Chicago Waldorf School

Introduction

Statement of Mission and Vision

Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives.
Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925)
Founder, Waldorf School Movement

Chicago Waldorf School is an urban independent school offering Early Childhood through 12~th~ Grade education rooted in the ideals, insights and pedagogical methods of Rudolf Steiner, philosopher, social innovator and artist. The school provides a diverse student body with an education that supports the development of free-thinking, self-directed young adults ready to embark on the next phase of their education and eager to contribute positively to our world and the global society of the 21st century.

Our vision is that, by the end of this planning period (2008-2011), Chicago Waldorf School will be positioned to become the independent school of choice by those families, teachers and other employees who share Waldorf school values and who recognize their relevance to the preparation of today’s students to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

The Chicago Waldorf School does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.

Where and when did Waldorf education begin?

The Chicago Waldorf School is part of a worldwide movement of more than 850 schools whose approach to education is grounded in the work of Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925). The first Waldorf school was founded in 1919 for the children of workers in the Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette Factory in Stuttgart, Germany. The innovative school attracted immediate interest among people seeking a new way of educating children and other Waldorf schools were soon founded. By 1928, the growing movement had spread to North America with the founding of the Rudolf Steiner School in New York City.

What is Anthroposophy?

The term Anthroposophy comes from the Greek anthropos-sophia or ‘wisdom of man.’ Rudolf Steiner once said this term should be introduced to mean, quite simply, ‘awareness of one’s humanity.’ Steiner believed that through study, meditation, and practiced observation, human beings can awaken to their inner nature and to the spiritual realities of outer nature and the cosmos. The awareness of these relationships brings a greater reverence for all of life. Anthroposophy is not taught in the Waldorf schools, but it is a guiding beacon which inspires educators and parents. It offers insight into the human condition and natural world out of which the Waldorf curriculum is built.

How did the Chicago Waldorf School begin?

The Chicago Waldorf School was founded by a group of Anthroposophists, many of whom did not have young children, who had long dreamed of a Waldorf school for our city. It opened in 1974 with a kindergarten class in a rented classroom at the Church of the Three Crosses in Lincoln Park. There were five children and one teacher. Three years later, in 1977, a 1st Grade was added, and the school began to grow at a rate of one grade per year until the first nine-member 8th Grade graduated in 1985. The school remained at eight grades until 1994 when a 9th and 10th grade were added. The first nine seniors graduated in 1997.

As our school has developed, we have often had occasion to refer to it as a baby, a toddler or an adolescent. Today, with a full twelve-year curriculum and an enrollment of about 370 students, our school is clearly a vigorous young adult. In terms of growth and stability, we have come a long way from that fledgling kindergarten. Our Parent-Child program, begun in 1992, has grown to be the largest Waldorf program of its kind in North America. As we enter our 34th year, it is an opportunity to remember and reflect as well as plan for the future. This year, we have implemented a new Governance Structure and hired a full-time Administrator.

The Chicago Waldorf School is fully accredited by the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America (AWSNA) and the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and is recognized by the State of Illinois.