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May 2023 by Cynthia S.
This is not a review disparaging BVWS. It is about the lack of transparency and consideration my family and I were given through the application and enrollment process. My daughter is no stranger to BVWS: she attended in early childhood and has spent a couple of summers there and loved it. When I reached out to the admissions director, (s)he expressed that my daughter would be welcome back and that there was space for her, so I submitted an application and she did a 3-day shadowing. To my surprise, my daughter's application was rejected. I spent several months trying to get a clear answer as to why, unsuccessfully. The following is a summary of events post-shadowing. My husband and I met with the teacher who discussed my daughter's shadowing experience and stated multiple times that (s)he "saw no red flags". I then asked questions about the founder's philosophy including topics that touched upon racism and how they have evolved, as my husband and I come from diverse backgrounds. The teacher answered them with openness and transparency, which further solidified my decision to send my daughter there. A week later, I receive an email, "after careful consideration...we do not feel that (student) is a good fit for our program." I requested a meeting to better understand the decision and sent numerous follow-up emails over the next 2 months to which I received no response, or the admissions director was sick, out of town, or catching up on work. Upon finally setting a meeting, I mentioned that I had emailed the teacher to get more specific feedback regarding my daughter's experience and if (s)he could be encouraged to respond. The response from the admissions director: "to be clear, I will be talking you through the application process...but not discussing re-opening the process". I thanked them and wrote, to "make sure I'm understanding correctly - you will not ask (teacher) to give me information about my daughter, nor will you speak about her experience at BVWS," to which I received no reply. On the call, the admissions director explained that the enrollment process was a collaborative, complicated and nuanced process. It included not just the teacher's opinion, but also input from ALL the Grade teachers, consideration on the age and maturity of the class, and the fact that the teacher is new to Waldorf teaching. If that were the case, then the shadowing, which caused disruption for everyone involved, was pointless and in fact, no new student could join. My insistence on following up was to have an opportunity for an open and transparent discussion regarding my daughter's application. If the teacher had told me during our debrief that (s)he felt the class dynamic with my daughter was not right, I would have respected the opinion. Funny that while my daughter attended BVWS there had never been any concerns raised. I can only deduce from the lack of response and transparency that this decision had less to do with my daughter and more about the questions I raised during our meeting with the teacher. In my last email after our final call, I expressed my hope that this experience be shared with the faculty and board as a learning experience and that I would always be open to dialogue. Since I never received a reply, I assume this issue had been swept under the rug. Though I know no big change will come of this, this experience will serve as a lesson when my daughter is older so that she may learn to advocate for herself with awareness and discernment. BVWS states they support DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) and boasts that it cultivates a welcoming, inclusive community. A few qualities of inclusive leadership include fairness and respect, collaboration, empowerment and growth, and emotional and cultural intelligence, none of which I received. It is a shame that fear and avoidance of tough questions will now directly impact a 7-year-old's education. DEI has become very trendy in the past few years but simply taking a training without putting th
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March 2023 by Andrea L.
We love the Boulder Valley Waldorf School! Our daughter started here when she was 3 Years Old in the preschool program. Since attending, her imagination has grown tremendously as well as her independent play.
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February 2023 by David B.
We love this school!It's on a beautiful, spacious, and nature-filled campus. The teachers are incredibly dedicated and kind. And our child comes home happy. The kids spend a lot of time outside, their imaginations are nourished, and their social skills are practiced.We're so happy that we found BVWS.
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September 2022 by Erin S.
We love Boulder Valley Waldorf school!My daughter started here for middle school during the Pandemic. Her teacher is amazing. After feeling lost in a huge public elementary school, she is receiving such personalized instruction and care. We love the community we have found as well. Highly recommend!!
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November 2021 by Rebekah V.
We love BVWS! The teachers and staff are kind and caring. They take safety measures during covid seriously and it shows by the lack of spread within cohorts. I feel safe sending my toddler here. The outdoor experience for the kiddos is incredible!!
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July 2019 by Kate Nicholas Hamzi
We have one child who has been in the Early Childhood program for 2 years and another in the grade school. We love this school for many reasons, the teachers are wonderful, straight forward, loving and give great advice. The community of the school is close and supportive. The festivals are a beautiful way to mark the seasons. I love that they focus on the whole-child and not just teaching to the test. the campus grounds are gorgeous and the children get to spend so much tim
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July 2019 by Kate H.
We have one child who has been in the Early Childhood program for 2 years and another in the grade school. We love this school for many reasons, the teachers are wonderful, straight forward, loving and give great advice. The community of the school is close and supportive. The festivals are a beautiful way to mark the seasons. I love that they focus on the whole-child and not just teaching to the test. the campus grounds are gorgeous and the children get to spend so much time in nature moving their bodies. Both my children are experts for dressing for the ever-changing Colorado weather. My child in grades is thriving in his math and inquiry skills and has such a creative mind that has been improved by the Waldorf approach to teaching. The affordability of the school makes it feel a bit more diverse. I am so thankful for their tuition model so that my children can have the opportunity to attend!
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May 2019 by Phil K.
Our daughter is in the early childhood program and she loves it. She commonly tells me she wishes it was a school day on days she doesn't attend. The program provides much more outdoor time than any other program we looked into and overall we are very happy with the school.
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April 2019 by Kim Schreiber Morrison
What I love most about the Boulder Valley Waldorf School is that my daughter goes to school happy and I pick her up happy. The tuition is affordable, the staff is highly qualified & the community is friendly, down to earth, and easily accessible. I live in Boulder and don't mind the drive because the school farm setting is very relaxing and calming for the nerves. Boulder Valley Waldorf School was established in 1993. It is a small, private, non-profit school located on a
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April 2019 by Kimmer M.
Boulder Valley Waldorf School was established in 1993. It is a small, private, non-profit school located on a unique 38-acre campus in Niwot, Colorado. They offer world class education for the Parent and Child, Pre-School, Kindergarten, Elementary as well as the Middle School aged child. Their developmentally age appropriate curriculum allows children to grow and learn at their own pace which better prepares them for a lifetime of academic success and inspiration. What I love most about the Boulder Valley Waldorf School is that my child goes to school happy and I pick her up happy. The tuition is affordable, the staff is highly qualified & the community is friendly, down to earth, and easily accessible. I do not mind the drive because the school farm setting is very calming for the nerves. Call or email Ruth Godberfforde for a tour: (303) 652-0130
[email protected]
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March 2019 by Megan Mccanna
We are so blessed to be part of the BVWS community. Our daughter loves going to preschool everyday. The teachers are phenomenal and the classrooms are beautiful and inviting. The emphasis on nature and imagination has made a big impact on her growth and learning and we love sharing that with her at home.
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April 2018 by Phillippa Clark
This is an incredible school - we are so happy to have our children educated here
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April 2017 by E Haaland
This school has been so wonderful for our two sons. We really benefit from the small class sizes as well as the commitment of the school to integrate art, music, theater, and languages into the curriculum (even in the early grades). As someone who strongly believes in the benefit of a well rounded liberal arts education, I love that these disciplines are appreciated for their intrinsic worth and not regarded as "specials." My kids get to spend a lot of time outdoors and love having the opportunity to help on the working farm.
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April 2017 by Alberto Sabbadini
Our experience in the early childhood program at the Boulder Valley Waldorf School has been excellent. We are happy to have our daughter in a loving and nurturing environment to play and grow. She loves the healthy mid-morning snack; she gets a lot of outdoor play and comes home with new songs every week!
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April 2017 by Mandi Idema
Our daughter is in thePre-K class and we could not be happier. She is able to learn and grow at her own pace and enjoy the great outdoors! Her teachers truly love each student as if they were their own. It is a unique experience that I don't think you could find anywhere else around here.
