About the Santa Fe Waldorf School

About Santa Fe

Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the United States. This high desert landscape is home to a number of cultural, healing, and spiritual centers—artists, scientists, musicians, and nature lovers find inspiration and solace in its striking beauty. In the summer, Santa Fe hosts the Santa Fe Opera, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Indian Market, Spanish Market, and the International Folk Art Festival. At Christmas time, the roofs of the traditional adobe homes sparkle at night with farolitos. In addition, one can enjoy hiking, skiing, film festivals, the farmers' markets, galleries, museums, and numerous world-class and down-home restaurants.

Within the local region of Santa Fe, there are a number of anthroposophically inspired initiatives: the Sangre de Cristo branch of the Anthroposophical Society, First Class meetings of the School of Spiritual Science, Christian Community services, adult education courses in anthroposophy, anthroposophically-oriented therapeutic practices, an art gallery highlighting artists working out of anthroposophy, CSAs, and biodynamic farming operations.

About the Santa Fe Waldorf School

Santa Fe Waldorf School was founded in 1983 by a group of parents who were determined to provide the philosophy of education embodied in the independent Waldorf School system for their children and for the community of Santa Fe, New Mexico. The school began with a Kindergarten, First, and a combined 2nd and 3rd Grade, and has grown since then to encompass Preschool (age three) through 12th grade. Our first high school graduation took place in June, 2005.

We now have a student body of approximately 250 attending classes on a 13-acre campus covered with pinjon and juniper at the southeastern edge of Santa Fe. A modular high school building opened its doors in August, 2004, so that all grades are now on one campus. The new Santa Fe Waldorf Preschool, located off-campus at 331 East Buena Vista Street, opened in October, 2004. Many of the founding parents of our school are still involved in our school community, whether as parents, faculty, or volunteers lending a helping hand when needed.

The Santa Fe Waldorf School is an independent school and holds full membership in the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America. We welcome and serve students from a variety of social, economic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. The school is governed by the Faculty, College of Teachers, and the Board of Trustees, and supported by the parent body.

Mission Statement

The Santa Fe Waldorf School is an independent school, early childhood through twelfth grade, founded on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner. The faculty and staff work out of a deep respect for the creative potential and spiritual nature in each human being. Our aim is to nourish the thinking, feeling and willing capacities of the developing young individual and to share the pedagogy with the school community.

As stated above, the Santa Fe Waldorf School is a Full Member of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA). The Santa Fe Waldorf School, a non-sectarian, nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, welcomes students of all religious, social, ethnic, and racial backgrounds.

Diversity Statement

Waldorf Schools are independent schools committed to developing the human potential of each student to its fullest. The Santa Fe Waldorf School is committed to working toward a diversified social atmosphere that nurtures understanding and an experience of the common humanity of all the world's peoples. We honor and embrace the palette of differences within humanity and welcome people regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, creed, religion, sexual orientation, and physical or medical condition. By so doing, we aspire to a peaceful and loving evolution of humankind, which honors and celebrates diversity.