1st Grade | 2nd Grade | 3rd Grade | 4th Grade | 5th Grade | 6th Grade | 7th Grade | 8th Grade
Katy Porter | 1st Grade Teacher
Ms. Porter received her BA from the University of California, Berkeley, and her MA in Education, as well as CA Multiple Subject teaching credential, from Alliant University. Before starting with her first grade class, she most recently completed a grades 3–5 loop as class teacher at Woodland Star. Before class teaching, she served as an assistant, tutor, and substitute teacher at our school.
In addition to her teaching at Woodland Star, Ms. Porter brings 20 years of experience as a performing arts educator and program director at St. Cecilia School in San Francisco. She considers herself a proud San Francisco native who now resides in Sonoma with her kids and animals. In her free time, Ms. Porter enjoys reading, hiking, gardening, and volunteering on a rescue farm.
Gabriella Palladino | 2nd Grade Teacher
Gabriella Palladino holds a B.A. in Gender and Women’s Studies with a minor in Education from UC Berkeley and an MA in Education along with a CA Multiple Subject Teaching Credential completed at Dominican University. Gabriella’s teaching experience includes serving as head teacher at two Waldorf-inspired preschools in Berkeley, fostering imaginative environments rooted in community and nature. They have also taught in TK–4th grade classrooms in public elementary schools in Petaluma, refining their ability to differentiate instruction for diverse learners.
As a Waldorf alum, Gabriella brings a personal connection and passion for this holistic, creative, and nature-based approach to teaching. Their Waldorf background informs a hands-on, integrated teaching style that blends storytelling, art, nature, social-emotional learning, and practical life skills. Gabriella is dedicated to creating a classroom where children feel safe, seen, and inspired to learn. Believing in individualized, compassionate teaching, they strive to support the academic, emotional, and social needs of all students, ensuring an authentic sense of belonging. Gabriella finds joy in incorporating crafts, gardening, cooking, and social-emotional learning into the classroom—lessons that foster imagination and a sense of community.
Logann Gavey | 3rd Grade Teacher
Logann Gavey possesses a BA in Liberal Studies from Ferrum College in Virginia and has obtained her CA Multiple Subject Teaching Credential through the North Coast School of Education in Sonoma County. With expertise in Medieval Literature, theater, and children’s music, Logann brings over 20 years of teaching experience across both private and public educational sectors. She, along with her dog Lark, is honored to become part of the Woodland Star Public Waldorf community, collaborating with esteemed colleagues and families. Logann has dedicated her career to education, driven by a desire to engage in meaningful experiences of wonder and curiosity alongside her students. In her reflective moments, she often contemplates the profound joy of witnessing the developmental journey of young minds.
Logann resides in Petaluma and is actively engaged in a variety of interests, including attending live music events, creating art, gardening, and spending quality time with her dogs and family.
Brenna Lyons | 4th Grade Teacher
Brenna Lyons earned her BA at Chapman University and her CA Multiple Subject teaching credential at California State University Los Angeles. Before moving to Sonoma County to work at Woodland Star, she was a founding teacher at El Rio Community School in Los Angeles. She has attended numerous grade-level Waldorf teacher trainings and continues to work toward full Waldorf Certification.
As a credentialed teacher with public Waldorf teaching experience, her special interest is in structured literacy, arts education, and social-emotional learning. Brenna strives to support and include all learners, including neurodivergent students and students with disabilities. She has a particular interest in the ways that the nervous system relates to children’s wellbeing at school. Brenna enjoys music, art, and birdwatching, and loves to bring her passions into the classroom.
Megan Malkassian | 5th Grade Teacher
Ms. Malkassian completed her BA in Sociology while working full time and parenting two young children. She earned her MA in Education through Alliant University while simultaneously completing the coursework to obtain her CA Multiple Subject teaching credential. Ms. Malkassian has trained in The Art of Teaching the Waldorf Grades for several years.
Prior to coming to Woodland Star, she spent many years working with preschool-aged children, utilizing her sociology experience while working with severely traumatized youth at an intensive residential treatment and specialty mental health services center for mentally ill youth. Before becoming a class teacher at Woodland Star, Megan served as a teaching assistant while she was completing her college coursework. Ms. Malkassian is English–Spanish bilingual. Outside of school, Ms. Malkassian enjoys reading, gardening, drawing, and handwork.
Oriana Schlaepfer | 6th Grade Teacher
Ms. Oriana Schlaepfer earned a BA in Music Education at Sonoma State University where she also learned about Waldorf Education as part of her curriculum studies. Oriana is an advocate for whole-student learning, and in this, her teaching practices align closely with Waldorf philosophies. She spent several years as a para-educator at San Miguel Elementary School in a Resource Classroom, as well as serving as a Middle School class substitute.
Always passionate to teach, she is currently enrolled in the North Coast School of Education internship program to complete her CA Multiple Subject Teaching Credential.
Oriana lived in South Carolina for most of her childhood, and grew up hiking the canals and forests near Charleston. She moved to the central coast of California as a teenager. Since then, Ms. Ori has lived abroad in Germany, kayaked in Alaska, swam in the ocean in Hawaii and Maine, and even jumped out of a plane! When at home, Ms. Ori loves to read, sew, and embroider. She is often at the river or the beach with her two children and husband.
Joelynn Lee | 7th Grade Teacher
Mrs. Lee earned both her BA and MA in History from Sonoma State University and is now in the later stages of her Ph.D. in the History of Health Sciences at UC San Francisco, with research focused on the history of intellectual disability in children. She completed her CA Multiple Subject Teaching Credential through the Sonoma County Office of Education and trained in The Art of Teaching the Waldorf Grades sessions. Most recently, she was a Waldorf class teacher in grades 7 and 8, completing this loop to graduation in 2025.
Mrs. Lee credits her previous travels with providing a wealth of life experience and a deep appreciation for people from diverse backgrounds. She owned and operated two in-home childcare programs serving infants through preschool-aged children and volunteered with Girl Scouts of Sonoma Valley, worked at Teen Services Sonoma, and served on the PTO and Site Council at her children’s former school. After her son joined Woodland Star, Mrs. Lee quickly became an active part of the school community, serving as a math tutor, substitute teacher, and parent volunteer. In her free time, she enjoys reading, swimming, camping, cooking, gardening, and traveling with her family.
Antje Bojarsky | 8th Grade Teacher
Antje completed her MSEd in Science Education at Lesley University with a STEM cognate in five subjects: biology, physics, geoscience, ecology, and engineering and her MA in Educational Leadership at Sonoma State University. She holds CA credentials in Multiple Subjects, Cross-Cultural Language and Academic Development, Single Subject: Science, and Administration. Devoted to the mission of Waldorf education for three decades, Antje completed two full class cycles and taught multiple middle school loops and five years in high school. She was a core faculty member at Rudolf Steiner College for 15 years and a member of the Master Teacher Mentor Group with Else Gottgens and has served as a class teacher, middle school specialist, educational support coordinator, and high school teacher. Her educational research is in multicultural curriculum design, gender equity in science education, and restorative justice program impact on student resilience. She loves kayaking, playing with her four dogs, and chatting about science projects with her husband and daughter, who are also Waldorf teachers.
