PROGRESS: Sandpoint Waldorf School balances tradition, modern world

Founded in 1992 by a dedicated group of parents who invited two trained Waldorf teachers to Sandpoint, the Sandpoint Waldorf School has grown into a robust school for children in prekindergarten through eighth grade.

We consider it a miracle that a Waldorf school has taken root and flourished in Sandpoint, because most Waldorf schools are in large cities. We exist thanks to dedicated parents and teachers, both past and present, and the welcoming and supportive Sandpoint and Bonner County community. We flourish because people trust in an experiential education that values childhood and the imagination and strives to engage and nurture the whole child — head, heart and hands — even though it runs counter to the fast-paced, grow-up-as-fast-as-you-can, computer-based world around us.

However, we cannot deny that we live in a digital age. While we promote a screen-free education, especially for children below sixth grade, we recognize the need to prepare our students for this digital age and for high school, where much of their learning may take place on computers. To support this, we have integrated digital literacy into the curriculum for students in sixth through eighth grades and provide Chromebooks for limited student use. Beginning in 2020, we adopted a trademarked curriculum, Cyber Civics, which introduces students to good citizenship on digital devices, how to conduct research online by identifying reputable sources and how to use technology as one of many tools rather than being used by it.

In tandem with this work, beginning in 2024 we formed a parent book study led by our pedagogical director, which meets weekly at drop-off. The group is currently reading Raising Humans in the Digital Age by Diana Graber, one of the creators of Cyber Civics. Over the past year and a half, participants have read and discussed several parenting books, including Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers by Gabor Maté and Gordon Neufeld, as well as The Soul of Discipline by Kim John Payne. Families interested in joining the book study are encouraged to contact the school.

While digital literacy is a relatively new focus, fostering literacy and a love of reading has long been a priority at the Sandpoint Waldorf School. However, a myth persists in the broader community that Waldorf schools do not teach reading — a misconception we actively work to dispel. Our literacy program begins in our play-based prekindergarten and kindergarten, not with the teaching of letters but with a rich oral tradition of storytelling, including folktales and fairy tales from around the world, finger-play verses and songs. Teachers tell the same story for up to three weeks, using puppet plays and student reenactments. Very quickly, children know the story and its rich vocabulary by heart.

The formal mechanics of reading begin in first grade, when children learn letter shapes. Students in third through eighth grades who need additional support in reading fluently work with a reading specialist. In contrast to her experience teaching in public schools, she notes that Waldorf students demonstrate a strong ability to imagine what they read and find meaning in the words on the page. They do not need to be taught how to form inner pictures. Additional support for learning differences is provided by an education support teacher.

Another recent addition to the literacy program is participation by fifth through eighth grade students in spelling bees. The top two spellers from each grade have gone on to compete in the regional spelling bee in Coeur d’Alene, offering an opportunity to test their skills alongside students from across the region.

The school is once again hosting monthly, free Stories and More events for young children and their parents to experience a glimpse of the early childhood program. On Saturday mornings, a teacher leads simple craft and movement activities, tells a puppet story and serves a nutritious snack. The first event in this year’s series was held at the East Bonner County Library in October, with subsequent events hosted at the school.

As the Sandpoint Waldorf School looks to the future, it remains rooted in the values that inspired its founding more than 30 years ago: a deep respect for childhood, a commitment to nurturing the whole person and a belief in the power of education to shape thoughtful, capable and compassionate individuals with the courage to follow their dreams. At the same time, the school continues to evolve by thoughtfully incorporating new curricula, addressing modern challenges and strengthening connections with families and the wider community. Today, the Sandpoint Waldorf School stands as a testament to what is possible when a community comes together with shared purpose. The school is grateful for the trust and support that have sustained this work and will carry it forward for generations to come.

    Students participate in a classroom lesson at the Sandpoint Waldorf School, where hands-on learning and student engagement are central to the educational approach.
  

Julie McCallan is the pedagogical director for Sandpoint Waldorf School.