Dani Pifer

I am beyond excited and grateful to be a part of the Friends School Community this upcoming school year as the lead Kindergarten teacher. I moved from San Diego to Colorado in 2008 to attend the University of Colorado at Boulder. As a student, I was a mentor and tutor at an educational nonprofit called I Have A Dream Foundation at Ryan Elementary. After graduating I moved to Nan, Thailand, to teach English at a small private elementary school. Upon returning, I began working for Playworks, an education nonprofit in Denver, where I learned about the power of play. Over my five years at Playworks, I integrated school-wide, play-based social-emotional learning into schools across Colorado. As my position shifted at Playworks further from the classroom, I realized my role was no longer a good fit for me because my true passion is teaching. As soon as I walked through the doors at Friends, I knew this is where I am supposed to be. I started at Friends as a Teacher Candidate in 2nd grade and moved into an Associate Teacher role last year. My values align with the Friends School mission of educating the whole child. My goal every day as an educator is to cultivate an inclusive and safe environment where there is a balance between educating head, hand, and heart. Our practices at Friends allow children to leave school each day with a more profound love for learning, themselves, their peers, and their community. Kindergarten is a magical year filled with tremendous growth, and I am honored that I get to be a part of their journey. 

Outside of school, you can find me and my partner Kristjan exploring the outdoors. From biking and tubing to backpacking and snowboarding, we love everything that Colorado has to offer. To recharge I read, practice yoga and mindfulness, spend time with family and friends, play board games, and hang out with our two adorable kitties.