Meet Our Specialty Teachers
Melissa Sigh
Specialty Teacher, Music

With twenty-five years of teaching experience, Melissa fosters student growth and joy through music-making, personal connection, and insightful support. Melissa is a creative and engaging music educator with experience in diverse music education settings.
Melissa moved to Hawai’i Island for the opportunity to teach outdoors year-round. Melissa is thrilled to be the music teacher at Malamalama Waldorf School, where students show tremendous talent and enthusiasm for singing, playing instruments, movement, and creative expression.
Melissa holds a master’s degree in music education from Michigan State University and certifications in Music Learning Theory, specializing in early childhood music education. She has served as a music teacher in Michigan’s public schools for sixteen years. Information about Melissa’s private lesson studio and online music tutorials can be found at www.sigh.studio.
Mark Caudill
Title 1 Reading/Writing Instructors

Information will follow!
Kate Werner
Title 1 Reading/Writing Instructors

Information will follow!
Yukiko Ito
Specialty Sensei, Japanese Studies

Aloha, nice to meet you! I am Yukiko from Japan. I was born in Tokyo and raised in the suburbs of Chiba. My family moved to Hawaii five years ago, and It is a great pleasure for me to have an opportunity to teach Japanese at this school on Hawaii island.
Prior to moving to Hawaii, I was working at the international preschool in Japan and as a private tutor to prepare for the entrance exam for students ages 7-15.
In my childhood, I loved reading books and spending time with nature. I also loved listening to music and dancing. When I was 13, I gained unforgettable opportunities to join the parades to celebrate the founding of the United States as a baton twirler. Our team participated in ceremonies at several places in the US, but joining Parades at the Kalakaua streets in Oahu and Disneyland in California was the most memorable for me. In that same year, I read my first book about Waldorf education on my parents' bookshelf. It was very impressive.
In my Japanese class here, in addition to learning to speak and write Japanese, students learn traditional Japanese songs and learn to make Japanese papercrafts with “Origami” as part of their lessons. They love to make it. I would like to introduce more Japanese culture and customs such as calligraphy and Japanese simple cooking. Through learning foreign languages, I hope that students will have a respectful mind in this wonderful natural environment at Mālamalama Waldorf School.
Kumu, Hawaiian Studies

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LaRae Soleimente, Handwork Teacher

LaRae Soleimente or Auntie L, is our handwork teacher. She brings 25 years of experience working in classes of children with special needs and general education. She went to Seattle Pacific University for her degree in Special Education. She moved to Hawaii in 2018.
Her second love is handwork art, creating everything from the finished wood slab in her kitchen to crocheting baby blankets. She states, “This job is my two passions coming together into one. I am so very grateful and excited to be a part of the Malamalama Waldorf team and share my passion and experience with the children.”