Washington Waldorf School

[Anonymous]

We are a SSFS family and have noted all the posts about looking at WWS. Can anyone there with a child in high school speak to a couple of questions? How many kids per grade? And on the website, the math curriculum seems a little uncompelling. My child is in 8th in Geometry so should be going into Algebra 2 as a freshman - is there an advanced math track that would accommodate that?

[Anonymous]

Don’t they teach kids that fairies are real?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t they teach kids that fairies are real?

In high school? Unlikely.

[Anonymous]

You didn’t answer the question. Is fairy school acceptable at any grade?

[Anonymous]

As parents of three children at WWS—one graduate (Class of 2023), a sophomore, and a 6th grader—we've had a wonderful experience.

Here are some highlights of what WWS offers:

Academic Rigor & College Prep Without Excess Stress

Balanced Academic Challenge: WWS emphasizes deep understanding over rote memorization. Courses are equivalent to AP-level content but without the high-pressure environment of traditional prep schools. My daughter and son did, or are doing the advanced math track. A recent graduate is now at MIT doing engineering grad work. You don’t need to worry about math at WWS.

College-Ready Graduates: WWS students perform well on SAT/ACT exams and are accepted to top colleges like Duke, Michigan, Notre Dame, UVA, William & Mary, NAVY, NYU, UMD, Haverford, West Point, Barnard, Kenyon, Oberlin, Scripps, and more. The proof is in the pudding in this respect.

Gap Year Friendly: Many students take a gap year, like our daughter who spent a year in Argentina.

Excellent Financial Aid & Scholarships

Variable Tuition Model: WWS assesses each family's financial situation to set tuition, promoting socioeconomic diversity.
Ample Scholarship Opportunities: Financial aid has been a positive experience for us, making WWS more accessible.

Healthy & Balanced Athletics

Inclusive Sports: WWS students enjoy a realistic, fun approach to sports and can play multiple sports while specializing in club-level teams outside of school.

Competitive Teams: WWS competes in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference (PVAC) and has won championships in sports like HS Baseball and Soccer.

In sports, WWS has always “done a lot with a little,” competing against, and often winning against much larger schools.

Excellence in the Arts

Commitment to Arts Education: Students engage in painting, woodworking, weaving, music, and drama. High school students participate in an annual musical, and middle schoolers perform in a student math.

Recognition in the Arts: WWS students have been honored at competitions like the Annual Juried Friends of the Yellow Barn Studio High School Exhibition.

Thoughtful Technology Integration

Balanced Use: WWS introduces technology in middle and high school in a mindful way, avoiding screen time as a replacement for human interaction. Cell phones are securely stored and not used during the school day.

A Meaningful Senior Year

Senior Projects: WWS seniors complete capstone projects, such as research essays and artistic presentations, encouraging independence and creativity. Our daughter’s project involved producing a short film, which she scripted, scored, and acted in.

Lastly, WWS is a deeply caring place. It’s a community where staff, students and families know and look out for each other. It’s not perfect, but has been ideal for our family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As parents of three children at WWS—one graduate (Class of 2023), a sophomore, and a 6th grader—we've had a wonderful experience.

Here are some highlights of what WWS offers:

Academic Rigor & College Prep Without Excess Stress

Balanced Academic Challenge: WWS emphasizes deep understanding over rote memorization. Courses are equivalent to AP-level content but without the high-pressure environment of traditional prep schools. My daughter and son did, or are doing the advanced math track. A recent graduate is now at MIT doing engineering grad work. You don’t need to worry about math at WWS.

College-Ready Graduates: WWS students perform well on SAT/ACT exams and are accepted to top colleges like Duke, Michigan, Notre Dame, UVA, William & Mary, NAVY, NYU, UMD, Haverford, West Point, Barnard, Kenyon, Oberlin, Scripps, and more. The proof is in the pudding in this respect.

Gap Year Friendly: Many students take a gap year, like our daughter who spent a year in Argentina.

Excellent Financial Aid & Scholarships

Variable Tuition Model: WWS assesses each family's financial situation to set tuition, promoting socioeconomic diversity.
Ample Scholarship Opportunities: Financial aid has been a positive experience for us, making WWS more accessible.

Healthy & Balanced Athletics

Inclusive Sports: WWS students enjoy a realistic, fun approach to sports and can play multiple sports while specializing in club-level teams outside of school.

Competitive Teams: WWS competes in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference (PVAC) and has won championships in sports like HS Baseball and Soccer.

In sports, WWS has always “done a lot with a little,” competing against, and often winning against much larger schools.

Excellence in the Arts

Commitment to Arts Education: Students engage in painting, woodworking, weaving, music, and drama. High school students participate in an annual musical, and middle schoolers perform in a student math.

Recognition in the Arts: WWS students have been honored at competitions like the Annual Juried Friends of the Yellow Barn Studio High School Exhibition.

Thoughtful Technology Integration

Balanced Use: WWS introduces technology in middle and high school in a mindful way, avoiding screen time as a replacement for human interaction. Cell phones are securely stored and not used during the school day.

A Meaningful Senior Year

Senior Projects: WWS seniors complete capstone projects, such as research essays and artistic presentations, encouraging independence and creativity. Our daughter’s project involved producing a short film, which she scripted, scored, and acted in.

Lastly, WWS is a deeply caring place. It’s a community where staff, students and families know and look out for each other. It’s not perfect, but has been ideal for our family.

Can you comment about the fairies? Just wondering if that’s something that they actually teach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As parents of three children at WWS—one graduate (Class of 2023), a sophomore, and a 6th grader—we've had a wonderful experience.

Here are some highlights of what WWS offers:

Academic Rigor & College Prep Without Excess Stress

Balanced Academic Challenge: WWS emphasizes deep understanding over rote memorization. Courses are equivalent to AP-level content but without the high-pressure environment of traditional prep schools. My daughter and son did, or are doing the advanced math track. A recent graduate is now at MIT doing engineering grad work. You don’t need to worry about math at WWS.

College-Ready Graduates: WWS students perform well on SAT/ACT exams and are accepted to top colleges like Duke, Michigan, Notre Dame, UVA, William & Mary, NAVY, NYU, UMD, Haverford, West Point, Barnard, Kenyon, Oberlin, Scripps, and more. The proof is in the pudding in this respect.

Gap Year Friendly: Many students take a gap year, like our daughter who spent a year in Argentina.

Excellent Financial Aid & Scholarships

Variable Tuition Model: WWS assesses each family's financial situation to set tuition, promoting socioeconomic diversity.
Ample Scholarship Opportunities: Financial aid has been a positive experience for us, making WWS more accessible.

Healthy & Balanced Athletics

Inclusive Sports: WWS students enjoy a realistic, fun approach to sports and can play multiple sports while specializing in club-level teams outside of school.

Competitive Teams: WWS competes in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference (PVAC) and has won championships in sports like HS Baseball and Soccer.

In sports, WWS has always “done a lot with a little,” competing against, and often winning against much larger schools.

Excellence in the Arts

Commitment to Arts Education: Students engage in painting, woodworking, weaving, music, and drama. High school students participate in an annual musical, and middle schoolers perform in a student math.

Recognition in the Arts: WWS students have been honored at competitions like the Annual Juried Friends of the Yellow Barn Studio High School Exhibition.

Thoughtful Technology Integration

Balanced Use: WWS introduces technology in middle and high school in a mindful way, avoiding screen time as a replacement for human interaction. Cell phones are securely stored and not used during the school day.

A Meaningful Senior Year

Senior Projects: WWS seniors complete capstone projects, such as research essays and artistic presentations, encouraging independence and creativity. Our daughter’s project involved producing a short film, which she scripted, scored, and acted in.

Lastly, WWS is a deeply caring place. It’s a community where staff, students and families know and look out for each other. It’s not perfect, but has been ideal for our family.

This reads like an ad. (And I am not the poster oddly obsessed with fairies.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As parents of three children at WWS—one graduate (Class of 2023), a sophomore, and a 6th grader—we've had a wonderful experience.

Here are some highlights of what WWS offers:

Academic Rigor & College Prep Without Excess Stress

Balanced Academic Challenge: WWS emphasizes deep understanding over rote memorization. Courses are equivalent to AP-level content but without the high-pressure environment of traditional prep schools. My daughter and son did, or are doing the advanced math track. A recent graduate is now at MIT doing engineering grad work. You don’t need to worry about math at WWS.

College-Ready Graduates: WWS students perform well on SAT/ACT exams and are accepted to top colleges like Duke, Michigan, Notre Dame, UVA, William & Mary, NAVY, NYU, UMD, Haverford, West Point, Barnard, Kenyon, Oberlin, Scripps, and more. The proof is in the pudding in this respect.

Gap Year Friendly: Many students take a gap year, like our daughter who spent a year in Argentina.

Excellent Financial Aid & Scholarships

Variable Tuition Model: WWS assesses each family's financial situation to set tuition, promoting socioeconomic diversity.
Ample Scholarship Opportunities: Financial aid has been a positive experience for us, making WWS more accessible.

Healthy & Balanced Athletics

Inclusive Sports: WWS students enjoy a realistic, fun approach to sports and can play multiple sports while specializing in club-level teams outside of school.

Competitive Teams: WWS competes in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference (PVAC) and has won championships in sports like HS Baseball and Soccer.

In sports, WWS has always “done a lot with a little,” competing against, and often winning against much larger schools.

Excellence in the Arts

Commitment to Arts Education: Students engage in painting, woodworking, weaving, music, and drama. High school students participate in an annual musical, and middle schoolers perform in a student math.

Recognition in the Arts: WWS students have been honored at competitions like the Annual Juried Friends of the Yellow Barn Studio High School Exhibition.

Thoughtful Technology Integration

Balanced Use: WWS introduces technology in middle and high school in a mindful way, avoiding screen time as a replacement for human interaction. Cell phones are securely stored and not used during the school day.

A Meaningful Senior Year

Senior Projects: WWS seniors complete capstone projects, such as research essays and artistic presentations, encouraging independence and creativity. Our daughter’s project involved producing a short film, which she scripted, scored, and acted in.

Lastly, WWS is a deeply caring place. It’s a community where staff, students and families know and look out for each other. It’s not perfect, but has been ideal for our family.

This reads like an ad. (And I am not the poster oddly obsessed with fairies.)

It reads like AI.

(I am also not the poster obsessed with fairies)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As parents of three children at WWS—one graduate (Class of 2023), a sophomore, and a 6th grader—we've had a wonderful experience.

Here are some highlights of what WWS offers:

Academic Rigor & College Prep Without Excess Stress

Balanced Academic Challenge: WWS emphasizes deep understanding over rote memorization. Courses are equivalent to AP-level content but without the high-pressure environment of traditional prep schools. My daughter and son did, or are doing the advanced math track. A recent graduate is now at MIT doing engineering grad work. You don’t need to worry about math at WWS.

College-Ready Graduates: WWS students perform well on SAT/ACT exams and are accepted to top colleges like Duke, Michigan, Notre Dame, UVA, William & Mary, NAVY, NYU, UMD, Haverford, West Point, Barnard, Kenyon, Oberlin, Scripps, and more. The proof is in the pudding in this respect.

Gap Year Friendly: Many students take a gap year, like our daughter who spent a year in Argentina.

Excellent Financial Aid & Scholarships

Variable Tuition Model: WWS assesses each family's financial situation to set tuition, promoting socioeconomic diversity.
Ample Scholarship Opportunities: Financial aid has been a positive experience for us, making WWS more accessible.

Healthy & Balanced Athletics

Inclusive Sports: WWS students enjoy a realistic, fun approach to sports and can play multiple sports while specializing in club-level teams outside of school.

Competitive Teams: WWS competes in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference (PVAC) and has won championships in sports like HS Baseball and Soccer.

In sports, WWS has always “done a lot with a little,” competing against, and often winning against much larger schools.

Excellence in the Arts

Commitment to Arts Education: Students engage in painting, woodworking, weaving, music, and drama. High school students participate in an annual musical, and middle schoolers perform in a student math.

Recognition in the Arts: WWS students have been honored at competitions like the Annual Juried Friends of the Yellow Barn Studio High School Exhibition.

Thoughtful Technology Integration

Balanced Use: WWS introduces technology in middle and high school in a mindful way, avoiding screen time as a replacement for human interaction. Cell phones are securely stored and not used during the school day.

A Meaningful Senior Year

Senior Projects: WWS seniors complete capstone projects, such as research essays and artistic presentations, encouraging independence and creativity. Our daughter’s project involved producing a short film, which she scripted, scored, and acted in.

Lastly, WWS is a deeply caring place. It’s a community where staff, students and families know and look out for each other. It’s not perfect, but has been ideal for our family.

This reads like an ad. (And I am not the poster oddly obsessed with fairies.)

It reads like AI.

(I am also not the poster obsessed with fairies)

This is what I thought, too. (And I think PP is wrong. I’ve always heard Waldorf talks about gnomes. Could be wrong though.)

[Anonymous]

It's more like, a fake Victorian culture affected by the teachers for the younger grades, but then phased out for the older kids because older kids won't stand for it, and parents want actual science not woo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As parents of three children at WWS—one graduate (Class of 2023), a sophomore, and a 6th grader—we've had a wonderful experience.

Here are some highlights of what WWS offers:

Academic Rigor & College Prep Without Excess Stress

Balanced Academic Challenge: WWS emphasizes deep understanding over rote memorization. Courses are equivalent to AP-level content but without the high-pressure environment of traditional prep schools. My daughter and son did, or are doing the advanced math track. A recent graduate is now at MIT doing engineering grad work. You don’t need to worry about math at WWS.

College-Ready Graduates: WWS students perform well on SAT/ACT exams and are accepted to top colleges like Duke, Michigan, Notre Dame, UVA, William & Mary, NAVY, NYU, UMD, Haverford, West Point, Barnard, Kenyon, Oberlin, Scripps, and more. The proof is in the pudding in this respect.

Gap Year Friendly: Many students take a gap year, like our daughter who spent a year in Argentina.

Excellent Financial Aid & Scholarships

Variable Tuition Model: WWS assesses each family's financial situation to set tuition, promoting socioeconomic diversity.
Ample Scholarship Opportunities: Financial aid has been a positive experience for us, making WWS more accessible.

Healthy & Balanced Athletics

Inclusive Sports: WWS students enjoy a realistic, fun approach to sports and can play multiple sports while specializing in club-level teams outside of school.

Competitive Teams: WWS competes in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference (PVAC) and has won championships in sports like HS Baseball and Soccer.

In sports, WWS has always “done a lot with a little,” competing against, and often winning against much larger schools.

Excellence in the Arts

Commitment to Arts Education: Students engage in painting, woodworking, weaving, music, and drama. High school students participate in an annual musical, and middle schoolers perform in a student math.

Recognition in the Arts: WWS students have been honored at competitions like the Annual Juried Friends of the Yellow Barn Studio High School Exhibition.

Thoughtful Technology Integration

Balanced Use: WWS introduces technology in middle and high school in a mindful way, avoiding screen time as a replacement for human interaction. Cell phones are securely stored and not used during the school day.

A Meaningful Senior Year

Senior Projects: WWS seniors complete capstone projects, such as research essays and artistic presentations, encouraging independence and creativity. Our daughter’s project involved producing a short film, which she scripted, scored, and acted in.

Lastly, WWS is a deeply caring place. It’s a community where staff, students and families know and look out for each other. It’s not perfect, but has been ideal for our family.

Can you comment about the fairies? Just wondering if that’s something that they actually teach.

What is up with you and fairies?

They do not teach that fairies are real. They do use stories, including (gasp!) fairy tales, to introduce and teach concepts to young children - as do many schools and parents who read to their children. They do seek to inspire a sense of wonder and creativity. Are you maybe confused by the fairy tale theme of this year’s gala?

[Anonymous]

Is the fairy poster the same one who is obsessed with mentioning fairies on the Religion subforum?

[Anonymous]

What a strange conversation that I wasn’t expecting. Yet, I did a quick Google and it seems the fairy/gnome thing is something unique to Waldorf education and goes beyond typical fairy tales. I learn something new every day.

[Anonymous]

True Waldorf believers do believe in spirits, gnomes, and eugenics. That’s not most teachers or families though. However, the community is strongly antivax and doesn’t teach STEM like you’d expect in this day and age.

[Anonymous]

Our kid went there for a year in middle school and absolutely hated it, and had a miserable experience. They found the academics extremely underwhelming and had a hard time integrating socially for whatever reason. Although it was our understanding that things ramp up academically for high school, we noped it out of there. For the right fit, it seems like a nice enough place.