Teacher Bios

Lolly Rogers

Lolly Rogers grew up in Florida and spent much of her time playing outdoors. Her parents moved in art and music circles, thus providing a variety of creative people for Lolly and her siblings to be around. She developed a love for art early on, and as a young teenager traded pottery and batik lessons for babysitting. Lolly was also a bookworm and thrived on academics, as well as art. She received a BA in Anthropology with a minor in Geology from Florida State University. After completing her archaeology field school in St. Augustine, she worked as an assistant registrar at Lightner Museum.

Years later, after moving to Oregon, Lolly enrolled her children in the Eugene Waldorf School, and eventually entered the Eugene Waldorf Teacher Training Program there. She has taught grades one through eight in Oregon, Washington, California, and Florida, and took shorter term positions in Alaska and the Caribbean. The high need for Waldorf teachers in the world opened doors and made it possible to travel and work in various regions. Lolly has now returned to St. Augustine to fulfill one of her dreams- to bring Waldorf Education to St. Augustine.

Paola Fallas Gaskin

Paola Fallas Gaskin grew up in San José, Costa Rica. She was lucky to grow up in a country where there is beautiful nature all around. Both of her parents are biologists, which gave her and her siblings a unique appreciation for nature. Paola received a BA in Early Childhood Education from Universidad de Costa Rica and a specialization in Speech Therapy and Learning Disabilities. While Paola was in school, she worked as a teacher assistant at an international school. After completing her BA, she moved to the pacific coast, Jaco, where she taught preschool. Paola then came to the USA to teach as a Spanish Immersion teacher in North Carolina, where she taught from Kindergarten to Third Grade.

Paola and her husband decided to move to Florida to be closer to family. She worked for two years at a preschool, before deciding to stay home with her daughter, Lucia. After a couple of years, Paola decided to join Star Song School teaching Spanish. She quickly immersed herself in learning more about Waldorf Education, and has become a beloved teacher in the grades program.

Ava Grundvig

Ava Grundvig is a Florida native. She was born in Flagler Beach and grew up in St. Augustine where her parents always encouraged her to go on new adventures. As a child, she spent much time sailing, camping, and reading. Ava’s father is a sailor and marine carpenter, and her mother is a librarian, and their influences are obvious. As a teenager, Ava was very interested in art, beginning with drawing and branching out into painting, crocheting, sewing, and baking. When she was 18, with her father's help, she began the restoration of her own sailboat, and gained a love for carpentry as well.

A few years later she moved to Arkansas where she lived on a shared property with her significant other's family. There she acquired many more skills, ranging from shearing sheep and planting a garden to herbal remedies and taking care of children in a communal setting. Ava then returned to St. Augustine where she has worked as a nanny and in childcare, and where she continues to find new ways to enjoy nature and art with her students. Ava joined the staff of Star Song School as the Handwork teacher (fiber arts) and Aftercare teacher, then transitioned into a long-term Kindergarten substitute. Currently, she is the Handwork teacher and assisting in Second Grade, demonstrating her versatility and dedication. Ava lives with her partner, dog and three cats and enjoys cooking, riding her bike, and swimming.

Carrie Riley

Carrie comes to us from beautiful Oregon with over 35 yrs experience in child development and is a certified Waldorf teacher with special studies in early childhood development.

She spent over 30 years as a lead kindergarten & preschool teacher. Her specialty now is helping pioneer schools become more solid. She is a Waldorf consultant and teacher trainer as well.

Carrie has helped to start 5 Waldorf inspired schools over the last 30 years & has studied the 11 Intelligences theory, the Reggio Emilia method, RIE and 2 years recently studying NVC (compassionate communication). She is committed to continuing her studies in childhood education that encourages the natural gentle rhythms of child development.
Carrie realized her dream and opened her own preschool in Oregon and became the founder, director & lead teacher of Apple Blossom School and her 2nd location was an infant program called Apple Blossom Beginnings. She managed 12 employees and 70 families during this busy time of her life. She did this for 16 years.
Carrie recently spent 5 years in Guatemala helping a pioneer school get its start. This was an amazing journey and huge learning experience for Carrie. It turned out to be one of the best adventures of her life!
She mentored and trained Guatemala teachers to use the Waldorf methods in Trinus and did outreach to other preschools in the area helping to inspire Waldorf techniques, serving over 75 teachers.
She is so happy to join Star Song School and explore a new area of the country and share her experience.
Carrie is the proud mother of three grown children & two granddaughters & 3 grandsons! She believes raising her children was the best education she has ever received! As a bonus to joining Star Song, two of her grandchildren live in Jacksonville and she couldn’t be more excited to visit with them often.
Her hobbies are needle and wet felting, watercolor and acrylic painting, crafting, camping, traveling and cooking.
She is very close to her family and loves her dog Lulu!