Davis Waldorf School

This is my daughters 2^nd year with the Davis Waldorf school. She attended first year kindergarten here at age four. The next year she was five and old enough to attend kindergarten at a public school in Davis. There really is no comparison though and we decided that even though public education and Davis is free and exceptional the Davis Waldorf school just have so much more to offer our child. When it came time for her to begin first grade we re enrolled at Waldorf and we honestly wish we had never left. Our reasons include the parent education classes, community involvement, teachers taking an interest in your child beyond the time that they are in the classroom and so much more. I really cannot say enough good things about this school, the staff, both kindergarten teachers, (teacher Mary and teacher Jennifer) or the first grade teacher Mrs. Borrego. We intend to stay until she is ready to go to high school.

My family first came to this school in 2001 and it was a blessing for my daughter who had some challenges with attention and focus. When it came time for my son to start school, there was no question that he would attend Davis Waldorf School just like his sister. This school educates the whole child with beautiful music, art, drama, gardening, handwork, woodworking, life skills, sports/​games, as well as academics to prepare the child for high school and beyond. This year, my daughter will graduate from Mt. Holyoke College in Massachusetts and I know that the education she received (including all of the community support) at Davis Waldorf School provided the foundation for her success in college. I cannot say enough about how much I love this school and the holistic education it provides.

Both of my children have been at the Davis Waldorf School since kindergarten. Initially we were not quite sure what we were signing up for, but we knew that older children that had attended the school could speak to adults in a coherent and mature manner, making eye contact and speaking with clarity and confidence. Each time we met a Waldorf teen, we were impressed with their intellect and demeanor. So, we thought we’d give it a try. Now that our children are in the upper grades, and I can look back on this journey, I can’t say enough about this school. We heard grandparents worry that the children wouldn’t learn to read or spell. Yet, as it turned out, both boys are avid readers and devour books because they learned to read in a supporting and nurturing fashion, the way Waldorf teachers bring all their lessons. And of course, because they read so much, their spelling is incredible and effortless.
Math, science, Spanish, music, cultural studies, art, etc are all presented in a way to ensure each child can learn the material and excel. The children have the opportunity to learn with hands on projects, field trips and by engaging together and collaborating. At Waldorf, learning goes well beyond worksheets and rote memorization. The teachers have all been so amazing, not just for the children, but also in the they way they engage the parents. I am writing this now because last night I had one of those wonderful parenting moments where I got to see my 7^th grader glow with pride as he figured out what he needed to do for his Rube Goldberg physics project. As I see both children grow, I am endless grateful for our wonderful school.

Where to begin? To me, «education» is more than reading, writing, and arithmetic. Davis Waldorf School promises to «educate the whole child» and I believe they follow through on this. I encourage anyone who is curious about Waldorf education to attend an event at the school and meet the 7^th and 8^th grade students who are mature, able to look you in the eye, and converse better than most college students. The Halloween Festival, Winter Concert, and 8^th Grade Graduation are great opportunities to see how EVERY student has benefitted.
The school’s teachings are appropriate for where the children are at in their development. Reading, writing, and math have come naturally to my 2^nd and 4^th graders and I believe that the timing has been ideal. Additionally, their verbal skills (they can recite like you wouldn’t believe and speak in front of crowds), language skills, artistry, and thoughtfulness of others make me proud every day.
Thank you Davis Waldorf School!

My daughter has been a Waldorf for 3 years and it is by far the most amazing school in the area. I wasn’t sure at first because the Waldorf philosophy is different. But after a few interviews and observations my concerns have turned to gratitude. This school empowers each child to be creative and in turn expands the capacity to learn. Davis Waldorf is fantastic!

Overall we have been very happy with this school. We like that it is a media free school as we do not let our child watch television and we did not want her go to a school in which the TV show characters would be central discussion and play themes. The community of the school has been very supportive and the non-​pressured teaching style and freedom from standardized testing has felt right for us.
We have some small issues though. The campus facilities are of varying quality. The classrooms are great, but some of the auxiliary buildings are old. We’d also like it to cost a bit less, but overall we think it’s a good program, and our daughter really likes it.

My children have received excellent academics in a multi-​faceted curriculum that educates the whole child.
Upon transferring into public school in 9^th grade, my daughter was ahead in multiple subjects, science, language arts, and oral communication, critical thinking, and problem solving skills. The school responded quickly to concerns about math not transferring well, and has changed the curriculum effectively.
In addition, she received education in art, music, drama, literature, handwork, woodwork, movement.

In my opinion, this is the best school in Davis. My children went all the way through here and have since graduated from College. They look back at their education at DWS with love for the way they were taught and with gratitude to their teachers and us, their parents, for the gifts they received. My husband and I feel that providing our children with a Waldorf education was one of the best decisions we ever made. You can look long and hard and never find a more dedicated and capable group of educators and administration.

This school has brought my niece nothing but joy. The teachers and students are kind, knowledgable, unique, enthusiastic, and friendly. ALL of the teachers try to get to know each student individually and treat the kids as If they were their own. The teaching style is creative and fun. The campus is beautiful. This school is wonderful.