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Resources for Prospective Parents
Stone Bridge School (SBS) encourages parents to evaluate whether SBS is a “good fit” for their child(ren) and family prior to enrolling. We enjoy a warm and inclusive school community, one of many in Napa. For your child (and family) to thrive at SBS, we want to ensure that your choice is fully informed and that we have provided answers to any questions you may have. A couple of thoughts to begin with:
- Our school thrives with an active parent body. Whether helping in the classroom, attending a festival, assisting with a fundraiser, or participating in the school’s governance, we have found that parents who make their own investment of time and energy in our school’s community find it to be an incredibly fulfilling experience.
- The Waldorf-inspired curriculum is unique. Our teachers and staff bring tremendous skill and dedication to their work each day, providing their students with rich experiences and learning. Our pacing, however, is different than what you may find in another public school classroom in Napa. The kindergartens are play-based, focusing on the social, physical, and emotional development of the young child. Children begin formal instruction of numbers and letters in Grade One and, in these early primary years, are provided with a gentle but strong foundation that will support increasingly rigorous studies as they move through the grades. We ask that parents join in a communicative partnership with their child’s teacher so that they understand fully what the learning expectations are for each grade and how this dovetails with their child’s unfolding development.
How to learn more about SBS and Waldorf education:
- Look through our school’s website, particular the ‘About Us’ and ‘Curriculum’ sections.
- Attend the school’s autumn/winter classroom tours and the January Open House. See ‘Enrollment’ section of website.
- Talk to friends and family about their experiences. Many of our families find their way to SBS by word-of-mouth.
- Other resources, for those of you who enjoy a good book: Waldorf Education - A Family Guide, P. Johnson Fenner, ed., Understand Waldorf Education - Teaching from the Inside Out, by Jack Petrash, Beyond the Rainbow Bridge - Nurturing Our Children from Birth to Seven, by Barbara Patterson and Pamela Bradley, Simplicity Parenting, by Kim John Payne