A Gentle Beginning: Inside the Stepping Stones Preschool at Susquehanna Waldorf School
Choosing a preschool is one of the first, and most tender decisions you will make for your child. Beneath the logistics and schedules, there is often a quieter set of questions parents carry:
Will my child feel truly safe here?
Will they be seen for who they are?
Will this be a place where childhood is protected, not rushed?
At Susquehanna Waldorf School, nestled between Lancaster and York Counties, our Stepping Stones preschool offers something both simple and increasingly rare: a childhood rooted in warmth, wonder, and time to grow.
When You First Walk In
When you step into a Stepping Stones classroom, you may notice something immediately before a single word is spoken.
You’ll hear the soft rhythm of children at play: the clink of wooden dishes in a play kitchen, the murmur of a story being told, the gentle hum of a teacher singing as they knead dough for pretzels.
You’ll see sunlight filtering through soft pink curtains, baskets of pinecones and shells waiting to be discovered, and children fully absorbed in imaginative worlds of their own making. You may even catch the comforting scent of simmering soup or beeswax in the air.
It is a place that feels different.
Many parents pause, take it in, and quietly say:
“This feels like the childhood I wish I had.”
And the beautiful truth is, when you choose this environment for your child, you are invited into that experience too.
A Different Beginning
In a world that often asks young children to do more, faster, we intentionally take a different path.
In our Pre-K Stepping Stones classes, serving children ages 2 years, 9 months through 4, we understand that early childhood is not a race toward academics. It is a time to build the foundation that makes learning joyful, meaningful, and sustainable.
Children learn best through movement, imitation, sensory experience, and, most importantly, play.
Here, you will find children:
- Building imaginative worlds from simple, natural materials
- Baking bread and preparing snacks alongside their teachers
- Listening, wide-eyed, to stories told from the heart
- Spending generous stretches of time outdoors in every season
There are no flashing toys or hurried transitions. Instead, there is rhythm, repetition, and a sense of calm that allows children to settle deeply into their day, and into themselves.
“We wanted to find a learning environment that was more nourishing… we were hoping to find somewhere that felt like an extension of home, where real connections were built and things like emotional well-being, creativity, and culture were prioritized.”
- Stepping Stones Parent, Paige K.
A Place to Be Held Gently
Stepping Stones is often described as a “home away from home,” but even that doesn’t fully capture it. It is a place where childhood is held with great care and intention.
Our teachers move through the day with warmth and purpose, offering gentle guidance rather than pressure. Each child is truly known, their strivings, their sensitivities, their emerging strengths.
When children feel safe, they are free to explore, create, and build relationships with confidence.
There is no rush here.
Children are given the space to unfold in their own time, through meaningful, multi-sensory experiences that nurture not just thinking, but feeling and doing.
Rooted in Nature
Each day, children explore outside, not as a break from learning, but as an essential part of it.
They dig, climb, balance, and observe. They feel the crispness of autumn air, the quiet of falling snow, the exuberance of spring mud, and the warmth of the summer sun.
They come to know the world not through explanation, but through relationship.
And in doing so, they develop something deeper than knowledge: a lasting sense of connection, resilience, and belonging.
“Our daughter comes home from SWS gloriously filthy, talking about the bugs she found… or the animals she saw. She sings songs about the seasons and the festivals. I am confident she’s in an environment that will help her to know herself, develop a passion for learning, and appreciate the connections between people, society, and nature.”
- Parent, Dave J.
The Work of Imagination
In Stepping Stones, a play silk can become a river, a crown, or a shelter. A simple block can become anything at all.
This is not “just play” - it is the serious work of childhood.
Through imaginative play, children develop creativity, flexibility in thinking, and the inner resources they will draw on for years to come. These are the quiet foundations not only for academic success, but for a rich and engaged life.
A Community for the Whole Family
What many families don’t expect is how much they themselves will feel at home here.
Stepping Stones is not just a classroom - it is a community. Relationships between teachers and families are close, supportive, and genuine. There is space for conversation, connection, and shared understanding.
“The Waldorf philosophy seemed like the best fit for our family and for our daughter, and SWS truly embodies that philosophy. The school and staff have such a warm and nourishing energy that you can feel starting with the tour. It’s clear that SWS is a special place, and we’re happy to be part of it.”
- Stepping Stones Parent
A Foundation That Lasts
The goal of our preschool program is not to accelerate children into academics, but to prepare them deeply and thoughtfully for what comes next.
Children who leave Stepping Stones carry with them something that cannot be measured on a checklist:
- A deep sense of security
- Confidence and growing independence
- Strong social and emotional awareness
- The ability to focus, engage, and imagine
They are not just prepared for Kindergarten, they are prepared to meet the world as curious, capable learners.
Come See for Yourself
There is only so much that can be put into words.
To truly understand Stepping Stones, you have to step inside–to sit in the quiet hum of the classroom, to watch children at play, to feel the difference.
If you find yourself longing for a slower, more intentional, more joyful beginning for your child…
We invite you to reach out.
Because programs like this are rare, and spaces are limited.
✨ Schedule a visit and discover how a gentle beginning can shape a lifetime.
The Outdoor Classroom: Why Nature Belongs in Education
As spring unfolds, the world around us begins to awaken. Buds appear on branches, birds return with their morning songs, and the earth softens under warmer sunlight. For children, this season invites movement, curiosity, and a natural desire to be outdoors.
At Susquehanna Waldorf School, nature is not separate from learning. It is an essential part of it.
Learning Through Direct Experience
Children understand the world most deeply when they experience it with their whole bodies. Feeling the cool air on their skin, noticing the texture of tree bark, watching a seed grow into a plant. These moments are not extras to learning. They are the foundation of it.
In the outdoor classroom, lessons come alive. A science concept becomes visible in the changing seasons. A story finds meaning in the landscape around it. Even the simplest discoveries, a worm in the soil, a pattern in the clouds, can spark wonder and inquiry.
The Benefits of Outdoor Learning
Time in nature supports every aspect of a child’s development.
- Physical growth is strengthened through movement, balance, and coordination.
- Emotional well-being is nurtured through fresh air, open space, and sensory richness.
- Social skills develop as children collaborate, explore, and solve problems together.
- Focus and attention are restored, allowing children to return to indoor work with greater readiness.
Nature offers something that no classroom alone can provide. It invites both activity and calm, challenge and restoration.
Building Resilience Through the Seasons
At SWS, children spend time outdoors in all seasons. They learn that the world does not stop when it is cold, wet, or windy. Instead, they discover that they are capable of meeting those conditions with strength and adaptability.
Putting on boots, bundling up, and stepping outside on a chilly day builds more than physical endurance. It builds confidence. Children begin to trust in their own abilities and develop a sense of resilience that carries into all areas of life.
A Relationship with the Natural World
Through regular time outdoors, children form a relationship with nature that is both personal and lasting. They come to recognize seasonal rhythms, to care for the environment around them, and to feel a sense of belonging within the natural world.
This connection fosters not only curiosity but also responsibility. Children who feel connected to the earth are more likely to care for it with intention and respect.
Bringing Nature into Family Life
Many families find that their children naturally carry this love of the outdoors home with them. Simple moments, walking after dinner, tending a small garden, or noticing the first signs of spring, become opportunities to extend the school experience into daily life.
Nature does not require elaborate plans. It asks only for attention and presence.
A Place to Grow
The outdoor classroom offers children something deeply needed in today’s world. Space to move, to imagine, to explore, and to simply be.
As spring continues to unfold, we are reminded that growth happens in its own time. With care, patience, and the right environment, children, like the natural world around them, develop in ways that are both steady and profound.
At Susquehanna Waldorf School, we are grateful to learn alongside them, under open skies and changing seasons.
Why Imagination Matters in Education
Walk into a Waldorf first-grade classroom as students are learning about letters, perhaps the letter “K.” There is no worksheet in sight.
Instead, you might hear about a noble King who rules his Kingdom with courage and kindness. You might see children standing tall like royal guards, tracing the tall, strong lines of the letter K in the air. And one day, when the King must travel, the Council Cat, clever and whiskered, climbs onto the throne to “speak for the King.”
Suddenly, the letters aren't just symbols on a page.
They have weight. Shape. Personality. Story.
And long after the page is turned, that letter lives in the child’s imagination.
At Susquehanna Waldorf School, imagination isn’t decoration. It is the doorway through which understanding enters.
Imagination as the Seed of Learning
Before children can grasp abstract ideas, they must experience them. They must feel them, picture them, move with them.
Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf education, once said:
“Imagination is the foundation of all higher knowledge.”
In the early grades, we see this truth unfold daily.
In math, numbers are not introduced as detached symbols. A teacher may tell a story of four woodland friends gathering acorns for winter. The children move the acorns, draw them, and experience what “fourness” feels like. Multiplication becomes rhythmic clapping and stepping patterns before it becomes a written algorithm.
In science, a third-grade class doesn’t begin with definitions of erosion. They begin outside, hands in soil, watching water carry earth across the schoolyard after a rainstorm. They draw what they observe. They tell the story of what the water did. Only later do formal terms arise.
This approach is not about fantasy for its own sake. It is about making ideas vivid enough that children can enter them fully, intellectually and emotionally. When learning begins in experience and imagination, it sticks. It becomes part of who students are.
Supporting the Whole Child
Imagination nourishes every dimension of development.
Cognitive Growth
When children picture a story problem before solving it, or imagine multiple endings to a historical turning point, they practice flexible thinking. They learn to approach challenges from more than one angle.
Emotional Depth
In fourth grade, students study local geography by first hearing the story of the land, how rivers carve valleys, how mountains rise. The land is not a diagram; it is alive with meaning. Students begin to feel connected to place, not just informed about it.
Social Understanding
In middle school history, students step into the lives of those they study—debating as senators in ancient Rome or taping paper beneath their desks to sketch overhead, catching a small glimpse of what it may have felt like for Michelangelo painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel during the Renaissance. Imagination becomes the bridge to empathy. They begin to ask not just what happened, but why someone might have believed as they did.
This integration of thinking, feeling, and doing lies at the heart of Waldorf education. Imagination is what weaves them together.
Imagination Across the Curriculum
Imaginative learning does not live in one subject. It moves through the day.
- Language arises from poetry, story, and rich oral tradition before grammar rules are abstracted.
- Math is carried in rhythm, movement, and narrative before it is symbolized.
- Science begins in careful observation and wonder before analysis.
- History is encountered as human drama before it becomes a timeline.
In fifth grade, students reenact the ancient Greek Olympics, feeling the cultural spirit of the time before studying its political structures. In middle school physics, students observe phenomena like the arc of a pendulum or the behavior of light before deriving the formulas that describe them.
Because ideas are first experienced, they are remembered. Understanding grows from within, rather than being placed from without.
Preparing Children for a Changing World
The future will not reward memorization alone. It will ask for creativity, resilience, empathy, and original thinking.
Children who are encouraged to imagine boldly are more likely to:
- Ask meaningful questions
- See connections others miss
- Approach problems with flexibility
- Offer ideas that are new, not rehearsed
Imagination is not the opposite of rigor. It is the source of innovation.
When a child has spent years bringing letters to life, walking through stories, shaping ideas with their hands, and picturing possibilities beforesolving them, they develop an inner resourcefulness that extends far beyond the classroom.
Joy as the Current Beneath Learning
There is something unmistakable about a classroom where imagination is active.
You see it in the way first graders lean forward during a story.
In the hush that falls when a teacher begins a historical tale.
In the laughter that bubbles up during a rhythmic math exercise.
Learning feels meaningful. Alive. Worth doing.
When joy is present, children do not ask, “Will this be on the test?”
They ask, “What happens next?”
And that curiosity becomes the engine of lifelong learning.
Imagination is not an extra.
It is how children come to know the world deeply and humanly.
If you would like to see imaginative learning in action, we invite you to visit Susquehanna Waldorf School and experience how imagination shapes every grade, from the first story to the final project.
You Can’t Download Resilience
There is a story circulating from a longtime public high school woodshop teacher, thirty years in the classroom, sawdust in his lungs, scars on his hands. In the story, a student stands trembling with anger, holding a mallet, overwhelmed by a world that feels too loud and too divided.
The teacher doesn’t call security. He doesn’t escalate.
He hands the student a block of rough wood and tells him to sand.
What follows is not a lesson in woodworking. It’s a lesson in being human.
The students sand knots and splinters. They feel resistance. Their arms grow tired. The room fills with the smell of wood dust and effort. Slowly, something shifts. When the beeswax is finally rubbed into the grain, beauty emerges, not despite the imperfections, but because of them.
This story resonates because it names something many of us feel, but struggle to articulate: children today are overwhelmed, disembodied, and hungry for experiences that feel real.
At Susquehanna Waldorf School, this understanding is not new. Long before smartphones and virtual reality, Waldorf education recognized that children develop resilience, confidence, and emotional regulation through meaningful work with their hands.
Handwork, Practical Arts, farming, baking, painting, these are not “extras.” They are essential.
When a child sands a piece of wood, they encounter friction. They learn patience. They discover that transformation takes time and effort. They experience agency: I can change this with my own hands.
In a digital world, discomfort can be avoided with a swipe. Mistakes can be edited quickly. In real life, growth requires staying present. Sanding teaches what scrolling cannot.
This is why technology is introduced intentionally and developmentally at Waldorf schools. Not because we reject the future, but because we understand what children need in order to meet it with strength and discernment.
You cannot download resilience.
You cannot 3D-print character.
But you can cultivate them, slowly, rhythmically, and with care, by giving children work that is real, grounding, and human.
In times of cultural noise and emotional heaviness, embodied work matters more than ever. This is how grit is made.
Original story from Decode Vale.
The Power of Rhythm: How Waldorf Education Builds Resilience
January often arrives quietly. After the brightness and bustle of the holidays, families return to routines, classes settle back into familiar patterns, and the steady work of the school year resumes. In Waldorf education, this return to rhythm is not accidental. It is essential.
Rhythm is one of the most powerful and supportive tools we offer children. It creates a sense of security, builds resilience, and allows learning to unfold with confidence and calm.
Why Rhythm Matters
Children thrive when their days have a predictable flow. Knowing what comes next allows them to relax into the moment at hand, freeing their energy for learning, creativity, and connection. In Waldorf classrooms, rhythm shapes the day, the week, and the year.
Morning circles, focused academic work, artistic practice, outdoor play, and closing activities arrive in a consistent order. This repetition is not rigid. It is reassuring. Over time, it helps children develop inner steadiness and trust in their environment.
Rhythm as a Foundation for Resilience
Resilience is often misunderstood as toughness or independence. For children, true resilience grows from feeling safe, supported, and understood. Rhythm provides that foundation.
When challenges arise, a new academic concept, a social struggle, or a moment of frustration, children are better able to meet them because their world feels reliable. The steady rhythm of the classroom becomes an anchor. From that place of security, children are more willing to try, to persist, and to grow.
Seasonal Rhythm and the Winter Months
Winter brings a natural turning inward. In Waldorf education, we honor this seasonal shift by slowing down, deepening focus, and nurturing inner life. Storytelling, handwork, music, and thoughtful academic work support children during this quieter time of year.
Outdoor play remains an important part of the day, even in the cold. Time in nature builds physical resilience and reminds children that they are capable and strong in all seasons.
Rhythm Beyond the Classroom
Families often tell us that Waldorf rhythm extends into their home life in meaningful ways. Regular mealtimes, bedtime routines, weekly traditions, and seasonal celebrations all echo the rhythms children experience at school.
These simple patterns help children feel grounded and connected, especially during times of transition. They also offer parents a sense of steadiness in the busy work of family life.
Rhythm Begins with the Grown-Ups
Children learn rhythm not only by living within it, but by watching the adults around them strive toward it. This does not require perfection, nor does it demand a tightly scheduled home. Even the most flexible families can offer rhythm in small, human ways.
When parents choose one or two steady touchstones in their own day, such as morning tea before the house wakes, a walk after dinner, or lighting a candle before bedtime, they model something powerful. They show that life has anchors. These moments become a kind of safe harbor, grounding both parent and child.
A Gift for Life
As we begin the new year together, we are reminded that resilience does not come from rushing ahead. It grows quietly through consistency, connection, and the gentle strength of rhythm. Rhythm offers a sense of arrival. A feeling that no matter how full or scattered the day has been, there is a place where we come back together. Children feel this deeply, and parents often discover that these gentle routines nourish them just as much.
Winter, especially, invites us to slow down. The darker evenings and quieter pace of the season support earlier bedtimes, shared meals, and moments of connection that do not require planning or performance. Reading aloud, cooking together, handwork at the table, or simply sitting close at the end of the day all build warmth and belonging.
Rather than adding more, rhythm often asks us to do less. To repeat what works, to linger a little longer, and to allow creativity and connection to arise naturally. Over time, these small, steady gestures weave themselves into family life, offering reassurance, calm, and a deep sense of security.
In this way, rhythm becomes a shared gift. A grounding presence. A safe landing for everyone.
The Importance of Community for Parents
Parenting young children is both beautiful and demanding. Between drop-offs, lunches, work, and daily life, it’s easy to feel like you’re carrying the load alone. But the truth is, we’re not meant to parent in isolation.
Historically, raising children was shared by extended families, neighbors, and whole villages. Today, schools have become one of the most natural places for parents to find that same connection. The families we meet through our children’s classrooms often become the friends, supporters, and allies who walk this parenting journey alongside us. At Susquehanna Waldorf School, community is not just a bonus - it’s at the heart of everything we do.
Community at the Heart of Waldorf Education
In Waldorf education, community is a foundational principle. The relationships between students, parents, and teachers are strengthened through shared experiences, long-term connections, and active participation in school life. From festivals and Parent Guild meetings to classroom volunteering and assemblies, the rhythm of the year is built around opportunities to gather, celebrate, and support one another.
This sense of belonging not only enriches the life of the school, but it also serves as a model for our children. When they see adults working together with care and dedication, they learn the values of collaboration, compassion, and shared responsibility.
What Community Looks Like at SWS
- Teacher-Family Relationships: Our teachers nurture deep, long-term connections with students and families. While a teacher may not always journey with a class from 1st through 8th grade in the full Waldorf tradition, the focus remains on developing multi-year relationships to their fullest. Even when challenges arise, working through them with openness and respect gives children a living example of healthy, resilient relationships.
- Shared Responsibility: Parents are considered vital partners in the educational process. Their time, energy, and creativity bring life to the school in countless ways. From helping at festivals to lending expertise on committees, parents’ contributions make SWS what it is.
- Parent Guild: Parent Guild serves as the heartbeat of parent involvement, coordinating volunteers, fostering friendships, and providing a network of support. It’s not just about getting things done, it’s about building community while doing it
- Festivals and Celebrations: Seasonal and cultural festivals are a cherished Waldorf tradition, offering meaningful opportunities for families to connect. Watching a new first-grader receive a rose from their eighth-grade buddy at the Rose Ceremony is unforgettable, not only for that moment, but because we know in time, that same child will stand tall as the older student offering a rose to the next little one.
The Benefits of Belonging
- Support for Students: A strong community helps children build motivation, resilience, and social-emotional skills while giving them a true sense of belonging.
- Growth for Parents: Engaging in school life isn’t only about supporting your child; it’s also a path of personal growth. Parents discover new skills, reflect on their own journeys, and form friendships that last well beyond the school years.
- A Living Model: Children learn best by example. Seeing their parents and teachers invested in community teaches them the importance of showing up for something larger than themselves.
- Lasting Relationships: The long-term connections formed here become deep friendships and a sense of stability that often carry forward into adulthood.
We’re In This Together
The years of raising young children are full and demanding, but they are also rich with opportunities to create bonds and shared purpose. At Susquehanna Waldorf School, parents quickly discover they’re not just dropping children off each day; they’re stepping into a living, breathing community of families, teachers, and staff, all working together for the children’s well-being.
Because at SWS, school is not only where children learn. It’s where families grow, too.
Student Spotlight: Lucas and Peace Kids Art to the Rescue
At the Susquehanna Waldorf School, we take pride in nurturing not only the intellectual and creative capacities of our students, but also their sense of purpose and compassion for the world. One shining example of this is Lucas Kreider, a remarkable middle school student whose vision and heart have brought a growing community project to life: Peace Kids Art to the Rescue, a unique annual art auction with a mission.
Peace Kids Art to the Rescue is more than an art show, it’s a movement of young artists using creativity as a catalyst for kindness. Each year, the event brings together students to share their artwork and raise funds to support those in need. What began as one child’s wish to help others has blossomed into a tradition that unites community, compassion, and creativity.
When asked what first inspired him, Lucas reflected, “When I was five years old, my mom and I used to drive around and give out kindness bags to people experiencing homelessness. This exposure led me to want to do more for people who had less than I did. At that time I was really into art, so over breakfast one morning, I asked my mom whether we could have a children’s art show so we could raise money for those in need.”
From that simple idea came an initiative that has grown every year—powered by dedication, collaboration, and heart. Over time, Lucas has seen how the event has become a reflection of the generosity within his community. “I am inspired that the community has taken so well to this event and that they can unite for a good cause,” he shared. “As for myself, I have learned that how I treat someone has a ripple effect on how they treat others. Kindness grows!”
Lucas credits his Waldorf education as a key influence in both his artistic expression and his confidence to bring his ideas to life. “Waldorf education is very art driven, so that is likely where my interest in art came from. Also, going to a Waldorf school has helped me feel safe to be myself and given me confidence to pursue my dreams.”
Of course, growing a community initiative hasn’t been without its challenges. Lucas spoke candidly about some of the obstacles he and his family have faced: “Finding money and donations to put on the show and grow it has been an ongoing challenge. Another problem we have encountered is attempting to have children of different backgrounds—sexual orientation, ethnicities, gender identification, religion, socioeconomic status—participate in the show.”
In true Waldorf spirit, Lucas and his team have met these challenges with creativity and perseverance. “To raise money, we’ve expanded what we offer by adding periodic Peace Art Workshops, with the revenue going toward growing the show. We’ve also begun to apply for grants. Increasing diversity among young artists continues to be a challenge, which we’re addressing by meeting with nonprofits who support children in some capacity.”
Through every phase of the project, Lucas’s motivation remains rooted in service and inspiration. “I hope that children and young adults will be inspired by Peace Kids to start their own projects—car washes, lemonade stands—to support those marginalized in their communities. I also hope that kids feel a sense of pride and confidence in themselves through being in the art show.”
Lucas and Peace Kids Art to the Rescue exemplify Susquehanna Waldorf School’s mission to cultivate compassionate, creative, and confident individuals who bring light and purpose to the world. Lucas’s story demonstrates that when education nourishes both the heart and the imagination, extraordinary things can grow.
To learn more about Peace Kids Art to the Rescue or to make a donation, visit peacekidsart.com.
Special thanks to the many SWS students and alumni who have contributed their talents and spirit to Peace Kids over the years:
Catherine Myers, Sophia Anderson, Iris Clements, Gus Kramer, Sylvia Kramer, Claire Pargament, Junie Whitaker, Izzy Wilmoth, Evie Wilmoth, Ava Ruggley, Olivia Franklin, Lyla Franklin, Mia Franklin, Will Lutz, Colette Myers, Lucy Fletcher, David Long, Gisela Pecora, Delaney Grimes, Dempsey Grimes, and Mary Wolgamuth.
Susquehanna Waldorf School Named Best Private School in Lancaster County
We’re thrilled to share some wonderful news! 🎉
Susquehanna Waldorf School (SWS) has been named “Best Private School” in Lancaster by Lancaster County Magazine’s annual Best of Lancaster awards.
This recognition is a heartfelt reflection of our incredible community - the students, families, teachers, and staff who bring Waldorf education to life every single day.
A Celebration of Our Community
It takes many hands, many voices, many hours, and a great deal of love to make Susquehanna Waldorf School what it is today, a place where:
- Children are encouraged to discover a lifelong love of learning
- Families find a welcoming, supportive community
- Education nourishes the head, heart, and hands
We want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who voted for SWS and who continues to share the beauty and impact of Waldorf education in Lancaster County.
Celebrating Excellence in Teaching: Mrs. Melissa McIntyre
Our celebration doesn’t stop there! 🌟
SWS’s own Melissa McIntyre has been voted one of the best Teachers of the Year in Lancaster County - an honor that speaks to her deep dedication, skill, and love for her students.
Since joining SWS in 2003 as a Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. McIntyre has become a beloved guide, mentor, and leader among our talented faculty. Her calm, nurturing presence and passion for Waldorf education have supported countless students and families over the years.
Beyond the classroom, Melissa is the proud mother of three SWS alumni and a joyful grandmother to the next generation of SWS students. She embodies the warmth, wisdom, and sense of community that make our school so special.
Congratulations, Melissa! Your work inspires us all. 💚
Why Waldorf Education Shines in Lancaster County
At SWS, we believe education is more than academics — it’s about nurturing curiosity, creativity, and compassion. Through a curriculum rich in imagination, movement, music, and nature, students at SWS learn to think independently, act with empathy, and approach the world with wonder.
As Lancaster County’s Best Private School, we’re proud to offer families a holistic education that prepares children not only for high school and beyond, but for a lifetime of purposeful living and joyful learning.
Thank You, Lancaster County!
We’re so grateful to Lancaster County Magazine and our wonderful community for this recognition. To every student, parent, teacher, alum, and friend of SWS - you are the reason we shine.
If you’re new to SWS or curious about what makes Waldorf education unique, we invite you to visit our campus, meet our teachers, and experience the magic for yourself.
Explore the full Best of Lancaster issue at LancasterCountyMagazine.com.
💛 Ready to learn more? Schedule a Tour
Festivals as Living Lessons: How Waldorf Traditions Nurture Courage and Connection
As the seasons turn, the rhythm of the year unfolds at Susquehanna Waldorf School in a cycle of celebration, reflection, and gratitude. Each festival—whether Michaelmas Festival of Courage, Martinmas, or May Day—carries a story, an image, and a gesture that meets the child where they are developmentally. Through song, story, and shared experience, these festivals become more than mere events; they are living lessons that awaken courage, reverence, and a deep sense of belonging.
Michaelmas Festival of Courage: Meeting the Dragon
In the golden light of early autumn, the festival of Michaelmas calls us to awaken our inner strength and face the “dragons” within and around us. Waldorf schools celebrate Michaelmas as a festival of courage and renewal, inspired by the story of Archangel Michael, recognized across many world religions and cultures as a symbol of light overcoming darkness. This image reminds us that bravery is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to act with goodness and resolve even when faced with challenge.
For the youngest children, the spirit of Michaelmas lives in the simple rhythm of their days, gathering the harvest, kneading and baking bread, singing songs that carry warmth into the turning year. For older students, the stories and reflections deepen into questions of moral courage: How can I meet the challenges before me with compassion and strength? The entire community, students, teachers, and parents alike, comes together in this shared gesture of courage, carrying the light of the season into the darker months ahead.
Festival Life as Community Life
At SWS, festivals are the heartbeat of our school year, weaving together the threads of school and home life. The preparations themselves become acts of community and devotion: teachers craft stories and songs; students rehearse plays, dances, or processions; and parents lend their care and creativity to support each celebration.
In a world that often moves too quickly, these moments invite us to pause, to breathe, and to come together for a shared purpose. Festivals help children experience that they are part of something greater than themselves: a living, loving community that honors both the turning of the natural world and the seasons of the human heart.
Light in the Darkness
As autumn deepens and daylight wanes, festivals such as Martinmas and the Spiral of Light offer quiet beauty and inner warmth. The flicker of candlelight becomes a symbol of the light that endures within each of us, even through darkness and stillness. In these moments, reverence is not an idea but an experience, felt in the glow of a child’s face, the sound of voices raised in song, and the hush that falls when a single flame is carried through the dark.
Why We Celebrate
In Waldorf education, festivals are not performances or calendar markers; they are living expressions of the human journey. They honor the cycles of nature and the spiritual unfolding of the child, teaching through experience that joy, courage, and gratitude are part of life’s rhythm. Through celebration, we affirm again and again that courage can be practiced, kindness can be cultivated, and community is something we create together through intention and love.
As we gather for our autumnal festivals this year, may we each find courage in the turning of the seasons, gratitude in the work of our hands, and light in one another. These are the gifts our children carry with them, the enduring magic of Waldorf education.
The Value of a Waldorf Education Today
On the first day of school, a familiar scene unfolds at Susquehanna Waldorf School. Children carry bright backpacks, photos are taken in front of the brick archway, parents linger with hugs and goodbyes, and there’s a quiet hum of anticipation in the air. Year after year, we ask families: What brought you here?
The answers often sound like this:
“We wanted our child to be known.”
“We wanted an education that nurtures imagination and joy.”
“We wanted something different.”
These aren’t just words, they’re the heartbeat of why families choose Waldorf education. In a world where schooling can feel hurried, standardized, and disconnected from the rhythms of childhood, Waldorf offers something rare: a place where children grow not only in knowledge, but in wonder, compassion, and courage.
A Mission With Heart
At SWS, everything begins with our mission: to cultivate in each student the clarity of thought, sensitivity of feeling, and strength of will to live as free, responsible individuals who can bring purpose and meaning to their lives and to the lives of others.
Because we are mission-driven, not bound by state or corporate mandates, we can craft a responsive curriculum that reflects what children truly need today: intellectual rigor, yes, but also creativity, resilience, and compassion.
What does this look like day to day? Class 7 teacher Melissa McIntyre shares, “There are times when I have something in mind and I look at them and can tell, "they need to move their math today, they don’t need to write their math.” Keeping it surprising for them. Especially in the winter, it’s really important to keep it fresh in other ways. There have also been numerous times when I’ve brought a lesson, and I can sense how it interests them, so I changed the next couple of lessons to keep going in that direction. I make sure I meet all of their curiosities about a topic.”
Small Classes, Big Connections
Step into one of our classrooms, and you’ll notice right away: it feels personal. With an average student–teacher ratio of 10:1, every child is seen. Every voice matters.
This closeness allows teachers to know their students deeply, their strengths, their struggles, their quirks, their dreams. And that makes all the difference. When children feel safe, noticed, and valued, they are willing to take risks, make mistakes, and grow in ways that surprise even themselves.
Learning With Head, Heart, and Hands
Education at SWS is not just about filling minds; it’s about engaging the whole child. Our approach balances academics with artistic, practical, and physical learning:
- In math, children might paint a geometric progression with watercolors.
- In history, they might bring a story alive through drama.
- Outside, in all seasons, nature becomes their classroom.
- In Handwork and Practical Arts, they learn patience and persistence through knitting or woodworking.
- In Middle School, technology is introduced mindfully, so students don’t just use digital tools—they understand them through our Cyber Civics program.
This blend of intellect, creativity, and practical skill equips children not just for tests, but for life itself.
A Partnership With Families
Waldorf education is rooted in partnership. Parents are not bystanders here, they are allies. Festivals, class meetings, and volunteer opportunities weave families into a rich community life. Children feel that circle of love and support surrounding them, and it strengthens everything we do together.
Parent to three current students, Asia Pecora reflects, “When we came here, we found a place where we were able to have meaningful conversations and we developed relationships with our children’s teachers. So much trust was built.”
Lifelong Benefits
The true value of Waldorf education cannot be measured by a test score. It shows up in the spark of curiosity in a child who asks big questions. In the resilience of a student who doesn’t give up when things get hard. In the compassion of a graduate who goes into the world eager to make a difference.
At Susquehanna Waldorf School, we are proud to be more than a school. We are a community where children are inspired to live with purpose, joy, and connection.
Come see for yourself. Schedule a visit this fall and discover how Waldorf education can nurture your child’s growth.