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Who & What We Are

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​In 1996 the South Shore Waldorf School & Kindergarten first opened its doors on an organic family farm in Conquerall Mills, NS. Five years later, the school and kindergarten moved to a century old school house in Blockhouse, NS, carefully and lovingly renovated by the families and friends of the School.

Have questions? Come for a visit!

Call 902-624-0874 or email now to book a tour, we would love to show you around and answer questions.

Or complete the online enrolment query now with no obligation >

Providing independent, financially accessible, inspired learning for all children.

Dani Beaudoin, Visiting Educator

"From the moment I stepped onto the school grounds, I was enveloped in an atmosphere of comfort and inclusivity. The ambience of the space seemed to encourage both personal growth and a genuine sense of belonging. The dedication to creating an environment where students can thrive, learn, and explore with a sense of wonder is truly remarkable."

An Inspired Education

At the South Shore Waldorf School, we strive to nurture children’s wholeness as human beings, so we educate the head, heart and hands. We nurture children’s innate imagination, help them develop empathy, and strengthen their willpower throughout their time with us.

Waldorf education fosters high academic standards with an emphasis on how to think, not what to think. Our students are learning how to analyze problems, face challenges, and take initiative to turn their thoughts into meaningful actions.

 

As a Developing Member of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America, we are part of an international community of over 2500 schools that recognize a Waldorf education is an inspired one.

Waldorf educators understand that every child is unique. By focusing on the individual needs of the student, our teachers work to steadily build the potential within each. We recognize that children learn differently at different stages of development. Our small class sizes allow teachers to individualize their teaching methods. From the sensory-based world of the small child through the older child’s emerging abilities to reason, our curriculum progresses with the child’s natural development.

 

An integrated curriculum relates each subject to every other, providing context and deeper meaning of each subject. We know that science can inspire artistic thinking, and arts can inspire scientific thinking. With an holistic approach, students find their own way into a subject, drawing on their innate strengths while strengthening all of their capacities.

 

Born in the chaotic circumstances of post WW 1 Germany, Waldorf education was founded with the intent to foster a kinder and more conscientious generation. It is in this spirit that Waldorf education emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living things, promoting respect for the self, others and the natural world.

Our Mission

In everything we do, we nurture the healthy, holistic development of each individual child.

 

We create an education grounded in nurturing, uplifting, and healing.

 

As teachers, we personally guide our students’ interest in and knowledge of the world.

 

Entrusted with this task, we freely commit in gratitude.

Our Vision

We are a multi-generational community that cultivates social renewal by providing resources for Waldorf Education in Atlantic Canada. 

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We do this in the following ways:

  • We offer a comprehensive Waldorf education for children within a non-competitive, arts-enriched, academically rigorous pre-K through Grade 9 curriculum.

  • We offer a teacher resource library.

  • We collaborate with teacher education programs at Universities and training institutes offering practicum placements and observations. 

  • We offer community meeting spaces and workshops. 

  • We host events and festivals. 

  • We offer parent resource programs and support.

  • We provide consulting services to independent school initiatives across the Maritimes. 

  • We fundraise and provide support for our sister school – The Madagascar School Project.

  • We host a large conference on Waldorf education and child development called Waldorf East, which draws educators from across the Maritimes (and beyond).

Our Mission

School Governance

Rudolf Steiner gave indications for how a school would ideally be governed based on his view that the School is a living social organism. 

 

Roughly, he divided society into three realms - Cultural/Spiritual, Political/Legal, and Economic.  The impulses behind each of these realms can be described as Freedom, Equality, Fraternity/Cooperation respectively.

 

This is an extrapolation of Steiner’s view of the three-fold human being as the Head, Heart and Hands.

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  • The Faculty has oversight of the pedagogical and organizational vision.  Their task is to enhance the freedom and creativity of the individual.  They are the “head.”

  • The Non-Profit Society/Board has oversight of legalities and finances.  They ensure governance is effective and Administer to the law, legal norms and social mores.  They are the “heart."

  • The Parents, Friends and Donors make up the economic realm.  They are responsible for oversight of community and resource development.  They provide goods and services that generate capital to meet the needs of the school.  They are the “hands.“ 

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About Mi'kma'ki (Nova Scotia)

The South Shore Waldorf School is situated in Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq People.  This territory is covered by the "Treaties of Peace and Friendship" which Mi'kmaq and Maliseet People first signed with the British Crown in 1725.  We are all Treaty People.

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This picturesque province, surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic, offers students an unparalleled opportunity to connect deeply with nature.

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We are located in E'se'katik (Lunenburg County) about an hour from Halifax.  The region is home to several farmers markets, including the year-round Lunenburg Farmer's Market, the Summer Bridgewater Farmer's Market, and we host the Blockhouse Winter Market. 

 

Also nearby are some of the most beautiful beaches - Hirtles, Rissers, Beach Meadows, Carter's, Green Bay, and so many more - as well as hiking trails, and camping opportunities. 

 

In nearby Bridgewater, you can find many amenities, including the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Center (LCLC), home to a large indoor pool, ice rink, and the fabulous Margaret Hennigar Public Library.

Have questions? Come for a visit!

Call 902-624-0874 or email now to book a tour,
we would love to show you around and answer questions.

Or complete the online enrolment query now with no obligation >

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