Green Meadow Waldorf School

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Coordinates: 41°04′55″N 74°03′41″W / 41.08194°N 74.06139°W / 41.08194; -74.06139
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Green Meadow Waldorf School
Address
Map
307 Hungry Hollow Rd

Chestnut Ridge
,
New York
10977-6329

United States
Information
TypePrivate, Waldorf school
Established1950
CEEB code335316[3]
AdministratorLaura Radefeld
Faculty35.9 (2019-2020)[2]
Enrollment310 (2019-2020)[1]
Student to teacher ratio8.3:1 (2019-2020)[2]
CampusSuburban
Campus size11 acres (4.5 ha)
AccreditationNew York State Association of Independent Schools, Association of Waldorf Schools of North America
Websitegmws.org

Green Meadow Waldorf School (GMWS) is an independent Waldorf school located in Chestnut Ridge, Rockland County, New York. It offers parent and child classes, and nursery/kindergarten through 12th grades. The school is accredited by both the New York State Association of Independent Schools and the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America.[4] Founded in 1950, it is one of the oldest of the approximately 190 independent North American Waldorf schools (there are about 1,000 such schools worldwide).

Curriculum[edit]

The school practices an interdisciplinary approach[5][6] based on the Waldorf curriculum, including a strong emphasis on art, music and intercultural understanding; students begin studying two foreign languages (Spanish and German) beginning in first grade.[4] It also provides a strong community service program. Graduates of the school have been noted for their independence, sensitivity and creativity.[7]

Publications and events[edit]

The school's publications include:[8]

  • A monthly bulletin
  • A student literary magazine, The Burning Bush
  • An alumni quarterly
  • A yearbook created by students and staff

The school's annual public events include the following:

  • Fall Fair
  • Goods and Services Auction and Dinner

Notable alumni[edit]

Larger community[edit]

Green Meadow is part of the Threefold Educational Foundation anthroposophical community in Chestnut Ridge. The Foundation owns the land and acts as an umbrella for Green Meadow Walfdorf School and several other nearby organizations.[15] This community includes:

  • The Threefold Foundation,[16] which acts as trustee of the land and provides affordable housing for community members.
  • Sunbridge Institute, a Waldorf teacher training institution.
  • The Fellowship Community is a licensed State of New York adult care facility[17] and an inter-generational, anthroposophically based community where people of all ages live with, assist, and care for the elderly. Here, Green Meadow pupils receive hands-on experiences of farming and gardening.[4]
  • The Pfeiffer Center,[18] a training center for biodynamic agriculture.
  • Eurythmy Spring Valley,[19] a eurythmy school of performance art.
  • The Hungry Hollow Food Co-op, a natural food store founded by Green Meadow Waldorf School parents in 1973 and specializing in organic foods.[20][21]

Legal controversy[edit]

During a 2019 measles epidemic, Rockland County excluded unvaccinated students from schools. A lawsuit was filed on behalf of the families of excluded children; in the decision, Judge Thorsen wrote that “petitioners’ children are hereby permitted to return to their respective schools forthwith and otherwise assemble in public places,” allowing Green Meadow Waldorf School to welcome 45 unvaccinated students back to class.[22][23][24]

Sexual abuse scandal[edit]

In July 2013, alumna and novelist Kate Christensen published “Blue Plate Special”, an autobiography in which she describes how she had been sexually abused by a teacher she referred to as “Tomcat.” Staff of Green Meadow Waldorf School identified Tomcat as John Alexandra,[25][26] a former teacher employed between 1965 and 1979, Threefold Board member from 1975 through 1983 and who continued to appear on campus occasionally until 2013. The school hired a professional firm, T&M Protection Resources, to investigate the matter and the results were reported on July 11, 2014 in The Journal News.[27]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "GREEN MEADOW WALDORF SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "GREEN MEADOW WALDORF SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved April 9, 2019.}
  3. ^ "College Guidance". Green Meadow Waldorf School. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  4. ^ a b c "At the beautiful Green Meadow Waldorf School, children learn in a unique way", Rivertown Magazine November 2007
  5. ^ "Waldorf Schools: The 'whole child' approach," Private Schools, March 2007, pp. 24f
  6. ^ "Nature and nurture come together at Green Meadow Waldorf School," Rivertown Magazine, November 2006, p. 51
  7. ^ "Graduates remembered for closeness," The Journal News, June 18, 2007, p. 6A
  8. ^ "Green Meadow Waldorf School Publications". Green Meadow Waldorf School.
  9. ^ "Kate Christensen Wins PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction". Poets & Writers. 19 March 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  10. ^ "Kate Christensen". Kate Christensen: About. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  11. ^ Nicosia, Mareesa (11 July 2014). "Waldorf school sex abuse probe cites multiple teachers, failure to act". LOHUD. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  12. ^ Stefan Schaefer, Internet Movie Database
  13. ^ rcbizjournal (2020-10-27). "Rockland-Raised Sex Cult Leader Keith Raniere Sentenced To Life In Brooklyn Court". Rockland County Business Journal. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  14. ^ Berman, Sarah (April 20, 2021). Don't Call it a Cult The Shocking Story of Keith Raniere and the Women of NXIVM. Steerforth Press. p. 29. ISBN 978-1-58642-275-2.
  15. ^ "Threefold: About". Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  16. ^ "Threefold Education Center". Threefold Education Center. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  17. ^ "Mercury Press of the Fellowship Community". Fellowship Community. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  18. ^ "The Pfeiffer Center". Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  19. ^ "Home / Welcome to Eurythmy Spring Valley". Eurythmy Spring Valley.
  20. ^ "Threefold Education Center Community". Threefold Education Center. Archived from the original on 18 March 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  21. ^ "Hungry Hollow Coop". Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  22. ^ Hogan, Gwynne. "Confusion Over Judge's Ruling As Unvaccinated Children Return To School In Rockland County". WNYC/Gothamist. Archived from the original on 9 April 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  23. ^ Sellers, Frances (6 April 2019). "Judge rules New York county can't ban unvaccinated children from schools, parks". Washington Post. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  24. ^ Michael, Sussman. "Lawsuit against County of Rockland". Archived from the original on 9 April 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  25. ^ Nicosia, Mareesa. "Waldorf school abuse probe: Ex-teacher's neighbors unnerved". lohud.com. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  26. ^ "Green Meadow Waldorf School's investigation of memoir's sexual abuse claim due in January". lohud.com. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  27. ^ Nicosia, Mareesa. "Waldorf school sex abuse probe cites failure to act". lohud.com. Retrieved 2020-05-13.

Additional articles[edit]

External links[edit]

41°04′55″N 74°03′41″W / 41.08194°N 74.06139°W / 41.08194; -74.06139

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