Seattle Waldorf School

The Seattle Waldorf School (SWS) is a truly exceptional educational institution. At SWS, students are nurtured and challenged to develop their full potential as individuals. The Waldorf curriculum is holistic and experiential, emphasizing the importance of hands-on learning, nature, outdoor immersive learning, the arts, and social-emotional development.One of the things that makes SWS so special is its commitment to creating a warm and supportive community. Teachers and staff are deeply invested in the well-being of students, and build relationships based on trust and respect. Educators follow their class through multiple years - a pedagogical approach that has been found to support better and mroe equitable education outcomes for all students.The Seattle Waldorf School is an outstanding educational institution. I highly recommend SWS to any family looking for a truly unique and transformative educational experience for their child.

We have been a part of the Seattle Waldorf School for three years. We made the decision to move our son to the school when he was in 5th grade. If I were to articulate the main reason we needed a change, we were looking for a school where our son would be fully "seen" by the teachers and the community and not get lost on Zoom calls and standardized tests. We were also very interested in SWS's curriculum and experiences. Our son has thrived at SWS. His confidence has grown, he is excelling in his classes, and his sense of self has become more defined through curriculum, class experiences, and support from the amazing teaching staff. Our son did not start in kindergarten but has quickly caught up with the other students with his strings practice and all of the arts. I have been astounded by how quickly he has absorbed new skills and the pride he feels when learning something new. The SWS school does an amazing job providing hands-on experiences for the class. When my son did his first 3-day camping trip at Mt. St. Helen's with the trip, he had never been in a sleepaway camp. He has since done multiple trips every year and comes home leveled up in his confidence. The school creates positive interactions where the children learn how to work together, how to get along, and how to learn and appreciate their differences. I am grateful for this and have seen firsthand how it has helped my son grow. SWS has a genuine sense of inclusivity and kindness that permeates the school. We were so happy we have also moved our daughter who is in third grade. She just did her first overnight camping trip on a working farm and loved it. SWS has been transformational for our family. We are so grateful that we found SWS and that our children are in an environment where they are happy and thriving intellectually and emotionally.

When looking for a kindergarten, we wanted a place where our daughter could continue being a child, be outdoors every day, and feel taken care of. 9 years later, we are still with Waldorf. It has enabled a carefree and stress-free childhood full of joy, and the ability to grow up in a supportive and loving community. Waldorf educates the whole child and every intelligence within each child (academic, emotional, social, mathematical, linguistic, etc.) and as a result, you see a campus full of happy students, even teenagers. They have all learned an instrument, or a foreign language, they spend a lot of time outside and in nature, and they learn to make things with their hands, conduct science experiments, move their bodies, and be mindful. They engage in learning subjects and as a result become extremely capable, and lifelong learners who can take on any challenge. They are aware and mindful of their peers and the community around them. They experiment and challenge their thinking, and excel in problem-solving. Waldorf students grow up to be conscious human beings and critical thinkers who have the tools to make a difference in this world. The school has been the best decision we've made while living in Seattle. The world today can be a busy and harsh place where the competition starts at a toddler age. Waldorf allows everyone to be who they are and develop as their person, away from peer pressure and the atmosphere of only focusing on tests and performing. It shows a world most grown-ups have forgotten and a way we would all benefit from. I highly recommend it.

Seattle Waldorf High School has been such an amazing High School gift for my daughter. She is now in 12th Grade and I see a self-assured, confident young woman, who knows who she is and what she wants. She has been seen and not had to 'fit in' at all. Her teachers know her so well and the support and care is second to none. A small High School environment, contrary to what is often thought, allows them to be themselves, to work out who they are and then go out into the wider world with a solid foundation. The small environment means they get skilled at sorting out social challenges, they have to work with people who are different to themselves and cannot hide. The Waldorf curriculum means they have the critical, whole brain and creative thinking skills to thrive in whatever they do next. We have had nothing but extremely positive feedback from college reps and professors about Waldorf Students. I recommend Waldorf Education and Seattle Waldorf High School to anyone who wants to see their students survive and thrive!

Seattle Waldorf School has been at the heart of our home since my daughter was in the parent-toddler program beginning when she was 18 months. She is currently a Freshman at the Seattle Waldorf High School. The Waldorf education has been a beautiful unfolding of the whole child. The classes become a very close-knit community that supports each other, both parents and children. Watching my daughter complete the 8th-grade graduation was amazing to see the journey at the main campus come to a wand and full circle. She has moved on to the high school, via a short stint at a local public school. She came to me a few months in and said. "I did not know how full and rich the education was at Seattle Waldorf School. I did not have anything to compare it to. Can I please return to the Waldorf Education?" Without skipping a beat we jumped right back into Seattle Waldorf and she said it was like coming home. The education is right with art, music, critical thinking, and exploration. My son is in the middle school and has also come up through the school. The adventure and active learning keep him engaged and happy to discuss all matters with the many teachers he has cultivated a learning relationship. Whether it is in gardening class, Chinese class, or Orchestra the teachers meet each student where they are and challenge them to grow a little each day. I had no idea how important the community the school bring would be such an important part of my life when we started this journey. The many festivals, play performances and camping trips have brought together people that will be lifelong friends. I am so grateful for all the rich experiences that Seattle Waldorf School has brought to my family.

This review is specifically for the Seattle Waldorf High School, which is a hidden gem! Our bright kid with learning differences, for whom we struggled for years to find a good school fit, is at long last thriving. I am impressed with the ability of the SWHS teachers to creatively integrate high-level concepts and hands-on learning to offer a rich curriculum across the arts and sciences. Although we were not specifically seeking out a Waldorf learning environment, we appreciate the school's underpinning in the humanities (all the students take art and music, as well as dramatic arts and world languages) and the nurturing environment which values the contributions of each student. Instead of approaching academics in a cookie-cutter fashion, SWHS teaches students to integrate and synthesize knowledge across disciplines, setting them up to become curious lifelong learners. Our student has enjoyed studying the Mandarin language (along with cooking and other related cultural arts) and participating in outdoor environmental science projects near the campus on Lake Washington, as well as weeklong class camping trips. The connection among the students is supportive, and there is genuine respect and appreciation for the diversity of expression, which helps all the kids feel accepted. I am so happy to have found this school for our kid!

As a parent of two daughters who has attended Seattle Waldorf School, being a part of this community has been a gift for our family. Our older daughter attended the school from parent-tot through 5th grade, and our younger daughter from parent-tot through middle school, which she attends now. While some worry that Steiner Education's age-appropriate approach to introducing formal academic subjects holds students back, we have not experienced this. At SWS, our daughters have developed a facility in play, social harmony, movement, and artistry that compliments and integrates with academic subjects as they have been introduced appropriately through the grades. After 5th grade, our older daughter was accepted to a top-tier 6-12 school where she currently excels academically, thanks in large part to the well-rounded nature of the education she received at Seattle Waldorf School.SWS`s early childhood program is a magical realm of reverence, beauty, meaning, rhythm, work, play, mud(!), and adventure. Our children`s time in this program, particularly Briar Rose Kindergarten, was among the finest and most profound school experiences we have seen anywhere.Our younger daughter is currently enrolled in the 6th grade at Seattle Waldorf School. We continue to be impressed by the way this education (thanks in part to the excellent class teacher who remains with the class from first through eighth grade) is shaping our daughter into a curious, capable, thoughtful, and engaged young person. Through the strings program (every 4th grader is handed a string instrument which they continue to play in an ensemble through 8th grade), she has developed a love of the violin. She has developed a keen eye for color, materials, and art in general, which has become her principal pastime. She takes pride in the athletic program at the school and her ultimate team. From the earliest years, Waldorf education engages the students in a class in group kinetic movement practices, a part of traditional Steiner education for decades, that help the class function in unison. The long-term cohesiveness and harmony of the students is their "secret weapon" in the game of ultimate and has helped propel this small school to national championships more than once over the years. Another aspect that sets Seattle Waldorf School apart is the emphasis on the whole child. Rudolf Steiner believed that children should be educated in a way that addresses their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs in ways that are consistent with their developmental age and their spiritual unfolding as humans. This is evident in the curriculum and approach of Seattle Waldorf School. Children are engaged in activities that promote creativity, critical thinking, and a deep understanding of the world around them, and they are encouraged to develop a sense of empathy and social responsibility.At SWS, there is also a strong emphasis on community and connection. The yearly rhythm of festivals (Michaelmas, Winter Fair, May Faire, the Shepherd`s Play, the school musical, etc.) brings the whole community, including children, siblings, parents, and grandparents, together as a village. Teachers work closely with families to ensure that each child receives the individualized attention and support they need to thrive, and there is a sense of mutual respect and collaboration between students, teachers, and parents.I would recommend Seattle Waldorf School to any family that is looking for an education that will de-emphasize the consumption of crass, vulgar, and materialistic media and screen time, and will endow the child with a reverence for the natural world and their fellow humans. The education that our daughters have received here has been life-changing, and we feel grateful to be a part of such a warm, supportive, and spiritual community. If you are looking for an education that values the whole child, fosters creativity and critical thinking, and prepares students for a meaningful and purposeful life, then Seattle Waldorf School is a perfect choice.The early childhood program is an almost magical realm of reverence, meaning, rhythm, work, play, mud(!), and adventure. Our children`s time in Seattle Waldorf School`s early childhood program, particularly Briar Rose Kindergarten, was among the finest and most profound school experiences we have seen anywhere.Our younger daughter is currently enrolled in the 6th grade at Seattle Waldorf School, and we continue to be impressed by the way this education (thanks in part to the excellent class teacher who remains with the class from first through eighth grade) is shaping her into a curious, capable, thoughtful, and engaged young person. Through the strings program (every 4th grader is handed a string instrument which they continue to play in an ensemble through 8th grade), she has developed a love of the violin. She has developed a deep love for color, materials, and art in general, which has become her principal hobby. She takes pride in the athletic program at the school and her ultimate team. From the earliest years, Waldorf education engages the students in a class in group kinetic movement practices that help the class function in unison. The long-term cohesiveness and harmony of the students is their "secret weapon" in the game of ultimate and has helped propel this small school to national championships more than once over the years. Another aspect that sets Seattle Waldorf School apart is the emphasis on the whole child. Rudolf Steiner believed that children should be educated in a way that addresses their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs in ways that are consistent with their developmental age and their spiritual unfolding as humans. This is evident in the curriculum and approach of the Waldorf School. Children are engaged in activities that promote creativity, critical thinking, and a deep understanding of the world around them, and they are encouraged to develop a sense of empathy and social responsibility.At the Waldorf School, there is also a strong emphasis on community and connection. The yearly rhythm of festivals (Michaelmas, Winter Fair, May Faire, the Shepherd`s Play, the school musical, etc.) brings the whole community, including children, siblings, parents, and grandparents, together as a village. Teachers work closely with families to ensure that each child receives the individualized attention and support they need to thrive, and there is a sense of mutual respect and collaboration between students, teachers, and parents.I would recommend the Waldorf school highly to any family that is looking for an education that will discourage the consumption of materialistic media and screen time and will endow the child with a reverence for the natural world and their fellow humans. The education that our daughters have received here has been truly life-changing, and we feel grateful to be a part of such a warm, supportive, and spiritual community. If you are looking for an education that values the whole child, fosters creativity and critical thinking, and prepares students for a meaningful and purposeful life, then the Waldorf School is a perfect choice.

My son attends preschool and, since day 1, has been loving the nature and creative environment that kids are immersed in. The school is located in a truly unique spot, surrounded by lots of trees, that make you feel "walking in nature" every day when you go to class at drop-offs. As a parent, I feel so much fortunate knowing my son is so happy at the SWS campus and enjoys exploring the outdoors while learning and developing his interpersonal skillsets with his friends and teachers.

My 4th and 8th graders both attend SWS. A school that teaches the skills needed for the world they will grow up in and builds in them the attitude to shape it. A unique approach to developing mind, heart, and soul through structured education and producing optimally functioning global citizens.

Our two boys attend there (11th and 10th grade) and have landed in a thriving, artistic, justice-oriented, passionate learning community. The small classes and personalized approach to learning have ensured that they feel seen, develop outstanding interpersonal skills and relationships, and excel academically, which includes bi-annual class trips to explore our incredible bioregion. The location right on Lake Washington on the Magnason Park campus is super cool too! The students regularly rock climb at The Mountaineers, do PE at Arena Sports, and even occasionally get lunch at the Magnuson Pub. It's super cool! There is also a strong Ultimate frisbee program there too-past teams have played their way to Nationals! We are fortunate to have so many independent and public school options in our city. SWHS is an amazing independent option that offers incredible gifts for the young adult emerging from the pandemic and also gives tools to be a creative leader in confronting the myriad of other challenges of our times.