The Novato Charter School is a Waldorf-based educational community which is committed to the healthy growth and development of the whole child. Through a Waldorf-based curriculum our teachers nurture the imagination in the early years, building a foundation for abstract thinking, gradually and appropriately challenging the intellect through out the grades. This philosophy places equal emphasis on a solid academic program, artistic expression, social development and attention to the inner life and natural rhythms of the child.

Our School is committed to creating a healthy community which reflects and supports our common values. We believe that children develop social responsibility and feel a greater sense of significance in a small, supportive environment which promotes close long-term relationships with classmates and teachers. In an atmosphere of respectful clear communication, cooperation and parent participation we believe children flourish and grow to be healthy, capable, contributing human beings.

We believe that teaching children to care for and respect the earth encourages global responsibility and promotes environmentally conscious living. The celebration of seasonal festivals is an integral part of this as children joyously experience the earth’s natural cycles. By reducing or eliminating exposure to electronic media and encouraging a cooperative rather than a competitive milieu, a child’s inherent creative and intellectual abilities will naturally unfold. At the heart of this approach is the recognition that teaching must be presented to children in a way which fills them with wonder, reverence and enthusiasm.