Both of my children have been at the Davis Waldorf School since kindergarten. Initially we were not quite sure what we were signing up for, but we knew that older children that had attended the school could speak to adults in a coherent and mature manner, making eye contact and speaking with clarity and confidence. Each time we met a Waldorf teen, we were impressed with their intellect and demeanor. So, we thought we'd give it a try. Now that our children are in the upper grades, and I can look back on this journey, I can't say enough about this school. We heard grandparents worry that the children wouldn't learn to read or spell. Yet, as it turned out, both boys are avid readers and devour books because they learned to read in a supporting and nurturing fashion, the way Waldorf teachers bring all their lessons. And of course, because they read so much, their spelling is incredible and effortless. Math, science, Spanish, music, cultural studies, art, etc are all presented in a way to ensure each child can learn the material and excel. The children have the opportunity to learn with hands on projects, field trips and by engaging together and collaborating. At Waldorf, learning goes well beyond worksheets and rote memorization. The teachers have all been so amazing, not just for the children, but also in the they way they engage the parents. I am writing this now because last night I had one of those wonderful parenting moments where I got to see my 7th grader glow with pride as he figured out what he needed to do for his Rube Goldberg physics project. As I see both children grow, I am endless grateful for our wonderful school. read more

Was charged assessment fee and then told there was no room in the class. Was told there was room in another class I was interested in. Was told admissions/administration would call me back within day or two to answer my questions. Several days later and still haven't heard back from school. It's deceptive to charge assessment fee when admissions knows there isn't room available. Bad business practice not to return calls as promised. read more

Talked to Kelly by email many times. I was available 3 out of the 5 days they operate, in order to have a tour. Wanted to tour the campus to see if the school is right for my kids. Kelly could not set that up. But asked me for a multi-year commitment before I even had a chance to see if the school might be a good fit. It wasn't the only problem, but the the strangest. In my mind that sums everything up. A school with a sense of importance above the children and families they serve. It is not unusual for a school such as this to have this attitude. It is simple disappointing. Remember, if the person set up to interact with you when making an enrollment decision is unhelpful and inexperienced, think what the kids will get. Enrollment for the first time should be the honeymoon period. read more

i went to this school growing up kindergarten through 8th grade and it was honestly the most special experience i have ever had. i had such a wonderful bond with all my classmates and have so many good memories from this school. read more

I have three children at Davis Waldorf school and it is by far the best decision I have ever made for them. I know that when they're there they are learning and having the time of their lives. the teachers are caring and treat your children as if they were their own. It is truly the most nurturing school And the music and art program is exceptional. They give each child individual attention that allows them to grow in their own unique way while learning to be decent human beings and truly learning the value of communication between each other. I highly recommend Davis Waldorf school read more

Super expensive but we kept our daughter here for preschool because of teacher Jessica E. She's a saint and took care of our daughter as if she were her own. The Waldorf is blessed to have such a beautiful soul working there. read more

Our daughter has been at Waldorf since transferring in at the end of first grade (she's in fifth grade now). It's been a very positive experience. She has done well academically, and the head-heart-hands philosophy has helped make her a kinder, more rounded person. I definitely recommend it. read more

Our daughter attends Davis Waldorf, and we are so happy with the education she is receiving. It is giving her a solid foundation to discover who she is as an individual. She is learning to be a good human, in addition to her academics. Waldorf education is bringing her out of her shell, and she is thriving. Such a great community of people that we plan to keep as lifelong friends. read more

I have been around this school for years as a Preschool parent for my two boys. Preschool and Kindergarten are really good, but the grades are awful. The school pretends the students get the same level that in other schools and it aims to be proved by open-house and nation-wide tests. First, go to other middle schools in Davis: Waldorf students are not truly more advanced in art and are behind in general knowledge. Then, living in Davis with mostly highly educated parents, the students are not supposed to be in the 60% but in the 80-90% as other schools in Davis. Go to the public asap! (at least in Davis!) read more

First interaction I had with a teacher on site involved us singing a song/chant lighting a candle and making a wish......so its a bit hippie dippy and not for everyone. But if that's your thing you do you. read more

My son has been attending since preschool and the curriculum encourages social and academic growth. I was looking at some of the other reviews and yes reading is underdeveloped until second grade however they begin in math, memorization and IQ building activities. By third grade the kids all read well beyond the third grade level. My son is in the upper grades now and reads about two grades ahead. The community of parents and teachers are supportive and the kids are not bullies. We had an incident of bullying and the school took it very seriously; they also created a committee to help the child who was doing the bullying. My other two kids went to Davis Elementary and there were way more bullies there. Unfortunately bullying is a problem every where. I love all the specialty classes the kids have. My son enjoys the gardening and woodworking class. He has a harder time with handwork but the fine motor skills the kids are developing will create surgeons of our future and create more IQ. There are so many positives about our whole experience and highly recommend this school. Also the school has been wonderful throughout the entire Covid experience. Outdoor classes, testing, and strong communication are just a few things. read more

After leaving this school and having my kids tested, I would never go back again. You think your paying to give your kids a head start while passing on the love of learning, come to find out 6 years latter your really crippling them in "this" program. (Test scores showed, child three years behind due to lack of instruction. When child was instructed the scores jumped two grade levels in a 6 month period.) Davis has incredible public schools, that help children excel academically and have a lot of the same feel as this place, once did. Check out one great school, Patwin. read more

Overall we have been very happy with this school. We like that it is a media free school as we do not let our child watch television and we did not want her go to a school in which the TV show characters would be central discussion and play themes. The community of the school has been very supportive and the non-pressured teaching style and freedom from standardized testing has felt right for us. We have some small issues though. The campus facilities are of varying quality. The classrooms are great, but some of the auxiliary buildings are old. We'd also like it to cost a bit less, but overall we think it's a good program, and our daughter really likes it. read more

I have three children at DWS and we love it. They provide a very nurturing environment with a developmentally appropriate curriculum. My children are thriving and growing up to be very kind and capable citizens of the world. read more

My children have received excellent academics in a multi-faceted curriculum that educates the whole child. Upon transferring into public school in 9th grade, my daughter was ahead in multiple subjects, science, language arts, and oral communication, critical thinking, and problem solving skills. The school responded quickly to concerns about math not transferring well, and has changed the curriculum effectively. In addition, she received education in art, music, drama, literature, handwork, woodwork, movement. read more

This is my daughters 2nd year with the Davis Waldorf school. She attended first year kindergarten here at age four. The next year she was five and old enough to attend kindergarten at a public school in Davis. There really is no comparison though and we decided that even though public education and Davis is free and exceptional the Davis Waldorf school just have so much more to offer our child. When it came time for her to begin first grade we re enrolled at Waldorf and we honestly wish we had never left. Our reasons include the parent education classes, community involvement, teachers taking an interest in your child beyond the time that they are in the classroom and so much more. I really cannot say enough good things about this school, the staff, both kindergarten teachers, (teacher Mary and teacher Jennifer) or the first grade teacher Mrs. Borrego. We intend to stay until she is ready to go to high school. read more

Davis Waldorf School - Elementary Schools Near Me - Davis, California

This is the best private school in Davis: Small class size, wonderful teachers, beautiful natural environment. My daughter really likes it.

In my opinion, this is the best school in Davis. My children went all the way through here and have since graduated from College. They look back at their education at DWS with love for the way they were taught and with gratitude to their teachers and us, their parents, for the gifts they received. My husband and I feel that providing our children with a Waldorf education was one of the best decisions we ever made. You can look long and hard and never find a more dedicated and capable group of educators and administration. read more

This is a fantastic school which our son loves! The teachers and parents are caring and foster learning! I couldn't imagine him going anywhere else. read more

My daughter has been a Waldorf for 3 years and it is by far the most amazing school in the area. I wasn't sure at first because the Waldorf philosophy is different. But after a few interviews and observations my concerns have turned to gratitude. This school empowers each child to be creative and in turn expands the capacity to learn. Davis Waldorf is fantastic! read more

Where to begin? To me, "education" is more than reading, writing, and arithmetic. Davis Waldorf School promises to "educate the whole child" and I believe they follow through on this. I encourage anyone who is curious about Waldorf education to attend an event at the school and meet the 7th and 8th grade students who are mature, able to look you in the eye, and converse better than most college students. The Halloween Festival, Winter Concert, and 8th Grade Graduation are great opportunities to see how EVERY student has benefitted. The school's teachings are appropriate for where the children are at in their development. Reading, writing, and math have come naturally to my 2nd and 4th graders and I believe that the timing has been ideal. Additionally, their verbal skills (they can recite like you wouldn't believe and speak in front of crowds), language skills, artistry, and thoughtfulness of others make me proud every day. Thank you Davis Waldorf School! read more

Our child was in this school from Kindergarten to Second Grade. Kindergarten was a pleasant experience but the first and second grade were so problematic that we finally pulled our child out of the school. It is a VERY expensive private school that is poorly managed. Our child experienced bullying. We brought that to the attention of the teachers and of the principal. Nobody acted upon our concerns other than to tell us that the children's behaviors are driven by Karma. Apparently, our child must have bad Karma and 'deserved' to be bullied. Appalling! - The principal and the first & second grade instructor (who has since quit), were friends and the nepotism was unbelievable. The instructor was inexperienced and completely unable to cope with the classroom which contained only 16 students. Our child was beaten and scratched and called names. The bully performed an 'execution' on her and used a racially motivated reason for it: "All XXX are evil and therefore you must die." Our child was six years old at the time. That is not what you expect from Waldorf, where peace and tolerance and an easy-going atmosphere are being espoused. The leadership of the school was completely unresponsive, and we were 'forbidden' to discuss our concerns with the public/other parents. Can you believe it? Our child is doing much better in another school. I am glad that we pulled the breaks on this Waldorf school. I feel that its academics are not all they are cracked up to be. In general, I find the Waldorf approach very appealing and interesting. But this particular school is incredibly badly run. read more

This school does not, in my opinion, reflect well on the overall Waldorf method because it is very poorly run and supervised. The principal reigns supreme and makes arbitrary decisions, hiring unprepared and incapable teacher to save money (one assumes) or due to nepotism. The members of the board are in a conflict of interest with the very principal they are supposed to supervise, because their children get tuition breaks from said principal. The school is appallingly badly run. -- That said, some teachers are outstanding and do a wonderful job (especially in Kindergarten) but the overall environment is one of cronyism, hubris, and utter lack of academic rigor. My child attended the DWS for three years, two too many, and suffered injustices galore, from a few other kids who were bullies without any restraint placed on them by the so-called educators, and by one spectacularly unqualified teacher. The latter person evaluated my child as a moderate reader. After three months in a new school, my child placed in the top 1% nation-wide on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills in reading. The DWS has enormous deficits and I recommend strongly against it. Your child will suffer academically, and socially. Unless your child is a bully. In that case, by all means, send him/her and he/she will thrive. read more