Caution about the Waldorf School of St. Louis I have not posted much since my children have gotten older, but I wanted to pass on a word of advice to those who might be looking for Waldorf education for their children in St. Louis. I heard about the Waldorf School of St. Louis (formerly Shining Rivers) on this board and had a good experience for a few years. I love many things about Waldorf education, but this developing school gets many things wrong. We recently left after five years and wanted to share my family's experience with others so that other families will not lose tens of thousands of dollars of income on a school that is not safe for children.
This school has dysfunctional leadership, administration, and faculty who blur the lines of friendship and professionalism with parents, creating an unsafe environment for children in the school. Bullies are not dealt with because it might offend teachers/parents, and the school is in favor of "letting the children figure it out", even when physical harm occurs. Teachers with poor teaching practices and unprofessional administrators are not sanctioned because people don't want to upset friendships. My family left after five years because of the rampant bullying, student favoritism, leadership dysfunction, shoestring budget, and other institutional problems that caused the school to lose 25% of its students last year. The past two board presidents have quit the board in the middle of their terms and removed their children due to their unhappiness with the school. The benefit of this alternative educational model is negated by the unsafe school environment and organizational instability.
This school has dysfunctional leadership, administration, and faculty who blur the lines of friendship and professionalism with parents, creating an unsafe environment for children in the school. Bullies are not dealt with because it might offend teachers/parents, and the school is in favor of "letting the children figure it out", even when physical harm occurs. Teachers with poor teaching practices and unprofessional administrators are not sanctioned because people don't want to upset friendships. My family left after five years because of the rampant bullying, student favoritism, leadership dysfunction, shoestring budget, and other institutional problems that caused the school to lose 25% of its students last year. The past two board presidents have quit the board in the middle of their terms and removed their children due to their unhappiness with the school. The benefit of this alternative educational model is negated by the unsafe school environment and organizational instability.