The typical model of governance in Waldorf schools is for teachers to provide the principal voice on how the school is run. Our Council of Teachers has been and continues to be the principal body for guiding the art of education and the well-being of the school community.
As the school has grown, however, the need has grown for dedicated staff to manage the school, coordinate among its various areas, and make a host of decisions without the need for a meeting of the Council of Teachers. Our new structure continues to be led by the Council of Teachers. In addition, the Council delegates authority to three directors (or “sub-directors”) who are each responsible for a given area of school life. These three areas, which come out of our work with Rudolf Steiner’s threefold society, are the Pedagogy, the Administration, and Development. Each area has its own autonomy, while also coordinating with the other two areas when necessary. Each director is entrusted with leading his/her area for the overall well-being of the school and ultimately reports to the Council of Teachers.
Joshua Wilson
Co-founder
Joshua was born in Alabama, USA, and holds a BA in Sociology and Religious Studies, and a Waldorf High School Teaching credential from Rudolf Steiner College. In the USA, he has experience teaching at the secondary level, as well as many years of experience in university administration. Along with his wife, Courtney, Joshua led the founding of Escuela Caracol in 2007, and since that time has taught throughout the primary grades while also working in administration and fundraising. Joshua has three children, and in his free time enjoys playing the guitar, singing, hiking, writing poetry and reading.
Francisco Ixtetelá
Financial Officer
Francisco Ixtetelá was born and resides in San Pedro La Laguna, has a Bachelor’s degree in Public Accounting and Auditing from Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, has 15 years in business support and logistics. He joined the Escuela Caracol team at the end of 2021. His dream is to see Guatemala with social justice. For him it is essential to help keep the school running smoothly! Every day he travels by boat to come to the school, he has a close-knit family and his motto is ‘community work and support is necessary for community development’.
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Ignacio Porón
Administrative Coordinator
Nacho joined Escuela Caracol in 2011. He was born in San Pablo Laguna, where he lives with his wife and two children (both of whom attend Escuela Caracol). His title in Guatemala is “Teacher of Creative Expression” with an emphasis in music, and he has worked as a teacher for nearly ten years in a variety of institutions. He is also working on a university degree in pedagogy. Nacho is currently teaching specialty subject classes in handwork. He brings a wide range of expertise in handwork (he is a professional tailor and is familiar with many local handwork traditions, from weaving to mat-making), and has considerable training in the arts, from music to dance to theater. Nacho is currently completing his Waldorf training at the Centro Antroposófico in Cuernavaca, México.
From this 2022 is the Administrative Coordinator and he is currently the president and legal representative of Caracol Association.
Claudia Castellán
Mercadeo y comunicación
Claudia es guatemalteca, es Licenciada en Ciencias de la Comunicación. Se integró a la familia Caracol como madre en 2018 y en el rol de mercadeo y comunicación desde el 2021. Desde 2007 ha trabajado con video para televisión, películas nacionales, organizaciones sociales y festivales internacionales de arte y danza.
Lo más importante para ella es la familia, amigas que se convierten en familia, disfruta pasar tiempo en la naturaleza, en el Lago de Atitlán.
Juana Yeseña Yojcom
Administrative Assistant
Juana was born in San Pedro La Laguna and studied Bilingual Intercultural Early Childhood Education. For her, family is very important and she enjoys basketball, nature, music and feels blessed to live in Lake Atitlán.