²ÝÁñÉçÇø

My family couldn''t have been more thrilled to find the Ithaca Waldorf School when searching for a school outside the public system. The school offers a wonderful balance of outdoor and indoor learning. They incorporate math, reading, sciences, etc. into real-life experiences so the learning is very contextual (i.e. the 8th graders learning about anatomy and physiology created a workout routine to learn all about the muscles in the body)- which was incredibly important to us. My spouse and I agreed that we wanted to make sure that our child had rich learning that fostered his curiosity without being stuck doing worksheets or mindless computer "learning games" all day long. The students at IWS are not bored sitting at a desk all day but are up and learning academic skills through application. We love the structured 3-4 week lesson blocks with intensive 2 hour instruction in the morning- I feel that my child learns subjects much more deeply and it really gives the kids a chance to explore all there is to explore about a subject. We find that the school really respects childhood while helping the children grow into well-rounded people: my child is creative, imaginative, thriving academically, and learning to love the world around him. The kids build close relationships with the teachers and staff, who care about all the kids as if they were their own. The teachers provide rhythm and structure and truly love working with the students. They care about academics AND my child''s general wellbeing and development. Our teacher conferences are not just about my child''s academic skills but how he is doing socially and personally. Wouldn''t pick anywhere else to send my kids!

We could not imagine a better place send our child. We actually choose to live in Ithaca and I commute one hour to work so that our son can attend IWS. Waldorf education is not only holistic but very intentional, allowing each individual child to find their own space and person. Academics including math and science are full integrated into the curriculum and our son is excelling in reading in first grade very quickly. The school is also highly communal with many events and a lot of patent involvement and engagement. Our best friends in the community all come from the school. If you are new to the area (or not) you will be joining a great community of families that all come together both for formal school events and informally. Highly recommended especially for any family looking for non-public school options in Ithaca, this is the best choice and you won''t regret it.

We have been at IWS for three years now and have found it to be a wonderful school. Our son loves it there and his teachers are very dedicated and experienced. It is a great community and we are grateful to be a part of it!

It's hard to find places where kids can unplug and truly connect with the experience that being a child really is. IWS is that place for our kid. We have been very happy with our 1.5 yrs at IWS- our kid has a deep relationship with the natural world, her creativity and imagination, and her instructors. We have gotten significant social-emotional support from Dr. Erika at school, and the community is really unmatched (our kid went to a Friends school in PA before coming here and there is no comparison!). We cannot recommend our beloved school enough. If you want your child to "stay a child" as long as they're meant to be, but are given invaluable learning away from technology, this is your home.

Our eldest started in Ithaca Waldorf School's early childhood classrooms and is now graduating 8th grade. The school has prepared her extremely well for high school, both academically and social-emotionally. When she graduates from IWS, she'll have 8 years of Spanish, 6 years of cello, 2 Regents exams (math and science), 3 full-length plays, dozens of fine art and textile projects, and an independent capstone project under her belt. The teachers work together as a beautiful team to help each child reach their potential and experience a sense of belonging & responsibility that facilitates learning that goes much deeper than books and subject matter. I've known many Waldorf alumni in my life, and they are hands down the most creative, grounded, perceptive, can-do, open-minded, interesting, and driven people I've known. What a joy to have my own children join the ranks of successful alumni who do meaningful, important work in our world.