Elisabeth Beck teaches eurythmy in both the grade and high schools. She was born and raised in Stuttgart, Germany. “Miss Elisabeth,” as she is called by the students, attended the Waldorf School in Stuttgart and received her M.A. in business management and motor vehicle science from Stuttgart University. After working in business for two years, Elisabeth completed her Waldorf teacher training in Mannheim and the eurythmy education program at the Eurythmeum Dornach in Switzerland. She was the eurythmist at the Michael Bauer Schule in Stuttgart for seven years, as well as the high school class sponsor there for four years. She also taught eurythmy for five years at the Waldorf School in Heilbronn. Elisabeth has been teaching for 19 years and joined the faculty at WSOC in the fall of 2000.
Christiane Unutzer Bohr teaches fifth grade as well as the high school art history block. She was born and reared in Germany, closely connected to nature and the four seasons. She holds a B.A. in arts and crafts from Iowa State University and an M.F.A. in textiles from California State University, Long Beach. She taught in the arts department at California State University, Long Beach and elementary schools in the Long Beach Unified School District. “Miss Christiane,” as she is known to the children, is married and has one child at WSOC and two sons in college who are Waldorf graduates. Christiane has been teaching for 20 years and has been at WSOC since 1996, first as the handwork teacher and then taking a class in 2003.
Kate Grabenstein teaches music at WSOC High School. She received a bachelor of music in piano performance from Nebraska Wesleyan University and a master’s of music in piano performance from the University of Southern California. She has previously taught piano at the University of South Dakota and the University of Southern California. Ms. Grabenstein works as an accompanist and vocal coach and was delighted to be the music director for three Waldorf WAYWOB productions.
Ingrid Feck teaches fourth grade as well as the high school math track class and high school blocks in geology and geometry. She grew up in a small town in the German Alps, where anthroposophy and Steiner education were an integral part of the community. After receiving a B.S. in computer science and biochemistry from Iowa State University, she moved to California. She completed her master’s in mathematics at California State University, Long Beach. During her years at the university, she worked with children in a tutoring service and as a substitute teacher. Ingrid taught math education for elementary school teachers at Cal State Long Beach for several semesters. She came to WSOC in 1992 through her four children, and worked here as a substitute and specialty teacher for several years before becoming a class teacher. Ingrid has been teaching since 1996 at WSOC.
Iris Maria Ortiz teaches 8th and 9th grade Spanish at WSOC, as well as accompanying eurythmy classes on the piano. Born in Mendoza, Argentina, she completed her studies in 1974 at the Superior School of Music, National University of Cuyo, becoming a professor of piano and theory. In 1985 she began teaching piano and Spanish at Highland Hall Waldorf School in Northridge. Iris returned to Argentina in 1992 and began a weekend children’s program, Cascabeles (“little bells”), in her home, focusing on musical activities. She returned once more to California and Highland Hall in 2001, and has since been engaged in using music to teach Spanish to children and other teachers in a variety of settings, from private classes to public and private schools in Orange County and Los Angeles. Iris has three children, ages 31, 29, and 26, and is the proud grandmother of two grandchildren.
Genevieve Reuter teaches the English track class as well as an English block on “The Novel.” She is also the aftercare supervisor for the grade school. Genevieve grew up in New Jersey, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains where she acquired a love of nature, literature, and writing. She graduated cum laude from Montclair State University where she received her bachelor of arts in literature and creative writing. After graduation, she moved across the country to San Diego to begin her Waldorf teacher training. This is her first year in the classroom and she feels very fortunate to be part of this pioneering high school.
Mercedes Shaffer holds a bachelor's degree in architecture and a master’s degree in art from the University of California at Berkeley where she also taught drawing, painting, and bookmaking. She is an artist who works primarily with oil on canvas and her artwork is represented by Studio Gallery in Irvine and ArtPic Gallery in North Hollywood. Her paintings have been featured in group and solo exhibitions in both Northern and Southern California and she has had the good fortune to have her art in numerous movies and television shows, such as Friends, Will & Grace, ER, The West Wing, and Grey’s Anatomy, to name a few.
