Strategic Path Update – June 2025
Dear Richmond Waldorf School Community,
I have the esteemed pleasure of standing at the crosswalk next to the Early Childhood drop off location in the mornings each day. There are so many stories I could tell from these experiences as our families make their way on to our campus. One thing that I see regularly that stands out is observing so many of our grade school students waving at their former early childhood teachers as they circle the corner to make their way to the back wooden gate for their drop off. The path that our teachers form for our students is one they walk for many years with an advocate walking with them along the way.
The steadiness that comes to mind when I think of this long-term student-teacher relationship reminds me of how important it is to remain focused on the sustained influence and impact of our collective efforts. Being in community with one another requires a measure of vulnerability and attention to growth. Collectively, during the almost 2 years previous to the setting of our long-range strategic plan, we spent time in deep reflection as a community to see where we needed to go as a school over the next 5 years.
Our first steps for the 2030 Strategic Path, our long-range plan, have been taken!
We stepped forward together into some courageous goals that will mark our school for many years to come.
- We have started into the development of a masterplan to consider the renovation and expansion of our campus to better meet the needs of our programs. With so many different ways in which we utilize our space, it remains essential that we receive feedback from all the realms of our school in order to make fully informed decisions.
- The curriculum, which our teachers bring to life each day, is being reviewed by a dedicated committee with a mindset towards the renewal of how we bring Waldorf education in the best possible way to our students that enter our classrooms. This committee has been meeting weekly throughout the school year to review our grades curriculum and are beginning to review the early childhood and specialty subject curricula. These essential documents will be supportive to our teachers, whether they have been with us for 15 years or 15 minutes. Supporting our teachers throughout their journey is part of our strategic work towards retention and needed recruitment.
- Building vibrant community connections begins with commitment. Working closely with one of our community partners, Community Foundation, the school has created a Community Commitment Statement. This statement found below is a marker in the path towards mapping out who we will partner with in service of the Richmond community:
At Richmond Waldorf School, our commitment to the community is centered on fostering meaningful connections, enhancing student learning through real-world experiences, and strengthening partnerships with families and the wider community. With a focus on the Northside of Richmond, we aim to cultivate a sense of belonging, collaboration, and mutual purpose that aligns with our Waldorf values – to help ensure that every service interaction enriches both our students and the communities we serve.
These initial steps of progress on our 2030 Strategic Path are examples of a wider effort to continue this work together. Many committees and employees have established professional goals that move us further down the path. These milestones of progress will be further laid out on the school’s website by our next update in the fall.
How to move our pathways forward comes from innovative ideas, some that are still being developed. If you have an idea that you would like to share that requires a measure of funding to make it happen, I would encourage you to submit a short application for our Innovation Funds. These funds will be awarded to projects that directly support the 2030 Strategic Path. Applications can be submitted by any member of the RWS community.
Though there are many people to thank that have contributed to the development and successful launch of our long-range plan, there is none like Heather Simon that has championed this work for nearly 3 years as a board member and parent in this community. Please join me in extending your gratitude to her in all her work to care and love for the school we all enjoy. Her humble and dedicated focus to see this path is a great testament to us all as we seek to leave a lasting legacy on this community.
Together We Serve,
Andrew Ross,
Director of Administration
Want to Learn More?
We would love for you to explore the Waldorf approach! Sign up for a tour, or watch our school video where students talk about life at Richmond Waldorf School. Get to know us and see if RWS is right for your child.
At Richmond Waldorf School, we recognize that our student’s physical, social, and emotional well-being are a key part of their ability to learn and thrive. We look forward to meeting you and sharing more information about Waldorf education!
Alexandra Mazeres
Director of Enrollment & Development
| 804-377-8024 ext 3
Richmond Waldorf School is a non-profit, private school in Richmond, Virginia offering Waldorf education for grades Pre-K – 8th grade.
