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FAMILIAR FACES (3rd edition)
Hello DWS Alumni from the 70's and 80's! Welcome to our third edition of Familiar Faces. With DWS alumni spanning the globe, we thought it would be fun for you to see what everyone is up to and to have the opportunity to re-connect with your DWS community.
*Note: class years listed are for graduation of the 8th grade and the names following the year are the class teacher at the time of graduation.
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Alan MacNair
Orchestra Program Director & Class Teacher | 1978 - 1986
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I was introduced to Waldorf Education through my wife, Mary, who was also a Waldorf teacher at DWS. I took a year of teacher training with Werner Glas and Hans Gebert, and began teaching the orchestra at DWS. I subsequently took an eighth grade class as classroom teacher, then took a seventh grade class for two years, and then took a sixth grade class for three years. Luckily for me, I had one of the Altwies children in each of my three classes! I remember fondly all the performances on the wonderful DWS stage: orchestra concerts, eighth grade plays, Christmas plays, and all the inspiring classroom presentations!
Photo: Alan and Mary (†2017) with their children Katherine, Chris and Jon MacNair in 2015.
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Renita Nesby LiVolsi
Class of 1984-85 | Alan MacNair
I attended DWS from kindergarten through tenth grade. After the High School closed, I went to High Mowing School in Wilton, NH, the only Waldorf boarding school in the US. After graduating from High Mowing I moved to Europe where I obtained a B.A. degree in European History and Literature from Franklin University Switzerland, a certificate for French proficiency from The Alliance Française Diplome de Langue, and a Certificate in Teaching English from Cambridge University. I moved to San Francisco in 2000 and have a Juris Doctor Degree from New College of California School of Law.
I enjoyed the study of law but was far less inspired by the constraints of practicing law. Early in my career, I switched my focus to creating access, inclusivity, and community in a variety of institutions which include non-profits, government, and education. I am currently the Director of Inclusivity and Community Building at Katherine Delmar Burke School in San Francisco. I am also a Trustee for the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA). I hope to help develop strategies to create equity and inclusion in Waldorf schools and help them become more financially secure. I am a DEI consultant with Alma Partners and I have co-facilitated “How to Talk About Race” with Rise for Racial Justice through the University of San Francisco.
As Director of Admission at San Francisco Waldorf High School, I enjoyed helping eighth-grade students and their families become members of the Waldorf community while creating an inclusive environment for high school students and parents. During my tenure there, I was also co-chair for the High School Diversity Committee, advisor to the Black Student Union, and served on the Multicultural Council where I collaborated with faculty, parents, and the Board of Trustees.
A few months into my role as Director of Admission at San Francisco Waldorf School I reconnected with Claudia Valsi. At a school event, Claudia came over to me and asked if I remembered her... we hadn't seen each other in years, and there we were both working at a Waldorf School. The SF staff and faculty didn't have DWS on their radar, but we changed that. It was lovely to reconnect over dinners in San Francisco. It was as if no time had passed since we were last on the DWS campus. We had fun catching up and recounting how our lives had progressed.
My fondest DWS memories are the hours spent on the playground with the beautiful weeping willow tree and the musical performances and plays that I was a part of. I can truly credit those experiences at DWS for my ease and confidence in public speaking.
Photos: Renita with her husband Jack
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Alexis Taylor-Granados
Class of 1986-87 | Ralph Marinelli
I frequently reflect on the invaluable enrichment that I received from my Waldorf education in my life, particularly now, as a parent. I graduated from the DWS, from the 8th grade class of Ralph Marinelli in 1986-1987. That said, I still have fond memories of my 1st and 2nd grade DWS teacher, Mr. Nelson and of my 5th grade teacher Mrs. Goldzer; and equally of my “Red Bird” Kindergarten experience (especially baking bread), with Mrs. Baker.
Seeking a career in international affairs (inspired by my father’s early work in the Peace Corps in Panama in the 1960s), I pursued a bachelor’s degree in political science at New York University and then onto law school; working as a paralegal in between. After almost 5 years as a corporate lawyer in New York City, I yearned for more impactful work and joined the Foreign Service with the United States Agency for International Development, an independent U.S. federal agency, in the Office of the General Counsel. As a Regional Legal Advisor working in the developing world, I advise USAID field missions on their development programs to ensure adherence to U.S. law and policy. The early study of languages at DWS is very much linked to my love of travel and exploring other cultures. After studying French and German through primary school, I embraced Spanish late in high school and minored in Spanish in college; I also studied abroad in Ecuador and in Argentina.
Our family’s adventures have taken us across the globe. We have lived in El Salvador, where I met my husband, while also covering and traveling to Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Mexico; lived in Ethiopia while covering Djibouti and lived in Bangladesh with a bird’s eye view to Asia. USAID’s work assists communities to rebuild after natural disasters, provides much-needed HIV/AIDS, malaria and now COVID-19 medicines; supports good governance, the rule of law, civil society and independent media, while strengthening education systems and bolstering economic growth, including agriculture, food security and supporting small businesses etc. all throughout the developing world.
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I place tremendous value on my Waldorf education and how it has shaped me, mentally and spiritually and contributed to my career. In particular, I appreciate the international lens of my Waldorf education and the integration and influence of other cultures and languages; and the emphasis on spiritual development including mindfulness of the world around us. Of course, the overall arts enrichment piece was ever present, culminating with my 8th grade class embarking on a Michelangelo-inspired mural on the ceiling of the DWS halls! As a mother to a 7-year-old, I am focused on the purity of books (literature and poetry), painting, drawing, music and the beauty of nature, in my child’s learning. As my daughter learns piano, I fondly recall a childhood milestone of playing the flute in the DWS orchestra under Mr. MacNair’s brilliant guidance and leadership and our extraordinary performance of “The Nutcracker” to a full house in DWS’ auditorium! I cherish and am thankful for my Waldorf education; it has greatly influenced who I am today.
** The views expressed here are my own and not those of the U.S. Government.
Photo captions: Pyramids in Giza, Egypt with my daughter Olivia (February 2019), Alexis with her husband Roberto Granados, a civil engineer, at the Marine Ball celebrating the birthday of the US Marines, Dhaka, Bangladesh (November 2013), meeting with Renita and Angela Taylor for brunch in San Francisco (June 2021).
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Gwyneth Scafidi (Jones)
8th grade Class of '78 | Leola Gagliardi HS class of '82
Hello fellow Waldorfians from years gone by,
My name is Gwyneth Scafidi (formerly Jones for those who may remember). I graduated from D.W.H.S. in 1982 and have since resided in San Diego, CA. My studies since Waldorf, unfortunately, have been limited to just a few underwhelming months at local community college. Life just sort if took hold and things just went from there. My work experience has consisted of restaurants, waitressing mainly; it just seemed a good fit.
My life has been unremarkable yet fulfilling lo these past forty years. I married into an enormous Sicilian family in 1991. My husband is the youngest of seven of the first generation, and yes, all the stereotypes are true. They are large, loud, opinionated, brilliant, and very traditional...and I wouldn't have it any other way! My achievements have been few. I have yet to write the Great American Novel or solve world hunger. I've been mainly focused on raising my family and staying true to my violin. I did manage to produce two exceptionally fabulous young women; Annie is 28 and a G.M. for a local farm-to-fork restaurant chain called Tender Greens, and my baby, Sofia, is 23 and currently studying acting at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of Dramatic Arts in N.Y.C.
I have fond memories of Waldorf. I remember doing plays in the awesome auditorium, most of which seemed like a hot mess at the time but such fun. Orchestra was my big thing. Mr. MacNair was tantamount in my eventual love of the violin. I recall the genius of Mr. Tom Kuras teaching us all to harmonize beautifully and if course Eurythmy. Memories of such things as retreating to the sanctity of Mrs. Bickel's art room, basket weaving, veil painting and other things only a Waldorfian would understand often come to mind. Until the advent of this new-fangled thing called internet, I had only memories of some of the unique friendships from those days.
Its been so nice to reconnect with some of you, albeit electronically, over the past several years!
Love to you all,
G.❤️
Photos: Gwyneth with her daughters Annie and Sofia, Gwyneth at St. Marks Episcopal Church for the ordination of a new priest.
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Remembering Pam Michael
October 21, 1946 - May 19, 2020
Pamela Michael was a daring human person, a loving and smart woman, a super proud mama, and most of all, Pamela loved and lived for her music students.
Pam's family were vaudeville stars, traveling musicians and entertainers. Her modest home was full of framed black and white photos of her costumed kin. Pam started out as a nun, worked in the inner city of Detroit her entire life. She was a single mother, and approached that task with the same dry, straightforward wit with which she attacked everything in life. Her son Miles Michael works in film, and she never missed an opportunity to brag about his accomplishments.
Teaching students at under-resourced schools, she managed to collect
large armories of instruments. She made sure all her students knew how
special they were. After school concerts, she'd drive through the city,
personally delivering students home safely. When Pam arrived at DWS in
1976 she worked with Bruce Weinberger and then Alan McNair. She never
stopped performing, and worked closely with Tom Kuras, the DWS choir
director and head of music at St. Joseph Church on Gratiot.
I met Pam when I was 10 years old. She became a family friend, my flute
teacher, and mentor. She drove me to my first sleep-away camp in Ghent,
NY and we remained lifelong friends. She refused to age, lived in tennis
shoes and hoodies, worked out religiously, and always seemed to know the
inside scoop on everyone. Pam's funeral was held on a rainy day in May
two years ago, during the height of early Covid. The soggy graveside
memorial was uplifting, with countless personal tributes to the woman
who made everyone she knew feel as though they were the most important
person in her life.
Written by Kristine Altwies (8th grade class of 1980, HS class 1984)
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Do you know other alums who might like to join this group?
Can we feature you in an upcoming edition?
Contact: Claudia Valsi, DWS Alumni Outreach Volunteer Coordinator
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