Richmond Waldorf School Legacy Circle has been created as an avenue to support the mission of RWS through memorial giving. Gifts to the Legacy Circle can currently be directed towards either the John Moses Fund or the Maria Butler Fund, helping to grow our school in the areas these founding individuals were most passionate about.
Read on to learn more about each fund and learn how to make your contribution.
John Moses Fund
Equipped with their learned knowledge and interest in Rudolf Steiner’s anthroposophy, John and Sara Moses began their first Waldorf kindergarten around their kitchen table in 1985. That first class consisted of the two Moses children and a few others from the neighborhood. By 1988, they had outgrown their kitchen table, as enrollment expanded, and began renting space at a nearby church. From there, through ups and downs, the movement and desire for a Waldorf education option here in Richmond steadily grew into the thriving PreK-8th school we have today.
John spent over thirty years of his life giving unending service and deep commitment to Richmond Waldorf School. He rarely missed a Board meeting in the past three decades, and remained active right up until the week preceding his death.
John’s passion for the academic livelihood of every student was palpable when he frequently visited campus over the years. He was dedicated to continuously enriching the academic programs here at Richmond Waldorf School, and dreamed of expanding RWS to one day include a high school.
Donations to the John Moses Fund will honor John’s hopes for RWS, putting dollars towards the continuous enrichment of our academic programs and preparation for the eventual growth of our school. Learn more about John Moses here.
Maria Butler Fund
In 1992, while Richmond Waldorf School was still a fledgling institution, Maria Butler was a young mother looking for a school for her son. She stumbled upon Richmond Waldorf School, and while there was not room in class for her son, she was immediately intrigued. As destiny would have it, RWS was looking to fill a teaching position and hired Maria, an experienced elementary school teacher, for the upcoming school year. She threw herself into learning and studying Steiner’s philosophy, with the faculty weekly and attended Waldorf teacher training that summer in Sunbridge, NY. Sadly, that following summer for various reasons, Richmond Waldorf School closed its doors.
For the next several years, the passion and interest in Waldorf education continued to grow in Maria, and she was instrumental in the eventual reopening of RWS. In 1996, John Moses and Maria began conducting Waldorf parent education classes, slowly rebuilding the community’s momentum for a Waldorf school here in Richmond. By the fall of 1996, Maria had secured a new home for the school and they successfully reopened RWS with a kindergarten class of 14 children. From there, RWS was well on its way to the successful, and thriving PreK-8th school we have today.
Maria’s passion for both teacher and parent education will be continued through her Legacy Circle Fund, providing the funds needed to continually provide our educators and families with education opportunities that will enhance their Waldorf experience. Learn more about Maria Butler here.
Richmond Waldorf School is an IRC 501(c)(3) Organization / Federal Tax ID No: 54-1518603.
Richmond Waldorf School is a not-for-profit organization. We appreciate your generosity and support.
