ECC Faculty

The ECC 1 classroom welcomed Kadee Christiansen back to the Cutthroat campus in the fall of 2022 as a Teaching Assistant. Kadee most recently worked as an Assistant Teacher at Lakewood Montessori in Boise, a position she held since 2018. Prior, Kadee worked for the Aftercare Program at Sun Valley Community School from 2012-2014 and again from 2016-2018.
 

Stephanie Ernst joins the Elementary School staff for the 2021-2022 school year as the new ECC 2 teacher.

Stephanie brings a wealth of experience as a passionate and dedicated educator to the ECC 2 classroom. She started her career as a Head Teacher at the Children’s School for Mills College in Oakland, California, working with infants and toddlers. Since then, she has worked in the field of early education as adjunct faculty at Solano Community College and Diablo Valley College, where she created curriculum for and taught a variety of Early Childhood courses. Most recently, Stephanie worked for the San Ramon Valley Unified School District where she served as a Preschool Special Education Teacher from 2010-2017 and then as an Early Intervention Specialist from 2017 to present. Stephanie holds a BA in Sociology from Westmont College and an MA in Education from Mills College. 

Kindra Acker first joined Sun Valley Community School in 2017 as the school’s After-Care Coordinator, a role she continues to serve in addition to her role in the ECC 2 classroom. Prior to joining ECC 2, Kindra worked as a teaching assistant in the ECC 3 classroom. 

Kindra has a passion for fostering the educational, social, and emotional development of youth combined with an exceptional work ethic. Says Kindra, "I strive to provide a safe, encouraging, and engaging space for students to explore, be creative, and discover their own capabilities." She holds a BS in Human Development from the University of California, Davis. 

When not working, she enjoys crocheting, snowboarding, and camping and hiking with her husband and their 2 dogs. 

Katharine Weekes is a teacher in the ECC and the ECC Department Chair. She joined Sun Valley Community School in 1994, drawn to the school's culture and traditions, the dynamic Outdoor Program, and the Reggio-inspired early childhood center. Katharine is continually inspired in her role by students who feel secure enough to take risks and challenge themselves. "I love watching students evolve and come into their own," she says. "To see a tentative child, blossom and find their voice, is so powerful."

In the ECC, Katharine says, "We foster close relationships with our families and create a classroom environment that feels safe and nurturing, thus allowing our students push themselves out of their comfort zone, to grow and learn."

When she's not teaching, Katharine loves to ski with her family (husband Jack, Sun Valley Community School class of '85, son John '20, and daughter Lucy '25 and hike with the family's black lab, Minnow.

Hannes Thum graduated from Sun Valley Community School in 2003 and returned to the school in 2009 as a member of the Upper School science faculty. Before joining the Elementary School faculty in 2019, Hannes taught Introduction to Biology, Advanced Biology, Sensing Place (an interdisciplinary course he co-teaches with English faculty member Elliot Jacobs), Wildlife Ecology, This is Your Brain, Human Physiology, and Field Biology. He also serves as an OLA advisor.

He was  known in the Upper School for his curiosity, love of science, his commitment to his students, and his approachable nature. These are traits that will continue to serve his students well. Janet Salvoni, Elementary School Head, says, “I am excited to work with Hannes as a member of our ES faculty. The entire hiring committee was deeply impressed during the search process, not only by Hannes’s vast science knowledge, but also by his commitment to always putting children first, learning from them, and helping them to develop a sense of self.” While it’s difficult to leave behind what he loves about teaching Upper Schoolers, Hannes says he is looking forward to exploring science and education through this new lens within the school. 

Hannes holds a BA in environmental earth sciences from Dartmouth College and a MS in science education from Montana State University.

Prior to coming home to the Cutthroat campus to teach, Hannes taught for two years at Colorado Rocky Mountain School, where he was also a ski coach.

Hannes says his colleagues at Sun Valley Community School "inspire me every day," and he appreciates "the community, the support, and the relationships" here at school—as well as the incredible location. He has especially loved the opportunity to teach summer field courses, which allow him to take small classes into the field for a day or a week at a time, providing the group the opportunity to "learn, camp, hike, and collect data all side-by-side."

When he's not teaching, Hannes enjoys being outdoors and enjoying other activities that help him find balance in life.