Richmond Waldorf School in Richmond | Military Town Advisor

Posted: November 26, 2024

RWS has been a blessing to both our family, but most importantly to our daughter. She is about to graduate from RWS this coming summer 2024 and her development, growth, learning experience and just overall day to day school life has been truly a blessing and true excellent educational opportunity. It is a genuine and very supportive community that we have come to care and value as part of our extended family.

Key faculty members that certainly make a difference and allow the experience, engagement. education and support to become more valuable are Mr. Andrew Ross - Director of Administration, Ms. LaToya Good - Administration Assistant, Mrs. Sarah Hayward - 8th grade teacher, Ms. Noelle Mckown, Mrs. Irina Baranova - Russian teacher, Mrs. Margaret Ayre - Music teacher, Mrs. Letitia Amey - 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Mary Willard - Business Office Manager, Mrs. Cathyrn Bump - Handwork teacher, Mrs. Rachel White York - High School Transition Coordinator and many more...

Posted: January 10, 2024

I am a parent of 2 at Richmond Waldorf School for over 6 years. My children absolutely love RWS. They love going to school, and they love their teachers. They have a true desire to learn as RWS creates lifelong learners who learn because they naturally crave the experience, challenge, and growth learning provides. As a parent, I have always valued the true love and compassion the teachers have for my children. Safety has never been a concern for me. The children are loved and protected by the RWS community. I truly feel the teachers know my children and truly love my children. I also appreciate the focus on the child, creativity, arts, nature, socialization, and structure. It provides a holistic enviornment for children to be children...and grow and develop in a way that is true to their nature, spirit, and development. This is a unique and special school, and I am so fortunate my children were able to have this experience.

Posted: January 10, 2024

Posted: January 8, 2024

My child really enjoys going to Waldorf and I love seeing her respect for her love of learning and her respect for self and others continue to grow. There is a real education strategy that makes the children feel excited, safe, and nurtured. They build upon each skill and their confidence in their work shows. There is a lot of family involvement, and you can see what is going on.
There is an emphasis on inclusivity in all areas. There is also a new director who is very involved, enthusiastic, and transparent.
I am happy my child is going to Richmond Waldorf.

Posted: January 8, 2024

We have been at RWS for 6 years, and my two children absolutely love it here. It's a diverse, caring community, and a lovely place to watch your children flourish. Emphasis is placed on child development, movement, language arts, science, arts, music, and arithmetic. The teachers are engaging and you can tell the children feel safe, loved, and seen. It's a beautiful thing when your children are excited to go to school every day- and we have experienced that at RWS.

Posted: January 8, 2024

Posted: December 7, 2023

We have been at RWS starting with the parent/child Sprouts class, through Early Childhood, and onto the grades. The EC teachers created a space where my child felt welcome and loved. The daily, weekly, and seasonal rhythms changed our life. Theres meaning and intention in everything. Free play introduced social skills and problem solving. Playing outside in all weather developed resiliency.

Now in the grades, my child is an avid reader, making lifelong friends, and excited for school every day. The field trips are incredible experiences full of memories and skills to last a lifetime. Art and beauty are woven into every subject. Every child learns to ride a bike, participate in woodwork/handwork, play instruments, learn 2 languages, and recess is twice a day. Interacting face to face and growing relationships without screens is important to our family. The community is diverse in many ways, which I love. I am grateful for this unique, old-world, future-forward education thats developing my child as resilient, creative, collaborative, and kind.

Posted: December 7, 2023

Posted: November 26, 2023

Our family has been part of the RWS grades program for four years. Academic subjects are presented through art, music, theater, and movement. The Waldorf curriculum does not divide learning by topic because, as humans, we do not experience the world one subject at a time. Our daughter has thrived in this kind of integrated program. It's helped her learn by doing, has instilled a love of learning, and built her confidence. We are not Northside residents, and in spite of other independent schools being closer to our home, we choose to travel for Waldorf. The teachers are incredibly committed to their work. They welcome parents with knowledge to offer into the classroom. We are not numbers - our community is vibrant and close knit. Waldorf festivals and other traditions have added meaning and purpose to our lives. The field trips are beyond compare! Some improvements we'd love to see in the future are a food program that serves all students and transportation options.

Posted: November 26, 2023

Posted: May 16, 2023

A lovely school, large enough to offer lots of enriching opportunities (soccer, basketball, Russian, Spanish, music, Japanese drumming!) and small enough to feel home-like and warm. The teachers are gentle and loving. RWS is a haven where kids can be kids.

Posted: May 16, 2023

Posted: April 22, 2023

Our experience was terrible and we wish greta schools dot org would allow this kind of feedback so prospective families can see that this is not the place for Black families.

Posted: April 22, 2023

Posted: February 5, 2023

I highly recommend this school. In this current time period it is easy to get disheartened by what is going on. One glimpse of hope/encouragement/community/growth/inclusiveness is at the Richmond Waldorf school. We have been here now for about 7 years and have been happy the entire time. The teachers all have a special connection to their students. The diversity is growing and we all are encouraged. I am not only proud of my daughters confidence and ability to learn/understand I am so proud of her excitement to learn! She wants to and loves attending school. I want to give a shout out to the way this school teaches conflict resolution-When children grow they are learning to navigate social maturity and with the encouragement/emphasis on social inclusiveness I couldnt be more amazed at how she is learning and what she is learning. The new families that came to our school as a result of Covid have been fantastic and fresh! It is wonderful to invite/include new families that were not aware of this gem of a school we have/share. Prior to Covid everyone knew everyone, and the kids knew all the kids.. we are finally getting back to that type of inclusiveness/family feeling we had before. We can do it and we all are coming out of the pandemic wanting to learn/grow more as a loving/inclusive community. At this school every child is loved, every child is encouraged to grow and is accepted for who they are! The class body doesnt change much so the kids/class really feel like family. It is my experience that every child thinks THEY have the best teacher. The PA has started a book club and have chosen books to broaden our awareness and encourage communication-this little display of growth/openness is now in conversations and excitement among the parent body. The school hosted an event with an author of one of the chosen books-I dont know how they did it but how awesome it is that they did. Coffee socials, book clubs, engagement meetings, growth opportunities, game nights(old fashioned type games-not electronic), Festivals. These are just a few of the ways to be more involved. Our school is awesome and I highly recommend this place-our family feels fortunate to be here and every family we know we absolutely adore and appreciate. In our small class we have very diverse parents and I couldnt be more proud. At the core all the parents love their children and each others child.

Posted: February 5, 2023

Posted: January 19, 2023

I find Richmond Waldorf School to be the very best school for my grandchildren. They have been attending there for several years. Their teachers are welcoming and caring. There is hardly any turn over for teachers and all the kids get to know the teachers well and in turn the teachers the students. It feels like family.
We come from a racially diverse background and Waldorf has been very inclusive. Waldorf supports and nurtures our children and families and helps them grow into productive, creative, diverse and loving individuals. I believe the school is doing that. There ALWAYS will be challenges -such is the nature of life- but it can be addressed by accepting our differences and working thru them in community. Waldorf is a positive, safe, wonderful learning environment for children and that I truly appreciate every day.

Posted: January 19, 2023

Posted: January 17, 2023

We have been very disappointed in our experience at this school. It is not recommended.
You might be attracted to this school because of its stated commitment to DEI and what seems like a progressive environment, but there are a lot of people here who are not progressive and they just might end up teaching your child.
There is virtually no diversity among the students, faculty or staff.
The board that governs the school, also overwhelmingly white, has a long long history of terrible decisions.
There have been something like 8 principals at this school in the last four years. Many of them fired by the board or serving in a temporary capacity.
Don't let them tell you that it's all "growing pains" as this school has existed for 25 years. At some point you just have to say it's a dysfunctional place and it's not going to get better.

Posted: January 17, 2023

Posted: January 9, 2023

Run from this school.
If you have any awareness of Waldorf education, you might think that you will be joining a really welcoming and diverse community but you will be wrong.
COVID migration from public schools has resulted in a very very different culture in this school community. Now, the affluent white families are running the show and they have undermined the teachers and Waldorf commitment to DEI work at every turn.
This is a mean, divisive place.
Do not enroll your child.

Posted: January 9, 2023

Posted: January 2, 2023

We have moved into the Richmond area and ever since we have enrolled our child in this school, he has been happy and excelling. fantastic school. fantastic comunity. for our LGBT+ family

Posted: January 2, 2023

Posted: May 16, 2022

There are some great pros to this school, such as small class sizes, amazing outdoor space, and a focus on practical and creative experiences in the early years. It's also relatively affordable compared to other area independent schools.

There are also some big cons, such as an insular & homogenous community, a lack of visible or visionary leadership, and outdated educational philosophies that have little grounding in research.

This school may be a perfect fit for your family, but it was not a perfect fit for ours.

Posted: May 16, 2022

Posted: February 1, 2017

We have had a very positive experience with the Richmond Waldorf School, both at the school, and as a result of having been a student there later down the road. Our oldest daughter started in the PreK program, 13 years ago, and was able to attend through the 6th grade. Not only did we find it warm and welcoming during her years there, but also the Waldorf curriculum instilled in her a patient determination, along with a genuine love of learning, that has also served her amazingly well since. Her passion for reading and literature was born there. This school also taught her the value of working at a task until it is mastered, giving her confidence that she can chip away at and eventually overcome the most difficult challenges even when it looks bleak from the outset. Due to this confidence, she has since taught herself to play the guitar, has become fluent in German, and is currently a senior, and thriving in Public High School planning to take 4 AP exams this spring alone.
Our middle child had a similar experience, leaving RWS, not only academically prepared, but also having found his time there full of support and comradery. The friendships he made at Richmond Waldorf School are incredibly strong, and his entire class remains very close.
And as a final example of our satisfaction with the school, our youngest daughter is currently in attendance there happy to be learning violin, Russian, Spanish, botany, geography, spelling, drawing skills, and on and on. She loves to go to school, insisting that we get there as early as possible in order not to miss a minute. Her favorite classes at the moment are wood working and PE (where they have been known to take spontaneous outings, such as walks down to the river to clean up trash). And we are fully confident as her parents, that even though she loves school and doesnt have loads of homework or stress that her peers in other schools seem to, that these strong roots that she is now growing will enable her to do anything she puts her mind to in the future.

Posted: January 26, 2017

After enduring 6 long grueling years in the NY State, Common Core obsessed, Public School system we decided to make a change. That change was a new state and new pedagogical approach to teaching, namely the Richmond Waldorf School. It is our opinion that this teaching method embodied at RWS is superior to anything being offered today. The staff at RWS truly believe in the method, and bring to the table a passion, ingenuity, enthusiasm and true understanding of childhood development long gone from the public schools my child has attended, or I have investigated. My son has never been happier attending school, and at the end of the day isn't that what all parents want, the ability to give their child the best education possible? Well at RWS, unequivocally, we have found it!

Posted: January 24, 2017

I am thankful every single day that my kids have an opportunity to go to RWS. I have two very different boys and the curriculum suits them both. I visited almost every private school in Richmond and knew I wanted my children to attend RWS. It is truly a blessing. My boys are taught respect and the joys of hard work. Besides main lesson the children have strings, music, art, languages, cooking, biking and much more. We have seen the benefits of a Waldorf education and can't wait to see how our children develop through this special school.

Posted: January 24, 2017

Posted: January 20, 2017

no bullying tolerated; children who are aggressive have been asked to leave the school

Posted: January 20, 2017

best part of my son's education has been having children with different learning styles in the classroom

Posted: January 20, 2017

unique leadership structure--all teachers involved in leadership decisions

Posted: January 20, 2017

absolutely....make sure you go to the Friday gathering. Each week the classes perform either poems, songs or plays. All the students know each other and there is wonderful camaraderie

Posted: January 20, 2017

all teachers at the school know my son and have been part of his education

Posted: January 20, 2017

homework increases steadily in the middle school years.

Posted: January 20, 2017

what I love about a Waldorf Education: yesterday my mom and I were heading out to a community art studio to make protest wear for the Women's March on Washington. Grandma says, "I want to have a dove on my hat, Calder draw me a dove." Without batting an eye, my 14 year old grabs a pen and dashes off a beautiful dove with an olive branch. This is a boy boy whose main passion is soccer and basketball.

Posted: October 7, 2015

After visiting Montessori and Waldorf, we enrolled our son. We now have our 3, 5 and 7 year olds attending and it was the best decision we ever made! The kids love going to school! They heard French lullabies in preschool and now in the grades my son is learning Russian and Spanish. The children learn in a fun way and actually grasp the concepts and develop a love to learn. My son also has sensory issues, and the staff have always been very helpful and really look for the greatest good for each individual child. Not only is the curriculum excellent, but some of the outdoor play included bicycle lessons, safety and a field trip to see the Worlds in our own backyard, not to mention walks to Maymont, "work" at the Botanical Gardens and other community service. After three years, I cannot wait to see my children doing what I see the older kids doing! And the alumni seem to be doing well in top schools, a product of a Waldorf education! Thanks to all the teachers and staff! We love you, and so do our children!

Posted: May 23, 2013

My School is Richmond Waldorf School. The student always travel for the end of the year class trips. Great life experience

Posted: May 17, 2013

Richmond Waldorf is a great place to work. The best part of the school is the children. They are attentive, responsive, fun-loving, and good-natured. It's a joy to work with them every day. As a community of teachers and parents we have our challenges, but that's what keeps us real and keeps us growing. Check out Richmond Waldorf School if you want a truly meaningful education for your child!

Posted: May 17, 2013

Richmond Waldorf offers truly holistic education. Children are given the skills and confidence to flourish as they move forward in life - they have a deep sense of self and their abilities. My children were well prepared for competitive high schools. Where else can a child learn to play violin and recorder, paint beautifully, engage in woodworking projects, study Russian, take farm and backpacking class trips while mastering academic subjects. Waldorf kids love school

Posted: November 12, 2012

"I like the teachers" "we have a lot of outdoor play" "we do a lot of drawing and painting" "we gather together on Fridays--the whole school-and show what we are working on like plays,music,poems, songs and dances." "I have lots of good friends". From my son in 4th grade We have been at the school since kindergarten

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Brickshire Golf Community	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Providence Forge	VA	25.4 mi
2	Scots Pond	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Williamsburg	VA	42.7 mi
3	Lee Hill Estates	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fredericksburg	VA	44 mi
4	Ford's Colony	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Williamsburg	VA	45.8 mi
5	Creekside Landing	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Williamsburg	VA	46.8 mi
6	Kingsmill	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Williamsburg	VA	47.9 mi
7	Colonial Village at Greenbrier	Apartment Complex	Fredericksburg	VA	49.6 mi
8	Presidential Lakes	Neighborhood/Subdivision	King George	VA	50 mi

#	Name	City	State	Overall Rating	Distance
1	Carytown	Richmond	VA		2.1 mi
2	Ferry Farm Area	Fredericksburg	VA		49.7 mi

Base	Distance
Defense Supply Center Richmond	10.8 mi.
Fort Lee	23.9 mi.
Fort AP Hill	35.2 mi.
Fort Pickett	44.6 mi.

Richmond Waldorf School

Richmond, VA 23227

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Richmond Waldorf School

Richmond, VA 23227

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