About Our Vermont Waldorf School
The Upper Valley Waldorf School (UVWS) is an independent Preschool through Grade 8 school in Quechee, Vermont near the border of New Hampshire.
Founded in 1986, the Upper Valley Waldorf School is one of only two fully accredited Pre-K - 8th Grade Waldorf Schools in Vermont—the other, Lake Champlain Waldorf School, is situated on the western side of the state.
UVWS is one of nearly 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide sharing the 100-year old philosophy of Waldorf Education, based upon the educational insights of Austrian philosopher, Rudolf Steiner.
The mission of the Upper Valley Waldorf School is to prepare students to engage with a changing world, in a socially inclusive environment, using a curriculum rich in the sciences, humanities, and arts, based on Rudolf Steiner’s insights into child development.
Waldorf schools are sometimes confused with Montessori schools. Both of these models of education honor the whole child and focus on a child-centered approach to learning. Waldorf schools cultivate the imagination and emphasize experiential learning. Visual, musical and practical arts are woven into every grade level.
The Upper Valley Waldorf School is an Accredited Full Member of the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America (AWSNA) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), and is a Member of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN).
UVWS has a governance structure consisting of a Leadership Council and a Board of Trustees.
Our UVWS Community Life Group works to build a thriving school community by facilitating parent/community education, assisting in the establishment and maintenance of a welcoming environment and supporting the school's festival life.
UVWS welcomes students, families, faculty and staff of all races, faiths, creeds, gender and sexual orientation.
“My husband and I learned of UVWS through friends, whose older children attended the school from Kindergarten through Grade 8. It wasn’t the advice they shared with us but the observations we made of their children that inspired our interest in the school. These were kids that engaged with the world around them in creative ways, that could find their own entertainment (without the easy backup option that media offers) and that were kind, respectful and poised.
So when our daughter was 3 years old, we learned she could attend the Early Childhood program and we immediately enrolled her. We’ve never looked back. Her experience in the EC was remarkable. The teachers are so passionate about Waldorf education and give the children the security and space to grow into their best selves. The foundations for academic learning are laid in an imaginative, hands on and play based manners with a big emphasis on outdoor time.
Now our daughter is in Grade 6 and we continue to be thrilled with her experience. She is known intimately by her teacher and by the full faculty. She feels truly at home in her school, which we feel gives her the stability to learn, grow and explore. We appreciate the no media policy and how this opens up better social and learning opportunities for the children. This minimizes the anxiety and over-stimulation we see media causing in children and parents alike. And we love the multi-sensory, multi-disciplinary approach the curriculum offers - she is engaging with her academic material in so many different ways - through music, art, movement, writing and reading. This deepens her learning. And lastly, we continue to be so pleased with how extensive her outdoor time is during the day. The foundation for a sincere appreciation of our natural world is clearly developing. ”
A Brief History
1986—UVWS was founded by a group of parents seeking a Waldorf education for their children.
1991—UVWS was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization.
1996—The school moved to its current campus atop Bluff Road in Quechee, Vermont, occupying the former Quechee Grammar School.
2003—The Roberts House, our Early Childhood wing was added.
2018—Our Upper Grades wing was completed offering four new classrooms.
“Most of all I am thankful for everything I learned from all of my wonderful teachers. I am still best friends with a handful of people in my class and that means the world to me. I am so grateful for Waldorf and all that it gave to me and for all the people that it brought into my life - I 100% support Waldorf education!”
Who Attends Upper Valley Waldorf School?
Diversity: In keeping with the socially and culturally inclusive nature of Waldorf education, UVWS welcomes students, families, faculty and staff of all races, faiths, creeds, gender and sexual orientations. It is a fundamental goal of our education to bring students to an understanding and experience of the common humanity of all of the world's people, transcending the stereotypes, prejudices, and divisive barriers of classification by sex, race, religion, and nationality.
Economics: Approximately one-half of UVWS families receive an adjustment to the published tuition. We are a non-profit entity that supports itself through tuition, grants, and development efforts. Although our funds are limited, we are dedicated to offering a tuition adjustment to as many eligible families as possible through our tuition adjustment program.
Gender: Although percentages vary within each class, overall the school maintains a balance between girls and boys. Currently, the gender ratio at UVWS is 57% girls and 43% boys.
Geography: UVWS attracts families from across the Upper Connecticut River Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire and beyond. A sampling of representative towns in Vermont includes Barnard, Bethel, Bridgewater, Hartford, Hartland, Norwich, Perkinsville, Pomfret, Reading, South Royalton, Wilder, Windsor, and Woodstock. A sampling of representative towns in New Hampshire includes Cornish, Enfield, Etna, Hanover, Lebanon, Lyme and Plainfield.
Our Graduates
UVWS graduates are bright, creative and inquisitive young adults, achieving academic success in high school and college. Waldorf graduates are also noted for their life skills, such as leadership, character and interpersonal relationships.
Vermont Waldorf Schools
Lake Champlain Waldorf School
Associate Member
Shelburne, Vermont
Phone: 802-985-2827
Grade Range: PreK-12
www.lakechamplainwaldorfschool.org
Orchard Valley Waldorf School
Associate Member
East Montpelier, Vermont
Phone: 802-456-7400
Grade Range: PreK-8
www.ovws.org
Upper Valley Waldorf School
Full Member
Quechee, Vermont
Phone: 802-296-2496
Grade Range: PreK-8
www.uvws.org