Faculty & Staff
Our River School Faculty & Staff
Golden Valley River School Staff and Faculty 2024-25 school year.
Front Office Staff
Ryan Sutton
River School PrincipalRyan Sutton
Ryan Sutton has worked at Golden Valley Charter Schools since 2008 and is a certified Waldorf educator. Specializing in upper grades, Mr. Sutton has completed 5 loops of 6th - 8th grade and is now in his first year as principal of Golden Valley River School. In recent years, Ryan has also served as mentor to fellow upper grades teachers and has taught at Rudolf Steiner College in their "Art of Teaching" program.
Ruby Sutton
Assistant to the principalRuby Sutton
Jessica Haynes
Administrative AssistantJessica Haynes
Matthew Brown
Administrative AssistantMatthew Brown
Kindergarten Teachers
Lynn Freund
Peach Blossom Kindergarten TeacherLynn Freund
Annie Bosque
Outdoor Cherry Blossom Home Study Kindergarten TeacherAnnie Bosque
Annie Bosque is the teacher and creator of the Outdoor Kindergarten Home School Program at Golden Valley River School. She completed a Master’s in Education at Rudolf Steiner College with a focus on how to create and support parent teacher partnership. Annie has taught for BACWTT for several years, mentors new teachers, and has led various workshops at a variety of conferences. For several years, she facilitated an outdoor parent child program for two to sixyear-old children and their parents.
Tavia Pagan
Lemon Blossom Kindergarten TeacherTavia Pagan
Tavia Pagan has been teaching kindergarten at Golden Valley River School since 2010. She received her Master’s in Waldorf Education from Rudolf Steiner College, with an emphasis on fine motor development in the Waldorf kindergarten. Through teaching opportunities with Rudolf Steiner College, Gradalis, and various conferences, Tavia enjoys encouraging other kindergarten teachers to simplify their classroom environments, to benefit both their students and themselves.
Grades Teachers
Alfred Lacoste
First Grade TeacherAlfred Lacoste
Sarah Chase
Second Grade TeacherSarah Chase
Sydney Strawn
Third Grade TeacherSydney Strawn
Danuta Dias
Fourth Grade TeacherDanuta Dias
Jenni Walthard
Fifth Grade TeacherJenni Walthard
Jenni Walthard has taught at Golden Valley Charter Schools for 13 years. As a lower grades teacher, Jenni is on her third loop teaching grades 1-5. Jenni's heart and passion are with the lower grade children, helping them build a love of learning, strong work habits, and the virtues for positive citizenship. Jenni has a bachelor's degree in child development and obtained her Waldorf teacher certification at Rudolf Steiner College in 2014.
Jessie Wadkins
Sixth Grade TeacherJessie Wadkins
Amanda Parker
Seventh Grade TeacherAmanda Parker
Lisa Moraga
Eighth Grade TeacherLisa Moraga
Loren Johnson
MeadowBrook Home Study Hybrid Grades 1-4 TeacherLoren Johnson
Specialty Teachers
Theresa Keyser-Petty
Practical Arts TeacherTheresa Keyser-Petty
Teresa Thorman
Fine Arts TeacherTeresa Thorman
Teresa Thorman-B.S., Political Science, LMU, CA; California Teaching Credential, CSUDH; Waldorf Teacher Training, Steiner College; MA Human Development, Saint Mary’s, MN. Currently Teresa is working toward a certification in the Healing Through Arts Program through the Bay Area Waldorf Teacher Program. Teresa has been a public school teacher, Waldorf class teacher, high school veil painting teacher and currently is the Fine Arts teacher for grades 1-8 at GVCS. Sharing color relationships in painting and drawing to students of all ages is a joyful service!
Josh Flexman
Games TeacherJosh Flexman
Hilary Pollock
Lower Grades Music TeacherHilary Pollock
Meagan Kilpatrick
Music Teacher, Grades 4 -6Meagan Kilpatrick
Coming Soon
Music Teacher, Grades 7 & 8Coming Soon
Educational Support
Stephanie Lornez
ESS, Assessment & Tech CoordinatorStephanie Lornez
Amy Montgomery
Educational Support TeacherAmy Montgomery
Marrisa Carroll
Educational Support SpecialistMarrisa Carroll
Sarah Miller
Renewal Room SpecialistSarah Miller
Sarah Miller began River’s Renewal Room in 2019 as a weekly volunteer to help teach students coping, calming, and mindfulness skills as well as provide a peaceful space for students and staff to re-set in their days. In the spring of 2022 she joined the River staff and formed the Renewal Room into an ongoing program in which children can re-set, renew, be heard, learn social, problem solving, coping and communication skills on a daily basis. Sarah has a Master’s Degree in Child Development/Education with an emphasis on hospitalized children. She has been a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) for 20 years.