WELCOME TO SUMMERFIELD WALDORF SCHOOL AND FARM
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Request our information packet and tell us about your child. We offer preschool through high school Waldorf education on our beautiful 38-acre campus and farm in Sonoma County. The school was established in 1974 and is the only school in the state with a working Biodynamic farm on its campus.
Visit Our School
Come and see first hand the richness and depth of Summerfield’s curriculum where experiential learning builds students’ capacities. Experience a day in the life of Sonoma County’s oldest independent school, where academic excellence is cultivated and inspired learning takes place daily.
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Thank you for considering Summerfield Waldorf as you embark on the journey of choosing a school for your family. Summerfield is uniquely positioned to engage its students and faculty, creating a learning environment that fosters the awakening consciousness and abilities of students academically, socially and artistically.
UPCOMING EVENTS
We are excited to announce the return of summer camps to Summerfield Waldorf!
Come experience the beauty of our farm or the excitement of our circus! Our summer programs are a great way to get a taste of our school and Sonoma county. Please click link for details and to REGISTER ONLINE NOW!
Farm Camp: 4-10 years old, June 13-July 8
We will offer four, one-week sessions of Farm Camp starting June 13 and running through July 8. We meet Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 1pm (including the 4th of July). You may enroll your child in one session or up to all four sessions! Cost is $315 per week.
Circus Camp: 6-14 years old, June 13-July 1
For children ages 6-8, we offer three one-week sessions to choose from–or attend all three! We meet from 8:30am to 1pm daily and cost is $315 per week. For youth ages 9-14, we offer a two-week long session. We meet from 8:30am to 1pm daily and cost is $630. All skill levels are welcome.
After Care is available for these groups daily from 1 – 3:30pm at $20 per day.
Pushing Academics in Preschool is Harmful
A new comprehensive study of preschools across the United States finds significant drawbacks to pushing academics too early. For children who attended academic focused Pre-K programs, researchers found that their initial academic gains diminished. In addition, they were actually behind their peers in elementary and middle school. Another troubling finding was that students who experienced early academic pressure showed dramatic increases in behavioral issues later on. The NPR article, "A Top Researcher Says It's Time to Rethink Our Entire Approach to Preschool", by Anya Kamenetz states: [...]
The Art of Chalkboard Drawing in Waldorf Schools
By Adam MacKinnon, Summerfield Messenger Editor As a Waldorf parent, I’ve long been fascinated by chalkboard drawings, curious to understand why they’re such a feature of the grades classroom. And I’ve seen the devotion and hours spent trying to get a picture just right in the hectic time before a new block, and wondered why teachers put themselves through all that angst! To learn more, I spoke with three experienced local teachers, all of whom have not only taken classes through grades 1-8 (teacher looping), but [...]
Valentine’s Day in a Waldorf Kindergarten
Waldorf Kindergarteners find warmth and connection in the sharing of love. By Saree Heydenfeldt, Red Rose Waldorf Kindergarten Teacher As teachers and caregivers, we try to embody all we hope to cultivate in the young child—consistent kindness and generosity, and an ongoing movement toward meaningful and purposeful work. The children at Summerfield Waldorf School are experiencing that they are important and can be of service to others and to the world at large. In the Kindergarten Village we make it a point to model sharing, helping, [...]
At all stages of education, Summerfield’s curriculum is designed to develop not only the student’s mind but also their character. It develops empathy, collaboration, and shared responsibility between students, teachers and the world around us, cultivating openness to possibilities and a sense of stewardship. Course content focuses on giving students an in-depth understanding of the subject at hand while providing them a context to work on themselves as emerging individuals.
Meaningful Learning
Summerfield Waldorf School and Farm teaches students to be creative, critical thinkers with a strong moral compass, who are open and resilient, and can turn challenges into possibilities. This approach to learning integrates the arts with academic rigor, and experiential, hands-on activities. Students are provided with the opportunity to take risks, think imaginatively and embrace new opportunities with initiative, creativity, and resilience.
Creative, Critical Thinking
Summerfield is accredited by both AWSNA (the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America) and WASC (the Western Association of Schools and Colleges). The courses offered exceed the University of California’s admissions requirements, and Summerfield students score consistently high on SAT scores for Sonoma County while enjoying acceptance at the colleges and universities of their choice. Summerfield high school students engage in a comprehensive study of a variety of disciplines.
A Proven Path to Success
Watch this brief video to learn more about our school.
Our Programs
Early Childhood
Our early childhood program provides children with a calm and joyful experience filled with magic and reverence.
Lower School
The lower school curriculum is dynamic and diversified, offering humanities, mathematics, science and the arts.
High School
The high school curriculum inspires students to be active in their own learning and understand how to educate themselves.
Alumni Testimonials
