Westside Waldorf School

No school holds a candle to the Waldorf education, but it has to be right for your family. We have been at the Westside Waldorf for almost six years, and do not know, in a town like this, who our amazing children would have become if it weren't for the creative, magical, and nurturing environment that Waldorf has provided. Kids have the freedom to be who they are, and there is a peer support that we've never seen before. The art, drama, music, literature, poetry, and dance is that of a small liberal arts college. We LOVE having our kids at this school, and would never choose a different one - ever.

The best school in all of Los Angeles. My children have excelled in all areas of development. Mind-Body and Spirt. With the constant bombardment of MEDIA in our society, Waldorf parents are committed in not fulling our young minds with TV-Disney Inc. and Movies and encouraging their own imagination. If we all turned off the TV imagine the possibilities.

My family had an awful experience here.
Please research the religion anthroposophy which is what the school is based on. When they say

I researched many schools in the area before choosing the Westside Waldorf School. Although no school matches all my philosophies 100% (that would be impossible), this school is the ONLY school that I chose, and would choose again, for my child. We have been at this school going on four years now and my child is thriving in all aspects at this school - body, mind and spirit. This is not to say that there are not bumps we've had to get over. But at this school, through the Rudolf Steiner methods of teaching, and with the teachers who care so deeply and actively, my daughter has a consciousness about the world around her, as well as a well developed internal world, a deeply creative mind, a vast curiosity, and a voracious appetite for learning that has enabled her to get through the trials of childhood and to blossom. This community is not for everyone though. It's a place to be willing to think for yourself and to be willing to get your hands and heart...involved... As far as the school community goes, over the last three years, I have taken great joy in participating in all of the wonderful events this school offers, as well as being involved in helping to create change where it was needed. This is a community where teachers, parents and staff care deeply about the children's education - enough so that they whether the growing pains of this expanding school. I highly recommend the Westside Waldorf School.

My son's Waldorf education was one of the greatest gifts we could have given him. We spent a lot of time studying the school and the education before enrolling him to make sure it was right for us. The teachers and administrators were very open and helpful, answering our questions and giving us literature. My son graduated a couple of years ago and has excelled in his new school. My son loves to learn, is artistically talented and is very articulate. Thank you Westside Waldorf. I am so grateful I had the opportunity, as a parent, to help Westside Waldorf survive all the bumps in the road. In September they will have a couple of the most beautiful campuses on the Westside and nobody deserves it more.

The Waldorf school system has worked for some children some of the time. Parents would be wise to research these schools before enrolling their child, as I would expect any informed & caring parent would do before sending their child(ren) to any school. However, be prepared to perform deep research on these schools. The Waldorf philosophy and it's adherents is a "closed system" and parents may not necessarily receive satisfactory answers to the questions they pose directly to Waldorf teachers, administrators, and parents who believe in Rudolph Steiner's educational philosophies and, specifically, Steiner's anthroposophy. A great place to start your research is at www.openwaldorf.com. Westside Waldorf in particular is an example of a school teetering on the brink of extinction, desperate for enrollees, and willing to demonize anyone who questions their methodology. At a minimum, my child has experienced firsthand the Westside Waldorf's weakness in their implementation of Steiner's educational philosophy. At worst, he has suffered from an outmoded, prejudicial, dunderheaded teaching system, for which I am to blame for not researching deeply enough at the outset. Please do not take my word for it. I am not alone in this opinion. I urge all readers to research this particular school and any Waldorf school before applying or enrolling.