Teachers Bios

 Helen McDonald brings nearly two decades of experience in early childhood and elementary education. For 11 years, she served as the director and lead teacher of an arts-based, parent cooperative early childhood program. Deeply inspired by the values of Waldorf education, Helen is passionate about the power of play, the role of imagination, the beauty of storytelling and the arts, and the essential connection between children and the natural world.

Helen holds a BA in Studio Art and Art Therapy from the College of Santa Fe and an MA in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College. She has served as a mentor teacher, a board member of the New Mexico Association for the Education of Young Children, and as a faculty member in the Early Childhood Department at CNM. She also participated in the Santa Fe Opera’s Early Childhood Initiative and has been part of the leadership team at the Collaborative Teachers Institute since 2014. When not in the classroom, Helen enjoys painting, gardening, singing, and recently spent a summer studying painting in southern France.

Helen is honored to join Sun Mountain Community School and looks forward to deepening her work in Waldorf pedagogy and practice.

 Helen McDonald brings nearly two decades of experience in early childhood and elementary education. For 11 years, she served as the director and lead teacher of an arts-based, parent cooperative early childhood program. Deeply inspired by the values of Waldorf education, Helen is passionate about the power of play, the role of imagination, the beauty of storytelling and the arts, and the essential connection between children and the natural world.

Helen holds a BA in Studio Art and Art Therapy from the College of Santa Fe and an MA in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College. She has served as a mentor teacher, a board member of the New Mexico Association for the Education of Young Children, and as a faculty member in the Early Childhood Department at CNM. She also participated in the Santa Fe Opera’s Early Childhood Initiative and has been part of the leadership team at the Collaborative Teachers Institute since 2014. When not in the classroom, Helen enjoys painting, gardening, singing, and recently spent a summer studying painting in southern France.

Helen is honored to join Sun Mountain Community School and looks forward to deepening her work in Waldorf pedagogy and practice.

 Mary Moon is delighted to be part of the early childhood team at Sun Mountain Community School. She holds a bachelor’s degree in History with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies from the University of Montana, and she has completed Forest School Practitioner training through Archimedes Earth. Most recently, Mary taught at The Happy Place Forest School, where she deepened her love for outdoor and play-based learning.

Her journey into education began through volunteer work at nature-based preschools attended by her own children. She is currently pursuing a teaching license from Santa Fe Community College. Mary brings warmth, curiosity, and a gentle presence to the classroom. Outside of school, she loves spending time with her family, reading historical fiction, hiking with her dogs, baking cakes, and exploring the world through photography.

 Kacie Smith is thrilled to be returning to New Mexico and joining the Sun Mountain faculty. She recently completed her Waldorf Teacher Training at Antioch University while teaching at The Hartsbrook School in Massachusetts. Kacie brings with her a vibrant blend of artistry, nature connection, and a deep love of children.

She holds an MFA in Art & Ecology from the University of New Mexico and has a long-standing relationship with Waldorf education—as a former student of the Waldorf School of Orange County, a faculty member at the San Francisco Waldorf School, and as a founding kindergarten teacher at both the Berkeley Rose Waldorf School and Golden Bridges School. She has also studied biodynamic agriculture at Rudolf Steiner College.

Kacie is passionate about the integration of arts, nature, music, and storytelling in Waldorf education. She looks forward to guiding her students through the wonder and joy of first grade.

 For Ingrid Halverson, joining the Sun Mountain Community School faculty feels like coming home. She began her journey in Santa Fe as a student at St. John’s College, and later earned her Master’s in Education from the University of Minnesota, along with her Waldorf teaching certificate from Sunbridge College.

Ingrid has taught in both public and Waldorf schools—serving as a lead teacher in Wisconsin, a German teacher, and most recently as a teacher in Socorro. She brings a warm, steady presence to the classroom and a heartfelt commitment to fostering a love of learning.

She is the mother of two grown sons and enjoys singing, walking, and exploring the natural beauty of New Mexico. Ingrid is delighted to return to her Waldorf roots and to share her passion for teaching with the Sun Mountain community.

 Zoe Wilcox is a founding teacher of Sun Mountain Community School and currently serves as Interim Head of School. With 15 years of experience in Waldorf education, Zoe has taught students from Kindergarten through 8th grade across the U.S., Mexico, and Zambia, and in four languages: English, French, Spanish, and Bemba.

Zoe’s path as an educator is rooted in a passion for language, the land, and creative learning. She holds extensive training in Waldorf pedagogy and a background in permaculture and writing. She played a key role in shaping Sun Mountain’s vision, serving as the lead author of its charter application.

Zoe believes deeply in the transformative power of Waldorf education to nurture capable, compassionate, and visionary young people. When she’s not in the classroom or leading the school, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and traveling. Her warmth, humor, and sense of possibility inspire students and colleagues alike.

With a spirit rooted in rhythm, play, and healing, Deja Mendez brings over a decade of experience as an educator and movement facilitator in the Santa Fe community. Her work is grounded in the belief that movement is a gateway to joy, confidence, and deep inner knowing.

Deja holds certifications in yoga and meditation, and has completed four years of Level I Spacial Dynamics training. Her teaching draws from a rich background in Waldorf education, dance, the performing arts, and public school physical education. Whether guiding students through spatial exercises, games, or mindfulness practices, she weaves presence, grace, and a deep respect for the wisdom of the body into every class.

A proud resident of Santa Fe for 28 years, Deja is honored to share her love of movement with the Sun Mountain community and to help children embody their full vitality and potential.

 Fletcher Lathrop brings to Sun Mountain Community School a lifetime of craft, adventure, and dedication to the art of teaching. A founding force behind the Santa Fe Waldorf School in 1983, Fletcher served as a beloved class teacher before devoting himself to the world of wood carving and sculpture—his enduring passion.

Raised by a mountaineer father and a classically trained musician mother, Fletcher grew up immersed in both wilderness and artistry. He holds a B.A. from the University of Texas and a Waldorf teaching certificate from Rudolf Steiner College. For nearly four decades, he has guided students in transforming locally harvested wood into works of beauty and meaning, fostering patience, skill, and reverence for the natural world.

Outside the classroom, Fletcher finds joy in sidereal astrology, plasma physics, and fly fishing. A father of three Waldorf-educated children, he remains a steady and inspired presence in the Waldorf movement—shaping not just wood, but hearts and minds.