Our People
“The heart of the Waldorf method is the conviction that education is an art – it must speak to the child’s experience. To educate the whole child, his heart and his will must be reached as well as his mind” ~ Rudolf Steiner
Our students hail from communities around the region including:
- Ansonia,
- Beacon Falls, Bethel, Bridgeport, Bridgewater, Brookfield,
- Danbury,
- Easton,
- Fairfield, Middlebury, Milford, Monroe,
- N. Stamford, New Fairfield, New Haven, New Milford, New Preston, Newtown, Norwalk,
- Redding, Ridgefield, Roxbury,
- Sandy Hook, Sherman, Southbury, Stamford, Stratford,
- Terryville,
- West Redding, Weston, Westport, Wilton, Woodbury
- plus several towns in Westchester County, NY.
Volunteers are the lifeblood of HVWS. We thrive because our community of parents, teachers, and friends helps accomplish the many tasks that are part of operating a school. We encourage parents to join a committee of their choice. We have a committee to match every skill set and interest from securing the financial stability of the school to beautifying the grounds to organizing community events, to running the school store.
Additionally, each class has one to two class parents. Class parents assist their class teachers with activities such as festivals, work days, class plays, trips, and class communication, and are generally available to help with practical matters. If you would like to share your talents with us, please speak with your class teacher or contact our Development and Volunteer Coordinator, Carrie Donat.
Our dedicated and talented teachers and staff come from a variety of backgrounds from social work, to public school teaching, to art and architecture. Nearly a third of our staff emigrated to the US from across four continents and our teachers speak native languages including Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Korean, and Spanish.
“Freedom in teaching” is a core principle of Waldorf education and our teachers have both the freedom and the mandate to bring lessons in fresh ways to best reach the specific students in front of them. Many students in our mixed-age kindergartens are with their teachers for three to four years. In the grade school, class teachers often stay with their classes from first through eighth grade. These multi-year relationships build a deep understanding between teacher and student. Our teachers either come to HVWS Waldorf-trained or engage in Waldorf training during their first years at HVWS.
Waldorf teacher training is an ongoing process and our teachers and staff engage in regular summertime renewal courses. We have a robust Staff Development process including a mentorship program for new teachers.
All Waldorf schools operate with a governance structure of shared leadership. HVWS is governed by a Board of Trustees and a College of Teachers, and is supported by an Administrative team. The Board of Trustees is responsible for financial, legal, and property matters. Decisions about teaching matters belong to the College of Teachers, drawn from faculty leadership.
The Administration oversees the daily operations of the school. The Leadership Council, comprised of representatives from the Board, College, and Administration, serves as a point of contact for parents with questions or concerns.
Our Faculty, Board of Trustees, and Parents work together, with dedication and warmth, to support our school community.
Testimonials
What Parents are Saying
“We send our son to HVWS and we love it. We especially like that children are taught age appropriate things, they are taught with respect and to respect. We like long recess, outdoor play, arts and handwork, the spirit of Waldorf.”
“HVWS is a touchstone for all that is good and worthy of being imitated in a child’s life. As my now-adult HVWS graduate reflects on his experience, he increasingly sees its value and cherishes the memories.”
“We believe childhood is a special time in life. It should be respected, protected and enjoyed. Our modern society seems to be designed to rush children out of childhood. We greatly prefer Waldorf’s respect for childhood, for focus on kindness and slow media exposure compared to the alternative.”