School History

Where & When Did Waldorf Education Begin?

The Chicago Waldorf School is part of a worldwide movement of more than 980 schools whose approach to education is grounded in the anthroposophical work of Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925). The first Waldorf School was founded in 1919 for the children of workers in the Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette Factory in Stuttgart, Germany. The innovative school attracted immediate interest among people seeking a new way of educating children and other Waldorf schools were soon founded. By 1928, the growing movement had spread to North America with the founding of the Rudolf Steiner School in New York City.

What Is Anthroposophy?

The term anthroposophy comes from the Greek anthropos-sophia or ‘wisdom of man.’ Rudolf Steiner once said this term should be introduced to mean, quite simply, “awareness of one’s humanity.” Steiner believed that through study, meditation and practiced observation, human beings can awaken to their inner nature and to the spiritual realities of outer nature and the cosmos. The awareness of these relationships brings a greater reverence for all aspects of life. Anthroposophy is not taught in the Waldorf schools to the children, but it is a guiding beacon that inspires educators and parents. It offers insight into the human condition and the natural world out of which the Waldorf curriculum is built.

Today, with a full 12-year curriculum and an enrollment of over 350 students, the Chicago Waldorf School is the largest Waldorf School in the Mid-Western states region.

How Did The Chicago Waldorf School Begin?

The Chicago Waldorf School was founded by a group of anthroposophists―many of whom did not have young children―who had long dreamed of a Waldorf school in Chicago. They opened the school in 1974 with a kindergarten class in a rented classroom at the Church of the Three Crosses in Lincoln Park. There were five children and one teacher. Three years later, in 1977, a 1st Grade was added, and the school began to grow at a rate of one grade per year until the first nine-member 8th Grade graduated in 1985. The school remained at eight grades until 1994 when a 9th and 10th Grade were added. The first nine 12th Grade seniors graduated from the school in 1997.

Today, with a full 12-year curriculum and an enrollment of over 350 students, the school is the largest Waldorf School in the Mid-West states region. In terms of growth and stability, it has come a long way from that fledgling kindergarten class started with ambitious vision, strong parental support and little in the way of resources. That independent parent-motivated effort continues today with the school's latest expansion; The Parent-Child program, begun in 1992 to provide education and care for toddlers and their parents, has grown to be a unique and vibrant Waldorf program with full classes and waiting lists for enrollment.

The Chicago Waldorf School is fully accredited by the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America and the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and is recognized by the State of Illinois.
The school is also an active member of the Lake Michigan Association on Independent Schools.