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 2020-2021 School Years for Wonder Garden (Pre-K) – Grade 6.

Go to Admissions

Visit us on Instagram for a glimpse into our days:

prairiehillwaldorf

Michaelmas. Every year, approximately seven days

Michaelmas.

Every year, approximately seven days after the autumnal equinox, Waldorf schools throughout the world celebrate Michaelmas, the "Festival of Courage."

The festival is celebrated with stories of courage from around the world. Stories that explore the strength of humanity to overcome the "dragons" of apathy, laziness and disinterest that grow like weeds in gardens left untended and to overcome that, which stands in our way.

We celebrate with work projects done as a community to help make our school more beautiful. We top off our day with a play and share a meal together.

May we all have the courage needed to slay our dragons today and every day.

#prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorf #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #waldorflife #waldorffestivals #festival #courage #hope #bravery #community

Gather. Community members have been gathering for

Gather.

Community members have been gathering for Chat n' Craft each week in preparation for the 34th annual Yuletide Faire (only 2 weeks away!!)

We spotted some beautiful flower pressings, knitting and needle felting happening...excited to see all the finished art in our Parent Craft booth at the event. 💜

#prairiehillwaldorf #phws #community #communitybuilding #waldorf #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #gather #crafts #yuletide2021

Mathematics. Waldorf math education involves move

Mathematics.

Waldorf math education involves movement, music, rhythm, art, drawing, creativity, curiosity and wonder, creating a multi-sensory approach to mathematics.

Second grade continues their multiplication and division practice with aid of glass gems.✨

#grade2 #mathematics #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorf #waldorfschool #waldorfeducation #multiplication #division #curiosity

Dragon Bread. . . Every year, approximately seven

Dragon Bread.
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Every year, approximately seven days after the autumnal equinox, Waldorf schools throughout the world celebrate Michaelmas, the "Festival of Courage."
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The festival is celebrated with stories of courage from around the world. Stories that explore the strength of humanity to overcome the "dragons" of apathy, laziness and disinterest that grow like weeds in gardens left untended and to overcome that, which stands in our way. We celebrate with work projects done as a community to help make our school more beautiful. We top off our day with a play and share a meal together. Some families even craft dragon breads to accompany our traditional meal of chili!

#michaelmas #dragonbread #festivalofcourage #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorf #waldorfschool #festival #fall #manyhandsmakelightwork #community

Birthdays. Traditions and rituals help children m

Birthdays.

Traditions and rituals help children mark the passing of a year and celebrating a child’s birth honors his or her presence in our lives, and in the world.

Stories shared, birthday crowns and capes and time spent with teachers, friends and family during our day make for such special moments in our children's lives!

#birthday #celebration #phws #prairiehillwaldorf #earlychildhood #outdoorclassroom #waldorf #waldorfschool #traditions

Nature and Education . . . When you are spending m

Nature and Education
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When you are spending much of your day outdoors, the learning opportunities just appear!

Classes have had many preying mantis sightings this past week. Mr. Buchta found a pregnant female mantis to show to all the students as well!

Fun Fact:
Females lay hundreds of praying mantis eggs in a small case. When the nymphs hatch, they look much like tiny versions of their parents.

#outdoorclassroom #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #nature #preyingmantis #fallinwisconsin #lakecountry #pewaukee #waldorf #waldorfeducation #experientialeducation

The Great Butter Sale. . . . Tis' the season for t

The Great Butter Sale.
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Tis' the season for the Semi-Annual Prairie Hill Butter sale---if you’ve tried this hand rolled butter, you know there’s nothing quite like it. Grass fed, hormone free, salted...plus these rolls freeze exceptionally well.
It is a great way to stock up for the holiday baking season.

One pound rolls sell for $5.50. Order 10 and get 1 FREE! Sale runs through 10/8 and butter pickup will be at Prairie Hill the following week!

Believe us. You don't want to miss out! In Fall of 2020, we sold over 3,000lbs of butter...do you think we can beat that record? PHWS butter won't be back until March 2022!

Comment below if you are local and interested and we will PM you with details!

#handrolledbutter #grassfed #fundraiser #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorf #waldorfeducation

Friends. Learning to take care of ourselves and ot

Friends.
Learning to take care of ourselves and others... that's what it's all about! Early Childhood at its best! <3

The most I can do for my friend is simply be his friend.
-Henry David Thoreau

📷 @augustinephotography
#earlychildhood #kindergarten #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorf #waldorfeducation #friends #outdoorclassroom #lakecountry #pewaukee #wisconsinfall

Field Trips. Each grade takes at least one trip du

Field Trips.
Each grade takes at least one trip during the school year. These trips are designed to meet the children’s developmental level, help them gain self-confidence, and encourage their connection to the natural world and to each other.

Last week, the 4th and 5th grade made their way to Washington Island and Rock Island. Not only were they exploring buildings that tied into the Norse curriculum and Icelandic traditions and stories they have studied, they were building their resilience and courage. The whole crew seamlessly pivoted; when windy weather hindered ferry rides and changed plans.

#rockisland #washingtonisland #grade4 #grade5 #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorf #waldorfeducation #fieldtrip #outdoorclassroom #camping #resilience

"Play is the work of children. It's very serious s

"Play is the work of children. It's very serious stuff." -Bob Keeshan

#wondergarden #3k #playbased #phws #prairiehillwaldorf #waldorf #waldorfeducation #outdoorclassroom #painting #letthembelittle

Traditions. One of our favorite traditions at Pra

Traditions.

One of our favorite traditions at Prairie Hill is for our incoming first grade parents to make a basket for their child. The baskets house the childrens extra clothes, hats, mittens etc and are stored above their cubby.

While making a basket from scratch can be intimidating, parents each year step up to the plate, ready to try something new. And look! They turned out amazing. We tell the children, "You can do hard things." And as adults, we also have to remember to tell this to ourselves. The basket making is a great lesson in this.

It's these traditions that make our school unique...what's your favorite PHWS tradition?

#keepsake #basketweaving #traditions #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorf #waldorfeducation #waldorfschool #grade1

Wild Grapes. Grade 5 has 8 jars of wild grape jel

Wild Grapes.

Grade 5 has 8 jars of wild grape jelly! As you can see, they really got their hands dirty with this project. The class will eat it on their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on their Rock Island field trip this week. Yum!

#wildgrapes #grapejelly #jelly #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorfschool #outdoorclassroom #lakecountry #pewaukee #rockisland #grade5

The chickens are back on campus! After a relaxing

The chickens are back on campus!

After a relaxing summer vacation, our resident chickens have made their return. The 3rd grade students tend to them every day as part of their curriculum.

In 3rd grade, students’ will forces are tested with practical work in the farming and shelter building lessons. By physically encountering the earth, the children gain knowledge beyond that learned in books, awakening connections to nature that lead to responsible stewardship of the environment.

📷 @augustinephotography

#grade3 #prairiehillwaldorf #waldorf #waldorfeducation #phws #chickens #chickenchores #outdoorclassroom #nature #fall #lakecountry #pewaukee

Let today be the start of something new! 🌻 It i

Let today be the start of something new! 🌻
It is such a thrill to have everyone back on campus; the hallways are filled with chatter and laughter.

#welcomeback #backtoschool #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorfschool #waldorf #lakecountry #pewaukee

Observe the children. Actively meditate. Follow yo

Observe the children.
Actively meditate.
Follow your intuitions.
Work so that all your actions are worthy of imitation.
-Rudolf Steiner

#prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorf #waldorfschool #lakecountry #pewaukee

We can hardly contain our excitement! Our permane

We can hardly contain our excitement! Our permanent outdoor classroom structures are coming to life. Here's a little sneak peek at the work being done today. The beautiful and sturdy canvas roofs came all the way from the UK. Thank you @schooloutdoorlearning

#outdoorclassroom #prairiehillwaldorf #phws #waldorf #waldorfschool #learningoutdoors #lakecountry #nature #wisconsinfall #sunshine #pewaukee

We push the saw, we pull the saw, To gather winter

We push the saw, we pull the saw,
To gather winter wood.
We push the saw, we pull the saw,
To work together is good!

#kindergarten #phws #nature #waldorf #waldorfschool #lakecountry #outdoorclassroom #prairiehillwaldorf #goodwork #manyhandsmakelightwork #outdoorschool

We are beyond thrilled to announce two of our newe

We are beyond thrilled to announce two of our newest teachers to join the faculty at Prairie Hill (who also happen to be PHWS alumnae!): Jana John - Linden Tree Lead and Annie Cooley Willow Tree Lead.

Jana graduated in Corinne Lorian’s PHWS Class of 2006 and later went on to study theatre and psychology at Sarah Lawrence College in New York City, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in 2014. She has spent the better part of the last decade, working with children in various creative and wholistic settings (A Week on the Farm, First Stage Children’s Theatre, as well as working with families in the community in early childhood as well as after-school care). She holds certificates from Yoga to the People, Bikram Yoga College of India, and The Ivy Standard Yoga Institute, and co-opened a yoga studio on Milwaukee’s west side, in the spring of 2018. She has continued to feel drawn to the Waldorf School community, and feels that her childhood, adolescent and teen years spent at Prairie Hill are the primary source of shaping who she is and what she values, today. Her classroom philosophy, very much mirrors her teaching philosophy in both the yoga and theatre settings. “In nurturing the whole child, we encourage an ongoing union between mind and body, self and others. I believe that finding the balance between movement and rest, laughter and stillness, is an essential but fluid scaffolding within which the child can learn and grow in ways that feel most unique and authentic for their individuality.”
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Annie graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a minor in English as a Second Language. She has worked the past three summers for the Summer Garden Program, as well as during the springtime as the Willow Tree Kindergarten Assistant. Annie began her journey with Prairie Hill back when she was three years old in Wonder Garden!

Annie believes that "allowing students to explore their curiosity and imagination in the natural world is crucial to healthy childhood development", and is here to ensure they have the tools to do so.

#prairiehillwaldorf #waldorfschool #earlychildhood #outdoorclassroom #waldorf

Check out the friends Mike and Hunter found on the

Check out the friends Mike and Hunter found on the grounds this week!

Fun fact: Praying Mantises are the only insects capable of turning their heads from side to side. Being able to turn its head without moving the rest of its body is a key advantage for a mantis when hunting, allowing for minimal movement as it sneaks up on prey.

#prayingmantis #phws #prairiehillwaldorf #waldorf #outdoorclassroom #14acres #lakecountry #nature

Far out! Summer camp kids created some bodacious,

Far out!
Summer camp kids created some bodacious, beautiful tie dye!

#summercamp #tiedye #phws #prairiehillwaldorf #waldorf #outdoors #summertimefun