Middle School Faculty

Heidi Bromley joined SVCS as the new Middle School Enhancement teacher starting in the 2022-23 school year. Heidi brings a wealth of teaching experience, having been a classroom teacher in the Boise School District for the past 20 years, primarily in 7th and 8th grades, in addition to teaching in elementary grades early in her career.

During her time with the Boise School District, she held a number of leadership roles, including professional collaboration teams, curriculum development, and student activity advisor. As a classroom teacher, Heidi supported and challenged her students while building positive classroom cultures and successfully addressing the individual learning needs of her students.

Heather Christiansen joined SVCS as an Elementary School Learning Specialist in the fall of 2018. She currently serves as the Department Chair.

Heather has been a member of the Elementary School faculty since 2004, most recently serving as a classroom assistant. Prior, she also served as a substitute teacher for long-term absences.

As a certified Phono-Graphix instructor, Heather was instrumental in the implementation of the school’s phonics program four years ago. Her skill set, calm demeanor, magnetism, and creative approach to learning have proven invaluable to her students in the classroom and will transition to her role as a learning specialist. Her work has spanned grades Kindergarten through fifth.

Heather earned her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Western Governors University and is currently working toward her degree in Special Education. 

Kira holds a BA in Biology from Carleton College, where she was the recipient of funding from The Initiative for Service Internships in International Development. She has her teaching license from the state of Colorado in Mathematics Education (7-12), Science Education (7-12), and Spanish (K-12). She is also a Red Cross-certified Wilderness First Aid Instructor. In her free time, enjoys traveling, playing the ukulele and guitar, and playing ultimate frisbee. 

Matthew Fiorentino joined the Middle School as its new Music/Theater teacher in the fall of 2023.

Prior to joining the Cutthroat community, Matthew most recently was an Assistant Professor of Music Education at Arizona State University where, among other responsibilities, he taught bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral courses on pedagogy, research, and writing. Prior to that role, he was a music teacher at Andrus and Chief Joseph Elementary Schools in Boise where he taught elementary strings and kindergarten general music and prepared students for school wide performances.

Previous positions include Director of Orchestras for Centennial and Renaissance High Schools in Boise, Broadcast Coordinator for the Aspen Music Festival and School, and as a private music teacher for Sun Valley School of Music and Idaho Music Academy.

He holds a Doctor of Philosophy from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a Master of Music, Music Education from Boise State University, and a Bachelor of Music, Music Education from State University New York of Potsdam.

Cara Frost joined Sun Valley Community School in 2011 and currently teaches kindergarten through eighth grade Art, serves as an eighth grade advisor, leads the Art Club, and coaches Middle School volleyball.

Cara attended San Jose State on a Division 1 volleyball scholarship and went on to earn a BFA in Art and Art Education at the University of Arizona.

Prior to joining the school's faculty, Cara taught sixth through twelfth grade in Tucson, Arizona, where she also coached varsity volleyball.

Cara appreciates "the freedom to question the process and the trust encouraged by the administration, the faculty, and the students" at Sun Valley Community School, and, she says, "I love to watch the students and their passions grow. Mark making, storytelling, imagination, and innovation are all expressed within their creations, in their voice. It is beyond powerful."

When Cara is not teaching, she finds inspiration for her own art in the outdoors, her dogs, books, and her daughter Tova.

Naomi Goldberg joined Sun Valley Community School in 2006 and currently teaches eighth grade English Language Arts and History, serves as faculty advisor to the Middle School yearbook,  facilitates the middle school's DEIJ Affinity and Alliance groups.

Naomi holds a BA from Duke University in Psychology and English and a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Scranton.

With prior experience as an outdoor trip leader, Naomi was initially attracted to the school by the Outdoor Program. "I knew that any school that believed in the value of taking students into the backcountry three or four times a year would be in line with my philosophical beliefs about teaching and learning," she says. Since joining the school as a faculty member, she has consistently seen the value of outdoor experiences in building meaningful relationships that enhance learning and has also come to appreciate the team/theme model of teaching in the Middle School. The team approach, she notes, "allows us to integrate all subject areas the way that students will encounter them in the 'real world.'"

When she's not teaching, Naomi can be found enjoying the outdoors with friends and family. "I also love to read and share books with students, colleagues, and friends," she says. Naomi is the mom to two young Cutthroats and is excited that they are part of the Sun Valley Community School experience. 

Cecilee Heath joined our Cutthroat staff in December, 2020. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) Cecilee most recently worked as the Social Worker for St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center. While working at St. Luke’s, Cecilee also maintained a small private practice holistically treating primarily trauma and trauma-related disorders.

Cecilee has extensive history working with children of all ages and is trained as a play therapist. Prior to her work at St. Luke’s, she served as a School Social Worker for the alternative high school in Blaine County School District for approximately three years before relocating to Boise temporarily to work as the Clinical Director for the Idaho Youth Ranch. While with the Blaine County School District, she coordinated the Social Emotional Learning Program, taught AP Psychology to 11th and 12th graders, and trained many district staff in Restorative Practices.

Cecilee’s education runs deep. She is a Licensed Trainer for the International Institute on Restorative Practices (IIRP), is certified to teach Trauma-Informed Care, and also created a parent education program that was delivered through The Blaine County Community Drug Coalition for over five years. She is also trained in the Community Resiliency Model. She holds a BS in Psychology and a Master of Social Work from Boise State University. 

Elle Lucas joined the Middle School team as its new 6th grade English and History teacher in 2023. She also serves as Co-Leader of the Middle School Drama program.

Elle holds her BA in English and Performance and Communication Arts from St. Lawrence University, and an MA in Teaching from Idaho State University.

Elle originally joined Sun Valley Community School as a Teacher Training Academy (TTA) intern for the 2016-17 school year, where she taught Upper and Middle School Spanish and was an advisor to the Upper School Cutthroat Underground newspaper club. Over the course of the last six years, Elle has served in a wide variety of roles at SVCS including Residential Hall Advisor, 7th Grade Teaching Associate and Enhancement Teacher, and most recently, as the 5th Grade Assistant Teacher.

Zach Manta joined the Middle School in 2023 and currently teaches 7th and 8th grade Science. He holds a BS in Environmental Studies from the University of Southern California, an MA in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago, and an MA in Teaching from the Relay Graduate School of Education. 

Zach was most recently a member of the science faculty at Namaste Charter School in Chicago, Illinois. In this role, Zach taught 7th and 8th grade Science, served on the school’s Leadership Advisory Council, was instrumental in the creation of a new science curriculum, and coached the girls’ soccer team. 

The Middle School welcomed Anthony Mauldin on August 15, 2022 as the new 8th Grade Math/Science teacher. For the 2023-24 school year, Anthony will be transitioning to teaching Math at both the 7th and 8th grade levels

Anthony is a team player and collaborator, outdoor enthusiast and fly-fisherman, a proponent of project-based and thematic learning, and he has taught math for ten years. He has also taught science under the Next Gen standards for the past three years.

A graduate of Northern Arizona University, his prior experience includes serving as an IELP Math and Science Teacher at Stamford American International School in Singapore. From 2016-19, he worked at the Abu Dhabi Educational Council in the United Arab Emirates where he was the Math Teacher for Ramah Primary and Secondary School, and from 2013-16, he taught honors Geometry at Mountain View High School in Mesa, Arizona. 

Cutthroat alum Daniela Stokes ’11 first joined the Middle School faculty as a French teaching associate starting with the 2022-23 school year. She currently teaches 7th and 8th grade French. A graduate of St. Lawrence University, Daniela holds a degree in Francophone Studies and a minor in Education Studies. During her time at St. Lawrence, she spent a semester abroad in France, studying at the Université de Rouen.

Previously, Daniela served as a community and experiential advisor at Alzar School in Cascade, Idaho, where her primary responsibilities included working with students in the residential program. Daniela has been a substitute teacher at Sun Valley Community School from 2015-21, where she filled in for teachers of all grades and subjects, including serving four months as the ES Spanish teacher. Daniela also has extensive outdoor experience and will help lead trips for the Outdoor Program. 

Nancy Parsons-Brown initially taught French at Sun Valley Community School from 1983-85; she returned to the school in 1994 as a part-time faculty member and eventually took on a full-time position. Nancy currently teaches Middle School French.

Nancy holds a BA from University of Colorado in French literature and a MA in teaching from Graceland University.

In her long tenure at Sun Valley Community School, Nancy has held many roles. In addition to teaching French in the Middle School, she is also the Co-Coordinator of the Teacher Training Academy, and Co-Coordinator of Teaching and Learning. She also served as the World Language Department Chair,

Throughout her time at the school, Nancy has been inspired by the spirit of community that characterizes the school. "The school is a big family," she says. "My colleagues are phenomenal, and the students are engaged, personable, and often hilarious."

When Nancy is not teaching, she enjoys running, skiing, hiking, playing hockey, reading and spending time with her family. She and David are parents to three Cutthroat alums: Finn ’04, Connor ’08, and Nellie ’10.

Calysta Phillips teaches Middle School Spanish and is the Service Learning and Community Connections Coordinator.  Additionally, she is the founder of The Community Table/La Mesa Comunitaria, a local initiative that brings together SVCS and Wood River High School students to build bridges between people in our valley by providing meals, joy, resources, and a sense of community to those in need. Calysta joined Community School in 2012 and taught Upper School French and Spanish until 2017.  

Calysta holds a BA from Harvard University and an MA in Spanish from Middlebury College.

Prior to her position at Sun Valley Community School, she taught French and Spanish and was an Outdoor Education Facilitator at Kent Denver School in Denver, Colorado. Calysta also served as Bilingual Community Outreach Coordinator for St. Luke's Health System here in the Wood River Valley.

Calysta appreciates the relationships she develops with students and with her colleagues at the school through the Outdoor Program. "I love the outdoor trips and getting to have such meaningful life experiences with my students and colleagues. I have such deeper relationships with them from having forged bonds together outside of the classroom." 

When she's not teaching, Calysta is happiest in the kitchen, preparing food for friends and family. You might also find her dancing, teaching Zumba, rapping, mountain biking or cross country skiing. 

Joel Vilinsky joined  Sun Valley Community School in 2000, and currently teaches English Language Arts and History for seventh grade. He also serves as a Middle School girls volleyball coach. Joel previously directed the Middle School drama department for 20 years, and teaches Creative Writing, Play Writing, Acting, Improvisation, and Beach Volleyball. He is a past chair of the English Department. Prior to arriving at Sun Valley Community School, Joel taught for 14 years in Brooklyn, New York and Williamsburg, Virginia. 

Joel holds a BS in Psychology and a BA in English from the University of Albany, an M.Ed. in secondary English education from Tufts University, and completed an Eastern Virginia Writing Fellowship at College of William and Mary.

In his work in the classroom and in the theatre, Joel appreciates his students' engagement. "They're always teaching me what I don't know, and pointing out what I didn't see," he says. He also loves to see the learning that happens when students are able to challenge themselves to step beyond their comfort zone. "Edging students from the nest, whether it be exploring new talents or taking academic risks during discussions and projects, is what's most inspiring every day," he notes.

An experienced actor, Joel appeared regularly in productions for Hailey's Company of Fools theater of which he was a founding member, before it closed in 2020 due to COVID. He enjoys reading, writing, playing volleyball, and spending time with his wife, Jeanne.

Stacey Ward joined Sun Valley Community School in 1994. She taught elementary P.E. and served as a teaching assistant in fourth grade until 2021. Starting with the 2021-2022 school year, Stacey transitioned to lead the K-8 P.E. program. 

Stacey holds a BS in education from University of Wyoming.

Stacey was drawn to the school by the wide variety of programming the school offers students. She is inspired every day by the children she teaches. "I strive to create a fun, inclusive, and safe environment for all my students every day," Stacey says.

When she isn't teaching, you can find Stacey on the ski hill or pursuing other outdoor adventures. Stacey has two children: Taylor, who graduated from Sun Valley Community School in 2008, and Latner.