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Our Class Teachers
Andrea Arrivillaga Hurtado
2012 Class 1 Teacher & Techincal Director
Andrea is originally from Xela in Guatemala, but she has spent the past several years living at Lake Atitlán in Panajachel. Andrea has been a teacher for more than 10 years and began working at Esculea Caracol in 2009 as the Technical Director and a specialty teacher. In July 2009, Andrea began her Waldorf training in Cuernavaca, México at the Centro Antroposófico and moved to San Marcos with her husband and 3 year-old son, Antú, later that year. She will start a new journey at Escuela Caracol with our first grade class. Her hobbies include theatre, making chocolate, and crochet.
María Castells Arrosa
2012 Class 2-3 Teacher
Maria is from Uruguay and has lived and worked in Guatemala since 1995. She has her Masters degree in indigenous law, experience in university teaching, and she has been a student of anthroposophy for more than 20 years. Maria is a longtime resident of Tzununa (our neighboring town), a member of the school’s board, and she has a deep love for local indigenous culture. She has a natural instinct in the classroom and brings a wonderful spark to our team with her quick wit, attention to detail, and sense of humor. She continues her journey with our integrated 2-3 class, in which her son is a student. Her hobbies include knitting, crochet, reading, writing poetry, painting with oils, and storytelling.
Joshua Allen Wilson
2012 Class 4-5 Teacher & Cofounder
Joshua was born in Alabama, USA, and holds a BA in Sociology and Religious Studies. He has experience teaching in at the secondary level in the USA, as well as many years experience in university administration there. Along with his wife, Courtney, Joshua led the founding of Escuela Caracol in 2007, and continues to guide the school's progress and development. He also serves as the president of Asociación Caracol in Guatemala, which is dedicated to the financial development of Escuela Caracol as well as the promotion of Waldorf education nationally. Joshua is currently teaching math classes in the primary grades, and he enjoys playing the guitar, drawing, running, reading, cooking, writing poetry and playing with his two daughters, Althea and Mirabai.
Vanessa Sanz Cudabac
KinderCaracol Teacher
Vanessa joined us as the new KinderCaracol Teacher in August 2011. She is Colombian American, fluent in Spanish and English and originally from New York. She completed her degree from Hofstra University in Spanish Literature and Latin American Studies. After completing her undergraduate studies, she pursued a Masters in Waldorf Education from Rudolf Steiner College in California, USA. There she founded and directed her own Waldorf Spanish-Immersion Preschool and Kindergarten with nine other students including her five-year-old son, Vicente. She comes with a breadth of experiences in various forms of movement, theater, and singing.
Lily Maribel Mendoza Sancoy
2012 Lead Teacher for KinderCaracolitos
Marilily, as the children refer to her, has been working in KinderCaracol since 2009. She was born in San Marcos La Laguna and comes from a family of 10. Marilily is currently in her second year of Waldorf training at the Centro Antroposófico in Cuernavaca, México. In 2012 Marilily will take on the role of lead teacher for our younger kindergarten children. Her manner in the classroom is warm, gentle, bright and cheerful, and she enjoys sewing, singing, drawing and painting.
Nazario Ignacio (Nacho) Porón Petzey
Auxiliary Teacher in the Primary Grades
Nacho joined Escuela Caracol's team of teachers this past year. He was born in San Pablo Laguna, where he lives with his wife and two children (both of whom attend Escuela Caracol). His title in Guatemala is as a Teacher of Creative Expression (with an emphasis in music), and he has worked as a teacher for nearly ten years in a variety of institutions. He is also working on a university degree in pedagogy. Nacho is currently teaching specialty subject classes in handwork, music, gardening and movement. He brings a wide range of expertise in handwork (he is a professional tailor and is familiar with many local handwork traditions, from weaving to mat-making), and has considerable training in the arts, from music to dance to theater. This year Nacho began his first year of Waldorf training at the Centro Antroposófico in Cuernavaca, México.
Ervin Samuel Quiacaín Sajvín
Auxiliary Teacher in the Primary Grades
Ervin has been working in KinderCaracol since 2010. He was born in San Marcos La Laguna and comes from a family of 6. He has a his title in Guatemala as an Elementary Teacher of Bilingual & Intercultural Education (Tz'utujil-Spanish). Ervin started his first year of Waldorf training at the Centro Antroposófico in Cuernavaca, México in 2011. His manner in the classroom is patient, calm and caring, and he enjoys woodwork, drawing and painting.
Sandra Pérez
2012 KinderCaracol Assistant Teacher
Sandra has been working at Escuela Caracol since January 2011. She was born in San Marcos LaLaguna where she lives with her parents, four brothers and two sisters. She studied computation in San Marcos, Sololá, and Santa Clara, all areas around Lake Atitlan. She enjoys reading, painting, cooking, embroidery, and spending time with friends.
Administration
Courtney Wilson
Development Director & Cofounder
Courtney was born in Virginia, USA, and holds a BA in Sociology & Religious Studies and a MA in Art History. Courtney was the founding teacher of KinderCaracol in 2007, and left when she became pregnant with her second daughter. From 2009-2010 she served as the yoga teacher at Escuela Caracol, and in May 2010 she returned as the lead kindergarten teacher. Courtney has a natural rapport with children and a deep love for the community of San Marcos. Her hobbies include yoga, cooking and gardening. She has two daughters: Althea, age 10 and Mirabai, age 3 years.
Julia Fillingame
Communications Coordinator & Art Teacher
Julia is the most recent addition to the Escuela Caracol team. She was born in Wisconsin, USA, and holds a BA in Art, Spanish Language & Cultural Studies, and Architecture from the University of Minnesota. She has worked with youth ages 3 to 20 in academic, recreation and enrichment settings for 8 years. Most recently, she worked with non-profit organizations coordinating programs that strengthened communities, primarily by the means of art. She comes with a breadth of experiences in various forms of visual arts, movement, and community development. Her hobbies include painting, drawing, and photography, and eager to learn to knit and crochet!
Sonia Sancoy Sajvin
Administrative Assistant
Laguna and lives with her parents, three brothers and two sisters. She went to school to become a teacher in the primary grades in Xela. She enjoys painting, drawing, listening to music, reading, and spending time with friends.
Staff
Nicolás Sacach Mendoza
Facilities & Grounds Coordinator
Nicolas has been working at Escuela Caracol since its founding in 2007. However, he has been managing this property for eleven years. He grows and harvests coffee and corn. He was born in San Marcos La Laguna, where he lives with his his wife and five children. He enjoys fishing and swimming from his kayak with his sons.
Teresa Sancoy Sacach
Head Cook
Teresa has been working at Escuela Caracol since its founding in 2007. She was born in San Marcos La Laguna and comes from a family of seven, three brothers and one sister! She has two children, one of which attends the school. Teresa enjoys embroidery, playing sports, cooking, and washing clothes.
Amarilis Sancoy Sacach
Assistant Cook
Amarilis has been working at Escuela Caracol since its founding in 2007. She was born in San Marcos La Laguna and has four sisters and two brothers. She lives with her parents, two brothers, and two of her sisters. Amarilis is involved in her church, where she sings and participates with the youth group and also enjoys making bread, cooking, and painting.