Alabama Gives Day

In 2012, the Alabama Waldorf School preschool will celebrate its silver anniversary after 25 years. At the other end of the spectrum, our first middle-school graduates have completed their high school educations and are receiving college acceptances and making plans for their bright futures.

Representatives from Birmingham-area high schools recently visite our school and extolled the virtues of AWS alum, saying, “They’re comfortable in their own skins,” “they’re always up for a challenge,” and “they are mature and responsible and just know what they’re supposed to do.”

It is this difference that we seek to make with Waldorf education in Birmingham.

The Waldorf philosophy, which understands the connection between academics and the arts, has been around for more than 90 years, and Birmingham has been lucky enough to have the state's only Waldorf preschool since 1987 and Elementary School since 2000.

Current milestones include:

◦ Higher enrollment than ever, with 149 students ages 2½ to grade 8

◦ Graduating our fifth class of 8th grade students, each of whom joins the ranks of other successful alum earning top honors at Birmingham-area schools including ASFA, JCIB, Altamont, Indian Springs School, Shades Valley Theater Academy, Visual Arts Academy, and Finance Academy, and Homewood High.

◦ Over 130 years of Waldorf teaching experience among our faculty with more faculty than ever (6) carrying a Waldorf teaching certification and 3 more taking courses toward certification.

Even with all our successes, there is still room for improvement. Currently, the median salary for our faculty and staff is $19,250. It’s obvious that our employees don’t work at AWS for the money! They do it because they have a passion for teaching, and because they see that passion as integral for a healthy future community.

Our goal is for students to grow into adolescence and adulthood with a sense of excitement--not trepidation--for all that is to come. Our wish is that the awe and wonder cultivated in the preschool programs transition into enthusiasm and confidence in our elementary and middle-school students.

So, what's different about a Waldorf graduate? After completing the Elementary and Middle School, our students walk away with...

◦ An appreciation and knowledge of countless cultures and countries and the ability to comprehend and speak both Russian and Spanish.

◦Knowledge of 5,000 years of history, about which they will have written their own history books.

◦An authentic experience of Alabama’s awesome river systems, urban and rural farms, museums, mountains, and beaches.

◦Socks and stuffed animals they have knitted and pajamas they have sewn in Handwork class.

◦The ability to speak with respect to all those they meet, dispel conflict, and engage in intelligent conversation with their peers, as well as their elders.

And who leads them on their journey? Teachers invest their time, talents, and enthusiasm, filling the classrooms with beautiful chalkboard art and lessons. Teachers model a strong work ethic and a sense of joyful purpose for the work they do, and the work they expect of their students.

You can support us in our efforts by making a donation to be used for teacher salaries and/or Waldorf teacher training. In our rented school building in Crestwood, we have very low overhead with 73% of our operating budget going toward curriculum.

Your donations support:

◦ Teacher salaries, including years-of-service stipends, Waldorf certification bonuses, paid sick days, and health insurance benefits.

◦ Waldorf Teacher Training - required for our Elementary Grades (1-8) and preferred for our Early Childhood Program (ages 2 1/2 to 6). Waldorf training is offered primarily in 5-week summer sessions in California or New York. Training is of the highest quality but expensive with the added travel and lodging costs. Teachers usually have completed their college degrees and add this training as a specialty; it includes both academics (Science, Math, Language Arts, History) and arts (painting, drawing, scultping, woodcarving, singing, dance, theater, and cooperative team sports).