Greenwood School

17 Buena Vista Avenue

Mill Valley, CA 94941

12 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by student on March 27, 2019

In case you don't feel like reading all of this, I'm just gonna get to the point - Greenwood is a great school. Now that that's through, I'll elaborate, sorry it's so long there's just so much I want to say. I am currently a middle school student at Greenwood and have been here for 5 years. When I first joined, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was new to the concept of Waldorf schools and was kind of shy at first, but my classmates were very nice and welcoming. I eventually got better acquainted with the school and its hard to say how I found the experience. Greenwood is all I could ask for in a school, not only do you learn but its actually, fun, well, as fun as schools get. One of my favorite parts is the NEST program. NEST, or Nature and Environmental studies, is something I've never seen or heard of before at any other school. Basically, every Thursday (the day changes every year, that's just what it is for me right now), we go out on some kind of hike or experience outdoors. One day, we're hiking under a waterfall, the next, we're orienteering using only maps in a forest, or sailing under the golden gate bridge. Not only are these experiences fun, but I also am learning. The teachers here are probably the best teachers I've ever had. I can tell they are extremely engaged and love their job, they are ready to answer any question a student has and treat their students like their family. Greenwood is a very tightly knit community. Instead of like most schools, where you have different classmates and different teachers each year, Greenwood has it so all the students and teachers stay together and in the same class as they age. This allows for tight bonds between the students and the teachers. I have never experienced any kind of bullying or harassment ever at Greenwood. One warning is that Greenwood, mostly the lower grades, is quite low on the use of technology and media compared to other schools. It's not super Waldorf-y as its Waldorf inspired, but don't expect much talk of media or video games in lower grades. You don't need to worry too much though, as I mentioned earlier I'm in seventh grade and we commonly use computers for school work and most of my classmates are pretty well acquainted with media. All in all, Greenwood is a great school and I would definitely recommend it to anyone
Submitted by parent on March 27, 2019

This school is magical. It is hard to put into words what makes Greenwood so unique, but it starts with the talented, caring teachers and includes the strong community of successful, creative, kind and inclusive parents. The early education program builds a strong foundation for academic and personal development and allows kids to stay young and enjoy their childhoods in a warm supportive environment. I was inspired to join Greenwood when my son was young because I was so impressed with the middle school students who came up through the pre-school and elementary school. They were confident, bright, curious, grounded, poised, articulate, free-thinking, responsible students who were deeply connected to each other. Now my son is one of those middle schoolers and is thriving in every way. The curriculum is highly engaging, which sparks a love of learning, and the homework load is reasonable. My son said that he couldn't even imagine anyone at Greenwood ever being bullied or excluded. The school leaves students well prepared for high school and for life.
Submitted by parent on April 07, 2015

Our daughter and son have been at Greenwood for 3 years and are currently in 4th and 6th grades. We moved from NY and chose Mill Valley in large part because of Greenwood. It's a Waldorf inspired school started 20 years ago in a home on Mt. Tam that draws from the wisdom of Waldorf education and adds NEST (nature and environmental stewardship) and a program on social emotional awareness. Our kids have thrived at Greenwood, the academics are very strong and inspire creative thinking - we think that is crucial to their future - and they really love going to school. Their teachers are really dedicated, talented and passionate. A new school head, Archie Douglas, joined in June 2014 following a national search and he brings 29 years of experience and a great heart to the school (recently he ran the #1 public charter school in California and is a graduate of Yale and Harvard). Graduates of Greenwood are sought after by Bay Area High Schools (for example last year 75% of the class got into Marin Academy) and are an impressive group and good kids.
Submitted by parent on September 29, 2014

Our children have been at greenwood since kindergarten. (Currently 5th and 7th.) The LOVE school and actually talk about how much they will miss it all the time. The education they are recieving transcends my highest hopes; the approach is awe inspiring. The faculty are six-star quality. The director is just about as articulate and soulful as they come. If you're thinking about it, come meet the older students. They're still teenagers but they look you in the eye. They are awake, inspired, and haven't been entirely subsumed by popular media. (These kids don't have iphones attached to their hands 24/7.) The community aspect makes the journey a profound one. This place isn't for everyone but it sure is for us. One more thing: if beauty matters to you, this must be the most beautiful campus in Marin County.
Submitted by parent on September 08, 2014

Our family has just started our third year at Greenwood. My son (5) has just started his first year of Kindergarten after completing two years of pre-school and my daughter (2.9) starts pre-school this year. I appreciate that the school allows kids to be kids. This school supports experiential learning, creative arts, nature and the holistic development. In Pre-K and K, my children are learning how to play well with others, conflict resolution, impulse control, fine motor skills, how to sit still and listen. The staff is incredible, the school has a homey, safe, natural, beautiful environment, and the children are so sweet, respectful and well-spoken. And, I m impressed with the older children (6th, 7th, 8th graders), they all seem to have a well-developed self-confidence you don t find in many adolescent children. There is real attention and care given to each family and each child's individual development. At the end of the day, my children are excited to go to school and maintaining that excitement and love for education, my kids will thrive.
Submitted by parent on October 29, 2013

Greenwood School educates our children at every level. We wanted our children to leave school inspired to learn. We wanted them to be nurtured. For us - having our children leave with an excellent education in who they are, how to be in the world, how to deal with social situations and conflict is equally as important as learning academics during the formative grade years. Greenwood provides both. It also has arts and music built into the curriculum reducing the stress and expense of adding on 'enrichment' activities. After some years of transition Greenwood is now on a very firm footing with experienced teachers and strong leadership. Take a tour and see for yourself.
Submitted by parent on October 29, 2013

I have been a parent at Greenwood School for 7 years. My children have benefited greatly from the Waldorf-inspired education they are receiving. They are exceptionally creative, artistic, and have also tested extremely high in math -- one of the stereotypical concerns about Waldorf education. I'm very happy with the Waldorf approach to education and my children have had some pretty amazing teachers. The school is currently searching for a new Head of School and I'm hopeful that new leadership will bring stability to a school that serves its children well. The school is best for parents who have an interest in letting their kids be kids, are seeking a community with similar values, and are interested in an education that develops the "whole child."
Submitted by parent on June 25, 2013

I am shocked by some reviews. Let's start by saying: we love our school, actually it is not just a school for us, it is our community. We have been at Greenwood for over 11 years, our daughter graduated 3 years ago and we are still impress by how prepared she is academically and socially. She holds her true values firmly and she is ready to face the world with all it's beauty and inequities. She still cherish all the time she spend at Greenwood and especially, all the "nature day". She brings a wonderful fresh eye in all her classes, she is not burned out like most of her peers, she is a joy to have around (she is 17!). I have a 6th grader, he loves school and does amazingly, my priorities have always been to teach children kindness before everything, because it is the most powerful tool for happiness, then to be challenge to do the best YOU can do, regardless of other's capabilities, respect of the environment, ect.. This is exactly what Greenwood stands for.. All the graduates that I know (which are many) are doing great in high school, they are doing as well as they could do. We love Greenwood and we really love to see our children skipping to school every morning, always happy.
Submitted by parent on June 10, 2013

We have two children at Greenwood School, as we come to the close of our 5th year we are pleased with their education. The early childhood program (preschool and kindergarten) is excellent. I can only wish that all children would be blessed with early education that is committed to imagination and play, rather than academic rigor at such an early age. Moving through the grades provides children with a well-balanced experience -- the NEST (nature) program is 2nd to none -- the children are out, learning about their community, nature, and how to best protect and serve the environment; they are reading and developing strong language arts skills; the school is continually striving to meet the children's math needs, the music program is terrific,... Most importantly my children want to go to school each and every day. Yes, there have been some tumultuous times administratively, Greenwood School continues to strive to be the best it can be, this is trying at times, but growth and improvement is essential to providing the best education possible. The current teachers are strong and experienced educators. The interim director that was hired this year is just what the school needed.
Submitted by parent on March 15, 2013

Greenwood has some real challenges in terms of preparing the students for high school. Once the kids enter high school unless they continue with a very small isolated school they get very overwhelmed socially. There has been some real heartache and challenges integrating. I would ask around the community to get a real sense of the challenges.
Submitted by parent on January 13, 2013

My son is a recent graduate from the school is doing GREAT in High School. I could not recommend Greenwood School enough. An inspired set of faculty and a wonderful foundation in Waldorf curriculum. My son is well grounded, a self learner, engaged in the class room in High School. The high school teachers regularly say how much they like having him the class and his willingness to ask questions on his report cards. He is a straight A student. I could not have asked for more than to have the school support my son to be a deeply engaged learner as he moves through High School and beyond.
Submitted by parent on January 03, 2011

I am a parent of two children at Greenwood and I could tell you quite a lot of wonderful things that I think about the school. I think it would be more helpful to tell you what I have observed. I have watched my children learn to read the way they learned to walk and talk. With the same amount of ownership and excitement by them that those milestones elicited. They experienced an internal success that was nurtured and supported by the adults around them. I have seen children win National poetry contests, transition to the high schools of their choice including Urban, Marin Academy and Mt. Tamalpias, head to Standford or start their own business. I am watching my children grow into confident and interested individuals capable of holding their core solid as they seek out what the world has to offer and discover what they can bring to it. People coming and going within an institution is as normal as birth and death. The only drama in coming and going is when it is not done with grace or integrity.