Posted July 15, 2015 - a parent

We are leaving this school after 5 years because it has become financially prohibitive. The tuition is $19,000/year with a 5% increase each year in part to fund a high school that has maybe 15 kids in each grade. Leaving with a sad heart because I love the arts incorporated into the schooling BUT there is not much science and there are definitely hardly any boys at the school. The vibe feels very old-school where the traditional family is the norm. Dad works, mom is stay-at-home. There is also a rich hippie/trust fund vibe because at this point, only the wealthy can afford to go here. Seriously, as I'm rushing off to work so I can pay the tuition, adults are hanging around, drinking coffee, knitting, not working. Sadly, that wasn't Steiner's idea. His school was first created for factory workers' children. So if you're very wealthy and money isn't an issue, this is a very pleasant school for your children.

Posted June 13, 2015 - a community member

An orthodox Waldorf school that is rigid and dogmatic in its adherence to anthroposophy. They hold children very tightly with a "spare the rod spoil the child" mentality towards discipline. There's only one acceptable way to learn and if that's not a fit for your child watch out. Even if it is a fit with your child, he/she will suffer through witnessing other children getting shamed and humiliated by teachers. An especially bad place for boys. Many of the older grades have 3:1 or greater ratios of girls to boys. The recently graduated eighth grade had only 4 boys out of 17 students in the class.

Posted July 15, 2015 - a parent

Most teachers are great and do care about the children. There have been a few instances, a recent one included, where the teacher was horrible and families were leaving because of this and it took a long time to let that teacher go.

Posted May 22, 2015 - a community member

This is a safe place to share your honest opinions of a school, whether good or bad they yell at the kids

Posted July 15, 2015 - a parent

Many of the children are very well-behaved. Spoiled but generally pretty good. There have been issues where some kids were bullies and they weren't dealt with because their parents contribute too much money. Some kids have left the school because of being bullied.

Posted July 15, 2015 - a parent

I feel that many of the students are from very wealthy families and are very spoiled. They go on all kinds of trips and have lots of stuff. Giving back is not as emphasized as I feel from such a batch of privileged students and families.

Posted May 07, 2015 - a parent

We feel robbed of time and money by [Waldorf School X]. The volunteer demands are punishing and they seem like a distraction. The request for money is constant yet their financial transparency is non-existent. The parents are treated with no respect. There is so much mind control, time control and manipulation used at that school. The most frightening thing of all is that [Waldorf School X] has NO WRITTEN POLICY ON BULLYING. Beware!

Posted April 23, 2015

- a parent

Here's what I wish I had known before I enrolled my children at [Waldorf School X]. As soon as you start feeling nervous or scared to speak out about a concern, as soon as a teacher starts to "wonder" about your child, as soon as you begin to feel slightly uncomfortable — it's time to get out. It's hard to believe this is an actual school that purports to take care of children. It is an ideology taking care of itself. Be careful.

Posted April 02, 2014

- a parent

I was highly disappointed with this school. I was seduced by the beautiful grounds, healthy vegan snacks and gorgeous gift shop. But beyond the exterior I experienced an extraordinary rigidity. My daughter was told not to do yoga (unhealthy — do Steiner exercises instead) not to do family bed (encourages too much dependence — she was a toddler ) and to play with silk scarves instead of write letters or read (frowned upon before the age of 7). I also felt the practice of having only one class teacher for all the grades was fundamentally limiting. Most importantly I felt our teacher didn't have the skills to cope with either conflict resolution or bullying (which happened). I ended up taking my daughter out of the school.

Posted November 28, 2011

There are some very positive things about this school, but the Waldorf method of teaching reading (at least at this school) leaves about 35% of kids confused and struggling. The children's confusion and failure to learn is excused with statements like "The child isn't developmentally ready to read yet. When s/he's ready, s/he will just BLOOM into reading." So the learning problems caused by poor teaching go unrecognized and neglected, and genuine learning disabilities go unrecognized and untreated as well. If you want to send your child to this school, do the child a favor and teach him/her to read at home. — Submitted by a parent

Posted November 10, 2011

If your child has any learning disability at all, keep them away from this school. The teacher wasn't really sure what dyslexia was, much less able to help with it. A complete waste of time. It all sounds very light and wonderful; in practice I found bullying on the playground and a rather terrifying allegiance to a cultish philosophy of education that is outdated and out of step with modern learning. — Submitted by a parent

Posted October 11, 2011

Not what I expected at all. Loved the loving care of the children and the focus on the soul of the child but my child just wasn't taught the 3 R's and when we moved we had a very difficult time integrating into a public school because the other children were so very, very far ahead. Not worth the money if you want your child to get a quality education. — Submitted by a parent

Posted May 28, 2011

It is like any other private school doing business (the business people are pretty hard-nosed, if I may add) sugar-coated with their "philosophy"...you may be taken by the their presentation skills but don't expect to learn ABCs until 2nd grade or so... and the kindergarten teacher told me that the school discourages teaching at home...and the children have counting "in them" and they learn to count on their own without anyone teaching them... huh! —Submitted by a parent

S. O.

2/3/2011 

I was prepared for nontraditional education methods but what I've experienced was pure absurdity. My child was not happy there at all. It's a sect — there is no other way to describe it. Dealing with the administration was also very difficult, they are neither helpful nor flexible.

9/3/2013

J. A.

My son attended this school for 3 years, 1st to 3rd grade (Mrs. X's class). At the time he started there, we just arrived from Israel, where he attended Waldorf kindergarten. So we thought that staying in the same system will make his transition easier. How wrong we were! Not only the school didn't provide extra support with language and culture, it was ongoing criticism of his behavior, habits and skills (fast forward to [non-Waldorf] high school: the kid scored very high on all portions of his SAT). The teacher made an opposite you would expect a professional educator to do: instead of supporting and uniting, she made sure my child was always an outsider in her class. It was also a lot of labeling — like expressing concern that my son has an ADD: well, we tested him, and it was negative. There was no guidance counselor available and all child's needs are at the total care of the class teacher. They are pretty good there to project a glow of caring and warmth, which turns to be very pretentious.

At the moment we switched to [the town's] public school system, the kid was blossoming, and our perception of American education was changed dramatically. Now, when he is 22 and on his way to become a successful professional, when we bring up his Waldorf school experience, he acknowledges that it was a big mistake. Well, we all agree on it.

Just a recommendation: Utilize great public schools with all their resources that our part of [the state] has to offer. Be aware: you never know what your kid might encounter and what kind of support he might need. And this place is not equipped to deal with any deviations from their assumed "norm".

Posted June 15, 2009

There is absolutely no safety at this school! It has gotten worse as the years have progressed! I have taken my daughter out for this upcoming year! —Submitted by a parent

11/2/2013

So I dig the concept of teaching kids philosophy, giving them real life skills like the violin, and teaching them handcrafts like wood making. Also know that when I randomly talked to kids in the high school there, they said they loved it.

The school facility is really dumpy in comparison to schools like [others in the region]. 

(I thought, That's not a huge deal because I'm a tech kagillionair and if things worked out I would have donated all the money they needed for their campus expansion and remodel.)

So I had a kid who went into the pre-k program from [an] Early Learning Center. He had some sensory issues and I spend on average 40k a year on him for private school and therapy on Sensory Prescriptive Disorder. I say that because I sent him to one of the famous developmental psychologists in town that charge you 1k to IQ test your child and tell them which school is the best fit for that child.

What I basically found out through having my child at Waldorf for 12 months is that they are overly conservative for the sake of being conservative. When it came time to have assessments for first grade entry, they told me they tested him for reading ability and signs of sensory issues. So even though the "Waldorf Model" does not "believe" in teaching children to read until they are seven, if you don't have that skill (which they don't teach them), and have it all together by first grade, they boot them out.

So I asked the developmental psychologist to test my son and tell me what "the deal is," because I have a BS in education. She said that my child has a IQ of 150 with a decent amount of Sensory Delay which with our current regiment of therapy would work itself out within 12-18 months. She also said that the [Waldorf School X] only works for 3% of children that fit "their flawed model." I then asked what that meant. Basically, they believe in not teaching all children to read until they are seven because kids' brains are not ready for it. Being that, in the last five years there are "a deluge of children," not one or two but countless, who literally can't read at age 12 because they did not have early intervention at Waldorf. So by the time they start teaching a kid to read at seven, they are literally three years behind the "eight ball" and are catastrophically behind, especially if you believe that the first five years are the most important in a person's life. 

The developmental psychologist also gave assessments to some countless children at age 12 that were literally thrown out of [Waldorf School X]. Not only could they not read, they could not answer basic concepts of "Why is America considered a Democracy." She also said they are kicking him out because they don't want to take a risk with any child "exposing their flawed model." "The bottom line is they don't want any more kids that can't read at age 12. So instead of innovating and reforming the 'Waldorf Model,' they kick the brilliant ones out because there is an absolute refusal to accommodate children with reading issues."

So basically in the end we were left with a kindergartner that could not read and we had to put him into a school, and get tutors, to bring him up to speed because he was so far behind.

Personally, I would think long and hard about risking your child's future by sending them to Waldorf. I am not bitter or angry, I just feel that any prospective parents who are think of sending their child here need to know (Caveat emptor; "let the buyer beware.")

Posted June 7, 2007 

Seriously lacking in the grade school, but sweet and flowery in kindergarten. Too bad it stays sweet and flowery in the grades at the detriment of learning anything like reading or math. I was very disappointed about the serious delay in academics, even for Waldorf standards. —Submitted by a parent

Posted February 17, 2007

I like the school, but it seriously lacks in governance and there is cliqueyness within the untrained staff. I find the school to be clinging onto the pioneering aspects of the school without hiring and retaining qualified professionals and good teachers. A high turnover rate it seems. Over the top need for help from parents, yet help is sorely unappreciated and lead roles are dominated by a few who seek to gain status and power. —Submitted by a parent

Posted January 26, 2012

Sadly, [Waldorf School X] is the worst run institution that I have come across in both the public and private sectors in the United States. Most of the teachers at [Waldorf School X] are wonderful educators, but the school itself is in such disarray due to their incompetent, uneducated administration powers that be. Furthermore, I seriously question the safety of the building that the school is physically housed in at present in [town X] on many levels (e.g., mold, radon, roof stability, lead paint...). [Waldorf School X] has had numerous and significant changeovers in staff and board members in the past few years and for very just reasons. It is seriously questioned whether or not the school will be reaccredited as a true "Waldorf" school once again given all of these circumstances. Again, it is a most unfortunate situation because there are many wonderful educators working at [Waldorf School X]...but one cannot take a blind eye to the real problems at [Waldorf School X]. The bottom line is that [Waldorf School X] is a poor example of how a "Waldorf" school should operate, may even be the worst. —Submitted by a parent

Colin N.

July 09, 2005  

This review is for: [Waldorf School X] is a great experience for young children ages 5-8. It is funny while still learning the basics of education. The child will come to like learning and learn to respect others. However, as the child begins to mature further it is a good idea to switch schools as [Waldorf School X] is not that good for children ages 10 and up as it begins to become childish for them and they begin to dislike it.

Posted May 26, 2011

School is a good choice for the early grades (maybe K-3), as it allows the kids to have significant playtime without excessive (any?) homework. After that the benefits diminish rapidly in my view and do not compare with what is offered in other traditional schools, as reflected in test scores, etc. I do believe the seriously negative comment a couple earlier than mine. The school does have tremendous parental involvement, but not all of it is positive. —Submitted by a parent

Posted May 4, 2011

Our family's 3 year experience has been awful. The school principal has been cold unapproachable and somewhat unattached from reality and the day-to-day running of the school. She has no idea what any of the names of the children are or who the families they belong to. The administration office constantly loses paperwork and does not seem to have any concept as to what public school professionalism is. The principal is rarely on campus and when she is her focus is driving parent volunteers and families away. The culture of the school is unfriendly and caustic. Volunteering at [Waldorf School X] is like swimming in shark-infested waters. The self-imposed leaders of the volunteers are cruel hostile cyber & realtime bullies who will destroy your child's educational experience as well as your volunteering opportunities thru intimidation and rejection. The parental behavior is modeled to their children who will bully the children of bullied parents. Teachers openly bullying children in class encouraging classmates to also reject vulnerable children. Parental pressure to write positive comments on this site overwhelming and stressful. If anyone ever voices concerns or questions they are forced out. —Submitted by a parent

Posted April 7, 2010

My child has been at [Waldorf School X] for 6 years and we are leaving because he can barely read and is well below grade level. They promised a foreign language and then cut it for the upper grades. They spend more money on office staff than on teachers. —Submitted by a parent

Posted February 9, 2009

Terrible school! No homework no afterschool activities. This is a glorified daycare. —Submitted by a parent

Posted February 03, 2015

- a parent

Sending our son to [Waldorf School X] is by far our greatest regret as parents. Do not be fooled by your tour of the school. It's two years our son wasted learning to knit and draw, all while being bullied to the point it turned physical. The school doesn't have a leader, but yet a group of teachers who oversee the school so if there is a problem, and there are many at [Waldorf School X], they are never addressed. Send your child to any other school in [the city], but not [Waldorf School X].

Posted January 27, 2015

- a parent

There are a lot of great teachers and faculty but the leadership at the school is terrible and getting worse. New school director and certain staff do not act in alignment with their policies and what they say. We pulled our child after 2.5 years at the school. The school has a sustainability policy that they post online but it is for show only. They don't use healthy materials (even when available) and are more concerned with appearance of the school than the health of the children and learning environment. We have heard from several teachers and staff that they are afraid to question the leadership for fear of retribution. The school is not the "Waldorf, nature environment" that it portrays itself as. At least 5 families left the school in the past 2 years due to unsatisfactory environmental/health conditions. And, even though the school acknowledges they have an attrition problem, they refuse to acknowledge the incongruences between their actions and policies as the root cause. With each family that leaves, they try to keep the circumstances around the exit quiet. This is a school that looks good from the outside but is definitely heading in the wrong direction.

dave b.

Let's be honest here folks — Waldorf schools are for rich people. The Waldorf concept assumes the kids already get exposure to plenty of attention, learning opportunities, and everything they need at home. School is just for "enrichment" and the Waldorf name will look good on the Ivy League college application. Parents that can afford to spend $15K year on elementary school will certainly pony up whatever is needed to send the kids to college later on, where they will actually start to learn real skills. 

I honestly knew little about Waldorf or [Waldorf School X] until I met kids who went there (via my young son) and started attending some events at the school. I had to write this response to the other reviews here about the "academics" ... I have seen little evidence of anything that could be called "academics" at this school, up until the 3rd grade (which is the age of the kids I know there). Art and singing songs and oddball symbolism about dragons and knights and other such things are plentiful, however.

My son could read in kindergarten, easily. The kids I know who go to [Waldorf School X] are older (!) and still cannot read. At age 7. Their math skills in 3rd grade seem to be on par with my son in kindergarten or 1st grade, also. What Waldorf kids do get good at is reciting songs, sculpting with wax, knitting, and playing outside. They seem to go on a lot of hikes at school. Public schools could learn a thing or two from the physical exercise standpoint, but that's one of the few things I see that Waldorf gets right.

Believe me, my Waldorf friends have tried to explain it all to me, and to recruit me. That's the other offputting element, which is how much this mindset resembles a cult. The cultish aspect is pretty distasteful to me and is the main reason (besides expense, of course) that turns me off. When I saw how little the older kids had developed compared to my son, I was pretty shocked. I found little in the Waldorf "philosophy" that was very convincing or has much of a scientific basis. More like wishful thinking, and nice-sounding platitudes.

But if you're even contemplating this school, you are probably wealthy enough, and fringe-culture enough, to not care what I think. You might not actually care that your kids will go to school to learn how to knit and play the ukulele.

9/6/2013

We should have known when we enrolled our son and there was rumor of numerous families leaving the school in the higher grades that there was obviously a problem with the school. 

First, there is no one in charge, which leaves issues unaddressed. The faculty is the only means of addressing any issues. There is a severe bullying problem at this school and after getting to know the parents, it seems to be a problem at numerous Waldorf schools. We had countless group class meetings to address all the problems occurring between the groups of girls and the groups of boys not getting along due to bullying. Absolutely nothing was ever done, and there was never a consequence for the child who was bullying the other children. The classes are so small that you would think it would be beneficial to the children, but it limits them socially.

The reason the children love it is because they basically play all day and are not challenged academically in the least. If you enroll your child in this school be prepared to keep them there because it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for them to catch up with the children in the public school system. My son was behind on every subject when we left [Waldorf School X], but due to tutors and hard work he was able to finally catch up and is now thriving in the [local] public school system. He is now an ADL leader and 360 leader at MMS, has numerous friends, and is extremely happy.

I can't begin to tell you all the reasons why you should avoid this particular Waldorf school. We are friends with two other families, who moved to [this city] just for this school, and now their children are also in the [local] public school system. There is another local family that sent their son there, and he was teased and bullied to the point he made it one year then entered the [nearby] public school system. I have kept in touch with them, and their son is also thriving and much happier now, but experienced depression while at [Waldorf School X].

This school is an embarrassment to the education system and should have its doors closed!

To this day, my son says, he wishes he could have the two years back that he wasted at [Waldorf School X]. He is currently 13, and even as a child, recognizes the problems at [Waldorf School X]. Sending him to [Waldorf School X] has been my biggest regret as a parent, but my husband and I were so impressed with the school during the tour that we thought we were making the right decision at the time.

Again, please do not be taken in by the tour of this school only to regret wasting your child's time, emotional needs, and your money at [Waldorf School X].

9/28/2011

So we enrolled my son in this school. Because we had heard so many great things about it. My son had a very difficult time adjusting to a new school. The teacher that my son had [Mrs. X] turned out to be very unsupportive of my son. I felt like the school was very discriminative of my son. I also felt not welcomed by any parents. I paid all this extra money for eurythmy classes and extra counseling for my son and my family. So my son can enroll for the next year. Just to find out they did not want my 9 year old son to come back to their school. The teacher gave me the feeling that they did not want to take the time to work with my son. It was very disappointing. I was truly in disbelief how the teacher [X] would isolate my son because she did not like him. Because he had some challenges. Please parents do your homework. This is a bad school.

Posted January 26, 2012

My child has gone to this school for four years. In those four years, there have been times of inspiration and magic. However, the teachers AND administration have proved incompetent in dealing with issues of bullying. At least five families that I know have left due to inaction. Things are usually swept under the rug and not made public. Only recently have they began dealing with this insidious issue, but change is slow at this school. —Submitted by a parent

Posted October 14, 2005

This school has been a big disappointment, mostly because the teachers are awful (very lazy and incompetent). I can only recommend that this school be shut down. —Submitted by a parent

Two reviews re-posted on Karaiskos' site May 12, 2012:

The waldorf school in [our town] was quick to take my money but left my kid unprepared academically and unable to fit in to any other school in the area. My kid's self-esteem was damaged at the next school because he was so far behind academically. [Waldorf School X] was no help at all. My only option was to hire a tutor which was very expensive because the new school was so concerned at how far behind he was. After making some calls, I found that there are other families who have had the same experience with this school and are very unhappy too. It is important to know what you are getting into when you enroll with this crowd. 

We had a bad experience too. My kid was bullied numerous times and nothing was done about it, even though we spoke to the administration and the teachers over and over again. It was very frustrating and we felt that nobody cared. It seemed to us that the kids who were doing the bullying were able to get away with it as long as their parents kept paying the tuition. With that and the lack of answers about academic standards, it was one problem after another. I was very worried about my child's reading and math levels, but I was never given a proper answer about that either, because they don’t give the students any grades, so you have no idea what they’re doing in the classrooms. The school isn’t cheap, and in my opinion is not worth the cost at all. I would not recommend it to anyone. There are other much better schools in [our town], and we chose one of them. We are now very happy with our child's education.

Posted April 1, 2014

strengths: The curriculum is a great, well-rounded classic eduction, that serves most children well. It is art-based and when it works well teaches kids to think rather than give pat answers. Weaknesses: Children with different learning styles are not so well-served. Teachers are chosen and retained based on personality and kowtowing to an elite group that rules the roost rather than credentials and teaching ability. Wealthy parents have far too much say in how the school runs and their children are given special treatment and not held accountable for their behavior. —Submitted by a parent

Posted February 12, 2013

We enrolled our son in kindergarten. Our son has some social disorders and challenging behavior but has been tested above average in other areas. We told the teacher about the behavioral challenges and she insisted she had the experience to "deal" and work with our child. Our son is now getting kicked out of Waldorf for these challenging behaviors after we had changed his diet, gotten massage therapy, and expensive OT sessions (out of pocket). The worst — only a couple teacher/parent meetings that addressed the behavioral problems, some letters from the teacher with recommendations we followed to the T, and then a letter 3 months later stating our son could not stay anymore. Professional ????? The teachers and school were aware of our son's challenges, promised to work with him, then stated that they don't have time to meet his challenging needs. We are outraged, upset, disgusted, and feel taken. They were kind enough to take our money for most of the semester and couldn't follow through with their promises to help our child with his special needs. —Submitted by a parent

Posted February 28, 2011

This is a school that will not make accommodations or modifications for learning-different children. It relies heavily on the Rudolf Steiner philosophy rather than incorporating modern, research-based models for learning/teaching. This can lead to challenges for the relationship between the teacher and students. Students are taught primarily as a group, rather than [as] individuals and thus individual needs are rather secondary, which is probably fine if you have a self-motivated, verbal-linguistic-oriented child. Girls seem to fare better than boys overall, especially in upper grades (6th and above). Weaknesses include challenges in staff-to-parent communication, allowance for bullying issues to go unresolved, and rigid adherence to Steiner tenets. Strengths include a reverence for the arts (music, handwork, watercolor painting) and nature and the outdoors. Teachers are generally dedicated but not trained to deal with 21st century children (use of computers is frowned upon, even as an educational tool). In addition, teachers are generally expected to be with the same group of kids for grades 1-8. —Submitted by a parent

Posted March 10, 2009

Waldorf curriculum is very specifically based on the educational theories of Rudolf Steiner. There are more than 1000 of these schools internationally. Teachers stay with the class from 1st through 8th grade with 'specials' teachers teaching the enrichments. This is amazing when it works, a disaster when the teacher in not up to the job. Teacher qualifications are sketchy, some are enormously qualified, others alarmingly under-trained. I have two students at this school. One is getting all the magic and learning that is promised by the best that Waldorf offers. The other child is being sorely under-served by a very poor teacher. Love the concept, love it when it works. This school is going through lots of growing pains. It is all about the teacher. By all means do check it out but be sure you get to know the teacher before you enroll. —Submitted by a parent

J.B.

9/21/2013

We did not have a good experience at [Waldorf School X]. It looks like they know what they are doing and the festivals and campus are creative and beautiful, but their view of childhood is archaic and narrow. The majority of children fall outside of this definition and are shamed and punished for doing so. Ninety percent of the children who started with the teacher my son had, had left the school by the end 4th grade. The teachers' training does not prepare them for current issues facing children. For example, my son's teacher would pray to his angel — I would strongly suggest that instead she take some training in conflict resolution or how to meet children with different capacities for learning or take a class at the [local] Learning Lab. The children at this school are overwhelmingly white and come from affluent families (sort of a throwback to Steiner's Aryan influence). I found the teachers to be weak, insistent leaders and they were so ill-equipped at dealing with children's behavior that the classroom became mostly about the teachers. Their discipline methods were unsophisticated, subversively cruel and bigoted. The biggest regret I hear from parents who have left this school is that they didn't pull their children out sooner.

Y.C.

5/23/2011 

Unless you're a genius, don't go there or you will be so behind academically when you leave. It will take months if not years to ever catch up, if at all.

C. O.

6/2/2014

I spent 3 years as a student, and for the first time in my life, threw in the towel and requested to take the GED and get it over with. Like Tasha pointed out, the school has a few avenues depending on the child's willingness to play along. The whole experience was very soft and dreamy, as is the belief in, and surrounding philosophies of fairies and gnomes. I found that Waldorf is comprised of two types of teachers. Those with actual experience and work history, who are somewhat forced to play along with the druidic rituals, and those who treat the school like a religious cult. What if I told you the craziest teachers were Waldorf students themselves?

I have mixed feelings about the curriculum because in my impression, high school is much more about social development than learning applicable knowledge, so the fact that we changed subjects every two or three weeks left me with the feeling of only having a superficial understanding about anything other than crayons and watercolor. When I compare my self-development to friends who either left early or went to other schools, I felt like Adam staring at Eve taking a bite of the apple. I was sheltered, naive, and had little to no understanding of how the real world actually worked.

When criticized about their allergy to technology and the general reality of things, the school set up a pathetic attempt at an intro to computers class. It was obvious to me that their values lie within creating a protective culture to raise children to be happy and oblivious.

What I came here to write about is really the shock of the real world that followed my early departure. I felt like an Amish kid set loose in the city. You want to talk about wanton abandon? That's a good way to line up the pins. I had to party my ass off just to wipe away the frivolous programming and years of boredom that my family paid good money for. For the years following my high school experience, I was grateful for a few things that Waldorf actually did provide. A handful of good friends who shared the post-bubble-world shock either before or with me, the sometimes elusive ability to formulate a sentence, and a love of rebellion.

Should I put another person on the planet, I would perhaps consider early developmental years at a Montessori or Waldorf, but when middle school hits, you need to involve your child in a heap of activities and programs outside of the bubble or else they will be socially unequipped to deal with tomorrow's aggressive economy. Overall my experience was protective in the regard that I'm not addicted to meth, but it's taken me a good length of time to acclimate into the professional adult world, and now I'm the one catching up.

I chose three stars because two indicates that I've experienced better, and that's obviously a lie.

M. C.

3/21/2014

this school.. has been the worst experience of my life!!!

i came in as the only asian american born and because i was asian everyone automatically treated me like an international.. the math here sucks which is sucks even more because math is my worst subject and needs extra explaining which the teachers did NONE OF.

i was a loner at the school because 90% of the people there came from the grade school and already were friends the other 10% were left to either be by themselves or be friends with the other outcasts. i came here only because my mom forced me into it. thank god i survived two years without puncturing myself with a knife. i'm now a junior at [a public] highschool and even though its been a week i'm all happy with 6 one hour class everyday than having 3 free periods the same day... also because the topics at waldorf are so scattered my transcript is uncomplete so i have to take multiple outside classes just to get the credits (two years of high school [there] and tuition down the drain) and on top of that i have SAT prep and i still have actual school to focus on.. ...

so waldorf... you ruined my high school experience.. because my two years were the years i honestly had suicidal thoughts my junior year is crammed with all the classes i should've tooken but couldnt because of waldorf's messed up system and senior year will be busy because i need to take AP classes WHICH WALDORF DOESNT PROVIDE SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.. bottom line. i was shunned and didnt gain any learning experience. expect to not send my kid here

J. S.

3/18/2014

I was part of the "waldorf community" for around 13 years. During this time I learnt absolutely nothing. Most of my friends (apart from those whose parents were teachers) needed to be tutored for just about everything because the teaching system and their "philosophy" is absurd. They did not teach us to properly read until about 5th grade, and we started learning basic math in 7th grade. The [Waldorf] high school wasn't much better. I DO NOT recommend that you send your children to this school, they are better off at one of the normal private schools where they will actually get a good education and not end up in community college like so many of the [Waldorf] graduates.

This is from first hand experience. My parents wasted about $800,000 putting me and my brother through this school and they full-heartedly regret it. 

T. A.

6/29/2011

OK, this review is long overdue, however, Yelp wasn't invented when I was in high school [at Waldorf X]. I'm going to try to sum this up and be brief. The philosophy does not fit in with what most of the world is expecting out of these kids. We didn't have textbooks, (we had to make our own), we were not allowed to use computers... Hypocritical, as the administration could use computers. I found myself my 2nd year of high school dancing to spoken word poetry, writing by hand every single paper for years as the teacher dictated lengthy lectures. I learned nothing regarding a trade, a vocation, or college prep. All your teachers are the same, year after year. Possibly a great bond with your educator. However, If you're on not so great terms or have a personality clash you're potentially screwed from 1-8th grade and 9-12th. It didn't prepare me for college, it hindered me. I left before graduation. The "Non-Waldorfians" as we transfers were called (who didn't grow up in the system since birth) ALL dropped out and transferred, most even before certain semesters were up. It says something about the establishment that if "outsiders" all leave that something is probably wrong. Just please don't put a child here who wants to be a graphic designer or really thrive in this competitive technology-based society that most of us live in.

Posted May 16, 2012

Our son attended Waldorf for 5 years after 1 years at a public school. The curriculum at the public school was one-dimensional, geared towards tests and scores. Waldorf was the opposite, warm and nurturing, with art and extracurricular activities. As an interim solution it is great. He flourished as a person. We contribute his self-esteem to his teacher and the school. However, the school is lacking academics and some teachers are ill-equipped to instruct subjects in the 6-8 grades. The school has one methodology; if your child does not respond they are unwilling [to] adjust. Feedback is not welcomed and communication is poor. There are no textbooks or grades so it impossible to track how your child is performing. 2 parent/teacher conferences are scheduled yearly and a handwritten school report is provided in the summer. The school report is beautifully handwritten but the focus is the class holistically and how your child is evolving as a person. We are moving our son to a new school in 6th grade. No doubt there will be other issues. However, this move is necessary so that our son can get up to speed academically and receive real help in the areas that he is struggling. —Submitted by a parent 

Posted March 11, 2011

We were very excited about having our daughter attend Waldorf High School. It seemed like a perfect fit for her. My concerns began at the first Parent/Teacher/Administrator get-together. When asked about getting progress reports on how our children were doing. we were told that would only occur if they were failing. Try getting into a good college with C's. My next concern was my daughter stating how easy all her classes were. Coming from a student that has always worked hard to achieve good grades this was a concern. Luckily we moved to [another town] and enrolled our children in a public school. Having always felt private school was important to get the best education possible, it was quite eye-opening to hear from most of her new teachers that our daughter was way behind in the basics required for college. My daughter's fond memories of Waldorf turned into a nightmare for her in the amount of additional work she needed to do to catch up. Other friends who attended Waldorf were forced to spend several thousand dollars to help their children score well on the SATs. Nice school, way below average on teaching and preparing children for college. —Submitted by a parent

Posted November 15, 2006

Very rigid. Works well for children with absolutely no learning issues, dyslexia etc. Otherwise it's a train wreck. The early grades, (pre K-5), are fine to excellent if your child gets a good teacher as they have the same class teacher for 8 years. However, even with the best teacher, at the onset of adolescence problems arise. They seem to have a very hard time letting children grow into young adults in an urban environment in this century. There is drama, art and music but no real creativity allowed. Parents are expected to provide a huge amount of practical and financial support but have absolutely no voice in school decisions. For the amount of tuition charged there are wiser choices. —Submitted by a parent

No Black crayons? No wearing Black? (Black is an "undesirable" color) No photographs (except ones of Rudolf Steiner)? No mirrors? No reading taught until your kid loses their baby teeth? The teachers believe that gnomes are real life forms. They believe in curing cancer with mistletoe. If all of the above makes sense to you, then you'll love Waldorf Schools. - Posted by Anonymous

M. U. 

5/22/2009 

I attended their middle school, and I chose not to go to their high school. I had this teacher who was a very.... unprofessional. There was this kid who everyone in school hated. Not that he was stupid or anything. He just had a lot of questions and liked to interfere with many things. This kid made a lot of issues at school because people liked to make fun of him. Every single time there was a problem between him and other kids, I just couldn't believe how a teacher could be so immature and unprofessional because she was never fair to the victim. She always believed things that are only visible, and she never tried to learn the truth. And she was nice to only kids whose moms gave her a lot of support during field trips and those stupid "fairs"...

School cares too much about Shakespeare and ancient stuff.. They don't even have computer labs. When I went to a public high school, I was shocked because no one in the real world cares about what [Waldorf School X] seems to be obsessed about. [Waldorf School X] is so small that kids there almost never experience the real world. They think what they experience in that tiny group is everything. However, the real world is full of surprises, and I don't think [Waldorf School X] prepares their kids to meet those surprises. So send your kids here if you want your kids to become Shakespeare freaks....

Oh, and also, half of the kids in high school are potheads.. campus has a lot of areas hidden areas... its so easy to f*** around.

Posted on Mar 18, 2012

[This school] is a Waldorf school. If you already are familiar with Waldorf teachings, then that may be all the info you need. I didn't fully understand the educational philosophy, & the result was 3 years of elementary school misery for my bright little person. But 1st: the 3 stars given here are a compromise. The kindergarten deserves 5 stars, and lasts 3 years, ages 4-6. It is gentle, nurturing, & It is a place where your child (if you comply w rules of NO TV, NO video games, NO computer on in any common room of your home while the child is present) will learn a larger vocab. than public school kids, develop as an independent thinker, & gain a greater attention span than most. (J H: Failure to Communicate). After K, grab your child and run. Beveled windows & beautiful rooms mean nothing if all your child does is copy off of the board. The goal is for 1st graders to be able to write perfectly on unlined paper. As a teacher, I was ill when I found this out. 3 years, & I didn't know!! [Waldorf School X] teachers aren't required to have state teaching certs, only "Steiner School". It's like the Amish; if it existed after Steiner, they won't use the ideas. Be careful here. —Submitted by a parent

Posted on Aug 10, 2011

Our child attended [Waldorf School X] for two years and our experience did not meet the theological or pedagogical foundation of a Waldorf education let alone a basic education. The school has struggled to maintain teachers and approaches any special needs assessment with a para-professional possessing enough knowledge to be damaging and in fact was for our child. The administration's interest and full support was for the school and at no time could we find an internal advocate for our child. Today, our child has been diagnosed with dyslexia and is beginning a public school education two years behind following an education at [Waldorf School X]. While capable of knitting and playing the flute, today is unable to read or write. This is not a school with growing pains — it is not a school — it is an institution of incompetence. Before you send your child — investigate the level of educational certification of its instructors and the credentials of its "specialists." —Submitted by a parent

Posted on Apr 15, 2011

We did not have a positive experience with [Waldorf School X]. We were attracted to the strong artistic aspect of the education but quickly were disillusioned. The administration does not communicate or work well with parents, and we never felt welcomed by the administration. The teacher was very persuasive in convincing us of the importance of delaying academics, which put our child at a significant disadvantage. The teacher also was very cold towards the new mothers in the parent group. It appeared to us that the philosophy encouraged the teacher-child bond and discounted the importance of the parent-child relationship. Children were left to "work problems out on their own". If you are really interested in Waldorf we suggest looking elsewhere. —Submitted by a parent

Posted October 12, 2009

[Waldorf School X] is a new school. I believe under 10 years old. I really liked the teachers and families. However, the academics are not strong at the school. Lots of parents felt the need to tutor their children to supplement. I pulled my kid out because I did not want her to fall more behind. —Submitted by a parent

Posted March 30, 2007

I think [a positive] review was placed by an administrator! It is too perfect and glowing. My experience with the school is less then perfect. In fact I often feel extremely sad about the way I am treated and the way our child is viewed. The school often feels very intolerant of differences and can seem racist at times. Luckily my child's teacher (who they have for their entire school life in a Waldorf program) is an incredible person who is very thoughtful and brilliant. With that said that is the reason why we stay because the individual teacher is marvelous. But in the bigger picture I feel kind of withdrawn and ambivalent about our experience over all. The positives include a strong bases in art, thorough examination of a variety of historical periods of time, and the pace is very calming! —Submitted by a parent

Our family has been involved with [Waldorf School X] for some years and will not be continuing. The school has some good teachers and a great community. But many teachers are marginally qualified and some good teachers have left. The administration is the weakest part of the school, being defensive, deceptive, and authoritarian. The administration is at times hostile towards parents and certainly has no ability to work with parents for the mutual benefit of children. They say they encourage freethinking among children, but in reality children are required to conform to a rigid schedule of what Rudolf Steiner determined was "developmentally appropriate" 100 years ago. In the time we have been there the school has had one crisis after another and quite a bit of turnover. If you are "dead set" on Waldorf education for your kids you might be surprised to find out what that means in practice. — Submitted by a parent

Beware! [Waldorf School X] uses warm and fuzzy words to draw in parents and students. The school's teachers and administration do not truely represent the Waldorf philosophy. Only one teacher of the 8 grade teachers actually has the education and ability to conduct herself as a true Waldorf teacher. The administration has made comments to draw in students, but when research is made on the statements it can be found that the statements are not always true. The administration also lacks respect for children in need of medicine for health emergencies. One parent stated to me that when she requested that the school keep an EpiPen for the daughter, she was laughted at by a member of the administration. If you are considering enrolling your child in [Waldorf School X], please think twice. There are others schools in the area that work within the true Waldorf philosophy and are truthful to enrolling families. —anonymous

Posted April 16, 2012

The school is not teaching the children to be compassionate to one another. Maybe they learn to have respect for the earth, nature and their schoolwork, but it seems to end when they enter recess. There are too many incidents of inappropriate language and behavior. The school seems to not take it seriously enough to implement rules to keep everyone emotionally and physically safe. The Waldorf curriculum is wonderful and impressive, but the school lacks the guidelines that hold the children responsible for their ill behavior. The most important thing we can teach our children is to be kind to themselves and others. —Submitted by a parent

Posted March 21, 2010

We have been a family with the school for nearly 3 years now, and the school just has not maintained an acceptable level of safety regarding access into the school. There is no buzz-in or check-in process. Anyone can walk in and this is a huge safety issue to me. My son had a horrible experience as a kindergardener directly related to this. The school was aware, but nothing was done. Use caution when sending small children here, they may not be as protected as you are lead to believen they are. —Submitted by a parent

Karaiskos received this review by email:

Review by "Dr J"

Again and again I see these kinds of posts from people who really hope that their local Waldorf school will be the lovely, artistic, free, expansive, hand-worked low-tech creative environment in which their children can grow into their full potential without trauma. Again and again I run into people, wounded and wondering how they could have been sucked into spending thousands of dollars to this school. Or that school. And they find their children did not produce this supposed Waldorf miracle. They did not suddenly blossom into reading and math. The years have gone by and they are years behind in learning and cannot find the joy in fine literature or a complex math solutions because they do not have the basics. It is the fault of some bad administrators. The fault of this or that teacher. I am telling you all, this is a plan on the part of the Waldorf system. They are a gnostic system, and do not feel obligated to tell the full truth to anyone without a Waldorf-trained mind. They are really interested in getting people who stay in Waldorf, cannot go elsewhere, and who meditate the way they do and who possibly are their kind of clairvoyant. Bored children might just do that. Oh, and they will want you, the parent, involved too. You are the one with the money, remember. Well, here I am spending money on catching my granddaughter up to her grade level after Waldorf neglect of academic teaching, and am fortunate that this is only at grade one and age 8. They kept her back "to help her develop"....but really because they wanted a blue-eyed blond oldest child in the class to be the second grade Santa Lucia for their festival, since Lucia is supposed to be the oldest child and they had a fuss the last year when the oldest child turned out to be a mixed race brown child. They picked another kid who was blue-eyed and blond and some parents objected. My granddaughter was held back a year to keep from having another fiasco like that. Only we left, and her current Montessori school is rapidly taking her up to grade. We will be at grade level for her age by second grade, since we are keeping her in summer school. By pure luck I was able to find someone interested in teaching a child who had not had reading readiness training. You want to play Russian Roulette with your child's intellect? Pick the Waldorf method first. And if you think the Waldorf folks teach social interaction, good luck there. They have a long history of bullies in multiple schools, including the one she was in. Coming out of [Waldorf School X], my granddaughter had to learn: appropriate responses if you disagree with teachers or other children, appropriate ways and times to interrupt adults when they are talking, proper distances to stand and sit with other children when you are both using the same tools, how to privately amuse yourself sitting down if there is a public quiet time, how to...on and on. The three-year-old children in her new school have been taught these things. In Waldorf they just let the kids go wild and "develop." How unkind. Because almost everyone I speak to who has had Waldorf schools come for enrichment time...museums, farms, markets...all dread their coming because the children are not taught to behave. Unfortunately, that leaves some children with a long childhood memory of people who do not like them...why not teach these behaviors cognitively? Waldorf is expecting the karma of the child to determine how they learn these things. And the reason the teachers do this is because they are only taught how to teach through their inadequate Anthroposophy teacher's schools, which spend more time on how to modulate the tone of voice of the teacher than on curriculum structure. If you want a low-tech school, why not look for some other school that has "traditional teaching" and not go with the gnomes and angels of the Waldorf system. Remember, for a good number of these folks, those gnomes and angels are not figurative. They see them, like Steiner did. 

Posted June 6, 2013

This school has not prepared my child for college — in fact, I doubt she will be able to attend anything other than a community college. Thanks, [Waldorf School X]. A chemistry assignment involved creating a smoothie... really!?!? And how much is tuition?!?! The lack of testing and the atmosphere does not provide for real-world application.

Posted February 4, 2013

Dysfunctional atmosphere, with hit-or-miss staff. A few teachers are actually good, but some are truly horrible...dogmatic, unkind, and cold. Also, not a terribly smart staff as a whole, both in the classes and in the administration. Furthermore, if you are considering this school, ask how its administration is structured. Short answer: in such a way that no one takes responsibility for anything. Expect no real help if you ever have a problem. Academics are WEAK WEAK WEAK, with the class moving at the rate of the slowest kids in the class, which is scary-slow since they withhold academics until very late. Not big on discipline either; no consequences ever! Lax parenting plus lax teachers equals really bratty kids. The parent "community" they tout is as dysfunctional as the school; gossipy and very strange. Too many really immature parents with no boundaries. If you really must do Waldorf, consider [a different one]. —Submitted by a parent

Posted May 15, 2012

I am quite disappointed with the level of education my two students have gotten after many years at [Waldorf School X]. I cannot speak to all Waldorf education, because this is the only school I have personal experience with, but I find that the curriculum has not prepared them for college nor a professional career. The curriculum spends too much time on off-beat subjects, and not enough on core fundamentals. Neither of the kids has [much] homework, and both seem bored by school. Math and science is so lacking that we are spending thousands on tutoring to make up for the lack. Also, one of the children who has struggled with reading has been very hampered by Waldorf's policy to not teach reading until 3rd grade. Though almost a freshman, her reading and writing is probably at about the level of an average 4th-5th grader. Despite our ongoing concern, her teacher has not made any effort to focus on this. An attempt to transition one of our kids to public education failed miserably. Our student found public school too difficult, with too much homework. I believe a public education, even with all their shortfalls, would actually be better than what [Waldorf School X] offers. —Submitted by a parent

Posted March 12, 2012

This is the only private school I have ever known the inner workings of, but I am horrified at the dysfunction among the faculty and the staff. I find that this inevitably influences the children both in the classroom and outside of it. What is being modelled for them is not healthy. These are immature and underdeveloped adults who do not have a strong sense of themselves. Not only are students here being insufficiently served academically, they are being disserved because of a lack of healthy adult examples of mature social interaction, honesty, cooperation or even receptivity to parental concerns. Looking ahead, be sure to ask about the success rate of their graduates who, time and again, are dropping out of college before even the end of their first year. Ask what colleges are accepting these students. You won't find any big names here — for Waldorf schools in general, maybe, but for [Waldorf School X] specifically, it just isn't happening. I would strongly advise looking elsewhere. I found the nearby [Waldorf School Z] to have a far greater sense of integrity on the whole. —Submitted by a parent

Posted November 7, 2011

This school has the best of intentions; however, [Waldorf School X] lacks considerable talent with their teachers. My child submitted her math homework and got it wrong — as did one other boy. My daughter kept reworking the problem again and again and still came up with the same answer. The teacher began working with her and then realized that she had been teaching the problem incorrectly all along. One might applaud the teacher for honesty but the fact is she was teaching it wrong! Only my child and the other little boy got it correct. I pay too much money for this kind of ineptitude. Math is secondary in this school when our country seriously is falling behind global education standards. I fear that my child will have few opportunities and will not be able to attend a quality university (one that's beyond the obscure liberal arts colleges that typically result in few job opportunities). [Waldorf School X] doesnt test and deadlines are merely guidelines which is counter to 'real world' standards. Education prepares children for life and this school does nothing of the sort. I am sure there are good Waldorf schools but this is definitely not one of them.

Posted March 29, 2011

There are some wonderful things about the education but.... huge problems in the administration and too many sub-standard teachers. The social issues and bullying at the school are heart-breaking. Classroom management is more often than not outdated and ineffectual in lower school. The culture in the high school often breeds disinterest and lots of pot smoking. NOT a math and science school by any stretch. Unfortunately "crony-ism" has set in and those in control think it's all good when it is very stale, dysfunctional and not a very inspiring place for many. I would recommend the kindergarten program. If you are lucky to get a well-trained, professional grades teacher (few and far between), it can be a good place for a while. I think one of the big problems is there is really no apparent supervision of the teachers. They can kind of do what they want. Thus, there is a huge lack of professionalism both inside and outside of the classroom. If your high school student is HIGHLY motivated they can do well. But if they need more structure and a little push to do their best....they won't get it here. They just leave them alone and dismiss it all to "developmental appropriateness." —Submitted by a parent

Posted February 16, 2011 

GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT. [Waldorf School X] can no longer make decisions based on what is best for its students. It has become a slave to its mortgage and makes decisions not based on healthy Waldorf pedagogy, but on the whims of the parents who pay its bills. I agree with one of the reviews below. The brick fortress is quite impressive in pictures, but behind closed doors, tired, unqualified, uneducated teachers use shame and humiliation to "discipline" students. For years now, the school has been running an anti-bullying, social inclusion campaign while its very own teachers and administrators lead by the example of shame, blame, and overt bullying. We were actually receiving free tuition and we opted to take our children to a healthy environment. This is nothing but one, big dysfunctional family unwilling to consider its weaknesses and provide children a happy, healthy learning environment. If you consider nothing else, just look around inside and ask yourself whether people seem to be joyful there. It is an environment of the living dead — not a place where children can be children and learn to like to learn. —Submitted by a parent

A Google User review 2 years ago

The Waldorf Schools are in a class of their own. Their educational curriculum is based on the theory of human development as posed by the Austrian-born Rudolph Steiner back in the late 1800's. The school is quite anachronistic in many ways. The education though I would have to put at above average, but parents should be aware where the underlying philospophy of the school comes from, mainly Rudolph Steiner, who was a self-reported psychic among other things. He founded the new age "anthroposophy" which itself is a mouthful. It has to do with heavy and very difficult to understand concepts about the spirtual world and how it is connected to the human being. I always thought it was quite bizaare and I think only Rudy himself knew what he was talking about. His book "The Kingdom of Childhood" is worth reading before you send the kinder to Waldorf, it is also one of the readable books (of course all these works were translated from heavy German, I would assume, and so reads quite densely.) The schools have their charm and do help the child develop in many facets, including learning to knit in the first grade, woodworking, music, and of course Eurythmy, which is a type of movement/dance which came out of Steiner's brain among other things. My kid despised Eurythmy, in fact most kids will complain about it. I am not sure why, it is just the way it is. Intellectual develompent did not seem to be the highest priority on Steiner's list, he was worried more about the spirtual matters and I am sure that Eurythmy must have something to do with the spirtual aspects or development of the child. Getting through Waldy will not make your kid more special than other kids, so don't think there is some special thing that will transform your child into something more than any other kid who was not exposed to Eurythmy and the other sometimes strange methodologies of Waldy. But Waldy is a "pretty" place, good for the artistic side, the kids learn to write as they are not allowed to use computers until high school, and their handwriting will be nice, with all the copying they will do from the blackboard. I really enjoyed it when my kid played "Thor" in a play, they do Nordic and other mythology. I say, Waldorf is okay if you can stand it, although some kids do seem happy to leave Waldorf, as if they have gained some more freedom, so who knows. [Waldorf School X] was not so good at resolving conflicts in the past and in fact, parents were able to get rid of a teacher and it was done quite secretively without the knowledge of other parents in the classroom. I was one of those uniformed parents and was not too happy about it. I am not sure how they are these days as no one really runs the place, there is no "headmaster/mistress/principal" so it is strange in that respect. I reluctantly give it the four stars by the way because I could not elaborate on the "strangeness" of anthroposophy itself and how it ultimately dictates the educational methodology. It is just strange.

Posted April 21, 2008

I was involved with [Waldorf School X] for over 10 years and watched as it was taken over by elitist executives from [a local biodynamic cooperative]. The teachers were not paid well enough for the amount of work they had to do and the amount of tuition that was squeezed out of parents. SELL RAFFLE TICKETS OR YOU PAY FOR THEM OUT OF POCKET? I think not. I pulled my kids (all 3) out and was astonished at how little vital information they had learned. We home-schooled, then tried public school, and they love it. My kids are struggling to catch up and I feel like a bozo for letting them down, while shelling out over $50K over the past 10 years on an education & lifestyle appropriate for very young children. Mellow, sweet, and non-invasive. —Submitted by a parent

Posted May 5, 2008

This school will love you as long as you keep your pocketbook open and your questions to yourself. Or if you're on scholarship, then they can pat themselves on the back and believe that they are really 'making a difference' in the life of a child and the community. There is no accountibilty, many of the goings-on of the school are done in a secretive underhanded manner. The school has a sullied reputation and does not attract top applicants, mostly they have no choice in who they hire, they hire the only poor soul who applies. There are children there whose needs can't be met, educationaly and behaviorly, but rather than say so and lose the tuition, issues are swept under the rug. These children take time and effort away from the rest of the class. After years at [Waldorf School X], my children are thriving in public school. —Submitted by a parent

Posted April 24, 2008

The 'pretty package' that first draws you in is very deceiving. It's an easy place to fall in love with! The underlying dysfunction is overwhelming. There's a huge lack of supervision on the playground that leads to accidents and bullying. Some teachers seem disgruntled by the pay and despite their best efforts, it shows. Parents are asked and asked for money and it seems to go into the same black hole over and over. The best 'they' can do to keep you enrolled is to keep you in fear about what your children might face in the dreaded Public School System. Waldorf Education is lovely and it makes a lot of sense.....this particular school just falls way short. —Submitted by a parent

I did not like this school, my child was subject to bullying by children and the teachers supported it. My child also got very far behind academically and has had to have a lot of tutoring ot catch up. What is really upsetting is that the "Waldorf method" gets children behind and then they are sort of stuck there. I did not like the lack of accountability that the school did. A poor choice for our family and I wasted a lot of money and time thinking it was such a pretty education. I wish I had been more cautious. My experience is that the community is very cliquey and it is very hard on adults and children. My child had a very disagreeable experience with the teacher and it was very sad to see the teacher degrade my child's self-esteem. Also, the curriculum is very cultish. —Submitted by a parent

Posted September 18, 2007

I choose this school because of the research I have done on education. Unfortunately, the school does not conform to the principles it purtorts to hold. Many of the teachers do not have an actual teaching certificate or any university certificated education in child develop as it relates to education. My child's specific teacher had no accountability and was not even aware that my son was not doing any of the work. At the end of 2nd grade he still did not know any of his vowel sounds. Since he has left, his self-esteem has rebounded and he is doing so much better. —Submitted by a parent

Posted April 23, 2007

As a former student, I have to say that I will never have my child attend this school when I have a child. When I left the school to attend public high school, I was shocked. I had never had my teacher give me consequences for not handing in my work and suddenly the teachers expected me to do the work and do it on time. I was so lost and behind the other kids. I had alot to learn once I left [Waldorf School X]. I will never make my child go through that! —Submitted by a former student

Posted April 19, 2007

My child attended [Waldorf School X] for 5 years. In that time we had some good experiences but also many poor experiences. There seemed to be very little communication between teachers and parents except ways to give time or money to the school. The kindergarten is very nuturing and gentle which is why we chose this school. —Submitted by a parent

Posted April 19, 2007

We tried and tried to make this school work as we had vision of what a Waldorf school could be. But after 5 years, we could not take any more. There are serious issues with accountability. Now my son is struggling to make up all that he should have gotten in those first years. I really feel that I let him down as a mother by having him go to this school. —Submitted by a parent

Posted April 2, 2007

A horrible place that seems to promote the status quo. I am so sorry we restructured our lives and moved, bought a house, left good jobs to have our son go to a school that seemed better than it is. —Submitted by a parent

Posted December 23, 2006

Found that there was some catering to those who had more money, there was some problem with one of the teachers and it seemed that it was not really dealt with. Feel that that teacher dragged down the whole school. Many children dropped out of his class and left the school. Felt that there are too many cliques in the school that get in the way of what a Waldorf school should be. Certain teacher should practice what he preaches in the school. Other teachers did very well, only wished my child could have had them for teachers because of their positive attitude. —Submitted by a parent

Posted August 20, 2006

The academics for the children are behind for even basic success in a 'school' environment, security of the children while in school and on the playground was seriously dismissed, and we found that 'the community' has a hard time accepting and communicating with the new parents and students... —Submitted by a former student

Posted July 3, 2006

I would say it is a waste of money and seriously lacking in accountability and respect for children and adults. I do not recommend this school and suggest you find a real Waldorf school somewhere else as they are not a real Waldorf school. —Submitted by a parent

Posted June 28, 2006

I have been consistently disappointed by the lack of accountability for academics and the way the teachers are allowed to be emotionally and verbally abrasive. A disappointing and expensive experience. The administration was not effective in managing any conflict and there was not any accountability about teacher conduct or lack of. —Submitted by a parent

Posted May 29, 2006

My child regressed while attending school here. When I brought it up with the teacher he did not address it. Disipline is rather old-school. There is little supervision on the playground. Lastly, the parent community is rather exclusive in many ways. I found that it was neccessary for new parents to prove themselves in some way to attain the status of 'part of the community.' —Submitted by a parent

Posted September 30, 2004

This school is a joke. Can I give 0's. They are rude to parents, do not communicate, and my son says he isn't learning anything and wants to go to a different school so he can learn. What more do I have to say? —Submitted by a parent

My son's teacher was very mean to him. She yelled at him for not being good at art or musical instruments. The teachers here are mean to the unartistic children and the ones who are allowed access to technology. Never send your child here —Submitted by a Parent on Nov 5, 2011

I have to agree with the previous reviewer, although our circumstances were not as tragic, my daughter is currently in therapy still working on the emotional scars left by her [Waldorf School X] kindergarten teacher. I love the Waldorf curriculum, but this school doesn't follow it, and there are many children in third, fourth and fifth grade that still cannot read and write. Parents are told not to worry, it is the Waldorf way, and problems are never really addressed. There is a heavy emphasis placed on a child's ability to craft and draw, which is great, but my daughter is a bit delayed in that area, and she was belittled, teased and openly compared to other students by her teacher. Labeled as naughty, she began to act out. When this was addressed to administration, we were ignored, then told that it was because she watched too much TV. To be clear, we don't have cable, and do not watch TV, but we watched a family movie together once a week. By February of kindergarten, we were no longer taking her to class, just coming in for lunch, and playtime, after her teacher had left for the day. We had already paid tuition in full and were unable to afford to pay for another school. Because of the wonderful friends I made, and the parent community, I was willing to give the first grade teacher a chance, but thankfully by that time our financial situation had changed and we were not able to return. I have watched my friends' children fall further and further behind, not have their issues addressed, be bullied by adults and children, have mixed-age grades, because of a lack of qualified teachers, and have teachers dismissed because of poor administration.

Finally, after a year of being through with the school, they came back at us with some unfair, and previously agreed-upon financial issues. They wanted money. We ended up fighting with them all summer over it, and finally went in with our piggy banks and paid them so they wouldn't send us to collections. At the very least, if you do make the decision to put your child here, make sure you get every agreement in writing. Do not trust them, because they will come after your heart, and then your pocket book. —Submitted by a parent on Sep 23, 2010

I would seriously caution anyone from having their child attend [Waldorf School X]. While the Waldorf philosophy is great, this school does not apply it. There is much talk of nurturing childhood, maintaining the same classroom teacher from 1st - 8th grade, teaching children where they are at academically, providing a compassionate and loving environment, and a wonderful curriculum.

Sadly, in my opinion, this private school is really all about money. Along with high tuition, parents are constantly being asked for more and more throughout the year. They make you sign a tuition contract that they enforce even if circumstances change. 

If you were to get transferred mid-year, you would still owe your full tuition. If your child was diagnosed with cancer (as ours was) and you removed a sibling from the school — you would still be required to pay the full year's tuition. My son's teacher — who we adored — was fired abruptly at the end of 2nd grade. (The main reason we enrolled at [Waldorf School X] as for our child to have the same teacher). We were assured the new teacher was going to be wonderful — not so. We decided to give her a try and were so amazed at how cold, mean, unapproachable and negative she was. 

Just one week into the school year, our daughter's (6 yrs old) cancer had returned and it eventually took her life 5 months later. During this time, our son had the worst experience at [Waldorf School X]. The teacher was the most callous person imagineable regarding our family and what we were going through. We did remove our son half-way through the school year and the school is suing us for the remainder of the tuition contract. Our son's self-esteem was shattered and it has taken countless hours of therapy and a wonderful new school to erase some of the things his teacher said to him. She made him feel stupid, inadequate, nervous and unteachable.

Don't be misled by all the "talk" about nurturing children — this is a business and they are all about the tuition. —Submitted by a Parent on May 4, 2009

Posted March 14, 2011

The school does not appreciate an individual's spirit and personality. Children are expected to act/draw/play in a very specific way. I think especially boys fall so far behind in a Waldorf education. By the time you pull your child out or they graduate, they will have so much catching up to do. We wish we would have never found this school for our children. As well, the communication of staff and teachers is terrible. —Submitted by a parent

Posted September 25, 2009

I do not understand why there are not more critical reviews of this school. It is beautiful from a distance. Inside, the staff are horrible at communicating with parents, if there is even a slight problem. It is a very passive/aggresive atmosphere. My children got so terribly far behind academically. They were at least 2 years behind in all areas. If you want your child to have friends, you will need to be part of a clique of parents and 'play' on their terms. My belief is that this school attracts many insecure parents and teachers, who are working out their own issues. Very odd and uncomfortable atmosphere, even though we were there for several years. I feel bad that I sent my children to this school. I would not recommend it! I think the school has so many problems. —Submitted by a parent

Posted February 8, 2005

Good school, but we felt like our child's individual needs were overlooked in order to maintain the harmony of the whole. Our son loves to perform and be a ham — we had many conferences and were frustrated that in the end his unique gifts could not be acknowledge as any kind of asset — simply a disruption to the whole. —Submitted by a parent

Review by Student

8/6/2011 

There is one reason why I will never recommend private schools over public schools, and that is accountability. I have had many experiences with schools from public, to charter, to private. With my experience I have always preferred public schools. I went to [Waldorf School X] for one year and I would not recommend it to anyone because I did not feel accountable there like I did at public schools.

I felt like there was a lot of favoritism there. [Waldorf School X] only likes to work with certain students. It is hard to say who they like to work with, it is not about race or income, it seems to be more about academic performance. If you don't learn things in a quick enough manner they don't like you and don't want to deal with you.

When I was at a public or even charter school, as bad as they could be, I felt a sense of accountability for everyone regardless of race, religion, creed, and income.

With public schools, I feel like because they represent everyone in their district and their taxes all contribute to their service, there is an obligation to accommodate everyone in their schools and as a result you get more acceptance of differing academic performance, creed, religion, race, and income.

With private schools, I feel like they don't care as much about you. They get an attitude that they are not accountable for you because their revenue is probably protected by law, even if you are not satisfied with their service and want a refund of your tuition.

While I was at [Waldorf School X] from 2000-2001, I felt the management was very poor and the principal seemed weird. It was not a good fit for me. I didn't really believe in what they believed in. They believed in being heavily against technology, particularly television. Sorry, but I am a techie guy and going down their route turned out not to be a good fit for me. They also believe heavily in learning French and French was too hard form me to learn in as little of time as they gave me. Also, their instruction wasn't very effective for me. The people there talk like they have British accents and it is kind of cheesy.

I didn't care for for my experience there, but it wasn't all bad. It was a different kind of school and it was an experience to get a feel for a private school. Some of their programs were alright, but I ultimately didn't feel enough support and that is why I left after one year.

Posted July 8, 2010

People who support Waldorf subcribe to an unquestioning belief in the "teachings" of Rudolf Steiner. They are passionate! Hopefully, you'll get a great teacher. Otherwise, you're child is stuck from 1st grade 'til 8th. There is only the "Board" to talk to — mysterious, apparently made up of other teachers — no principal, not easy to voice concerns and see results. Your child must dress and eat according to acceptable guidelines. If you don't conform your family is ostracized. Too much parent involvement! "Therapy Sessions" is how one parent we know describes "parent evenings." The EC was more diverse in our experience — much more cultish and rigid later. If your child has special needs, class sizes are enormous and the special kids are left to flounder with one teacher to manage the group. They are suing people who leave the school for legitimate reasons, so don't sign a contract! —Submitted by a parent

Posted April 29, 2010

The worst school with no rule to follow when there is a social problems. They are over-protective for the teachers and not willing to provide any correct solutions. No diversity. —Submitted by a parent

Posted February 3, 2010

Politics amongst the admin is full of egos, an inability to take meaningful action, and rarely holds each other accountable in support of an individual family. A large part of the delivery of a Waldorf education depends on the teacher's ability to meet each child's needs with sensitivity and support (including supporting the parents). If u have bullying concerns or other problem(s), it's difficult to feel heard at [Waldorf School X] without entering a series of meetings where, if offered, solutions are vague and dismissive, or the responsibility is left up to the parent to back off, pay for extra tutoring, Eurythmy, Speech, etc. The admin. is often not very supportive, and as a result, families leave disappointed, for multiple reasons. Unfortunaltely, the delivery of a quality Waldorf education is being compromised at this school. If you can handle the politics, dishonesty, & volunteering, welcome & enjoy! —Submitted by a parent

Posted May 4, 2008

It was undisciplinary and supplied very low support. I am dissapointed with this school. —Submitted by a student

Posted February 19, 2006

Words from a parent of a former student: A great school for the average to above-average child provided the teacher and class are a good match for your son or daughter. If your child has any learning disabilities, look for private tutoring or the public school. Parents are not welcomed into the classroom, but are active in fundraising and larger school activities. A lovely, nurturing approach to education, but definately not for every child. Our extremely bright high school graduate (top 10% of class/800 SATs) does not reflect fondly on the 5 years at [Waldorf School X]. Memories of favoritism and elitism predominate. —Submitted by a parent

Posted April 28, 2013

Beware...... Teachers have a public school approach towards students. Definitely not a fun, vibrate, loving envoirment ! School is very unprofessional, unorganized. The only grade your child would be safe in is kinder hale. —Submitted by a parent

Posted February 14, 2011

My brothers and sisters, we were all at this school and we liked it to begin with. The teachers are very different some are really good and some are really not good. My teacher let bullying happen in the classroom every day to one child she didn't like and who she was mean to. I found our teacher crying in the classroom and she got mad at me and I felt very bad because I went back to get my schoolbag I forgot. There were two teachers that the parents complained about a lot but nothing changed. Some adults are upset because the school is not like a Waldorf school. I would have been happy for it to just be a good school. The elective teachers are really nice and there are lots of good things about the school. I did not feel safe with my teacher because I never knew what she was going to be like to me or the other kids. She made even the smart kids have extra tutoring because the school gets money for it I think. That made everyone feel like they were dumb. Some parents said no to extra tutoring for their kids and their kids did really well because they didn't feel dumb. The people in the office are very nice. I am rating the stars for my one teacher. 

Posted December 22, 2010

We wish this was a better review. There are many good-hearted and well-intentioned people at the school but the lack of professionalism and rudeness we encountered became too much to have our children around. They now attend [a different school], which seems to have a much better idea of what the heart and rigor of Waldorf education means. We took our children out after trying it for a year. —Submitted by a parent

Posted August 13, 2008

My son was in this school, but after one month with a teacher that should have retired years ago, I pulled him out. The kindness and fairness was NOT there, although the other specialty teachers were exceptional and appreciated, I did not have any other choice of core subjects teacher. The celebrations of weird icons/subjects was too much for us as well. Rather an odd approach to learning, not for us. Over the top tuition! —Submitted by a parent

Posted July 4, 2005

[Waldorf School X] school is a disfuntional institution. I am a former parent and have done volenteer work at this school.The administration, board of directors, and teachers have shown a lack of respect for the concerns of the parents. Parents' concerns have been met with vindictiveness, arrogance, and lies. Many of the good teachers and longtime parents have gone. The school's reputation in the community is horrid. I no longer have any children at this school and would not under any circumstances advise anyone to send their child to this school.This is a small school with a drastically declining enrollment. The numbers don't lie. —Submitted by a parent

Posted February 2, 2005

The administration at [Waldorf School X] is in complete shambles. The best teachers have retired from the school because of pressure to leave. I feel sadness posting this because there are deserving individuals at [Waldorf School X] and I believe in Waldorf, but this school is unfit to nurse the bright minds of our youth. Many of the teachers do not incorporate art into their cirriculum which is displeasing at best. Look into other schools, [Waldorf School X] is losing students and faith each day. —Submitted by K. U., a parent

Posted November 07, 2014

Don t be fooled. [Waldorf School X] is deceptive and harmful to children and families. My family's experience here was nightmarish and included orchestrated emotional and psychological abuse by teachers, overt shunning and shaming of students and families, rampant unchecked bullying, and poor quality teachers. Before choosing this school, you should thoroughly investigate its religious underpinnings. Google search Waldorf beliefs, Waldorf criticisms and Waldorf scandals. The uninitiated should understand that Waldorf education is based on anthroposophy, a spiritual science created by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. Anthroposophy revolves around spiritual advancement through reincarnation and karma; a central idea is that souls progress from dark-skinned races to light-skinned. The purpose of Waldorf schools is to guide the reincarnation of children's souls. Most parents don't realize it, but anthroposophy determines EVERYTHING that happens here, from how children are assessed to the superstitious avoidance of technology to the color of paint on classroom walls. Cleanliness and safety are ignored, classrooms are roach-infested, and secrecy is paramount. Bad karma. —a Parent

Posted March 17, 2012

This school should be avoided if you are truly looking for a loving, inclusive, globally conscious school. The culture is stated as being child-centered, globally inclusive, heart-focused, spirit-oriented. But it is not the actual culture. Rather it is exclusive, rigid, authoritarian, occult, isolating. While my children attended I witnessed a new student, a kind, sweet child with a family that seemed very loving, was ostracized, bullied, treated in a most hateful manner because they were unique. That was the final straw for my family. We were never told the culture of openness meant only open to what they think and nothing else. They say, advertise, pretend to be holistic, creative, loving but rather they are anything but unless you meet their exact specifications. And those occult, Wiccan expectations are and were never discussed. If that is your thing, then peace, love, and hopefully your children will be happy. But if not, your children will be abused and made to feel very unwelcome. —Submitted by a parent

Posted December 30, 2005

This school evolved from a private Waldorf-based school which went bankrupt, has struggled to reinvent itself as a charter school. Now calling itself waldorf-inspired, it has managed to continue on, but make no mistake, when nobody's looking it reverts to the old standard waldorf curiculum. It provides good solid teaching in the social subjects, english etc., but the science and math is sorely lacking. When my kids took the SAT tests, the shortcomings became evident. They hadn't been taught much of what was tested ... Review the state scores carefully before sending your kids here... —Submitted by a parent

Posted June 6, 2013

I would agree with the review posted on November of 2011. The school has had some turnover from senior staff and budget seems to be an issue. This school is going in the wrong direction.The teachers are dated in their views about how a child should act. The children in this school do not want to follow up their high school experience at another Waldorf system. Overall very disappointed with their handling of my child's education and personal growth. —Submitted by a parent

Posted November 17, 2011

This school, coming from a student, is a good school, teaches good material, but is stuck in the [19]60's. Any use of cell phones, gaming devices or any other technological thing is forbidden and, if found, confiscated. In the kindergarten kids get in trouble for, and I quote, "TV Talk". Yes, thats right, even the mere MENTION of the word "Spider-man" is punishable. Other than this and the issues with budget (the school seems to be getting poorer and poorer every day) it is a good school. Worries about kids being teased/bullied, begone! The school has a 0 tolerance policy for things like this. The school is a raffle school with a long waiting list, so you might need to wait to get your kid in. One of the teachers (who I will leave unnamed) has an obsession with making kids pick up trash, which is very annoying. Also, the teachers tend to favor girls a LOT more than boys, so be prepared if your child is a boy. Last but not least, it has "main lesson", which is where you learn something, write a draft, draw a final (needs to be neat, have a nice border, etc.) then draw a picture. Very boring, takes a long time. Overall, its a pretty good school. — a student

A Google User

3 years ago

This School is a racist, homophobic cesspool located in modular buildings arranged like a trailer park. The "Director" X stonewalls all complaints and tells everyone "Gee, that's the first time I heard that issue" when in fact harassment, bias and favoritism has been rampant. Since the State Dept of Education visited last year, they finally drafted the "uniform complaint process" other schools have had for years and now must keep records of incidents going forward. This is NOT anything like a Waldorf school. In the past several years, the teacher turnover is astonishing with very few veteran teachers remaining. If your child is lucky enough to be in one of the many cliques...you will LOVE it here.....if not, your child would be better served attending school elsewhere.

Posted September 5, 2011

Awful school, negligent teachers, it is small but they still don't work as a team and academic achievement falls through the cracks. One teacher does more Facebook time with kids trying to be their friends but nothing to make sure they are succeeding academically. —Submitted by a parent

Posted January 30, 2013

We were very happy at this school for our child for the first few years. The social environment, caring, loving attitude is wonderful. The activities are fun and creative. Most of the teachers and aides are excellent and we truly felt our child was safe and in a socially thriving school. Unfortunately, it is true with the consistent complaint that if your child doesn't 'click' with their teacher from 1-8th grade, you are out of luck because the school will support the teacher. They did not listen to us as a family nor try to work with us at all when problems arose with our child. The lack of support was very disappointing as we thought this school would help our child and encourage us. Also, taking our child out of this program and trying to acclimate to the public school system has been challenging as the progression of academics is very different at this school. If we had known the friction was going to occur at [Waldorf School X], we wouldn't have started our child there. Fortunately, kids are resilient and our child is doing well in a new school! —Submitted by a parent

Posted September 8, 2010

We pulled our daughter out of [Waldorf School X] 12/09. The teacher was rigid and unresponsive, the principal and others were at best unethical. We had a very moderate special need, [but] our daughter's challenges were dismissed and worse than not being addressed the existence of the challenges was DENIED. Our situation resulted in an investigation by the [state] Dept. of Ed. and an conclusion of multiple violations of special ed law and federal regulations. As long as things went their (the school's) way things were wonderful, once we had a need that did not fit their mold, the first and repeated "suggestion" from the principal was that perhaps this just wasn't the school for our child. It is also absolutely true that it totally depends on the teacher you get, we clearly pulled the short straw, a different teacher and we would probably still be there. —Submitted by a parent

Posted September 7, 2007

I have concerns about the philosophy of students staying with the same teacher thru 8th grade. Is this system realistic? If it 'clicks' between teacher and student, it is great. If it doesn't, it can be negative experience. The school is inflexible about this subject and brushes off parents' concerns. I had a child attend [Waldorf School X] K-8, and it was a wonderful experience because the teacher was open, honest, flexible, compassionate, knew and embraced every student. I have another child who attended K-4, and I felt that this teacher judged my child in first grade when the child was young, unfocused and 'chatty' and never saw them differently after that. Test scores indicate student is doing great, even excelling, yet teacher gives student 'needs improvement' on their report card. Did my child become disengaged and stop performing to their full potential? Would a change in teachers have made a difference? —Submitted by a parent

Posted April 8, 2005

I chose this school after my child attended Kindergarten at a pubic school. I was not happy that after only one year my child hated to read. [Waldorf School X] takes a much slower approach at academics and I am happy with that. I am not happy with having the same teacher year after year. It has some good points, but also bad points. I am also not happy with having no voice in the school. The administration is not in control. The decisions are made by the [Waldorf School X] School Board and the College of Teachers. The board is made up of hand-picked people, some not even parents of students at the school, and invited teachers. The college of teachers are the teachers at the school. They do indeed know best in many areas of education and teaching, but do not have the ability to speak for every parent. —Submitted by a parent

Posted on 02/20/11

This is only for the High School: Look beyond the beautiful campus and the hospitality of the student body, teachers and staff. If you want a half hearted, learn nothing (in terms of academics) education then [Waldorf School X] is for you. The arts are OK, and I say this only because there are some really interesting and great art classes and others are complete crap. The teachers of the school are mixed. There are about 3 really amazing teachers that have taught at college level. Then about 2/3 of the rest of them are utter shit. They are people who cant even make a proper conversation with a student, and have to have other people pass the message on. Alot of them are lousy teachers in that they do alot of this "cutting around the bush", "Well blah blah blah, now how do u feel about this" and "Thats a great question, but lets concentrate on this topic for a little longer" Or "thats a great question, would anyone else like to answer it?" However the biggest problem at [Waldorf School X] High is that the administration works SOOOOOOO SLOOWWWWWW. If you want to appeal something, it takes weeks if not months, and continuous reminding and persistence even to be considered by the faculty. There are days when I come to school and ask myself, WTF am I doing wasting my time at an institution like this. There are some days when I simply cant believe what utter bull shit I just went through. I didnt learn anything. Classes are cancelled or wasted, by the lack of grip, enforcement and supervision of the students. Students will goof around and waste entire classes without the teacher truly making an effort to stop it or penalize them. Now this next part you can only take my word for, if you really would like to know for yourself simply ask a student. Most of the students would agree with me on the feedback I have given and the reason most of them are continuing to go to school here is because their parents force them too, or they went to the lower school and the parents were convinced that the high school is just as amazing as the lower school, or that they dont care and just wanna goof around. Having said that the number of rich goof off kids has risen, just look at the dances for example, there never used to be drugs at any of them. Now there are people lighting up outside and coming buzzed to prom etc. The faculty dont even notice it and I cant even begin to tell you the amount of parties/get togethers people have weekly where the entire group gets blazed or sauced. You have been warned. Please visit multiple times and make sure this is the school you would like to attend. P.S. I will have to say the 3 teachers that were absolutely amazing truly changed my learning experience and my life. I will never forget or regret being taught by them. If anyone for [Waldorf School X] is reading this. You guys have got to fix your administration and get it straight.—Posted by a student

Posted December 10, 2011

After participating actively in this school for many years I am deeply concerned about recent changes in quality, management and mission. Its claim to put children first is not in active practice. Massive departures of families over the last several years raise significant red flags. Children having come as far as the end of elementary school are not able to transfer well to other school situations due to curriculum differences and parents may be shocked to find their children several grade levels behind. Not the best value in this economy. Seems to have lost its way in terms of mission, focus and quality. 501c3 status is deceiving and not at all warranted. This school is more focused on bottom line than quality education. Care for the children is easily dismissed when it suits their other agendas. Buyer beware.

Jason - 2 months ago

The preschool is excellent. However, more than 50% of the kids in the school are not vaccinated, posing a serious health risk to the students and the community at large. Beyond the preschool, the curriculum is anti-intellectual and based on superstition.

Posted September 7, 2011

Please do not send your child to this school unless you don't care about his/her well being or quality of education. It is by far the worst school in the district. The high school is a joke and if you send your child there, be prepared to spend a lot of money on tutors since your child will not learn much from the very unqalified teachers there. —Submitted by a parent

Posted February 18, 2011

This school is terrible. Don't send your child here. They brainwash children and parents slowly until you realize it one day and it's too late. After being 4 years in this school, my child was so behind in academics that I had to hire a private tutor before transferring him to a different private school. It's a fun school for kids, but strong academics is just not its strongest point. Please, do a lot of outside research before sending your child to this school. —Submitted by a parent

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