TEACHERS
Amber Pommarane
School Director/Lead Teacher
Amber joined RCS in 2017 and has lived in Grand Junction since 2008. She holds degrees in History, Sociology, and Psychology from the University of Wyoming. Amber finished her Early Childhood Education in 2019 from CMU. Amber has worked with children and families for over 20 years. She found Waldorf Education when researching alternative educational philosophies for her oldest child, the Waldorf approach was the right fit for her and her family. She truly loves working with young children and building relationships with the River Canyon families. Amber believes the first 7 years of childhood should be cherished and guided with a loving, gentle hand.
Amber and her husband have three children and live on a small hobby farm. They enjoy spending their weekends on the local trails or participating in various sporting events.
Alex Frederick Lead Teacher
Alex has lived in Grand Junction and taught at River Canyon since the Fall of 2020. She started as an assistant teacher in the Apple Blossom class and is now the lead teacher in the Sweet Pea classroom. Her child care career began in 2008 and has included being a nanny, a Montessori teacher and a substitute teacher in preschools across Denver. She has found her teaching home in the Waldorf philosophy and believes in teaching with slow-paced wonder and respect for our inner and outer worlds.
In her free time, Alex enjoys spending quality time with her partner, Bea and their 2 cats. She also enjoys reading, doing arts and crafts and outdoors she likes to bike, hike, and camp.
Beatrix Frederick Assistant Teacher
Bea started teaching at River Canyon school in the fall of 2021 and has found the Waldorf setting to be a great place to continue a wide range of interests and pursuits while sharing them with curious new minds. Outside of the school Bea enjoys spending time with their wife Alex and has a passion for music and growing plants. They find beauty and intrigue in all corners of the world and are kept young by constant learning and growing.
Jordyn Herd Assistant Teacher
Jordyn is entering her second year with RCS. Jordyn is the assistant lead teacher in the Sweet Pea classroom. Jordyn has worked with children in various roles for over 15 years. Jordyn’s passion for children has maintained steadfast through her years of study in yoga and physical therapy, ultimately landing her at River Canyon School. Jordyn has taught in Montessori preschools, but couldn’t figure out what was missing until she found a home in the Waldorf curriculum and at RCS. Jordyn is excited to work with and support every child who steps into her classroom. When Jordyn is not working or studying for her Director certificate you can find her hiking with her partner Maggie and dog Harvey. Jordyn and her partner have lived in Grand Junction for 2 years.