What is Public Waldorf Education?


Central Sands High School is a proud member of the Alliance for Public Waldorf Education. Waldorf inspired learning is an educational movement that was established in the early decades of the twentieth century. Over the last 100 years, the movement has flourished and today there are Waldorf schools on six continents and over 1,300 schools worldwide that embrace the Waldorf philosophy. In the USA the Alliance includes 61 member schools over 15 states. So, what is Waldorf?

Waldorf is a traditional, child and family centered form of education. It teaches students independence, problem solving and creativity through a diverse and rich arts and nature infused curriculum. Learning in a Waldorf classroom is appropriate to the students’ developmental stage and there is a clear through line in curriculum design from Early Years, through Elementary and Middle school, to High school, and the world beyond. Students that graduate from a Waldorf school are visionary, independent thinkers who see the world outside of the box and are ready to face the challenges of life after school.

What does this look like at our high school? Our school curriculum is challenging, robust and inter-disciplinary. It confronts the students with higher level academic challenges and asks the students to meet those challenges in a creative and independent way. Students are not told how to think but rather given the tools to solve problems for themselves. This encourages and requires a great deal of academic independence from our students. Teachers are the experts in the room and act as guides, leading our young people towards their own intellectual solutions to the ideas and concepts presented in class. 

At Central Sands your student will learn to take responsibility for themselves and will be asked to contribute meaningfully towards the school community. In this space your student will find a human centered school and a curriculum that nurtures curiosity, compassion, and courage. The world is a complex and rapidly changing place. We aim to instill our students with the capacities to not only thrive within that evolving world, but to soar; to become the leaders, thinkers and shapers of tomorrow.

For more information on Waldorf and why this 100 year old educational model continues to grow in popularity worldwide please visit:

Alliance for Public Waldorf Education

For still further information the following websites may be of interest:

Home - European Council for Steiner Waldorf Education

(Waldorf education in Europe)

Welcome to Waldorf UK (formerly SWSF) • Waldorf UK

(Waldorf education in the United Kingdom)

Waldorf Education: 100+ Years of Transformative Learning | AWSNA 

(AWSNA is an association of private Waldorf schools in North America)






Waldorf Grade-by-Grade

  • 9th Grade

    In 9th Grade, students examine the question “What?” The 14-year-old tends to view the world in terms of polarities, and the Waldorf curriculum is designed to help them observe the world from a more objective stance. 

  • 10th Grade

    In 10th Grade, students examine the question “How?” They are trying to understand how they fit into their world, and how the world works. The Waldorf curriculum meets this question with lessons designed to help students comprehend their world from various perspectives, moving beyond the black-and-white thinking of 9th grade. 

  • 11th Grade

    In 11th Grade, students examine the question, “Why?” At this stage, students are taking on deep existential questions of identity and purpose. The Waldorf curriculum in 11th grade helps students deepen their inner journey to find greater purpose and meaning in their lives and connects them with their responsibility to the outer world. 

  • 12th Grade

    The Waldorf curriculum in 12th grade is designed to assist in this discernment process, and to help students understand the big picture of who they are in the world and how they can make it a better place.