Davis Waldorf School

I highly recommend this school to anyone with kids or grandkids going into preschool to 8th grade in Davis. I homeschooled my kids for the first 10 years of their lives and then, needing something different for the kids, we placed them in Davis Waldorf School which happened to be our neighborhood, though not public, school. The shift from homeschooling to private school, though difficult because my kids had never attended a formal school before, was made so much gentler and easier for our family due to the family like atmosphere of the Waldorf school. I love so many things about this school, it is difficult to pick just a few things to talk about. There is the community and staff who are loving and supportive of the kids and their families, it is the classmates who become like siblings as they transition from grade to grade together, the special ceremonies for the transitions to new seasons, new grades, new developmental levels, and more. It is the way the school keeps the kids well versed in the arts and music and it is the continuation of those relationships developed at the school after graduation. It is the very special teachers who get to know their students so well having taught them for multiple years and treat the kids with respect, individuality, and developmentally appropriate tasks. Our family would choose Davis Waldorf School again in a heartbeat! more

Our oldest daughter began at Davis Waldorf School in second grade. At the time she was furious with us for transferring her from her old school without her input. However, within weeks, the child who resisted learning, reading, and routines, grew engaged and even enthusiastic in her schooling. We stopped hearing “I don’t want to go to school.” That was six years ago, and my husband and I have never regretted the financial or time investment. We now have three children at DWS (7th, 4th, and 1st grade as of the 2011-12 school year), and the school has fitted each of them in very different ways. While some of the traditions or requests (such as limited to no media) often feel strange and even restrictive at first, we’ve found that there always seems to be valid reasoning behind them. The school functions like a large and welcoming family, and while (as with any family or community) there may be occasional frictions, we’ve never felt anything other than accepted and embraced. We’ve found the teachers and administration to be open to communication and remarkably understanding of the unique personalities and quirks of our children. The curriculum is challenging enough to keep our intellectually gifted and skeptical teenager motivated while being paced perfectly for our perfectionist middle-schooler and social butterfly youngest. Waldorf education may not be for everybody, but at Davis Waldorf School, I have found most of the children to be confident, at ease with adults, able to focus on problem solving, and remarkably tolerant of the quirks and individuality of their peers. In a cookie-cutter world, these kids are taught academics and life skills through the unique beauty of art, music, and movement. more

We have had nothing but a positive experience for our two children who are now 11 and 13. My children have been through the grades here and are testing very well compared to their public school friends. They are confident, well rounded and compassionate. The Davis Waldorf school has exceeded our families expectations! more

After leaving this school and having my kids tested, I would never go back again. You think your paying to give your kids a head start while passing on the love of learning, come to find out 6 years latter your really crippling them in ""this"" program. (Test scores showed, child three years behind due to lack of instruction. When child was instructed the scores jumped two grade levels in a 6 month period.) Davis has incredible public schools, that help children excel academically and have a lot of the same feel as this place, once did. Check out one great school, Patwin. more