Middle School
Cristina Gosling
6th Grade Teacher
Cristina has been teaching at Sunridge] since 2017, bringing her strong enthusiasm for history, writing, science, ecology and random facts to the classroom each day. With 4 graduate degrees in urban design, urban history, architectural theory and urban planning, and undergraduate degree in urban studies, Waldorf training as well as three credentials (multiple subjects, social sciences and English) Cristina believes in nurturing the whole child—head, heart, and hands.
Prior to joining Suridge, Cristina worked at Taylor Mountain Elementary as an aide, where she gained valuable experience in classroom management. Her teaching approach is rooted in fostering academic curiosity, developing the will, and in encouraging kindness.
Outside the classroom, Cristina enjoys reading literature and history, drinking tea, bird and squirrel watching, live classical music and travelling, which often inspires stories shared with students.
Cristina has enjoyed being a member of the Sunridge community and looks forward to continuing to support students on their journey of growth and discovery.
Mark Quirt
7th Grade Teacher
Mark has been teaching at SunRidge School since 2018, bringing a dynamic blend of art, history, chemistry, physics, and theater to the classroom each day. He holds a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and has over a decade of experience in education, with a background in fine arts, graphic design, Waldorf pedagogy, and child development. Mark believes in nurturing the whole child—head, heart, and hands.
Before joining SunRidge, Mark taught grades 1–4 at Woodland Star Charter School, where he gained experience in Waldorf curriculum, musical performance, classroom rhythm, and curative movement. Prior to that, he spent two years teaching middle school at The Village Charter School, where he further developed his skills in outdoor education, integrated arts, and supporting adolescent development. His teaching approach is rooted in fostering curiosity, cultivating kindness, and integrating rigorous academics with artistic expression and movement.
Outside the classroom, Mark enjoys surfing, hiking, gardening, making music, and spending time with his family. These interests frequently inform and enrich his teaching, inspiring seasonal projects, class plays, and stories that engage students' imagination and enthusiasm.
Kate Russell
8th Grade Teacher
Kate (Katharine) Russell, was born in Santa Rosa and grew up here in Sebastopol. Her father was an architect who built their home a few blocks away from our school, and completed it just before she was born. She grew up there with her three sisters and their mother who was a high school math teacher at Petaluma High School for most of her memory.
She is happily married and has three step children and two children of her own who live in Washington state and here in Sebastopol. Before teaching at SunRidge with the class who started their journey with her when they were first graders, she spent 5 years teaching Art and French in a classical academy (Archway Glendale and Glendale Prep) in the dry desert of Phoenix, Arizona where she taught First grade through tenth grade students. Prior to working in Phoenix, she taught Second grade and kindergarten at Desert Star Community School which is a small Waldorf Charter School in Sedona Arizona.
Kate returned home to Sebastopol in 2018 and loves this land by the wild sea, the great oaks, mighty redwoods, and hills so full of apple trees and poppies. She chose to become a Waldorf Teacher just after the birth of her daughter (her second child) and attended the Waldorf teacher training in Seattle at Sound Circle Center.
She had fallen in love with Waldorf education after taking both of her little ones to an excellent parent tot group up in the rainy Seattle area near where she lived on Vashon Island for seven years while running her own preschool and teaching parent tot swimming classes.
Previous to becoming a parent, she had graduated from Pomona College, where she majored in Studio Art with a focus on French and a minor in Math. She spent her junior year in college abroad in Paris where she took classes at the Sorbonne. To complete her teacher training, she completed the California Teaching Credential Program through Fresno State and completed induction through NSCOE.
In addition to painting and hiking and kayaking, Ms. Russell loves coffee, milk chocolate peanut butter cups, mushroom hunting, boogie boarding, squirrel monkeys and all the flowers especially magnolias, peonies and sunflowers. As an educator, she believes it is her calling to help students develop the capacity to love learning, solve problems logically, share perspectives respectfully, and most importantly, to become positively contributing members of society. She strives to live by these three life goals: Be of Service, Be Truthful , and Do What You Love.
Dana Parnay
Middle School Math Teacher
Dana grew up in Sebastopol and brings a variety of life experiences to SunRidge Elementary. He attended the California Maritime Academy from 1983-1987 earning a B.S. in Marine Engineering and Coast Guard license. He worked in the maritime industry from 1987-1990 with much of 1988 playing a season of semi-pro basketball in Australia. In 1991 he attended the U.C. Davis teaching credential program and received a secondary credential in math.
His teaching experience includes:
- 1992-96 math teacher at Rio Linda H.S. (north Sacramento)
- 1996-2000 generalist teacher (grades 6-12) in the Y'upik village of Kotlik, Alaska
- 2000-2004 math teacher at Windsor High School
- 2004-2007 travelled Central and South America to learn Spanish and do volunteer work (2 1/2 years in Peru, 1 full year as 5th/6th grade teacher)
- 2009-2023 math teacher Healdsburg High School
- 2023-2025 Playgarden assistant, Blackberry Playgarden (Waldorf Inspired), Healdsburg
Dana’s educational philosophy has always been to work together with his colleagues to teach students responsibility, how they connect to their community and the world, and to teach to the whole child by integrating the subjects with art, nature (environment), and cooperative groups.
He loves to tell stories or share experiences to connect learning to real life, to backpack in the Sierras, play disk golf, and to read. What gratefulness he feels to return to my boyhood town and teach math in such a tightly bonded community.