, handwork, and watercolor painting-other ways she provides support to our teachers. 

 Heather is the lead teacher in the 5th grade class, is a member of the Leadership Committee, the College of Teachers, the chairperson of the Faculty, and is a member of the Board of Directors. We appreciate the depth and breadth of Heather's experience in Waldorf education and her exceptional leadership.

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. 

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. 

HANDWORK & GAMES 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! 

SPANISH TEACHER

Ana Avilez joined Raleigh Day School in the 2024-2025 school year.  Spanish is her first language.  Ana is working with a Waldorf inspired  curriculum and is mentored by a Waldorf Spanish language teacher.  Ana brings authenticity to the language experience and inspires the students to learn through songs,  games, and literature.  

Ana's young daughter is in our Early Childhood program.