San Francisco Waldorf School

Our Son attended Waldorf for 5 years after 1 years at a public school. The curriculum at the public school was one dimensional, geared towards tests and scores. Waldorf was the opposite, warm and nurturing, with art and extracurricular activities. As an interim solution it is great. He flourished as a person . We contribute his self esteem to his teacher and the school. However, the school is lacking academics and some teachers are ill equipped to instruct subjects in the 6-8 grades. The school has one methodology; if your child does not respond they are unwilling adjust. Feedback is not welcomed and communication is poor. There are no text books or grades so it impossible to track how your child is performing. 2 parent teacher conferences are scheduled yearly and a hand written school report is provided in the summer. The school report is beautifully handwritten but the focus is the class holistically and how your child is evolving as a person. We are moving our son to a new school in 6th grade. No doubt there will be other issues. However, this move is necessary so that our son can get up to speed academically and receive real help in the areas that he is struggling.
--Submitted by a parent

We were very excited about having our daughter attend Waldorf High School It seemed like a perfect fit for her. My concerns began at the first Parent/Teacher/Administrator get together. When asked about getting progress reports on how our children were doing. We were told that would only occur if they were failing. Try getting into a good college with C s. My next concern was my daughter stating how easy all her classes were. Coming from a student that has always worked hard to achieve good grades this was a concern. Luckily we moved to Marin and enrolled our children in a public school . Having always felt private school was important to get the best education possible, it was quite eye opening to hear from most of her new teachers that our daughter was way behind in the basic s required for college. My daughters fond memories of Waldorf turned into a nightmare for her in the amount of additional work she needed to do to catch up. Other friends who attended Waldorf were forced to spend several thousand dollars to help their children score well on the SATs. Nice school, way below average on teaching and preparing children for college.
--Submitted by a parent

I love the thoughtful teachers and wonderful community. The curriculum is dynamic and meets the children in an age appropriate way.
--Submitted by a parent

I moved my daughter to SFWS in 4th grade from a very well respected public school in SF. This was a great move for her for many reasons. She was immediately accepted by her classmates and has found the diversity of classes to challenge her in many ways. She is now in the middle school and looking forward to the Waldorf high school. She is learning 2 languages, science, math - both typical and practical math, reading and writing, music, art and movement. My happy child now sings at home as she is doing her homework. I also felt very welcomed into the school community. I would encourage any parent who wants to give their child not only a great education but also a deep understanding of who they are - check out this school.
--Submitted by a parent

The SF Waldorf school is definitely not for everyone, but the pedagogy makes for an outstanding choice for children and families who want a thriving community with progressive ideals. The curriculum is very strong in building a foundation for critical thinking and stimulates in children and teens the desire to learn and explore. My family could not have been happier about our choice, and my son is a wonderful, caring individual because of it.
--Submitted by a parent

The best high school in San Francisco because of the superb teachers, well-rounded curriculum, and academic rigor.
--Submitted by a student

concern for every student, a truly well-rounded education, with balnce of intellectual, emotional, moral, physical, and spiritual development
--Submitted by a parent

Very rigid. Works well for children with absolutely no learning issues, dyslexia etc. Otherwise it's a train wreck. The early grades,( pre K-5), are fine to excellent if your child gets a good teacher as they have the same class teacher for 8 years. However, even with the best teacher, at the onset of adolescence problems arise. They seem to have a very hard time letting children grow into young adults in an urban environment in this century. There is drama, art and music but no real creativity allowed. Parents are expected to provide a huge amount of practical and financial support but have absolutely no voice in school decisions. For the amount of tuition charged there are wiser choices.
--Submitted by a parent

The education at San Francisco Waldorf School truly allows each child to fulfill his or her potential. Each individual is valued for her or his gifts, and the love for learning is cultivated every day. The students graduate from the 12th grade with a clear sense of who they are and the confidence to find their place in the world. My son reported from his university (after 14 years at SFWS) that the professors kept asking him how he was able to bring some many different perspectives to class discussions. His academic, social, and practical skills have allowed him to excel in whatever he has tried to do, and I am sure that is so because the Waldorf School and its wonderful teachers valued him for who he was, and allowed him to develop in all aspects of his being.
--Submitted by a parent

I had a great experience with this school - the teachers and staff are great.
--Submitted by a parent