Evelyn Limehouse (Hasenstall - children ages 4-5) was born in Heidleberg, Germany to a native from Mannheim.  She spent the first 6 years in Germany before moving to Washington State.  Evelyn received her Bachelor of Arts degree in German from the University of Washington as well as her Masters of Arts in Teaching from the University of Puget Sound with an endorsement in German.  Evelyn has been employed as a full time teacher with the Tacoma Public Schools since 2001. She did substitute in spring 2010 for the Tacoma German Language School and is a full time faculty member since fall 2010. Evelyn also taught during our one week long summer camp “Campingplatz “Katzenkopf” 2010.

Sandra Whitaker (Teaching assistant and substitute teacher in the Hasenstall, children ages 4-5) is 24 years old and was born in Ehringshausen, Germany. She spent 23 years of her life in a little town called Asslar, where she worked as a substitute teacher and a private tutor. She moved to Lacey, WA in April of 2010. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education at the Justus-Liebig University in Giessen, Germany, where she also completed two internships at local middle and high schools. She is now working as a German Instructor at the Community College in Centralia. Please welcome our new faculty member Sandra Whitaker.

Ericka Baird (Adult I) received her Bachelors of Arts in German from Pacific Lutheran University in December 2007.  After receiving her degree, Ericka received a Fulbright scholarship to work at the Goethe Gymnasium / Rutheneum seit 1608  in Gera, Thuringia teaching English as a foreign language to German students.   While in Gera, Ericka worked with 5^th-13^th graders, volunteered at schools in Leipzig, Rudolstadt, and Lusan.  Ericka spent all of her free time traveling throughout Germany with her friends and colleagues, learning things only the locals know. Ericka started her relationship with the German language and culture at the age of four, when her mother was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany.  She learned the language in school from native speakers and spent a great deal of time traveling with her father, who also spoke German.  While in college, Ericka also participated in German immersion programs in Berlin and Portland. Ericka’s greatest passion is teaching German and music to children.  She is currently looking at Universities in Washington to acquire her Master’s in German Education.  She also has experience teaching elementary school music, private musical instrument lessons, and tutoring students and friends in English and German.  Ericka joined the faculty of the Tacoma German Language School in September 2010. She assisted the teacher in the Hasenstall (children ages 4-5) during fall term 2010 and is very excited to teach the beginning course for adult students this term.

Gabriele Williamson (Dinosaurierhalle - children ages 6-7) had worked as a faculty member for the TGLS from 1999 – 2002 and joined our school as a teacher again in September 2008. In the past she has taught the children in the Hasenstall, the Dinosaurierhalle, substituted for several groups, and also taught during summer camp. She was born and raised in Fulda, Germany and moved to Lakewood 11 years ago. Frau Williamson is a state registered instructor as a nursery school teacher for the German Kindergarten. She also completed an advanced training course in special education for children with the University of Marburg, Germany. From 1976 – 1977 she worked in a Montessori Kinderhouse. From 1977 – 1994 she held several positions as an educator in the housing group sector and the therapeutic workshop of the Antoniusheim, a fulltime institution for mentally and physically challenged children and adults. From 1994 – 1998 Mrs. Williamson worked as a nursery school teacher for German Kindergartens in Wiesbaden and Niederrissigheim, Germany . 1998 she moved with her husband and two children to Lakewood . Since 1999 she has been employed with the Clover Park School District #400.

Linda Killingsworth (Waschbärenzimmer – children ages 8-10) received her Bachelor of Science degree in German from Kent State University, Ohio . She has lived a total of 16 years in Germany - one year as a college student at the Universitaet Trier, three years as an aircraft maintenance officer at Ramstein AB , and twelve years as a civilian at Spangdahlem AB. During her twelve years at Spangdahlem, Linda gave German lessons to members of the military community; worked as a translator for base functions, and provided weekly tours to Trier, Germany 's oldest city, to newly arrived personnel and their family members. Linda is currently employed as a substitute teacher in the Bethel School District and maintains her Washington State Teaching Certificate with endorsements in German, English and History. Linda is teaching the children in the Waschbärenzimmer (Children ages 7-10) since fall term 2003. She also taught during the summer camp 2006 - 2010.

Rachel Hansen (Denkmalstube – children ages 11-15) attended Western Washington University , and graduated in 2007 with majors in both German and Linguistics, and minors in History and Theatre.  During her time as a junior at WWU, she had the opportunity to work in Düsseldorf, Germany as an intern at the American Consulate in commercial service; where she worked as a governmental translator.  After graduating in 2007, she went back for a PostBac degree, graduating with honors in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), and also received a bilingual certificate in English and German.  At the end of 2008 she went overseas to Kiel, Germany and worked teaching English in a language school, and then moved to Essen where she continued teaching, but this time to children (ages 7-15) in an English immersion camp, coming back to the states in fall of 2009.  Rachel’s other teaching experience contains: tutoring German on and off for the past 10 years (first to peers and then to her own students), tutoring English to non-native speakers, and tutoring both math and reading.  She did her student teaching at the German Language School in Seattle (with middle schoolers), Seattle American German Academy (pre-schoolers), Whatcom Center for Early learning (toddlers), and International Exchange Program/Asia University American Program at WWU (college age).

Ingrid Skeldon (Adult II) has been with the Tacoma Language School since 1988 and has participated in the summer camp for fourteen years.She is also currently employed as an instructor at the Ft. Lewis Language Training Center . Ingrid’s Language teaching experience includes: Beijing Foreign Language University. Berlitz International Language School, Brussels, Belgium . Brussels American  High School, Brussels, Belgium . Within the greater Tacoma area, she has taught at the Waldorf and Montessori Schools . Ingrid is well versed in the Accelerated Methodology including Total Physical Response and acquisition through creative teaching. Ingrid Skeldon served as Vice principal of the Tacoma German Language School September 2001- September 2009.

Yvonne Bahlmann (Adult III ) came to TGLS in 1998 from the University of Cincinnati , where she taught while earning her M.A. in Germanic Languages and Literature. A native of Dresden, Germany , she also holds teaching certificates in Germany . Frau Bahlmann has taught German to 6^th graders in the Olympia Waldorf School and worked with children in two summer day camps. She worked as a preschool teacher at the Steamboat Island Cooperative Preschool during the school year 2001/2002. Frau Bahlmann has been teaching the Adult students fall 1998- fall 2006 and started teaching the Adult advanced class again in fall 2009. Yvonne Bahlmann has served on the Board of Trustees from September 1999-September 2001 and together with Maria Hegstad as camp director of the summer day camp in 2001 and as camp director in the summer camps 2002 – 2006 and 2009 - 2010. She is serving as the Principal of the Tacoma German Language School since September 2001.

STAFF

Yvonne Bahlmann (Principal) Also see Faculty list.

Linda Killingsworth (Vice Principal) is serving as vice principal since fall 2009. Also see Faculty list.