Mrs. Martin as Saint Lucia  
Pam Martin, Faculty Chair, Grade 3/4 Classroom Teacher
Pam grew up in Orangeville, ON and spent her summers at Raven Lake near Dorset ON.  She obtained her bachelor of education as well as a bachelor of arts in history from Queen’s University, Kingston, ON.  She was drawn to Great River School and Waldorf education in 2009 when she began teaching Games and substitute teaching at GRS and went on to teach grade 1&2 for the 2009/2010 school year.  She has subsequently completed three intensive courses in Waldorf Education at Sunbridge Institute in Chestnut Ridge, NY. Prior to working at Great River School, Pam worked as a substitute teacher in public schools for 13 years and taught cross country skiing to children and adults for 16 years while raising her two children.  Pam is enthusiastic about outdoor activities particularly hiking, cycling, skiing, canoeing and gardening.  Pam is entering her third year of teaching at Great River School and is the Faculty Chair. 




Gabrielle d'Unienville​, French, Music and 
Afternoon Kindergarten Classroom Teacher
Gabrielle grew up in Mauritius. After High School she left for France to study Psychology at university, before taking her Waldorf Teacher Training at Emerson College in England. She graduated in December 09, and came to work as a French teacher at Great River School in September 2010. This year she also teaches Music and is the Kindergarten assistant. Gabrielle loves nature, drawing and music. She has been on a path of self-development for a number of years, which now gives a deep meaning to her work as a Waldorf teacher.
Margo Bisson, Parent and Child Teacher
Margo Bisson is a Waldorf Early Childhood educator with 30 years of experience.
She has taught kindergarten and nursery at the Ottawa Waldorf School, Parsifal
Waldorf School and at Le Jardin La Marguerite. She has also lead numerous
Waldorf related workshops and talks. Margo is currently facilitating Parent and
Child classes at Great River School, a private school using the Waldorf pedagogy
and at Trille des bois, a French public school using Waldorf pedagogy, as well as
mentoring ECE teachers at both schools. She has a keen interest for festivals,
fairytales, puppetry, handicrafts and music.
Tamara Franz-Martin, Grade 1/2 Classroom Teacher
Tamara Franz-Martin grew up in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. She completed a first post-secondary degree in Church Music before continuing on with a Bachelor of Arts and Teaching Diploma at McGill University. Tamara taught for a number of years at various public schools in Quebec and Manitoba before leaving the classroom to teach her own children at home. It was through her Master’s Studies in Transformative Theories and Practices that Tamara discovered the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner and found, in Waldorf Education, an approach to teaching and learning that felt like a homecoming to her. Tamara brings to her class a love of music and story and a passion for helping each student to develop their unique gifts in a joyful and deeply meaningful learning journey.
Monica Flamenco, Kindergarten Classroom Teacher
Monica brings twenty years of experience as an early childhood educator, working for the past 10 years as the lead Waldorf Kindergarten teacher at Vancouver WaldorfSchool. Monica began her career in education by receiving a degree in Montessori education in the United Kingdom. After discovering Waldorf education, she obtained her degree in early childhood education at the West Coast Institute for Studies in Anthroposophy. Monica has a passion for mentoring new Kindergarten Teachers as well as Guiding Parents in areas of Rhythm, Story-telling, The Six-Year Change and Discipline. She takes great care and joy in the baking of bread, handwork, festivals, and seasonal routines that lie at the heart of a Waldorf education. Monica brings a love for teaching all ages and in addition to leading Great River School's Kindergarten classroom, she will also be offering parenting workshops throughout the winter and spring.  


Darla Barrows, Administrator
Darla grew up on a small family owned dairy farm in the unglaciated hills of northeastern Iowa known as the Driftless Region.  It was on this 300 acre wooded landscape that her passion for living creatures, great an small, was cultivated.  After studying and working at the University of Minnesota in the Visual Arts, Darla moved to Arizona where she volunteered and then worked at the Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind.  Upon returning to Minnesota, she earnd a degree in Sign Language Interpretation and Transliteration from Saint Paul College and worked as an Administrative Coordinator for the College of St. Catherine's Sign Language Program.  Darla has been the Administrator at Great River School for the past two years and is currently directing the Farm School Initiative.