} Green Meadow Waldorf School (GMWS) is an independent

Waldorf school Waldorf education, also known as Steiner education, is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy. Its educational style is holistic, intended to develop pupils' intellectual, artistic, and practical ...

located in Chestnut Ridge,

Rockland County Rockland County is the southernmost county on the west side of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. It is about from the Bronx at their closest points. The county's population, as of t ...

, New York. It offers parent and child classes, and nursery/kindergarten through 12th grades. The school is accredited by both the

New York State Association of Independent Schools The New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) is an association of 201 independent schools and organizations, ranging from nurseries to high schools, in New York (state), New York State. Founded in 1947, NYSAIS is the second la ...

and the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America."At the beautiful Green Meadow Waldorf School, children learn in a unique way", ''Rivertown Magazine'' November 2007 Founded in 1950, it is one of the oldest of the approximately 190 independent North American

Waldorf schools Waldorf education, also known as Steiner education, is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy. Its educational style is Holistic education, holistic, intended to develop pupils' intellectual, artisti ...

(there are about 1,000 such schools worldwide).

Curriculum

The school practices an interdisciplinary approach based on the Waldorf curriculum, including a strong emphasis on art, music and intercultural understanding; students begin studying two foreign languages (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

and

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

) beginning in first grade. It also provides a strong

community service Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service can be distinct from volunteering, since it is not always performe ...

program. Graduates of the school have been noted for their independence, sensitivity and creativity.

Publications and events

The school's publications include: * A monthly bulletin * A student literary magazine, ''The Burning Bush'' * An alumni quarterly * A yearbook created by students and staff The school's annual public events include the following: *Fall Fair *Goods and Services Auction and Dinner

Notable alumni

Kate Christensen Kate Christensen (born August 22, 1962) is an American novelist. She won the 2008 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction for her fourth novel, '' The Great Man'', about a painter and the three women in his life. Her previous novels are ''In the Drink'' ...

(class of 1980) received the 2008 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. Award-winning filmmaker

Stefan Schaefer Stefan Schaefer is an American writer, director and producer of films and television. Biography Early life and education Schaefer was born in Boston, spent his childhood in Sussex, England and his adolescent years in Michigan and New York. He s ...

. Neil Perry Gordon has written several historical fiction novels.

Larger community

Green Meadow is part of the Threefold Educational Foundation

anthroposophical Anthroposophy is a spiritualist movement founded in the early 20th century by the esotericist Rudolf Steiner that postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world, accessible to human experience. Followers ...

community in Chestnut Ridge. The Foundation owns the land and acts as an umbrella for Green Meadow Walfdorf School and several other nearby organizations. This community includes: * The Threefold Foundation, which acts as trustee of the land and provides affordable housing for community members. * Sunbridge Institute, a Waldorf teacher training institution. * The Fellowship Community is a licensed State of New York adult care facility and an inter-generational, anthroposophically based community where people of all ages live with, assist, and care for the elderly. Here, Green Meadow pupils receive hands-on experiences of farming and gardening. * The Pfeiffer Center, a training center for

biodynamic agriculture Biodynamic agriculture is a form of alternative agriculture based on pseudo-scientific and esoteric concepts initially developed in 1924 by Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925). It was the first of the organic farming movements. It treats soil fertility ...

. * Eurythmy Spring Valley, a

eurythmy Eurythmy is an expressive movement art originated by Rudolf Steiner in conjunction with his wife, Marie, in the early 20th century. Primarily a performance art, it is also used in education, especially in Waldorf schools, and – as pa ...

school of performance art. * The Hungry Hollow Food Co-op, a natural food store founded by Green Meadow Waldorf School parents in 1973 and specializing in organic foods.

Legal controversy

During a 2019 measles epidemic, Rockland County excluded unvaccinated students from schools. A lawsuit was filed on behalf of the families of excluded children; in the decision, Judge Thorsen wrote that “petitioners’ children are hereby permitted to return to their respective schools forthwith and otherwise assemble in public places,” allowing Green Meadow Waldorf School to welcome 45 unvaccinated students back to class.

Sexual abuse scandal

In July 2013, alumna and novelist

published “ Blue Plate Special”, an autobiography in which she describes how she had been sexually abused by a teacher she referred to as “Tomcat.” Staff of Green Meadow Waldorf School identified Tomcat as John Alexandra, a former teacher employed between 1965 and 1979, Threefold Board member from 1975 through 1983 and who continued to appear on campus occasionally until 2013. The school hired a professional firm, T&M Protection Resources, to investigate the matter and the results were reported on July 11, 2014 in ''The Journal News''.

References

Additional articles

Third-graders make prayer flags for Bhutanese school
Rockland Journal News, June 13, 2007
Learning English as a second language at Chestnut Ridge school
Rockland Journal News, April 13, 2007 *"Immigrants Share Some Personal Accounts with Green Meadow Students", ''Rockland County Times'', June 1–7, 2006. pp. 1–2.

External links

Green Meadow Waldorf School

Sunbridge College

Fellowship Community

School of Eurythmy

Association of Waldorf Schools of North America

Why Waldorf Works
{{authority control Waldorf schools in the United States Private high schools in New York (state) Private middle schools in New York (state) Private elementary schools in New York (state) Educational institutions established in 1950 1950 establishments in New York (state)