Santa Fe Waldorf School

26 Puesta Del Sol

Santa Fe, NM 87508

22 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on March 19, 2018

I am truly happy with the overall experience with SFWS and greatly recommend this school to everyone.
Submitted by parent on March 18, 2018

All 3 of my children have been schooled in the Waldorf curriculum their entire education. This curriculum is diverse and deep and offers students an opportunity to learn more about themselves through academics, wilderness experiences, handwork (knitting, sewing, carding and dyeing wool, etc...) woodwork, musical instruction and more. I highly recommend that you explore this school to see if it is the right fit for your family.
Submitted by parent on March 16, 2018

My children are being educated to be citizens of the world.
Submitted by parent on December 14, 2017

We have had an incredible experience at the Santa Fe Waldorf School and have found a community of loving and supportive teachers, parents, and friends.
Submitted by other on November 14, 2017

Wonderful - both daughters were engaged and inspired.
Submitted by parent on March 03, 2015

I have 3 students at the Santa Fe Waldorf School. I avidly believe the Waldorf curriculum--one of the fastest growing movements worldwide--to be the most well-rounded education available today. The Waldorf School fosters a sense of curiosity and love of learning. We've hosted 2 high school exchange students and sent our students to Waldorf Schools abroad--opportunities that have been life-changing and enriching to our family. I consider the Santa Fe Waldorf School to be Santa Fe's original arts school. Visual, dramatic, movement and musical arts are a part of EVERY student's class load every single day. The Santa Fe Waldorf school should be the choice of all of Santa Fe's creative entrepreneurs! From 1st grade onward, students receive a classical education that encourages them to be independent thinkers and thoughtful, articulate adults. Obviously, I love the school! Do your children a great favor and send them to the Santa Fe Waldorf School. I've NEVER heard my kids say "I don't want to go to school today..." Not once in 9 years.
Submitted by parent on April 30, 2014

I have two children (boy and girl) who attended the Santa Fe Waldorf School preschool through 6th grade. Both had exceptional teachers, made lifelong friends, and learned much more than just the 3 "R"s -- though they did learn those very well. Although my children gained much specific knowledge, I find it more important that they were taught HOW to learn and to gain pleasure from the process, as opposed to just seeking to accomplish each task and get on with it. In addition to the rich curriculum, the teachers work to foster true values - respect for others, curiosity, caring, confidence, resiliency, and empathy. Every child learns to look you straight in the eye and shake your hand -- now that is what I call a practical skill! Remaining with the same teacher for multiple years allows the teacher to really know each child and their capabilities. Both my children were pushed to reach their individual potentials because the teacher could provide the best learning approach and gauge their limits. Our family has been very happy at the Santa Fe Waldorf School, quite satisfied with the education provided, and grateful for the time spent with the Waldorf Community.
Submitted by parent on April 24, 2014

Out children have been students at the SFWS for the past four and a half years,spanning from second grade through high school sophomore. We could go on and on about the many positive attributes here, however the overwhelming gifts our children continue to receive are a classics based education, development of a strong and sensitive human spirit, intrigue which results in a lifelong learner, a confident and expressive voice and enrichment of their souls. We feel that the SFWS continues to shape our children into contributing, caring and intellectual members of our society.
Submitted by other on April 16, 2014

i am a studant at Santa Fe Waldorf School. I have ben going here for 6 years! It is the best school I can imagine to be going to. I have tried going to public school and compared to Waldorf it is terrible . It seemed like they didn't like kids there! I like Waldorf because, 1) they don't have bullies, 2 ) we are all like a family and we work together, and 3) the teachers really help you to learn and understand things. I LOVE GOING TO SCHOOL!!!! (This message has been revied and approved by the student's mom.)
Submitted by parent on April 01, 2014

strengths: The curriculum is a great, well rounded classic eduction, that serves most children well. It is art based and when it works well teaches kids to think rather than give pat answers. Weaknesses: Children with different learning styles are not so well served. Teachers are chosen and retained based on personality and kowtowing to an elite group that rules the roost rather than credentials and teaching ability. Wealthy parents have far too much say in how the school runs and their children are given special treatment and not held accountable for their behavior.
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2013

Our two children have attended Santa Fe Waldorf School since preschool. When we looked at and considered all the other options in Santa Fe, my wife and I felt that this school was the only one that looked at the development of the whole child, not just the academics. One is now in the lower school, the other in middle school, and both continue to demonstrate a curiousity about the world and people around them that is not often seen at this level among young people today. The de-emphasis on technology in the early years is a challenge, especially in a culture that is so dependent on electronic media, but our family, including our children, can see that this has made a sigificant and positive impact on their learning and way of being in the world with others.
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2013

Santa Fe Waldorf School has been one of the most rewarding and complete educational opportunities for our daughter and family. We love the values, the sense of self and community that the school provides. As a family, we highly recommend the educational approach of the Waldorf School.
Submitted by parent on September 05, 2013

We are sending our second child to the Santa Fe Waldorf high school. We are consistently impressed with the process of this unique educational process. By senior year, the kids are remarkably confident, curious, flexible, and interesting. In our opinion, this is a very good school and creates a great foundation for young adults who are entering a world where increasingly rapid change is the only constant.
Submitted by parent on September 01, 2013

Santa Fe Waldorf is education for the 21st century. My children have attended the school since 6th grade and have been happily learning and growing in a safe and academically challenging environment. The Waldorf school cares about each students unique characteristics and educates with this in mind. My students are challenged by the rigorous math problems and actually SHOW the work they do to complete each problem! They might not get it right the first time but they UNDERSTAND the process when they are done and the work is corrected! And yes, they READ! MY children have read "The Iliad and The Odyssey", Goethe's "Faust", Dante's "Inferno" and Thoreau's "Walden." They discuss, write thoughtful essays , working on proper grammar. If you want a REAL SCHOOL THAT GRADUATES CREATIVE THINKERS THEN THE WALDORF SCHOOL IS FOR YOU! The school has a top notch music program that educates all students. Art is included in the curriculum giving students a taste of the many forms. Students learn drawing, painting, woodworking, sculpting, and even metal work.The athletic program is no cut and all students who want to participate may. We have even won some district titles! Waldorf is exceptional!
Submitted by parent on August 31, 2013

The SFWS has been a wonderful place for my daughter and I would recommend it to anyone seeking a rich, substantive, and supportive educational experience for their child. By the end of fifth grade, she and her classmates had learned about ancient and modern history, mathematics, science, social studies, literature, spanish and art. They also learned to sew and knit, to play a musical instrument, to speak confidently in front of the class and larger groups, to plant a garden and to put up a tent. And that is just the tangible part. In a world where many children grow up too quickly, SFWS manages to both preserve the magical part of childhood and foster a firm footing in the real world. The incredible dedication of the faculty and staff creates a sense of belonging that is a source of strength and comfort in a fragmented, fast-moving world. As my child enters middle school, I see a happy, thriving person and I am very, very grateful for this school.
Submitted by parent on August 30, 2013

Santa Fe is a small town with a lot of charter and a few private school options. Waldorf stands out among all these. My two daughters have attended this school for most of their lives. Take a look at the curriculum, i.e., what the students are actually studying each year from K-12. Kindergarten is focused on learning through play -- not staring at computer screens. The elementary years are spent studying the great cultures of the world and learning about math through history, music and knitting and science through observation, experimentation and woodworking. My daughters' high school transcripts read like those from a liberal arts college, and just like college there are no government-mandated, standardized tests here. My daughters are treated like unique, gifted individuals -- not cogs in society's machine. And it works -- the graduating class consistently receives over $100K in college merit scholarships per student on average. It's the school I wish I went to when I was a child!
Submitted by parent on August 30, 2013

My son started in preschool and graduated from the high school in 2011, attending Berklee College of Music thereafter, well prepared by the curriculum and teachers, especially with its focus on music. My daughter attended from preschool through eighth grade. We found the emphasis on critical thinking, practical application ( including handwork, art, and music), and outdoor exploration a welcome change from other local schools and a significant contributor to their growth as fully developed humans. The small size and continuity of teacher staff allow each child to learn on his/her individual level with a feeling of family. The focus on the natural world and imagination while attempting to minimize the forces of media during the early years is a powerful and laudable emphasis on child development. The campus is lovely, the sports programs strong, parental and community involvement open and embracing, and our whole family greatly benefited from the education we all received.
Submitted by parent on August 29, 2013

Both of our sons, now 10 and 12, have attended SFWS since preschool. It is a warm and welcoming environment that respects the child and their family and seeks to teach a love of learning, rather than rote memorization. One of our children continues to grapple with a learning disability and teachers have shown a willingness to accommodate, per the recommendations of his tutors, and a true appreciation of his strengths as an individual and as a member of his class. Yes, parents do need to be willing to "think outside the box" in order to appreciate the unique beauty and quality of this education. From music and art to Norse/Greek/Roman mythology, children are offered not just a glimpse but an immersion in all aspects of history, mathmatics, literature, science and the arts. Children at this school are able to look one another and adults in the eye and have a conversation about a broad range of subjects in a manner that is respectful and connotes sincere interest in understanding the subject at hand and in the opinions of others. The sports program, while still small, is growing rapidly and has tremendous potential, thanks to great leadership and coaching staff.
Submitted by parent on August 29, 2013

The Santa Fe Waldorf School offers an engaging, broad "liberal arts" approach to elementary, middle and high schools that distinguishes it from all other options in town. SFWS is part of a nearly 100-year old educational tradition that's alive and growing in some 60 countries worldwide! The school's inspiring curriculum develops a lifelong love of learning in students. My 3 children--2 in high school, 1 in elementary- LOVE it and so do I. More than memorizing rote facts and formulas, Waldorf gives students opportunities to "live" their education, guided by professional, loving teachers who nurture and encourage each student to develop his/her individual talents and capacities. Parents are a welcoming community of like-minded professionals--creative entrepreneurs who are dedicated to preparing their kids for the new world economy. SFWS has a 30-year history of success in Santa Fe. It's a thoughtful, genuine local community I feel so fortunate to be a part of ! Thanks, Santa Fe Waldorf, for 8 wonderful years of teaching, guiding, caring, and preparing my three children!
Submitted by parent on August 29, 2013

2 of my 4 children have attended the SFWS- one HS graduate and one Junior. I've observed more love & respect for kids at this school than I have ever experienced in 20+ years of public and charter schools. Waldorf is a holistic approach, combining high level academics with art, music, movement, language and culture, teaching students to think out of the box. The uniqueness of each child is celebrated, rather than criticized. These kids know who they are because they have been given the confidence and flexibility to deal with challenges in a creative, resourceful and intelligent manner. Graduates have received the most amount of merit-based scholarships in New Mexico- 1.9 million dollars for 12 students. In a school this size, the students are a family that care for one another and include one another-a better, safer alternative than a large school where anonymity allows kids and teachers to shrink from challenges and not be held accountable. Everyone gets to work through any conflict, ask any questions, and come out a better, wiser person. Where raising bright, confident and safe children is concerned, it is a "village" in the truest, most compassionate sense.