Frequently Asked Questions

What does a typical school day look like?

The day begins as students enter the classroom and receive a greeting from their teacher, who pauses to make eye contact with each student and, in many classrooms, shake the students’ hands.

In the Early Childhood program, the day includes creative play; circle time; ample outdoor time that might include a hike or a trip to the farm; a homemade, organic lunch; then rest and more outdoor play to finish the day.

Main Lesson, a one-and-half-hour period with the class teacher in the Lower School and a subject teacher in the High School, is the entry point to the Lower School and High School day. This “in breath” allows students to settle themselves and concentrate on the task at hand. Main Lessons are taught in three- to four-week blocks devoted to a particular subject (history, math, science, English, social studies, etc.). Main Lessons might include spelling in the 1st grade, a study of the Mississippi River in the 5th grade, a world geography lesson in the 8th grade, and a physics experiment in the High School.

After snacks and time outdoors, students move on to their specialty classes, which fill the rest of the day: Fine or Applied Arts; Spanish or German; Orchestra, Chorus, or Band; Handwork; and Eurythmy (a movement art exclusive to Waldorf schools).

After school, some students participate in the Equestrian Program, while others play sports or get involved in community service activities. Some have instrument lessons; others stay in our After-School program until 6:00 p.m.

What colleges and universities do your graduates attend?

More than 90% of Green Meadow’s graduates attend college. Click to see our High School Profile and recent college acceptances list.

Over 94% of Waldorf graduates nationwide attend college, with 88% completing their degree. This compares favorably with the 90% of private high school graduates that attend college and the 76% of private school graduates that complete their college career. Waldorf graduates are three times as likely to study social and behavioral sciences, and twice as likely to study science and math as the general United States population.

What career paths do your alumni take?

Green Meadow graduates go on to careers in such varied fields as business, education, information technology, law, medicine, politics, science, social services, and the arts.

Well-known graduates of Waldorf Schools internationally include Jennifer Aniston (actor), Matthaus Atkinson (NASA project engineer), Kenneth Chenault (CEO and chairman of American Express), Julianna Margulies (actor), Ferdinand Alexander Porsche (automotive engineer and designer for Porsche), Charles Rose (award-winning architect), Aram Roston (CNN correspondent), and Jens Stoltenberg (Prime Minister of Norway).

As a private school, what types of learning styles can Green Meadow serve?

How diverse is your student population?

Green Meadow serves students from a broad range of socio-economic, racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds, faith traditions,  and belief systems. Our students come from many different kinds of families and many countries of origin; some speak languages other than English at home; and they travel each day from about 90 different towns in 13 local counties.

Most recent statistics show that our student body is comprised of 39% students of color (20% Multiracial, 9% Asian, 6% Middle Eastern, 2% African-American, and 2% Latinx or Hispanic) and 61% White.

A group of students gather on a rock.

 

Read about our commitment to inclusivity in our Diversity Statement.

How do students transfer in or out of Green Meadow?

Each year, several students transfer into or out of Green Meadow. Depending on the grade level and the abilities of the particular child, we find in general that students transferring out are well prepared for their work in other schools. Students transferring in often need some time to develop their artistic skills and adjust to the academic rigor, the emphasis on critical thinking rather than test-taking, and the media policy.

What is your media policy and does it apply to parents?

Our media policy is geared toward our students, and parents are free to use media as they see fit. We ask that parents consider the effects of their media consumption on their family, however, and limit media use in the presence of their children in an age-appropriate way.

What is your policy on bullying?

Green Meadow has an active Social Inclusion Committee, made up of faculty working directly with students both in and out of the classroom. Our “justice without blame” approach to conflict resolution among students prioritizes accountability and self-reflection.

Our Student Social Action Committee (SSAC), made up of high school students, implements innovative solutions to teasing and bullying with younger students. The SSAC training, led by faculty, teaches older students to assist younger children, on the playground and in mediation of social conflict, and includes the creation of a buddy system that has proven very effective in reducing incidences of bullying on campus.

What opportunities do you offer for parental involvement?

Parent Leadership at Green Meadow Waldorf School consists of both the Parent Council delegates and the Class Parent representatives. The Class Parents help to support the Class Teacher and the Parent Council works school-wide; both groups build community throughout our school. Parent Leadership at Green Meadow Waldorf School provides a forum for parents to engage in open and honest communication between the school administration and the parent community, as well as encouraging and helping coordinate parent volunteer efforts throughout the year.

What is the difference between Waldorf and Montessori?

A very brief summary of the two approaches follows; we also encourage you to learn more from the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) and The International Montessori Index.

Waldorf Education serves children from birth through Grade 12. Montessori schools usually serve children from preschool through Grade 8. There is also a Montessori “Assistants to Infancy” program for babies and toddlers up to age 3.

Waldorf Early Childhood programs use natural toys, made of wood, silk, and wool. Montessori schools use Montessori-designed and -approved toys.

Waldorf classrooms are child-centered, teacher-led, and experiential. Children witness phenomena firsthand before they are taught the principles underlying those phenomena. In the early years, rhythm and routine are the cornerstones, building the child’s sense of safety and trust in the world. In the Lower School, students begin their academic training through an arts-infused curriculum, alongside physical and social activities. In the High School, a rigorous academic program is complemented by sports, a rich artistic life, an international exchange program, internship opportunities, and many community service initiatives. The goal of a Green Meadow education is to help our students reach their full potential and impart purpose and direction to their own lives.

In a Montessori classroom, according to The International Montessori Index, “there is no limit to how long a child can work on something she has chosen. At any one time in a day all subjects (practical work, math, language, science, history, geography, art, music, etc.) will be being studied, at all levels, by children of mixed ages learning from each other, facilitated by careful observation, individual lessons, record keeping, and help of the teacher.”

Many Waldorf Schools are accredited by the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA), which assures adherence to the Waldorf curriculum. Today, there are nearly 1000 Waldorf schools in 83 countries. In North America, there are more than 300 schools and 14 teacher education institutes in some level of development.

Montessori schools can elect to be accredited through the American Montessori Society (AMS). There are about 1,200 accredited Montessori schools in the United States. The Montessori method was developed in Italy around the same time as Waldorf Education, by physician and educator Dr. Maria Montessori.

The Waldorf curriculum was developed almost 100 years ago by Austrian scholar and philosopher Rudolf Steiner. Waldorf schools are usually called Steiner schools outside the US.

What advantages does a play-based Early Childhood program have over other programs?

A play-based program allows children to develop their gross and fine motor abilities and hone problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills. Time outdoors, immersed in imaginative play, is physically and psychologically healthy, decreasing stress and enabling children to work through everything they experience throughout the day, both individually and as a group.

What is unique about the Waldorf School’s approach to play, and what allows the children in our care to play creatively (even if they struggled to do so when they arrived), is that ample playtime is part of each school day. Playtime is both predictable and suitable in length for children’s play to unfold, develop, and transform.

In addition, Waldorf teachers understand the importance of the play environment and the materials that foster children’s imaginative play.  Too many toys, or toys that are too defined and pre-programmed, inhibit children’s creativity and limit their developing imaginations.  Our classrooms and outdoor play spaces offer open-ended play materials (like clothespins, cloths, benches, and wooden planks for building) that allow fluid, child-directed play, with objects transforming as the children’s scenarios change.

Here is one article -among hundreds- that supports play-based learning.

Is tuition assistance available?

We offer Scaled Tuition. Read our Tuition page to learn more.

Do you bus students, and from what school districts?

New York residents: New York state law currently requires school districts to transport private-school students to schools up to 15 miles away from their homes. Forms requesting bus transportation to private schools are due to the transportation office of the applicant’s local school district by April 1 each year. Please contact your school district directly for more information or to obtain a form.

New Jersey residents: please research eligibility criteria and application procedures for private school bus transportation here.

Read more about busing from NYC here.

What towns and counties do GMWS students come from?

We serve students from about 90 towns and 13 counties. Please contact Katharina Glaser in our Admissions Office (845.356.2514 x302) with any other questions, including questions about local busing, NYC busing, or carpooling.