The Waldorf School of DuPage - Warrenville, Illinois

Rich F.

We are in our 3rd year at Waldorf and have had a wonderful experience! Very warm and inviting environment, attentive, thoughtful and caring teachers, beautiful outdoor setting with tons trees and woods.

Highly recommend if you are at ALL interested in a more holistic-focused education for your child. We have seen tremendous benefits our time here.

Laura V.

My 3rd grader has been at the Waldorf School of DuPage since we started Parent Child classes when he was 1 year old. The teachers and staff are beyond AMAZING! My son loves to go to school and I can't imagine him being anywhere else! His curious and energetic spirit has been embraced by all of his teachers. This school is where childhood is celebrated and nourished!

Rob T.

Our child has attended the school now for seven years, which included early childhood years.

Class sizes are small. Your child receives individual attention. The school is a true community. Parents and faculty are intimately involved in holiday related events like Michaelmas and Elves' Market. The children learn to play an instrument, and speak a second language, and actually go outside and explore and play on the grounds.

Respect and character building are paramount to its teachings.

Over the years we've been there, we've cultivated some really wonderful bonds with other families that I'm proud to call my friends. We help each other out with pickups and drop-offs.

I couldn't help but notice the nasty review crafted herein and consider it pitiable that the author offers these withering rebukes from an anonymous UserID. The school is an investment. I wouldn't continue to make it year after year if my child was bullied, or a victim or favoritism, or lacking in compassion. I find no basis of fact in any of that. I can drop off my child and know that she is in loving care.

That's been true from the very first day.

If you're a parent looking for something not merely different but a meaningful, long lasting deposit in helping mold your child into a wonderful, intellectually curious human being, you should check out Waldorf. I was resistant at first all those years ago but hated my public school experience, so what was I initially rejecting ? I'm glad I reconsidered.

Rebecca G.

If you are looking for a playbased preschool, Four Winds is the Gold Standard! My daughter is 3 1/2 years old. She began the 5-day program this year, and she could not be happier. “You know, mom, my school makes my life happy” she told me last week. There is no better endorsement than that!

I initially looked into Four Winds after 3 word of mouth recommendations. I knew that I wanted my daughter to gain valuable socialization skills. I also knew I wanted her to be able to be a kid, to play, to use her body, and to grow her joy in the world. I wanted her to be in a mixed-aged group, as I feel that is essential to development in the 3-6 year range, and I wanted an experience for her that is personal, one in which she feels connected to and loved by the kids and grown ups she interacts with.

There is a concerted effort to meet the “person” in every child at Four Winds. Every meeting is greeted with a handshake, eye-to-eye contact, and a verbal welcoming. The children watch the parents and teachers welcome each other and interact. These seem like simple acts, but they convey and reinforce a determination to participate fully in life and community.

In the 5 months that my daughter has been a part of this school I have seem her independence, joy, attention, creativity, vocabulary and language skills, and discipline grow tenfold. She carries home with her the lessons of the day and retells them with vigor. She has memorized lengthy songs and stories, and creates her own stories, songs, plays, and puppet shows at home.

I also find important the commitment to play, especially outdoors. The school has a forest, a sled hill, a sand pit, and playground, and as long as it is over 10 degrees, they are outside every day. School supply lists are made up of appropriate weather gear for sledding rather than “desk type” supplies. There is a focus on 3-dimensional learning – learning by “willing” or doing, rather than sitting and watching. All the senses are engaged.

This school is truly a hidden gem. It is no wonder that parents travel from far reaching suburbs to bring their children here.

Brian P.

I must say this school is terrible. I've never experienced a greater lack of compassion, and communication like I have here. The facility is unclean and dirty. The teaching staff allow bullying and fighting, openly encourage favoritism, while making up their own unwritten rules. Will not inform you of ongoing issues until the pot has already boiled over. All while paying lip service to the Rudolf Steiner philosophy even though they do not practice what they preach. If you begin to question their double standards, hypocrisy, lies even and don't tow their line, according to the "inner circle of faculty", and parents they will ostracize your child and make him or her feel low self esteem. I intend on reporting this school to the State of Illinois Department of Education and the US Department of Education for a full audit to find out if they are in compliance with state and federal education laws, standards, and practices.

Bob R.

Large property with open space and woods for children to explore, play and learn. Self funded school focused on the "whole child", not memorization and tests.

Chopper83

What a great school and community of families. The teachers here are fantastic and It is great to see my children grow imaginatively and creatively every day.

Laurel H.

Great school with excellent nature and play -based curriculum. Love all their fun camps and clubs and summer camps. Into the woods camp is one of the best.
Just saw an amazing theater performance here
Such a talented group!
And they have great community events like May Faire for the whole family.
My kids love coming to all the fun performances and events here and then seeing the grounds, the woods and playing at the school park and sandbox.