ourfaculty

RENA OSMER

       Rena has been a Waldorf educator since 1985 and a trainer of Waldorf teachers
for 17 years. She holds a M.Ed., is the former director of the Early Childhood
Department at Rudolf Steiner College and is one of the pioneers of the Lifeways
Program. Rena’s gifts in storytelling, puppetry and domestic arts are complemented
by a calm nurturing manner and the wisdom of experience. Ms. Osmer leads our Early
Childhood program and is Faculty Chair.

ALICE PRATT


       Alice, both a Waldorf graduate and a Waldorf parent, has had a lifelong
connection with the Waldorf community. She has been a Waldorf educator for 6 years,
most recently at Pine Hill Waldorf School in Wilton, NH. Alice holds a B.A. in Drama
and Movement Therapy and a M.Ed. with Waldorf Certification in Early Childhood from
Antioch University New England. She has also completed the four year artistic training
in Creative Speech. Ms. Pratt leads our Second Grade program.

NADJA KRANITES

       Nadja trained in Stuttgart, Germany to become a Waldorf Class Teacher
and High School Arts Teacher. After four years, of full time education, she graduated in
2005. Since then Nadja has been living in Florida. She is currently teaching German
and Painting at Sea Star. Ms. Kranites is married and has a two-year old son.

CHARISSA JOHNSON

       Charissa has a true love and appreciation for Waldorf education, and the unique
experience it provides children. Having grown up in a Waldorf community, attending
Waldorf School from Kindergarten through Grade 12, Charissa felt well prepared to go
on to attend Bennington College in Vermont, where she graduated with a BA in
music/songwriting/and voice in 2001. Charissa has made a joyful return back into the
Waldorf community to work with us at Sea Star. She is assistant to Rena Osmer in the
kindergarten, leads music classes in the grades, and is enrolled in the Waldorf Early
Childhood Teacher Training Program at Sunbridge Institute in NY. Her four-year-old
son attends Ms. Guyer's Nursery Class here at Sea Star.

KAREN MAESTRALES

       Karen has served for many years on the board of the Waldorf School Association
of Florida. From 1983-86, she assisted in the Boca Raton Waldorf School’s Early
Childhood Program, completed her Waldorf teacher training in early childhood and
received her certification from Mercy College, Detroit, MI. From 1995-2006, Karen
consulted and led workshops in curriculum development. She also developed
“Pathways”, bringing arts-integrated and ‘hands on’ educational experiences to
students, grades K-12, in South Florida public and private schools. In 2004 Karen co-
led a parent education course with Pat Moreell, entitled “Honoring Life's Journey”, and
through four parents who attended, a seed was planted for a new Waldorf program,
out of which came Sea Star Initiative. Presently, Karen teaches the Games class for
First and Second graders at Sea Star.

LAURA PALLAN

       Laura is a native of Argentina, and brings a wealth of teaching experience with
children of all ages and abilities. She holds a B.S. of Science in Special Education,
and completed her first year of Waldorf teacher training in Argentina. She moved with
her husband to Miami two years ago, and soon after, she joined the Sea Star
community. She attended a course for Waldorf foreign language teachers in New
Hampshire and is currently enrolled in Waldorf Remedial Education training with the
Association for a Healing Education. Ms. Pallan teaches Spanish to the Kindergarten
and Grades programs, as well as movement and extra main lesson for First Grade.

JOAN HOURICAN

       Joan holds a B.S. in Natural Science and served as Program Coordinator at
Pine Jog Environmental Education Center of Florida Atlantic University for 18 years.
She is currently enrolled in the Waldorf Master’s program and leads the Gardening
classes at Sea Star. Ms. Hourican is pleased to bring her love of nature to the
classroom and to know that nature is an essential part of the Waldorf Curriculum.

NIKI GUYER

       Niki has a wealth of experience teaching young children as well as playing an
instrumental role in the pioneering work of several Waldorf Schools. She has been a
Waldorf Kindergarten Teacher from 1980 to present. Ms Guyer has Waldorf
Certification in Grades and Early Childhood and holds a BA in Education from The
Waldorf Teacher Training Institute of Mercy College in Detroit, Michigan. Ms Guyer
has had the joy of teaching children in another culture in the West Indies for the past
eight years before joining Sea Star as both the Nursery Class teacher and Parent and
Child Teacher.

Our Faculty