Building a Waldorf School

My husband, David, and I left Manhattan last year in hope of finding more space, cheaper rents and cultural diversity in Brooklyn. We are expecting out first child and schooling decisions seem to be in our not too distant future. The current range of educational opportunities in Brooklyn include: top-notch public schools, experimental public charter schools, and well-endowed private schools. One type of school was missing from the list, a Waldorf School.

David is a Waldorf graduate; he attended Manhattan's Rudolf Steiner School for 14 years and readily sings its praises: small class size, motivated teachers, and a non-competitive environment. David maintains strong ties to his alma mater and currently serves as Alumni Chair. I've accompanied him to many school functions over the years. I admit to being smitten with the school, the education model and especially the children. With each visit to the Waldorf community, I was more certain that I wanted to raise "Waldorf babies". When the time comes for our child to start school, we thought we would either move back to Manhattan or figure out a way to manage the commute. We were delighted when we heard a bit of news-there was a group of parents in Brooklyn who were trying to start a Waldorf school right in our neighborhood.

Seasons Past

Brooklyn has a brief history with Waldorf education. In 1988, a Waldorf school was formed in the Bay Ridge neighborhood. Though it had strong initial support in the community, the school was closed in 1995 due to lack of funds and dwindling enrollment.

As the Bay Ridge location closed its doors, a small group in Park Slope, Brooklyn banded together to keep the Waldorf spirit alive. They launched a cooperative Waldorf playgroup for children ranging in age from three to six. The Park Slope playgroup has been thriving for ten years

Fertilizing the Soil

A handful of parents from the playgroup had tossed around the thought of replanting a Waldorf primary school. Through a connection at the Rudolf Steiner School, I was put in touch with a playgroup parent, Tracy Fernbacher. Fernbacher is a slim, youthful looking mom. She shuttles her five year old son Thornton to Waldorf playgroup on the back of her sporty scooter and has the energy of a teenager.

Fernbacher was an early leader in the Brooklyn Waldorf initiative and an impressive organizer. She started collecting names and email addresses of parents, educators and community members interested in Waldorf education. By late Fall of 2004, there seemed to be enough supporters to hold a meeting.

Fernbacher hosted the first Brooklyn Waldorf School initiative meeting in December. More than a twenty people attended the meeting and the group quickly got down to business. The big question-was it possible to grow a Waldorf school in Park Slope, Brooklyn?

Winter Gardening

A goal was set at the first meeting-to have a kindergarten and nursery school class ready for the Fall. The initiative decided the new school will be called "The Brooklyn School" (once the group receives AWSNA sponsorship status, they will gain the right to use "Waldorf" in the school name). Committees were formed and objectives were set for the group.

AWSNA (The Association of Waldorf Schools North America) is providing background materials and support for the initiative. Roland Baril, the AWSNA Mid-Atlantic Region Representative, and teacher at the Saratoga Springs Waldorf School, will help guide the Brooklyn community through their growing pains.

"There is a process in place to ensure schools are starting and developing in healthy ways," said Baril. "Sometimes the quality and depth of a full pedagogical program is not where we want it to be," says Baril. Through active and open mentoring, AWSNA hopes to keep continuity amongst the Waldorf schools.

The Right Gardeners

From the beginning stages of the initiative, a faculty leader emerged. Diana Lyon, 24, has completed her Masters degree in Waldorf Education. For two years, Lyon has been tending to a garden of children. Lyon cultivates her charges through song, creative play and gentle guidance. She exudes warmth in her large green eyes and easy smile.

Lyon welcomed me to playgroup one day and I was immediately impressed with the calm environment. Rather than barking orders at the children, Lyon used songs to cue activity transitions. For example the song, "Polly put the kettle on," signified snack time. Lyon began singing the tune, soon the children joined. As they were singing, little hands helped peel and cut fruit and set the table. Lyon explained that through simple tasks like pouring water and folding napkins, children are developing their motor skills and fostering a sense of community. The children and Lyon gathered round pint-sized chairs and tables and invited the "fire fairy" to join them by lighting a candle on the table. Children served each other and said a brief blessing.

Around noon, we headed outside for some playtime. After returning indoors, the children enjoyed "Circle Time" which can consist of singing, poem reading, or reading of stories relating to the season. No day is complete at playgroup without a special activity. On my "craft day" visit, I joined the children in decorating clementines with small cloves sticks. I can attest to the dexterity necessary to affix the tiny cloves to the fruit. Remarkably, none of the children became frustrated with the exercise. Lyon believes these special activities build the power of concentration in the students and said Waldorf education focuses on imitation and repetition to create the building blocks of learning. As a Waldorf educator, Lyon's goal is to teach a class as they progress from kindergarten to eighth grade. She hopes The Brooklyn School will help realize her dream.

The Roots take Hold

The initiative members remain optimistic and continue to make progress. They have successfully incorporated as a non-profit entity in the State of New York and a school website is up and running. Interested parents can log on to www.thebrooklynschool.com. They plan to send their first acceptance letters out on April 15th with rolling admissions available until classes fill up (target class size is 15 students for the Fall semester).

The initiative is striving to create an idealistic educational environment. They hope to offer a flexible tuition model and to attract minority families. The Brooklyn School has tentatively set tuition at $5500 for the Kindergarten and $3500 for the nursery school program.

Parents are expected to stay actively involved in the school, not only through their children's education, but through their own. Each month, the school plans to hold parent education meetings to discuss Steiner's work and philosophy. The initiative also hopes to involve parents in toy making seminars and annual festivals.

In the process, of building the school many new families have been drawn in to the Waldorf movement. Shoshana Perry and her husband Noel Wiggins recently joined the initiative. They were frustrated with the options available in Brooklyn for their two children, Jack (4) and Lia (21/2). Perry found the educational options limited and hoped to connect with a group of progressive minded parents.

"I looked at home schooling as an option," says Perry. She was disconcerted by the long days and demanding schedules of traditional pre-school programs--most local nursery schools run five days a week and last from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. The Brooklyn School nursery plans a less stressful three day a week session. While the kindergarten will be five days a week, the day will be shorter than traditional programs (school days will begin at 8:45 and end after lunch at 1:00 p.m.).

Despite their strong enthusiasm, all parties involved are realistic when it comes to facing the challenges of the future. The biggest obstacle for The Brooklyn School has been finding a space that will meet NY Health Department regulations. Unfortunately, the New York real estate market has had skyrocketing prices and the Real Estate Committee has yet to find an affordable lease. For this reason, the initiative cannot offer a 100% guarantee that The Brooklyn School doors will open next Fall.

When I asked Fernbacher how she stays motivated when dealing with setbacks, she said, "I always go back to the mission of the school and the contribution to the community...personal annoyances then fade away."

The group focuses on Steiner's philosophies at each meeting, either by watching a video provided by AWSNA or reading some of Steiner's inspirational teachings. This Rudolf Steiner quote was on the minutes of the last meeting:

"The healing social life is only found when in the mirror of each human soul the whole community finds its reflection and when in the community the virtue of each one is living."

The Waldorf initiative has momentum. The nascent efforts of the Brooklyn group seem dedicated and supported by hearty optimism. They hope to sustain their energy and to learn from the mistakes of the Bay Ridge School that closed in 1995. It may seem like an arduous road to navigate, but many parents like me are cheering on the initiative and encouraging carefully cultivated growth. Time will tell if the Brooklyn initiative has the magic confluence of parental interest, community support and financial wherewithal to launch a successful school.

A Brief History of Waldorf Schools

Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) was an Austrian scientist who founded the first Waldorf School in Stuttgart, Germany in 1919. His vision was to create an egalitarian school with the following precepts: a single teacher was to shepherd the same group of students from 1st to 8th grade, children were to be approached as a spiritual beings, and all academic lessons were coupled with a healthy respect for creativity.

Anthroposophy is a key component in a Waldorf education. While Waldorf schools embrace a spiritual view of human beings and the world, Anthroposophy is not a religion; instead, it is a philosophy emphasizing knowledge and self-development. Although Anthroposophy is the founding philosophy of the Waldorf schools, it is not taught directly to students. No one specific religion is held up in the classroom; yet, the school environment is decidedly spiritual.

Nutritious organic foods are encouraged (no caffeine or refined sugars) by Waldorf Educators. Schools are stocked with toys that encourage creativity. There are few plastic items, most of the toys are crafted from wood and vary in shape and size. Waldorf schools eschew television and aim to foster children's imagination through oral tradition and the celebration of festivals. Festivals are believed to connect seasonal changes with transformations in the inner life of the child.

Steiner believed there are three periods in childhood and trained his teachers to tailor their lessons to suit each developmental stage. The AWSNA website states, "When children relate what they learn to their own experience, they are interested and fully engaged, and what they learn becomes their own. Waldorf schools are designed to foster this type of learning." Steiner's school and his educational philosophy spawned an educational movement. Today there are more than 900 Waldorf schools in over 32 countries.

Think a Waldorf School is right for your community? Here is a list of questions to consider.

1. Are there enough children in the community to successfully add one grade per year?

2. Does the community have the financial means to support an average tuition of $5500 per year, per child?

3. What type of real estate is available for a school? (note: the location must meet local health department regulations)

4. Will your school be able to attract and sustain enough Waldorf educators to keep the school running?

5. Are the parents interested in contributing to a cooperative school model?

6. Is the school community committed to the ongoing study of Steiner's philosophy?