Alabama Waldorf School

5901 Crestwood Boulevard

Birmingham, AL 35212

7 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on January 22, 2025

Awful place for children, especially queer children. Performative ally ship for financial gain. No effective leadership or governance system. My child was locked out of the classroom with no repercussions against his teacher who refused to open the door. Cliquish behavior among the teachers which trickles down to students. Parents are aware and afraid to speak up due to possible maltreatment to their children. With tuition and fundraising, we spent close to $60,000 over 3 years. Our youngest was locked out of the classroom. When we reported this, we faced ad hominem attacks against our family. Our concerns over my child’s treatment were minimized. We then realized that it was easier for AWS admin and teachers to accuse our family of things that did not occur, rather than to reprimand an employee for negligent, unethical behavior that did occur.Even though we were told by admin and head of COT my children could stay until the end of the school year, we received a termination letter by admin at pick up two days later. I delivered two whole children to this school. Our children's school year was completely upended through no fault of their own. AWS has left a financial burden on our family. We requested a refund from the board to cover services my children need and were denied. We are currently paying $1600/monthly to correct the damage done to my children by AWS. This includes therapy for both children and academic support for my youngest. They had more academic skills when leaving Kindergarten than they did in February 2024. They are in second grade. The school had us believe that school activities should not be in the home in the younger years. I now believe this is a facade to cover up for the fact that students in my youngest’s class were taught no academics, and the lack of oversight of teachers in general.Children should be in a safe place and thrive and not be intentionally harmed by adults who have so little integrity, ethics, emotional maturity, and not harmed by those who use performative allyship for financial gain.
Submitted by parent on September 09, 2019

We are new to the school this year. We have one child enrolled in the nursery and one in kindergarten. So far, we have been very pleased and honestly surprised at the level of kindness our children are shown every day. After 2 1/2 months of attending this school, they are both adjusting well and really liking it. It has also challenged us at home to spend less time with screens and more time outside. Honestly, I almost wish I could find a good excuse to stop attending here so I could save on the monthly tuition bill, but I can't seem to find a good reason!
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2018

A disturbing and shocking experience. The publicized concerns about Waldorf's acceptance of bullying turned out to be accurate. Look up Waldorf schools and bullying.
Submitted by principal on January 09, 2015

Alabama Waldorf School is a Nursery-through-Grade 8 school serving students regardless of denomination, socioeconomic status, race, gender, marital status or sexual orientation. We utilize a proven 95-year-old curriculum that nurtures the child's intellect, practical skills, and sense of compassion. With subjects like Russian, Spanish, Music, Handwork and Movement complimenting History, Language Arts, Math, Science, and Geography, AWS appeals to many different types of families. Our parents come from the neighborhoods around our school (Forest Park, Crestwood, Avondale), UAB, Homewood, Hoover, Vestavia, Roebuck, Eastlake, Bessemer, and Trussville. Our faculty members receive Waldorf training and work in a collegial environment to deliver a quality education on academic and social levels. Tours are the best way to see what a Waldorf school really is and how it differs from other educational alternatives. Weekly tours are held on Tuesdays from 9-10am. Call 205-592-0541 to reserve your spot.
Submitted by parent on June 18, 2013

I love this school. All three of my daughters have attended (oldest at JCIB, younger two current). AWS offers a unique educational experience that has allowed my daughters to blossom into the highly capable young women they are today. Waldorf education specializes in teaching young people to become whole human beings. This has been made greatly apparent in our experience with my oldest daughter who is now a junior at JCIB. She is a highly capable young woman more than up to the academic demands of an accelerated high school. She is also her own person, able to make her own decisions and amazingly free of the angst and peer pressure so common among teenagers. I lay the credit for this on her preK-8 education at Alabama Waldorf School.
Submitted by parent on September 05, 2012

My son went to school at AWS for the 2011-2012 school year. I really love the school. In fact, I ended up volunteering to be a room parent. When you see a school like AWS giving your child 100% of their attention and time, it makes you want to contribute as much as possible. That is why the parent involvement rate a AWS is higher than most schools. My son truly benefitted from the educational, artistic and social experiences he got at AWS. Our favorite day was the field trip to the Old Baker Farm...and it also doubled as great "scrapbook" material for sure. This is a great community (and a nationally recognized educational program) that offers an excellent educational opportunity for our youngsters right here in Birmingham. At AWS, children get to broaden their global horizons right in the classroom. As a parent and a professional, educational success and advancement are priorities for my family. I believe AWS starts kids off on the right path so that they WANT to learn more about the world around them. In addition to the great hands-on educational environment at AWS, my son made lifelong friends, which was great for his esteem and social development.
Submitted by parent on July 24, 2012

I can't say enough good about the Alabama Waldorf School. I have a 5 year old who just finished her first year at AWS. She is smart, strong willed and quick tempered. She's been in daycare / preschool at some very notable private schools in town. The staff and the environment at AWS is truly unique. They have taken their time to learn who she is as a person and help her learn how to harness her fiery personality. Her bond with her teachers and the nurturing classroom environment enables her to focus, grow and learn. She returns home at the end of the day proud of her accomplishments and at peace with her world.
Submitted by parent on February 22, 2012

We have a 1st grader and a Kindergartner at AWS. I can't imagine them anywhere else. In a time where children are pushed too far too fast, AWS nurtures them. A Waldorf curriculum has a deep structure and works to lay a strong educational foundation. It doesn't skip over the top of subjects or introduce subjects too early. The arts are used to engage the whole child and the child's whole brain. Detractors say Waldorf teaches reading late. They don't seem to realize the emphasis placed on listening comprehension and rich language, which you need to become a fluent, life long reader. My 1st grader can remember and tell long, beautifully told stories because he has been taught to value rich language and narrative. Because of this, reading is coming easily to him, and he craves story and language. He is also learning two contrasting languages, Spanish & Russian, both taught by native speakers. He now spontaneously sings songs in both languages. He also talks enthusiastically about math lessons from the day & has started asking deeper questions about math. It is not a dry subject at our school & so he gets it that there is mystery and power in math. . (I've run out of space. :)