Greetings from our High School Director

Thank you for visiting our high school website and learning more about PWHS.

While our high school curriculum is known by most as the intentional capstone of a K - 12 Waldorf Education, it is also unique, and a deeply considered curriculum in its own right.  As Waldorf teachers, we are fortunate to work out of a holistic and respected understanding of adolescent development (for the whole of life).

In the early years of Waldorf Education, we clearly see how the school greets very young children, inviting them into their first school experiences with warmth and intention. In the grades, we observe a beautiful and winding journey, with marked differences between the early grades and middle school, always bringing just what is needed to those varied ages.

When it comes to high school, the shared understanding of how our education meets the adolescent may be less clear. Sometimes the phase of “adolescence” can be seen as a totality (rather than being composed of distinct, individual moments). It can often be seen as just the primer for ‘real life’, rather than the four distinct and natural periods of development we address in our high school pedagogy.

At this educational phase, we also observe the considerations parents face when exploring the possibilities of high school, doing their due diligence, experiencing ways in which different pedagogies intend to prepare students for life.

Our families come to PWHS because they hold many hopes for their adolescent’s education, such as: maintaining resilience, flourishing in their unique talents and intelligence, exploring the world with curiosity and an open mind, becoming socially responsible, mature, kind, and thoughtful adults, finding their voice and advocating for themselves and others, developing critical, creative, and compassionate thinking capacities, being accepted into colleges and careers of their choice, and above all …

…becoming who they are destined to be.

Our high school graduates embody these qualities throughout their lives. A Waldorf high school education prepares students for lifelong learning and growth through:

  • An experiential learning environment fostering self-awareness and connection to the world

  • A relationship-based learning approach where students are seen and understood by their teachers

  • A multi-faceted, liberal arts education that ensures lasting educational benefits 

  • A multidisciplinary educational philosophy that sparks each students’ individual genius

  • Training in critical thinking - integrating arts, music, mathematics, science, languages, humanities, movement and more

  • Fostering social and problem-solving skills through collaborative activities and conflict-resolution strategies

Promoting original thinking in high school empowers students to navigate a dynamic world with confidence and instills in students a holistic approach to learning that prepares them to become future leaders committed to creating a healthier world.

And most importantly, throughout this developmental journey, your adolescent will be supported by our intentional community. We welcome you to join us on this mutual path of growth and discovery!

Sincerely,

Nina Churchill, High School Director