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KindergartenArieta BizaroArieta Bizaro teaches Kindergarten. She was born in Argentina but has spent most of her life in Southern California. She began her Waldorf journey as a student at Highland Hall, a Waldorf school in Los Angeles. When she had children of her own, she decided to become a Waldorf teacher and enrolled in WISC San Diego, where she graduated in 2013. Arieta also holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Phoenix. She has been part of the WSOC faculty since 2011 working in the Early Childhood department; first as an assistant, then as a co-teacher, and now leading her own kindergarten class. Arieta has two children at WSOC.
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Pre-KindergartenCatherine AverettCatherine Averett teaches Pre-Kindergarten. She grew up in Southern California, earning a BFA in Visual Communication Design from California State University, Long Beach. While in college, she taught English as a Second Language for three years to children in kindergarten through 3rd grade. After graduation, she worked as a Creative Director for a New York-based publishing company for twelve years. In 1994, through her father and family, she learned about Waldorf education and the work of Rudolf Steiner. She came to WSOC as a parent in 2002. She is trained in biodynamic gardening, and graduated from the Waldorf Teacher Training program at Antioch University, New England. She joined the WSOC faculty in 2007.
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Early YearsCharlotte GuestCharlotte Guest teaches our Early Years classes, including Parent/Infant, Parent/Toddler, Playgroup, and Bridge. Charlotte grew up in Encinitas, California, and was raised by two educators. She was introduced to Waldorf education through the families she babysat for and their school, Sanderling Waldorf School, which inspired her to pursue early childhood education. She graduated high school a year early to attend a gap year program at Emerson College in England, deepening her connection to Waldorf education through art, history, and self-discovery. Charlotte earned a B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Naropa University, focusing on holistic and contemplative teaching traditions. She has worked as a kindergarten assistant and lead teacher at Sanderling Waldorf School and Maple Village Waldorf School, and completed her Waldorf Early Childhood certification at the Waldorf Institute of Southern California.
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NurseryErin WallerErin Waller teaches Nursery. She holds a B.A. in Early Childhood Education, taught Pre-Kindergarten at WSOC during the 2023-24 school year, and and has six years of experience as a playgroup teacher and administrator for a Waldorf-inspired preschool. She is from the San Francisco Bay Area, where she worked for 10 years in the dental field, before moving to Orange County in 2013. She began her Waldorf journey when her children joined WSOC in 2015. She is continuing her Waldorf Adult Education studies here at WSOC. She loves the beach and nature walks with her kids.
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Pre-KindergartenMargaret LeighMargaret Leigh teaches Pre-Kindergarten. She was born and raised in Orange County, CA. She attended college at the California College of Arts & Crafts in San Francisco where she earned her BFA in Furniture Design. She learned of Waldorf education while homeschooling her daughters from 2015-2017, where she followed a Waldorf curriculum. After seeking to become part of a larger Waldorf community, Margaret joined WSOC in 2018 as an assistant teacher in Early Childhood. She has also worked as a Grades assistant, woodworking teacher, and handwork assistant. She attended the Foundation Studies program at WSOC, the Practical Arts Teacher Training at Highland Hall Waldorf School and completed her Early Childhood teacher training with the Waldorf Institute of Southern California. She has two children at WSOC.
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NurseryMaria MoriokaMaria Morioka teaches Nursery. She has lived and worked in Japan, Brazil, Germany, and the United States. She loves to share songs and stories from different cultures. She holds a B.F.A. with honors from the ArtCenter College of Design and worked at Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo before beginning her path as a parent and a Waldorf teacher. She received her Waldorf Certificate in 2015 from the Waldorf Institute of Southern California and completed her practicum in Early Childhood, Grades, and Subject Class. She has taught in Early Childhood, Grades, Subject Class, and High School in Waldorf and non-Waldorf settings. She enjoys working with different age groups and experiencing firsthand, the depth and beauty of human development. Her hobbies include but are not limited to playing the piano, Plein-Air painting, horseback riding, and watching the pattern of the waves at the beach.
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KindergartenOriana GourleyOriana Gourley is a Kindergarten Teacher at Waldorf School Orange County. A lifelong resident of Orange County, Oriana earned her Bachelor of Science in Child and Adolescent Development and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from California State University, Fullerton. Her introduction to Waldorf education began during her credential program and led her to complete the Foundation Studies program at WSOC. Oriana brings a wide range of teaching experience, including private tutoring for students in kindergarten through sixth grade and teaching in a Waldorf charter school, where she guided the same class through kindergarten, first, and second grades. Since joining the WSOC faculty in 2014, she has served in multiple roles, including pre-kindergarten and kindergarten assistant and co-teacher. Oriana is also a WSOC parent, with two children attending the school. Outside the classroom, she enjoys singing, crafting, reading, and traveling.