Highland Hall Waldorf School4519

Being part of this school has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me as a parent. I am fortunate to have two thriving kids, well grounded, mature and academically oriented. Both are teenagers, and honestly, I am so thankful to avoid the crap that my friends are going through at their schools. Comparatively, it's a walk in the park and I hate to admit it, a lot of it comes from Waldorf. It's not just the faculty, (many of whom are awesome), but it's that they encourage the kids to speak up and express themselves. These kids are socially conscious, outspoken and determined individuals. It's great to witness this positive energy in young people. They have the rest of their lives to become cynical. We are very happy at Highland Hall.

seems many Waldorf schools and charters start off with a beautiful dream but in reality, the success of the school is really depends on the ethical and emotional maturity of the Administration & teachers. Highly subjective whether or not you are blessed with one of the Great teachers or someone who hasn't worked out their issues and you're supposed to 'trust' and 'let go...' we had a very rude awakening... Public school seems so stable and healthy now after the dysfunction we encountered. Can NOT recommend.

"There is a cowardly and deceitful person that used my daughter's name to write a negative review for this school. " Are you sure it wasn't your son LISA? Meanwhile, speaking of cowardly, you KNEW my daughter was being exposed to a known pedophile on your campus and did NOTHING. You are a MANDATED reporter. Shame on you Lisa - and shame on the conspirators who helped you destroy a child. A huge lawsuit against Highland Hall is forthcoming. Thanks for destroying this school. Parents are best advised to avoid Highland Hall at all costs. There is nothing these people won't don in the name of protecting their school and Anthroposophy! NOTHING! http://petekaraiskos.blogspot.com/2010/03/highland-hall-breaking-mandated.html

There is a cowardly and deceitful person that used my daughter's name to write a negative review for this school. Her opinions couldn't be more opposite. The one star review by " A Scemama"(which by the way they spelled wrong in the review) is not a honest review. It makes one question the veracity of this whole system. Shame on the person who wrote that. One needs to visit the school and make their own decision. Again, there must be a better way of authenticating these reviews. One always has the right to be disgruntled but don't hide behind someone else. This is just plain wrong.

When I first read lectures of Rudolf Steiner, I couldn't make much sense of them. But not everything that is real is easy to grasp, is it? Thank god I still continue to learn as I grow old. However, it was through reading his approach to schooling and human development that I began to have a feel for the rich, encompassing human story that Rudolf Steiner is attempting to convey. How I wished I had gone to a Waldorf school. I was left bored, frustrated and undeveloped by the long, long years I spent in public school. I have since had the good fortune to visit Highland Hall for graduation plays, performances and festivals. Two things in particular strike me: First, kids of all ages are warm and genuine in their conversations with other people of all ages; and second, they have learned through long experience under the guidance of their teachers how to make the most of what each person has to offer. It's wonderful to imagine how the world would be if we all had gained such skills in our schooling!

Hello all! I am currently a senior at HH. I have attended HH my entire life and all I can say is that I feel blessed and fortunate to have been given the opportunity to learn in the environment this school provides. I have developed a love and inspiration for the world around me and its endless mysteries that, all "corruption" set aside, is as real and true to me as anything can be. You can't fake a curriculum like ours, or the relationship we have with our teachers. I have seen my share of drama in the community and one thing I have observed every time is that it is almost always instigated by a parent who takes it upon themselves to make everybody feel the repercussions of their less-than-desirable experiences at the school. If anybody reading this forum is considering a Waldorf education for their children, know that I am and accomplished student, artist, and musician, as well as a "lifer" at HH, and I couldn't name anything in my life that I have ever appreciated my parents for more than finding this school and sending me here. Please just come for a tour or our school and talk to some of the "lifers." You will realize that people who have gone to HH are talented, upright, high quality individuals.

No conflict of interest here, just your average involved, tuition-paying parent.

I am more grateful each day that my children attend Highland Hall. The warm and welcoming community is fantastic. All of the teachers that my children have been Blessed to have are skilled, warm and caring.

Well, somebody must be either brainwashed or dishonest. Funny how all the glowing reviews come from anonymous people... or the same person. Or they could all be Waldorf teachers for all anyone knows. Unless one puts their name to their comment, it's impossible to tell if there's a conflict of interest.

Our two children attended for a total of about 13 years between them. I was one of those enthusiastic mothers who for many years couldn't say enough good things about the school. Gradually, however, my husband and I began to form the opinion that while the curriculum appeared on paper to be impressive, in practice it neither matched the hype we were hearing nor met the expectations we had for our children's education. Nonetheless, because I still thought the social environment of the school was healthy, I continued to vigorously defend it against criticism by families that left dissatisfied or in anger. That stopped when scandals occurred that, for us, crossed a line. I then began researching Waldorf and Anthroposophy and was stunned to find myself going through a deprogramming process. It finally dawned on me that I had become brainwashed by what I consider to be a slick PR program. I strongly recommend that anyone considering a Waldorf school research the many American and international English language Web sites critical of Waldorf. The documentation at some of those sites is truly enlightening. I recommend you don't accept at face value arguments that Steiner quotations are being taken out of context. Instead, ask how the context affects the meaning of the quotations. I also suggest that if someone tells you that Steiner quotes provided by critics have been mistranslated you have an independent, non-Waldorf German speaker translate some of them for you and compare your translations to those by both Waldorf supporters and critics.

My daughter has just blossomed in this school. It takes a parnership with the teachers for this approach to work. But, the results are stunning. Letting a child be a child and bringing the academic rigor at the right time is just one of many things they do right. It is a lovely environment and a great community. I learned that in a recent nationwide essay contest for 10th graders, there were forty selected and two were from Highland Hall!

Our 3 children attended over 12 years and despite the beauty of the campus - the school has no transparent system for problem solving serious issues. Teachers seem defensive and intolerant of parents asking questions. The teachers police each other and there is no advocate for the parents or students who might have a legitimate concern about a teacher's conduct. Students can be expelled, without any warning, if the teacher does not like their parent, even if the student has never done anything wrong. This is not written down anywhere, but it has happened several times in the last few years. Each time a perfectly cooperative child is expelled or not allowed to re-enroll because the teacher didn't like the child's parents, it sends a frightening message to the entire community to not question the teacher's authority or your child will be punished.

Parents are not allowed to question the teacher's decisions in the elementary grades. Discipline is inconsistent - often the teachers seem excessively punitive. This education appeals to students/families who prefer an anti-intellectual curriculum, with a spiritual agenda inspired by Rudolph Steiner. There is no geniune open forum to express concern about classroom issues, bullying, etc., or to question the unusual methods used to teach.

My daughter has been attending Highland Hall since she was two years and nine months old. She is about to enter 8th grade. I know that Pete Karaiskos has had issues with the school, and yes, there have been occasional problems --what institution is problem-free, I ask you?--but our daughter has been lucky enough to have been in Ken Lavner's class for the past 7 years, so we have nothing but radiant things to say about her education. We look so forward to our daughter's continuing education at Highland Hall, and know that when she emerges from the high school in 5 years, she will be instilled with a love of life, a passion for truth, beauty, and knowledge--and she will also have a well-formed will, so that she may go forth into the world and find her place with dignity. I know those are high-sounding words, but that's how powerful Waldorf education is. I have no doubt that she will be an amazing human being (and she's never taken a scantron multiple-choice standardized test in her life--think of that!) and that she will be fully capable of supporting herself in whatever oocupation she chooses. Those who dare to veer off the beaten path and commit to the revolutionary act of Waldorf education will not be disappointed. Just know that it is not for the timid of spirit! Sorry, Pete, but this Highland Hall family couldn't be happier.

My children have been going to the Highland Hall Waldorf school since they were three (one is finishing high school, the other lower school) -- it has been a profound learning experience, not just for them but for me as well. At first I was skeptical -- a system built on consensus rather than a principal; the same teacher taking the children from first through eighth grade; the children's creation of their own textbooks; -- but as I see my children grow and develop into confident,compassionate individuals with a deep love of learning and with lively, questioning minds, I know that a large part of that is due to the school's committed teachers and their training in the Steiner philosophy -- but also, this school has demanded a lot from me as a parent as well: I believe that my participation in my children's education has had as profound an effect on my life as it has on theirs, and so our life as a family has been immeasurably enriched.

Nurturing, challenging, enriching, this school sees each child and their gifts and knows how to meet them. The children learn two languages as well as stringed and woodwind instruments, and through the curriculum gain an impressive knowledge of other cultures and histories. It is an education that prepares your child to step confidently into the world and find success

It is impossible for me to sum up in a few sentences the incredible education children receive at this school; I cannot do justice in describing the depth of the curriculum the level of commitment by the teachers, the nurturing environment where children can truly flourish. Instead I will tell you this; after more then a decade at the school my children still love it- they regularly and quite casually tell people they love their school, they think of their class as a second family and they speak about their teachers with respect and caring. Teenagers who still find joy everyday with their teachers and their classmates. Teenagers who aren't bored or jaded or cynical, who want to go to school and who are excited to learn-what else can I say?

This school has serious problems ranging from dogmatic teachers and administrators entrenched in and teaching Anthroposophy to serious issues dealing with parents and preventing them from communicating with each other (see the parent handbook). Crises are common but the details are hidden from parents and child safety is a concern. Turnover rate has been reported at as much as 25% of families PER YEAR. Some people like this school. Be sure it's for you before enrolling your child.

A real community! A safe haven for kids, so they don't grow up too fast. The campus is beautiful. Very nurturing and insiteful, even for the parents. Real human beings are raised here!

This school nurtures children in the best way possible. Fully engaging, deeply respectful, rigorously challenging - this is the education that will brilliantly see our kids through the ever- changing needs of their 21st century lives. Absolutely vital!