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Our Association

The Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (º£½ÇÉçÇø)Ìýis a nonprofit membership organization of independent Waldorf schools and institutes in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. It was founded in 1968 to support Waldorf schools and institutes in North America.

°¿³Ü°ùÌý±¹¾±²õ¾±´Ç²ÔÌýis to strengthen and nurture Waldorf education and to advance Waldorf principles worldwide.

Our mission is to support the healthy self-development and thriving future of independent Waldorf schools and institutes in North America.

Inspired by º£½ÇÉçÇøâ€™s Principles for Waldorf Schools and Institutes, we foster inclusive and collaborative work, guide responsible self-reflection and accreditation, advance new and evolving practices, and bring greater visibility to Waldorf education.

Our work is based on four core values, which are:

  • Evoke and developÌýQuality and IntegrityÌýin everything we attempt and achieve
  • PromoteÌýStrength and ResourcefulnessÌýin every school community
  • Foster, encourage, and support inspiredÌýLeadership and Colleagueship
  • Work towards conscious and collaborative humanÌýCommunity and Relationships

º£½ÇÉçÇø is a part of the international Waldorf movement that includes 1,090 Waldorf / Steiner schools in 64 countries, and 1,857 Waldorf kindergartens in more than 70 countries. Waldorf associations and teacher training centers for Waldorf educators exist all over the world. In North America, there are more than 160 member schools and 13 teacher training institutes.

Waldorf teacher and student

OUR ORGANIZATION

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º£½ÇÉçÇø IS COMPRISED OF EIGHT GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS WHOSE MEMBERS WORK TOGETHER AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.

Each full member school and institute of the association is represented by itsÌýdelegates. The schools are responsible for supporting one another. RegionalÌýdelegates' circlesÌýcarry the work of the association regionally and locally.

The schools and institutes in each region are represented by a member of theÌýleadership councilÌýwho guides the work of the association regionally on behalf of the whole association. This council, which also includes representation from the Teacher Education Delegates Circle, the Pedagogical Section Council, and the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America, fosters the spirit of collaboration both regionally and continentally.

The association is led by a team of threeÌýexecutive directors, each with specific focus areas: Membership, Advancement, and Operations & Member Resources.

The work of the association is overseen by aÌýboard of trusteesÌýwho are responsible for strategic planning and are the legal and professional guardians of the organization.

Strategic Objectives Year-At-A-Glance

º£½ÇÉçÇø is not a governing or management agency. It does not enter into the internal matters or day-to-day operations of its member schools.

Each school has its own governing body, i.e., a board of trustees. The board is accountable for the institution's financial stability and future. A board’s primary tasks are long-range and strategic. Operational matters, particularly disputes involving parents, students, or teachers, are the responsibility of each school’s administration.

As such, concerns related to an individual school should be voiced to school administration in accordance with the school's established compliance or grievance procedures.

Honoring and Embracing Human Dignity

We celebrate the diversity of humankind and pursue a path of human dignity and equity in organizational, leadership, and pedagogical realms. We are engaged in understanding and addressing the current and historical roots of inequity. These endeavors are of spiritual, moral, and educational importance and are rooted in Waldorf education’s founding vision, which included addressing contemporary social struggles within the context of education.

DISCOVER MORE

Early Childhood Education

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I am the world

Grades Education

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I love the world

High School Education

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I know the world

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