Prairie Hill Waldorf School

Back to School 2021: Here is our plan

"Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives. The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility -these three forces are the very nerve of education."

- RUDOLF STEINER, founder of Waldorf Education

The future is asking a lot of our children. Waldorf education provides our students with the necessary foundation for adapting to our ever changing world. Our curriculum nurtures risk-takers, critical thinkers, future innovators and fearless leaders. Students graduate from our school armed with confidence, creativity and a unique sense of purpose.

Different by Design

Waldorf education is more relevant today than ever with a curriculum designed to inspire the best in each student.

Teaching With Intention

We offer a developmentally appropriate, experiential, and academically rigorous approach to education.

Our Admissions Process

Prairie Hill is currently accepting applications for the 2021-2022 School Years for Wonder Garden (Pre-K) – Grade 7.

Go to Admissions

Visit us on Instagram for a glimpse into our days:

prairiehillwaldorf

Field Trips. These adventures out into the world

Field Trips.

These adventures out into the world stretch the children and challenge them in so many ways. Waldorf education is meant to address not just the academic growth of the students but their social skills, their inner emotional development, courage, resilience, independence, problem-solving, and especially looking outside themselves into the world. These experiences are what the children carry with them beyond the walls of this school out into the rest of their lives.

Over the past weeks, our grades classes have been on many different trips including caving in Calemut County and tackling a 32.5-mile Elroy-Sparta State bike trail in the Driftless region. What adventures were had!

#fieldtrip #experiences #realworld #handson #adventure #explore #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #lakecountry

Physics in Real Life. Changing a tire can teach u

Physics in Real Life.

Changing a tire can teach us a lot about Physics...from Hooke's Law and springs, to friction, kinetic energy and torque. While learning to change a tire helps the students apply the Physics lesson they learn in class, it is also a great life skill to have under their belt!

Grade 7 spent the morning with Mrs. and Mr. Szyba, taking the tire off their truck and putting it back on---really got in there and 'got their hands dirty!'

#physics #science #reallife #prairiehillwaldorfschool #phws #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #tirechange #practicalskills #lakecountry #outdoorclassroom

Grade 3 Farming Field Trip. It is a year of signi

Grade 3 Farming Field Trip.

It is a year of significant developmental change and self-discovery. As nine year olds become self-aware, they realize they are separate from their surroundings and this new realization brings many questions and much wonder.

To meet the children’s needs during this time, the Waldorf third-grade curriculum is practically oriented. They are becoming more independent by the day and the practical skills help to develop self-reliance.

They study farming, gardening, food preparation, house building along with some practical mathematics like measurement and money. The highlight of the year comes near the end when the third grade class takes their first overnight field trip. The adventure consists of a 3 day camping excursion to a farm where they get hands on experience with animal care and the daily operations of a farm life.

Thank you @paradisefarmschool for hosting us!

#farmlife #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #fieldtrip #grade3 #overnight #farm #camping

Nothing like getting your hands in the dirt for a

Nothing like getting your hands in the dirt for a bit!

#outdoorclassroom #wischoolgardenday #WISchoolGardenDay #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #garden #dirt #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #lakecountry

Linden Tree Kindergarten Watercolor #art #kinderg

Linden Tree Kindergarten Watercolor

#art #kindergarten #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #painting #watercolor #lakecountry #color #rainbow

Wonder Garden. Our littlest friends are soaking u

Wonder Garden.

Our littlest friends are soaking up the beautiful days here on campus.

Wonder Garden is gentle introduction to formal schooling and the children spend their days playing and doing their 'good work'-- whether that is helping sweep, shovel or water the plants they helped Miss Vicki plant! This play-based curriculum instills resiliency, compassion, and creativity; preparing the children for a vibrant future!

#earlychildhood #playbased #wondergarden #3K #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #naturebased #outdoorclassroom #spring #garden #sunhats

Mathematics and Art Grade 6 is practicing using t

Mathematics and Art

Grade 6 is practicing using tools of geometric drawing: compass, straightedge, and protractor

Here they are exploring the circle and it's relationship to triangles and quadrilaterals; creating a balanced artistic and mathematical experience.

#mathematics #art #geometry #grade6 #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #math #lakecountry

Mayfaire. After a long and cold Wisconsin winter,

Mayfaire.

After a long and cold Wisconsin winter, the Mayfaire Festival celebrates the arrival of Spring!

We opened the festival with the Grade 3 class performing a traditional maypole dance. After the dance, our community took part in some fun-filled activities, such as the cakewalk, willow crown making, tie dyeing and strolling through the fairy glen.

📷: @augustinephotography

#mayfaire #spring #phws #prairiehillwaldorf #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #festivals #maypole #cakewalk #tiedye #cottoncandy

Annual Auction. Waldorf in Wonderland was a night

Annual Auction.

Waldorf in Wonderland was a night to remember! Thank you to all of you who attended, donated, worked and supported the event.

This year's auction was a huge success due to the hard work of our Auction Chair- Bridget Larson! Kudos to her for her vision, planning and execution of a fun filled and wildly successful evening.

#waldorfinwonderland #phws #prairiehillwaldorf #annualauction #auction #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #party

May 6: Teacher Appreciation Love Loaves

May 6: Teacher Appreciation Love Loaves

It's all hands on deck when it comes to our annual

It's all hands on deck when it comes to our annual auction! Each class has been hard at work creating wonderful projects to be auctioned off on Saturday evening at "Waldorf in Wonderland." Here's a little sneak peek at some of their creations! Check out the rest of the classes projects as well as our live and silent auction items; link is in the bio!

Even if you aren't attending in person, you can still bid on silent items starting NOW. (Class projects can be bid, even remotely, on starting Saturday evening!)

#auction #waldorfinwonderland #phws #prairiehillwaldorf #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #community #classprojects

Earth Day Grade 4 and 5 spent time out in the gar

Earth Day

Grade 4 and 5 spent time out in the gardens weeding and bagging up our ready to use compost! A portion of the compost will be going toward their Garden Package for this year's Auction: Waldorf in Wonderland on May 7th.

All of our classes save their compostable lunch scraps and part of their classroom chores include running out to the compost bins each day!

#composting #earthday #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #outdoorclassroom #auction2022 #waldorfinwonderland #lakecountry

Working with our hands. Woodworking helps develop

Working with our hands.

Woodworking helps develop focus, perseverance, and skillfulness of eye and hand. It also develops creativity, three dimensional thinking and patience.

Students begin the woodworking curriculum by learning the basics of whittling.

Projects progress from whittling to carving spoons, bowls, and more complex objects out of varying types of wood.

#woodworking #handwork #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorfschool #waldorfcurriculum #waldorfeducation #lakecountry #headhearthands #

Field trips are a pillar in Waldorf education and

Field trips are a pillar in Waldorf education and there are profound intentions behind them.

This year, we ask you give to the Prairie Hill Field Trip Fund and give every student the same Waldorf experience that they will take with them beyond the walls of school. On May 7th, join us and raise your paddles to support these students!

Link in bio

#auction #raiseyourpaddle #waldorfinwonderland #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorfeducation

Grade 5, Mythology and History The Fifth Grade ma

Grade 5, Mythology and History

The Fifth Grade marks the point in the curriculum where mythology transforms to history.

In the ancient Greek Myths, real locations are mixed with mythological characters. For example, the Iliad tells of the Trojan War with Achilles, Odysseus and Helen of Troy.

This curriculum challenges the students to develop new capacities in themselves they never knew they had. Their year will culminate with their own Olympic Games (Pentathlon), where Waldorf fifth graders across the U.S. gather together once a year to compete. It is a coming-of-age competition and a celebration of grace, athleticism, sportsmanship and the upcoming independence of adolescence.

#grade5 #ancientgreece #trojanhorse #waldorfschool #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorfeducation #waldorfcurriculum #chalkboardart #pentathlon #lakecountry

We are getting so excited for our 35th Annual Auct

We are getting so excited for our 35th Annual Auction coming up on May 7th. Don't miss out on your tickets; they are only on sale through Friday!

There are some AMAZING live and silent auction packages...we are dreaming in the office about this whimsical outdoor dinner party donated in part by @glampmke. 😍😍😍
Will you win this sweet package?

Get your tickets via the link in bio!

Winter is hanging on...and we are thoroughly enjoy

Winter is hanging on...and we are thoroughly enjoying the last bit of it!

#winter #wondergarden #3k #waldorf #waldorfeducation #outdoorclassroom #lakecountry #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorfschool #snow #snowangel

"The Three Sisters method is companion planting at

"The Three Sisters method is companion planting at its best, with three plants growing symbiotically to deter weeds and pests, enrich the soil, and support each other.

The crops of corn, beans, and squash are known as the Three Sisters. For centuries these three crops have been the center of Native American agriculture and culinary traditions. It is for good reason as these three crops complement each other in the garden as well as nutritionally.

Corn provides tall stalks for the beans to climb so that they are not out-competed by sprawling squash vines. Beans provide nitrogen to fertilize the soil while also stabilizing the tall corn during heavy winds. Beans are nitrogen-fixers meaning they host rhizobia on their roots that can take nitrogen, a much needed plant nutrient, from the air and convert it into forms that can be absorbed by plant roots. The large leaves of squash plants shade the ground which helps retain soil moisture and prevent weeds.

The tradition of calling these crops the "Three Sisters" originated with the Haudenosaunee, pronounced Ho-deh-no-shaw-nee. Also known as the Iroquois, Haudenosaunee occupy the regions around the Great Lake in the Northeastern United States and Canada. All three types of seeds are planted together in the same mound in the Haudenasaunee planting method. The elevated mound assists with drainage and avoids water logging of the plant roots which is important in this region that receives abundant rainfall in the summer."

https://www.nativeseeds.org/blogs/blog-news/how-to-grow-a-three-sisters-garden

#chalkboardart #grade3 #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #threesisters

Drama Drama and Theatre is an integral part of th

Drama

Drama and Theatre is an integral part of the Waldorf curriculum in which all students participate. For the students, drama is not only a transforming, but also a forming force. Through drama the students have the unique and essential opportunity to strengthen who they are and to experience what they are not.

Through the years, they will try on many different roles, walk in many different shoes and speak through many different voices. They begin to have a deeper understanding and appreciation of the other. As they explore the feelings of others, they learn to express and control their own
feelings and learn to acknowledge and control their own behavior.

Grade 6 is performing Robin Hood for their families this week!

#drama #theatre #prairiehillwaldorfschool #phws #waldorfeducation #waldorfschool #wholestudent #robinhood #performance

The honeybees are here! Our bee friends have arri

The honeybees are here!

Our bee friends have arrived! With the direction of Mr. Buchta and a PHWS parent beekeeper, the new batch of bees were installed today. We now have 4 hives on campus thanks to a generous outer community donation of supplies. We are looking forward to the bees tending to our gardens and flowers and the learning opportunities they bring.

#beekeeping #bees #beecurriculum #honeybeees #phws #prairiehillwaldorf #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #nature #outdoorclassroom #spring #springinwisconsin #lakecountry #pewaukee