Families everywhere are facing unknowns when it comes to their children returning to school in the coming year. Uncertainties in class sizes, classroom situations, and so much more are causing some Charlottesville area parents to look into alternative schooling options, and the Charlottesville Waldorf School is ready to share with a series of virtual Open Houses including question and answer times with teachers.
The first virtual Open House at CWS was held on May 16, featuring the Early Childhood program which offers Parent and Child classes for children ages 6 months to 3 years, as well as a Toddler class (ages 2-3), Nursery (or preschool, ages 3-4) and mixed-age Kindergartens for children ages 3-6. Early childhood teacher Chris Russ and School Director Amanda Tipton discussed the program and answered questions on topics ranging from the programs’ extended time outdoors to requirements for potty training.
The next scheduled Open House, set for Wednesday, May 27, at 11 a.m., focuses on first grade. This first year of elementary school at the Charlottesville Waldorf School is the Bridge into Academics, recognizing that the students are still building their capacities for classroom learning (lots of outdoor time!) and forming the students into a class (music and art!).
The Waldorf curriculum through the grades is a rigorous and structured academic journey, and first grade readiness is taken seriously for all children. This Open House will be led by CWS School Director Amanda Tipton, along with current first grade teacher Claudia Reinhardt and the first grade teacher for the coming year Vivian Jones-Schmidt. A short presentation will be followed by a question and answer session.
The virtual event will be held on zoom, anyone interested in participating should register in advance at www.cwaldorf.org/openhouse.
Waldorf Schools focus on experiential learning – an active approach to a subject’s lesson which uses different senses and subjects like arts and music, tactics, and manipulatives to best stimulate the mind to retain what is being learned. The Waldorf classroom experience is designed to build strong relationships, enhance social and emotional learning, and create community bonds through seasonal events, festivals, assemblies, plays, and more.
For more information the Charlottesville Waldorf School or about upcoming Open House events, please contact our Admissions Office at [email protected] or 434-973-4946 ext 102.