Friday evening: Beginnings. 

The work we all do today in the field of public education would not exist without a group of people who had the commitment, tenacity, and vision for expanding access to the impulse of Waldorf education beyond this country’s history of independent schooling. The Alliance was formed to champion and protect this expansion. Join several of those who were “on the ground” at the time to hear their stories and how those early years continue to impact our work today. We are honored to host a panel with Donna Burgess, George Hoffecker, Chip Romer, Rainbow Rosenbloom, and Betty Staley. They will share those early days, the challenges they overcame, and the path they cleared for our work to flourish. 

Saturday morning: Curriculum Alignment.

Each of our schools has taken on the task of weaving Waldorf curriculum indications with state or federal curriculum requirements and standards. A great deal of work has been done to develop resources, examine many of the “traditional” curriculum themes, and ensure that, to the greatest extent possible, a school offers a developmentally appropriate curriculum that meets external requirements and serves the students of a particular location. 

Join representatives from three schools in very different parts of the country and at different stages of development to hear how they are addressing the task of integrating external accountability and Waldorf pedagogy. They will share their approaches, how they have developed rich resources, and how they work developmentally to the greatest extent possible.

Panelists: Alice Birney District School Sacramento CA; Mountain Song Charter, Colorado Springs, CO; Seaside Charter Schools, Jacksonville, FL.

Saturday afternoon: Student Support

Our schools typically accept and support all students who apply and for whom there is space - one of the gifts of public education. We have all seen accelerating needs for student support - special education, psychological support, neurodiversity, social-emotional challenges, individual learning styles….. Our schools continue to develop creative ways of meeting the needs of the students who come to us. 

Join representatives from three schools with innovative approaches to student support. They will provide an overview of their approaches and processes, their staffing, and school-wide support. 

Panelists: Circle of Seasons Charter, Fogelsville, PA; Wasatch Charter, Salt Lake City, UT; Woodland Star Charter, Glen Ellen, CA.

Sunday morning: Deepening our Work

In our self-study and peer review process, we ask that schools examine their alignment with our 7 Core Principles. Where do these foundations of our approach show up in a school? How do we support a holistic image of the human being, a developmental approach, ongoing learning for teachers, diversity and inclusion, our social justice and change mission, collaborative leadership, and nurturing relationships in our schools? How do we provide professional development and teacher education to ensure we have the knowledge needed to deepen our work?

Join representatives from three schools to hear how they are addressing sustaining their Public Waldorf identity and school culture. 

Panelists: SunRidge Charter, Sebastopol, CA; Tomorrow River Community Charters, Amherst, WI; Yuba River Charter, Grass Valley, CA.

The purpose of this conference: 

We have designed our conference to meet several current needs. 

• To strengthen our sense of connection with colleagues from across the country who are committed to bringing education centered around the Core Principles of Public Waldorf education to diverse communities in a wide range of settings. 

• To will allow us to explore and deepen our practice as educators and administrators. 

• To learn from one another and to make visible and accessible some of the remarkable, innovative work that is taking place in our schools.

• To offer practical approaches to several key areas of concern and need for every school.

• To encourage innovation and flexibility. 

• To have fun together again - singing, movement, arts, casual yet meaningful conversations on the coffee line…. the many benefits of a re-gathering!

A Note on the Conference Design:

This conference is by and for us, practitioners of Public Waldorf. We have organized the conference around three major themes:

• Curriculum alignment

• Student Support

• Deepening our work

Each theme will be explored through a panel discussion among three schools to demonstrate how they are approaching the topic. The panels will be followed by a range of workshops related to the theme to allow you to explore practical applications, novel ideas, or new skills. We will set the scene with a Friday evening exploration of the founding and roots of our Public Waldorf work - context matters! - and a dessert social to allow us to meet and greet friends and colleagues, old and new. Saturday afternoon will include a range of workshops in the arts. 

Why this design?

Public education requires that we are innovative, flexible, and creative in our approach to Waldorf. We have a huge amount of expertise and experience in our schools. After several years of isolation and wonderful yet virtual conferences, we want to gather around some of our remarkable innovations so everyone can benefit, learn, and share.