Media Statement

Grades K-5

Electronic screen media (TV, movies, video games, computers, tablets, smart phones, iPods, etc.) are a prominent feature of modern American life. The Waldorf educational approach practiced at Stone Bridge School asserts that, while educating about and using these devices is appropriate in later grades, exposure to electronic media in Grades K-5 detrimentally affects a child’s imagination, healthy development and social interactions. This position is corroborated by the American Academy of Pediatrics and current childhood research. Children are deeply affected by everything in their environment. Television, video games, and other electronic media have a lasting influence on children’s behavior, development, focus and attention span, and overall school performance.

Our faculty recognizes that media viewing falls in the domain of the family life and that it is the parents who decide what role electronic media will play in their children’s life. As part of the community of Stone Bridge School, a school of choice, we ask families to minimize their children’s exposure to screens and to commit to seeking out alternative activities fully involving their children’s capacities to develop a healthy mind, emotional life, and physical body. We strongly prefer that children in grades K-5 not use electronic media. We specifically ask that they not use electronic media on school days/evenings.

In order to facilitate well-informed decision making regarding the role of electronic media in your family’s life, we encourage you to explore the following articles.

Harmful Effects Of TV and Computer Games On Your Kids

Children, Adolescents, and the Media
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Social Media's Impact on Students' Mental Health Comes Into Focus

This small visionary group of parents and teachers, inspired and nurtured by their experience at Apple Garden (a Waldorf program for preschool and kindergarten-aged children), formed the Napa Valley Waldorf School Initiative Group. This group hosted outreach and educational events for the community, connected with Waldorf educators and pioneers, and fundraised for the task ahead. They initiated the process of founding the school by working with Twin Ridges Elementary School District located in Nevada County, California. (Twin Ridges was committed to and experienced in the creation of Waldorf-inspired charter schools.) With technical assistance from Twin Ridges, the founding members applied for and received a “planning” grant from the State of California. This grant provided funds to assess community interest in developing a Waldorf-inspired school in Napa County and to develop the school charter. In 1998, a charter for the Napa Valley Charter School was granted by the State of California, with Twin Ridges Elementary School District acting as sponsor.

After completing these steps, the Napa Valley Waldorf School Initiative Group refocused its mission and became the Napa Valley Waldorf Education Foundation (NVWEF), which played a major role in raising the initial funds for the school. This Foundation’s purpose was to support all types of Waldorf programs and promote community awareness and education in order to expand the understanding of Waldorf principles and enable this method of education to flourish in the Napa Valley. The Foundation transferred the specific activity of creating the school to the newly formed Development Group, and together they wrote a vision and mission for the school. This groundwork enabled the Development Group to apply for an “implementation” grant from the State of California, and implementation grant funding was awarded in 2000.

At this point, the process of hiring staff, purchasing equipment and supplies, and searching for a site began in earnest, with the goal of opening the school by the fall of 2000. The Development Group hired a consultant with experience in starting public Waldorf-inspired charter schools, and that consultant provided an organizational framework on which to build a functional school. The Development Group divided the tasks into committees and invited interested families to join in the work, resulting in a “small army” of pioneers who worked to develop different aspects of the school. During the spring of 2000, many people – known as the Founding Families – worked countless hours and grappled with numerous difficult challenges and obstacles (including finding an appropriate site). Undaunted, they worked together to reach compromises and find solutions in a very complex and collaborative process.

As a result, the Napa Valley Charter School opened in the Fall of 2000 at Napa Valley Expo, with students in grades K-4 and a plan to grow one grade a year until reaching eight grades. Originally housed in temporary white event tents, all of the classes were relocated to Merlot Hall and portable buildings in January of 2001. The first few years were filled with the normal challenges of a new organization as many parts of the school were still developing, but gradually the organization gained stability along with a positive reputation in the community. In 2003, the Walton Foundation invited NVCS to apply for a $150,000 grant. Once awarded, this grant supported teacher training and enrichment, purchased materials and furnishings, funded our initial science program and subsidized several years of outdoor education.

In 2004, in response to a change in California charter law requiring charter schools to be authorized by the district in which their students reside, the school embarked on a year-long process to update the charter and apply to the Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD) for local authorization. During this process the school community, including students in grades four through seven (our lead class at the time), voted on a new name for the school; and henceforth the school has been known as Stone Bridge School. The name is based on the fact that the Napa Valley was historically known for its abundance of unique stone bridges, and the symbol of “a bridge” represents the passage of students from early childhood over to the years beyond elementary education. In addition, it symbolizes the connections within our school between teachers, parents, and the administration as well as a bridge to the larger Napa Valley community.

Over the summer of 2007, Stone Bridge School moved to a new home on Salvador Avenue, sharing a NVUSD campus with Salvador Elementary School. Over the summer of 2011, Stone Bridge School moved to another site on Carneros Avenue, taking over the 10-acre location of the closed Carneros Elementary School. Throughout its years at the Carneros campus, SBS continued to thrive and grow, and fulfilled its original dream of creating and maintaining a certified organic farm using biodynamic practices.

Stone Bridge School moved to 2nd Avenue in the summer of 2021 and created a new home at the old location of Mt. George Elementary School. With a solid foundation set in its twenty plus years of operation, SBS continues to offer a unique and valuable educational choice for the children of Napa Valley.

The history of Stone Bridge School is one full of adventure, faith, and determination. The school’s development has been a serial labor of love, nurtured by parents, teachers, organizations, and other schools. The heart of Stone Bridge School lies in its commitment to its students, and in its rich and ongoing history of dedication, participation, and involvement from all of its stakeholders. The result is a unique public charter school that provides a wonderful public Waldorf educational experience for the children and parents of the Napa Valley and beyond.

Grades 6-8

Social media and the devices/technology through which we access them continue to proliferate in our society. Many children are growing up with significant internet exposure via YouTube, social media sites, smart phones, online gaming, and an ever-expanding array of choices. While there are power and convenience in these technologies, parents are increasingly challenged to monitor and manage their children’s media experiences. Parental concerns generally revolve around the amount of time online, age-appropriate content, and issues regarding privacy and potential victimization (e.g., cyberbullying).

The staff and faculty of Stone Bridge School share concerns about these technologies and their effects on our middle school students’ social, intellectual, and emotional development. While many of the students may be adept at using these technologies, their social skills and developmental level of maturity are not yet sophisticated enough for the on-line freedom frequently available to them. For these reasons, the SBS faculty suggests the following parental guidelines:

Establish family rules that clarify when and where a digital device is appropriate.

For example, consider requiring all family members to stow their digital devices when:

Talking face-to-face with another person
Sharing a meal together
Attending school (or other) performances, meetings, and activities
Doing homework
Preparing for bed

The above practices emphasize the value of face-to-face, interpersonal interactions. It has been remarked that Stone Bridge graduates excel in their abilities to interact with others in a genuine, present, and articulate manner. It is our belief that this is supported by significant in-person interaction with other students and adults.

These practices also support your child’s ability to concentrate, requiring them to do homework without the distraction of texting, chatting, or online games. It is strongly recommended that digital devices not be allowed in bedrooms or bathrooms where their use cannot be monitored. Computers used for homework are best accessed in a public space (e.g., the living room, kitchen, or other dedicated study space).

Electronic lights have been shown to disrupt the chemicals in the brain, making it more difficult to fall asleep and sleep soundly. It is recommended that children “dock” their devices in common space chargers (away from temptation) at least thirty minutes before bedtime. ‍

Supervise and monitor your child’s use of digital devices.‍

We feel that online behavior should be as exemplary as person-to-person behavior, and that important values (honesty, compassion, discretion) be maintained in both arenas. With the reality that online behavior and communications are generally not considered private, it is vital that our children understand that anything communicated online has the potential to be public forever. These are critical points to make with your child.

It is vitally important to supervise and monitor your child’s use of digital devices by knowing your child’s passwords and being aware of their online communications. As your child demonstrates digital responsibility and citizenship over time, you will likely negotiate trust and greater personal freedom, but we recommend retaining your prerogative to check in on their use of digital media.

We also acknowledge that monitoring children's use of 'smart phones' is extremely difficult. For this reason, we recommend that your child not have a phone for their personal use that connects to the Internet until 8th grade or beyond. For inspiration and ideas, visit the waituntil8th.org website.

Ask your child to seek your help immediately when something goes wrong.

Children make mistakes. This is how they (and we) learn. Assure them that they will not be punished for any online mistake or miscommunication, but that it is critical that they tell you about it. Help them to be comfortable seeking adult help to repair damaged relationships or address unintended consequences resulting from media misuse.

Model the digital behavior you expect from your child.

Children learn more from ‘what we do’ rather than ‘what we say.' They also have a keen sense for what is “unfair.” Consequently, it is critical that adults enforce the rules established for children and model responsible use of our own digital devices. Emphasize that digital devices, while powerful tools, can also be a distraction from being fully present in our lives.

The teachers and staff at Stone Bridge School value their partnership with parents regarding the well-being and education of the children. We encourage you to discuss your concerns, thoughts, and experiences regarding media usage with your child’s teacher(s) and/or school leadership. We can all benefit from the breadth of experience and knowledge that resides within our entire community and together ensure that our students leave Stone Bridge School with the skills, common sense, and values necessary for navigating the complexities of the wider world.

For more information: Tablet & Smartphone Bootcamp for Middle School Students