Gerda Griffiths teaches kindergarten at PNCS. Although she first trained as a fashion designer and worked in that industry for several years, she came to teaching in 2003 when her youngest child was kindergarten age and there was a need for a teacher at PNCS. Before going into fashion design, she went to 2 years of college, receiving an A.A. in general studies. Education training she has had then and since include: 1) Growth of the Mind: B.A. College; 2) The Teaching of P.E. at B.A. College; 3) Teaching in a Multi-grade Classroom at B.A. College; 4) Learning Without Tears at a Harrisburg seminar; 5) Therapeutic Storytelling at a B.A. College seminar; and 6) Wilson Language Training at a Pittsburgh seminar. In addition she has participated each summer in the New Church Summer Study of the Writings for the New Church offered to all General Church teachers. In the summer of 2018 she will be enhancing her training further by learning the Orton Gillingham approach so she will be able to identify children who may need extra help with both letters and numbers as they grow.

Above all of this, Gerda understands the importance of keeping an atmosphere of innocence, wonder, acceptance, strength, and curiosity, that is vital for a firm foundation of life.