Alice Birney Waldorf-Inspired K-8 School

Alice Birney Waldorf Inspired K-8 has been a wonderful experience for my family. We have been there 10 years now. There have been challenges since doubling in size and moving to a new site, but the spirit of the school remains the same. The curriculum philosophy is much different than most schools, so do your homework before enrolling your child in a Waldorf Inspired school. That being said, I love the art, music, hands on, age appropriateness of the curriculum. The test scores are low here in the younger grades in part because children are allowed to be children a little longer and some things are taught at different times during their development. However, by the time they are in 6th, 7th and 8th grade the academics are quite rigorous - and the kids still love it! Oh, did I mention the gardening, the building, the cooking (in 3rd grade). It helped my children gain a sense of independence and inner strength that is so important. And the feeling of being among 'family' made adolescents much less painful than I remember from Jr. High. I saw children graduating from 8th grade with an unusual sense of inner strength and determination.
--Submitted by a parent

In our experience, children with learning disabilities may not thrive at this school. There are many nice things about the school but the teachers in general resist the idea that a child may be struggling due to LD's. Some even reject the idea that there ARE LD's. We were told that our 4th grader couldn't read because she had watched an occasional TV show as a young child - not because of her severe auditory processing disorder. After 2 years of intensive speech therapy our daughter is thriving at a traditional middle school - making A's in language arts.
--Submitted by a parent

It is a warm and welcoming community of caring adults and children. My children have received wonderful educations at John Morse. Most importantly they learn to respect others, themselves, the learning process and the world around them
--Submitted by a parent

I love John Morse Waldorf School because the children learn thru movement and play making it fun for them to learn which in turn makes them want to learn! I also love JM Waldorf because it is very community orientated. The child and their family is made to feel as part of the JM Community. There is a calm and peacefulness to the school. Also the sensory intregration is a very positive way of having the child be able to calm down, focus and learn. Respect for oneself and others is positively reinforced from Kindergarten on and the teachers are very caring. I love this school and I am very thankful that my daughter is able to attend JM Waldorf.
--Submitted by a parent

Ilove the beauty of the gardens,trees, and classrooms.The staff is gentle, loving, and dedicated, full of song music, art, verse and poem, movement and learning in a joyful way. Gardening, cooking, handwork, woodwork, clay and service in the school and community are also part of this learning community. And many, many parents are volunteering in every aspect of the school. There is a diversity of students and families. There are many celebrations like the harvest festival, the winter festival, concerts, plays. Classes take many field trips to enhance their curriculum. We have spanish teachers first thru eight. Well, I could go on. We are an exceptional school.
--Submitted by a parent

I think one of the most valuable lessons our students learn is compassion for each other. Instead of isolating the grades from each other, there is interaction between the higher grades and kindergarten and 1st graders, from working in the classroom to our graduating students welcoming the new incoming 1st graders. All the things parents wish were still in elementary education - art, music, movement are present in our school along with caring and respectful teachers.
--Submitted by a parent

In this era of standardized tests, dumbed-down curricula, and rote 'drill-and-kill' learning, John Morse is a breath of fresh air. I felt myself relax and breathe when I first visited, and it's stayed that way for me for the past 11 years!
--Submitted by a parent

John Morse is a wonderful school with so much to offer the students. We can't think of another single school that matches up to what our daughter is experiencing at this unique public Waldorf school. All public schools have much to learn from what happens here.
--Submitted by a parent

John Morse allows kids to be the kids they can truly be, while giving them all of the tools to succeed in any scholastic environment.
--Submitted by a parent

John Morse teaches kids to be critical thinkers, to solve problems in a creative way. Their teachers are wonderful, every single one of them. The school community is like extended family. There is lots of support and kindness that flows over into our children's education. I couldn't think of a better place for my kids to be.
--Submitted by a parent