Whidbey Island Waldorf School

Posted: January 21, 2022

Posted: January 21, 2022

Posted: January 21, 2022

Posted: January 21, 2022

Posted: January 21, 2022

Posted: January 21, 2022

Posted: January 21, 2022

Treasure hidden in the woods. Beautiful environment, wonderful teachers, and loving care community. My kids absolutely love it!

Posted: January 21, 2022

Posted: January 19, 2022

Our 4 year old son is currently enrolled in a mixed Kindergarten class at Whidbey Island Waldorf School. We feel very fortunate to have found an incredibly supportive, accepting and loving community here at WIWS. We are also so impressed by the staff and educators. Our sons teacher is very hands on and goes the extra mile. She is transparent, honest, and unbelievably kind. The entire class of children adores her. I am also very thankful that she goes out of her way to form meaningful relationships with us parents. The supporting teachers are just as well loved and add an extra layer of comfort, support and play to the children's day. The education and philosophy here is exactly what we were looking for and so much more! The grounds on which WIWS sits on is also heavenly. The 100 acre wood is something out of a storybook. We are so thankful to have found this school and cannot wait to enroll our daughter as well once she comes of age!

Posted: January 19, 2022

Posted: January 19, 2022

Posted: January 19, 2022

Posted: January 19, 2022

Posted: January 19, 2022

Posted: January 19, 2022

Posted: January 19, 2022

Posted: January 6, 2021

It's truly magical.... It reminds me of the best moments of my own childhood, outside, free, in the forest, with thoughtful and beautiful classrooms that give the sense of being in a place of story and wonder, where anything is possible. The focus on creativity, connection to the earth and seasonal rhythms inspires me. Especially during the pandemic, the community of parents has been a gift with their care and similar values and approach to parenting.

My daughter has an anxiety disorder and I was so impressed by how her teacher took the extra time to read a book about her condition and meet with other staff and faculty on how best to support her needs. Especially in these times, the intentionality around diversity, social justice and inclusion matter to me as a parent of color. I love how the children learn about leaders like Martin Luther King. It was powerful to see signs about justice made by the children throughout the campus and the conversations it sparked.

Posted: January 6, 2021

Posted: January 6, 2021

Posted: January 6, 2021

Posted: January 6, 2021

Posted: January 6, 2021

Posted: January 6, 2021

Posted: January 6, 2021

Posted: December 22, 2020

We love Whidbey Island Waldorf School. The setting is stunning - 100 acres of forest trust land. We have a Golden Forest Outdoor Kindergarten, and all the kids are out on the land at various times over the course of each week - from Nursery all the way up to Grade 8. Our teachers are wise, giving, able to hold so much, seeing each child for the whole person they are. The community is wonderful too - supportive and inspiring and friendly. Our son takes all the main lessons in math, english, science, geography, history, etc., and he also takes movement/games, Spanish and handwork (painting, drawing, knitting, crochet, needlepoint, leather work, wood work, clay work, etc). Each student takes music, and each student after Grade 3/4 picks up an instrument, usually violin, viola or cello. So each child is both in the choir, and in the orchestra. Deep and enriching education! Each class puts on a play every year, and there are yearly field trips, sailing trips, archery, orienteering, service and community projects... I could on and on. The education here is truly innovative and made for where we are in history now, and who we are, and who these young people can become. I feel very lucky, and very grateful, to have our child in this school.

Posted: December 22, 2020

Posted: December 22, 2020

Posted: December 22, 2020

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Posted: December 22, 2020

Posted: December 22, 2020

Posted: November 30, 2020

Posted: November 30, 2020

Posted: November 30, 2020

i'd recomend :) they helped a lot with my anxiety.

Posted: November 30, 2020

Posted: November 30, 2020

Posted: November 30, 2020

Posted: November 30, 2020

Posted: November 30, 2020

Posted: September 12, 2019

they provide absolutely no course or classroom for children with special needs.

Posted: September 12, 2019

as i said earlier, they approach bullying and violence with a "no blame" philosophy, so if your child is being bullied or assaulted they do nothing about it.

Posted: September 12, 2019

Posted: September 12, 2019

classrooms are dirty and disorganized, lacking order and cleanliness. there is no set curriculum and you will only be harassed socially and not have an update/support regarding academic progress.

Posted: September 12, 2019

the school has no accountability, and will discipline your child in twisted ways without your knowledge at the same time letting your child be physically assaulted at the school.

Posted: September 12, 2019

no services offered as far as counseling or conflict resolution. they use a sick approach of "no blame"....a place where bullying flourishes.

Posted: September 12, 2019

This school is an absolute terror. Keep in mind they are not accredited by AWSNA, the students, parents as well as the staff are happy to take your hard earned money and just as happy to humiliate you if you don't fit into their box of who they think you should be. It is a bland idea of Waldorf Education and is full of gossiping, violence on campus and bullying. I strongly recommend staying away from this school.

Posted: January 15, 2019

Overall, I feel a strong connection with this school. It is probably the main reason we live where we do. The setting is magical and beautiful, the approaches are always engaging and interesting. I feel like I get a second education myself having my children attend here. The understanding of child development and depth inherent in the curriculum is way ahead of it's time. It feels like if you are hoping for positive change in the future generations, this is the best place to be fostering that!

Posted: January 15, 2019

Whenever my daughter has homework, it is clearly meaningful and motivating for her, and often seems geared toward helping parents understand and connect with the topics being covered, which I appreciate. It's never a burden.

Posted: January 15, 2019

I am familiar with the training needed to become a Waldorf teacher and find the curriculum very deep and thorough, which definitely shows in the teachers constantly engaged and refined approaches and dedication.

Posted: January 15, 2019

The whole curriculum is based on developing well-rounded experiences that foster a feeling of connection to the world that leads to reverence, wonder, and respect, as well as a feeling of competence and a will to serve others.

Posted: January 15, 2019

It seems leadership turns over a lot in most settings these days, and this school has been no different. Being a small school however, it does feel like you have a voice and that leadership is always open to engaging with parents collaboratively. Teachers also have a strong influence on leadership decisions, which is important.

Posted: January 15, 2019

The curriculum and approaches are certainly effective in general terms of meeting different types of learners, mixing visual, kinetic, and auditory aspects into most every lesson. However, I think given the size of the school and limited staff members and budget, there is no special education department, though they do offer special reading support. Students with more significant special needs might unfortunately not be able to get all needs met simply given the limitations of a small private school.

Posted: January 15, 2019

The approach used is not the same as you'd see in many settings as the belief here is generally that kids need to be empowered to work out conflicts themselves unless there is concern for safety or wellness. This might feel uncomfortable to some who are more inclined to intervene and prevent all conflict, but it is clear from the overall school spirit that bullying is completely unacceptable and acceptance of and care for everyone regardless of differences is very much part and parcel with the approaches and beliefs.

Posted: January 14, 2019

I am so thankful to have found this gem of a school in these beautiful woods on Whidbey Island. The teachers are incredible; their love for the children is so evident in many areas of their work and care. The community built here is strong, warm and welcoming. This school offers a great balance of learning, movement, being outdoors, care and respect for our world and other people. I couldn't imagine being in any other school!

Posted: January 14, 2019

Posted: January 14, 2019

Posted: January 14, 2019

Posted: October 4, 2017

Posted: October 4, 2017

Posted: October 4, 2017

Posted: October 4, 2017

Posted: October 4, 2017

Whidbey Island Waldorf School is a wonderful school! The current administration and faculty is fantastic and we are fortunate to be a part of such a vibrant and nurturing community. The woodland setting of the school is magical. The teachers are well-trained, extremely committed and communicative with parents. It is true that academics at this school are taught differently and sometimes at a different pace than in the public school system. This is one of the things we love about this school! The curriculum is incredibly rich and meets the children specifically at their developmental stage. The fact that teachers continue with their class from year to year allows them to know their students (as well as their strengths and their weaknesses) very well. The integration of music, art, storytelling, and culture into all aspects of learning is amazing and contributes to a level of learning that is much deeper and much more rich than if they were required to simply memorize facts and regurgitate information. While the school has experienced some "bumps in the road" over the years, we feel that it is in a great place at this point in time. The administration team is open and receptive to feedback, the parent community is supportive and engaged, and the atmosphere is positive and inspiring. We feel very fortunate to be a part of this school.

Posted: October 4, 2017

Posted: October 4, 2017

Posted: January 10, 2017

What drew us to Waldorf education was it's strong focus on building the whole child, and a huge component of this is character and world citizenship. It's a huge part of the school life.

Posted: January 10, 2017

The teachers at WIWS are absolutely incredible, and far and away it's best asset. We are SO lucky to have our wonderful class teachers!

Posted: January 10, 2017

Our daughter obviously does not have any homework yet, but the school has what seems to be a very balanced policy on homework.

Posted: January 10, 2017

Our daughter is in the Nursery/PreK class. We have never felt more welcome or supported as a family as we do here. There is an incredible level of focus on each individual child. We are also impressed with the ongoing education opportunities available to parents and the community. Love this school!

Posted: December 17, 2016

My kids have attended this school from nursery through grade 6 (and are still attending) and I have been very pleased overall with their experience and education.

Posted: September 15, 2016

Homework is assigned depending on the capacities of the student. Every student takes instrument instruction outside of school.

Posted: September 15, 2016

The Waldorf curriculum is rich with opportunities for students to develop positivity, compassion and initiative. All students (and parents) participate in community service, class meetings and cooperative work in the classroom, on the playground and throughout the year. The parents and teachers work together with integrity and honesty as models for the children.

Posted: September 15, 2016

I have been at the school for two years and am impressed with their level of openness, transparency and dedication to the children. The teachers are very talented, committed, experienced and love the children. The community of parents is warm and open minded. The graduates go on to high school well prepared. Almost every graduate from last year made straight A's in their freshman year. I see some other less than positive reviews but I don't experience any of this at the school. Great place.

Posted: March 9, 2015

Unfortunately this school is not the dreamy nature inspired gentle school that it seems. We withdrew our kids after several years. By the age of 9 they could not do basic math, read, or write, although this wasn't even our biggest issue. The biggest problem is that the school is not forthcoming about their religious nature and education. There is also a climate of secrecy and superiority regarding their spiritual role. This creates poor school accountability since after all, they are spiritually more aware than the parents. In our case, our oldest child was being bullied by a teacher (the teacher was eventually fired but not until she antagonized the other teachers). After much confusion and confrontation, a teacher finally admitted that it was true and apologized for not telling us. She left the school the next year. The lack of accountability is striking, and that is when you start to realize that there is an undisclosed agenda that takes priority over the well being of children. We do not recommend the school.

Posted: February 14, 2015

Our experience over several years with more than one child is that the faculty at WIWS although often very nice, is more focused on anthroposophical dogma than on educating children. I witnessed bullying by children both by and against our child, teachers believe this is an acceptable way to "play out karma". When we finally pulled our children our 9 year old could not read and neither could our 8 year old. It took tutoring and several years of dedicated after school help for them to catch up in Math and Reading. These things may not be apparent right away, specially if you are looking for an alternative to public school. For example, in our son's class questions regarding a story are discouraged for spiritual reasons. As a whole I would say that the prevalent view at WIWS is that academics are a "necessary evil" so they are sugar coated and washed clear of any analytical thought so as not to force the "little ones" into thinking too hard!

Posted: September 27, 2014

Creative, spiritual, inspired learning and teaching. Great festival life and wonderful middle school -- new administration and growing student body (currently at 142).

Posted: March 13, 2014

This school is ridden with problems. While we were there two teachers were fired, shame and exclusion are used as disciplinary tactics, kids are years behind their peers in academics, it's a mess. Do not waste your kids previous years or your money here. Ask around the island, it has a very bad reputation in the community. One of these reviews is by a teacher!