“Accept the children with reverence, educate them with love, send them forth to freedom.” Rudolf Steiner, Founder, Waldorf Educa�on

“Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able, in themselves, to impart purpose and direc�on to their lives.”Rudolf Steiner

The Waldorf Educa�onal Philosophy

“The greatest gi� a parent can give, a�er love, is a good educa�on.”Rudolf Steiner

2No one can predict what informa�on our children will need to know twenty years from now, but we do know that to be successful they will need the ability to think and solve problems.

Intellectual flexibility, independent judgment, moral courage, and the ability to work effec�vely in a group environment will be essen�al to their success as crea�ve and responsible human beings. To nurture these characteris�cs, the Waldorf curriculum carefully balances academic, ar�s�c, and prac�cal ac�vi�es to s�mulate the imagina�on and prepare the students as thoroughly as possible for the future.

At the heart of the Waldorf approach is the recogni�on that children pass through dis�nct stages of development, and that both the subject ma�er and the way it is taught needs to be age-specific to the growing child.

Rather than simply impar�ng intellectual informa�on, Waldorf® Educa�on seeks to engage the whole child in the learning process. The arts are integrated into every subject, using movement, music, pain�ng, storytelling, and rhythm to bring the material to life and endow the developing child with a lifelong sense of wonder and joy of learning.

The first Waldorf school was founded in 1919 in Stu�gart, Germany, by Rudolf Steiner, the visionary Austrian educator, scien�st and philosopher. Since then, Waldorf educa�on has become a worldwide independent educa�onal movement, with over 1000 schools in 83 countries.

Waldorf Educa�on is nonsectarian, and works to inspire a true morality through the development of gra�tude, reverence, and apprecia�on for all cultures.

What Highland Hall gave me was an enthusiasm and passion for learning and being crea� ve. Those things are much more important to your success in college and beyond.” --David White, A� orney, Highland Hall Alumnus and Harvard graduate

Located on a beau� ful 11-acre campus in Northridge, California, Highland Hall is an independent co-educa� onal school serving children from nursery through grade twelve. Established in 1955, our school is the fi rst Waldorf school in the western United States and is one of approximately 1000 Waldorf schools worldwide.

Highland Hall off ers a balanced, comprehensive curriculum that weaves academics with the arts to inspire our students to become passionate learners. Blending the humani� es and sciences with music, foreign languages, prac� cal arts and movement, each year’s curriculum is designed to successfully engage the children at every developmental stage. The Waldorf curriculum moves from imagina� on and movement in early childhood through increasingly academic and ar� s� cally created lessons in the lower school, then on to intellectually challenging lessons in the high school. Our students are provided with a solid academic founda� on and the ability to think crea� vely, ask ques� ons and explore answers in a broad, interdisciplinary way.

Our experienced faculty and staff are commi� ed to educa� onal excellence in a school environment that respects cultural diversity and individual diff erences. Our curriculum is college preparatory, and our graduates are accepted into many of the fi nest colleges and universi� es. Studies at Highland Hall cul� vate a reverence for the earth and respect for its people. Highland Hall prepares our graduates to be fl exible, crea� ve problem solvers able to communicate eff ec� vely and ready to make a diff erence in the world.

Highland Hall Waldorf School is fully accredited by the Western Associa� on of Schools and Colleges and the Associa� on of Waldorf Schools in North America.

Highland Hall Waldorf School 3

In Waldorf educa� on, our view of the young child is based on the principles of Rudolf Steiner’s philosophy of the developing human being. Before age seven, children learn through imita� on, through their senses, and by ac� vely exploring their environment and par� cipa� ng in meaningful work. The early childhood teacher strives to be a strong, nurturing presence whom the chil-dren willingly imitate.

Our classrooms off er a harmonious, invi� ng space, where children relax in the peaceful environment that is designed to be an extension of home. The nursery and kindergarten classrooms are fi lled with simple toys of wood, wool, and cloth, and many items from nature, such as pine cones, stones, shells and seasonal treasures.

Outdoor play yards are lined with beau� ful gardens, rolling hills, and plenty of shade trees, as well as ample space for running, digging, gardening, swinging and climbing. We have well-designed play structures and quiet, shaded sand boxes which provide a balanced outdoor play environment.

During circle � me, the teacher leads the children on movement journeys to verse and song, strengthening their physical development and language acquisi� on; at story � me, the teacher creates a magical environment that al-lows the children to delve into their imagina� on and travel on a rich, pictur-esque journey through the spoken word.

Teachers o� en engage the children in household work, such as baking, cooking, ironing and cleaning, allowing the children to enter deeply into imagina� ve play. When outdoors, the teachers might take on a gardening project with the children, or lead them on a nature walk through our beau� -ful campus.

Just as the children experience a gentle rhythm to each day, the school year is also balanced with a rhythm that honors the changing seasons and the fes� vals and cultural celebra� ons of the year.

Nursery & Kindergarten 4

“Waldorf Educa� on draws out the best of quali� es in young people. While this is not an instant process, the values they learn provide a life-long pla� orm from which to grow.” Gilbert Grosvenor, President Emeritus of the Na� onal Geographic Society

The Class TeacherEach elementary school child begins the school day with an individual gree� ng and a fi rm handshake from the Class Teacher. In a Waldorf school, the class teacher stays with the class for several years, leading his or her class through each day’s morning lesson. This con� nuity enables a deep understanding of each student’s strengths and challenges and supports the development of a rich social dynamic in the class.

The Morning LessonStudents begin each day with a two-hour morning lesson which focuses on a par� cular academic subject, each las� ng three to four weeks. The subject ma� er is enlivened by the teacher through the arts of music, poetry, pain� ng, drawing, movement and drama. This allows the whole child to become absorbed in the subject ma� er with head, heart and hands.

Lesson BooksAs a vital part of learning, the children create their own lesson books; observa� ons, composi� ons, diagrams and drawings are recorded illustra� ng their studies. These colorful, very individualized books refl ect the progress of each student and are not only a record of what has been studied, but a method of inquiry, increasing the students’ capaci� es for crea� vity and for knowledge. They are a unique and vital part of Waldorf educa� on.

Specialty TeachersDuring the rest of the day, specialty teachers provide instruc� on in subject areas such as music, foreign languages, handcra� s, woodwork and physical educa� on.

Lower School (Grades 1-8)5

“My parents were looking for a school that would nurture the whole person...that was focused on educa� ng students with values, as well as the academic tools necessary to be construc� ve and contribu� ng human beings.” Kenneth Chenault, Waldorf and Harvard graduate, Former CEO American Express

“By the � me they reach us at the college and university level, these students are grounded broadly and deeply and have a remarkable enthusiasm for learning. Such students possess the eye of the discoverer, and the compassionate heart of the reformer which, when joined to a task, can change the planet.” Arthur Zajonc, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Physics, Amherst College

Entering the high school years, the student is now ready for rigorous intellectual and conceptual challenge, and the curriculum provides this in many forms. The high school main lesson blocks change every three to four weeks and are taught by teachers who are experts in their fi elds. From Shakespeare to anatomy, from trigonometry to the history of the modern world, the interdisciplinary current curriculum is designed to create in the Highland Hall students a holis� c understanding of the world. Students compose main lesson books for each block which express original thoughts and an awareness of the rela� onships between disciplines.

The study of many diff erent cultures allows students to gain a sense of the dignity of the human being and examine their own rela� onship to the world around them. A high point of the study comes in the 10th grade when, a� er studying Na� ve American cultures in history for three weeks, the students venture to the Southwest for a journey among the Anasazi ruins in Colorado accompanied by a Na� ve American guide.

An ac� ve sports program provides students the opportunity to par� cipate in basketball, soccer, volleyball, and other compe� � ve league ac� vi� es. In the arts, students now engage in more challenging, crea� ve endeavors. Their work with pain� ng, music, sculpture, and handwork increasingly refl ects the students’ deepening powers of expression. Orchestra, chorus, drama classes, and the hand bell choir also give balance to the challenges of academic life.

Highland Hall graduates are accepted to excellent colleges and universi� es. A Waldorf high school educa� on off ers much more than a solid academic founda� on. When Highland Hall students graduate, they are equipped intellectually, emo� onally, and spiritually to meet the future and help shape it.

High School (Grades 9-12) 6

7 Lesson BooksAs a vital part of their learning, the students create an ongoing record of subjects in their lesson books, special books with compos� ons, observa� ons, diagrams, and illustra� ons.

1st Grade - Math 2nd Grade - Book of Fables 3rd Grade - The Old Testament

4th Grade - Animal Kingdom 5th Grade - Botany 6th Grade - Spanish

“I am absolutely convinced that the educa� on I received at Highland Hall was instrumental to my success...It has allowed me to approach problems crea� vely and work collabora� vely with all types of people—ar� sts, engineers, architects as well as machinists.”

Peter Carlson, Founder Carlson Arts

“What Waldorf gave me was a way to be a thinker in an ar� s� c way, without having my thinking, feeling, my willing completely divorced from one another. These things are integrated in a Waldorf educ� on - complete involvement in what you are learning.” Gertrude Reif Hughes, Chair English Department, Wesleyan University

8 Lesson Books (Con� nued)As they approach the high school years, the students’ lesson books con� nue to evolve and express more original thought and an awareness of the rela� onships between disciplines.

7th Grade - Medieval History 8th Grade - Anatomy 9th Grade - Physiology

10th Grade - Mechanics 11th Grade - Anatomy 12th Grade - Shakespeare

9 Curriculum HighlightsCurriculum

The unique Waldorf curriculum is designed so that each year builds upon the work of the previous year. In the Waldorf pedagogy there is an awareness of the importance of bringing the right thing at the right � me.

10 Curriculum HighlightsCurriculum (Con� nued)

The school day begins with an in-depth morning lesson that concentrates on a par� cular subject for several weeks. This longer period allows the teacher to develop a wide variety of ac� vi� es that enliven the subject at hand.

Highland Hall Waldorf School 17100 Superior Street, Northridge CA 91325 Tel. 818.349.1394 www.highlandhall.org

Highland Hall At A Glance 11General Informa� on

Type of School: Private, Independent, Co-ed

Grades: Nursery through Grade 12

Year Founded: 1955

Number of students: 250

Average Class Size: 17

Faculty Student Ra� o: 1:7

Campus size: 11 acres

Accredita� on: WASC, AWSNA

Uniforms: No

Summer Programs: Yes

Academics, Enrichment & Athle� cs

Average SAT 2013: Crit. Reading 561 Math 530 Wri� ng 597 Combined 1686

Music Programs: Orchestra, Handbell Choir, Recorder, Chorus

Language Programs: Spanish, German

Enrichment Classes: Drama, Watercolor Pain� ng, Life Drawing, Stonecarving, Woodcarving, Woodshop, Blacksmithing, Sewing, Kni� ng, Bookbinding, Gardening

Team Sports: Basketball, Volleyball, So� ball, Soccer, Archery

Athle� c Facili� es: Gym, Sports Field, Archery Range, 4 Play Yards

“If you’ve had the experience of binding a book, kni� ng a sock, playing a recorder, then you feel that you can build a rocket ship-or learn a so� ware program you’ve never touched. It’s not bravado, just a quiet confi dence. There is nothing you can’t do.” Peter Nitze, Waldorf and Harvard graduate, CEO Nitze-Stagen