Educational Support
Meeting each child where they are at and supporting them on their learning journey.
“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
What is educational support?
Our Care Team plays a vital role in supporting the well-being and success of every student.
Rooted in the understanding that children thrive when their academic, social, emotional, and developmental needs are met in a cohesive and compassionate way, the Care Team brings together faculty and staff to collaborate around student support. The team includes members from our Educational Support program, faculty, and school leadership, working together to ensure that students receive the right level of attention, care, and intervention when challenges arise.
Through the Care Team process, our Educational Support Department works to provide children with additional support along their journey, as needed. There are a variety of ways that children receive support, including:
- Intervention small group instruction
- Educational support small group instruction for students with identified learning disabilities
- Guidance services
- Care team meetings to support students and teachers
- Development of Care Plans for students with identified learning disabilities
- Curative and Developmental movement support
The Educational Support Department is dedicated to nurturing each child’s unique learning journey by offering individualized support when needed.
This department provides a range of services including small group intervention and instruction for students with additional learning needs, guidance services, and the coordination of Care Team meetings to develop tailored strategies for students and teachers. When a child is identified as needing additional help, a Care Team is formed to explore and implement appropriate supports, such as classroom accommodations, tutoring, and the creation of a Care Plan.
Care Plans are developed for students with identified learning disabilities and serve as a roadmap for how they learn best, outlining effective supports to be used both in and out of the classroom. Additionally, the Educational Support team regularly utilizes screening and benchmarking tools including the first grade readiness process, second grade screening, and fifth grade evaluations to track student development and ensure timely support.
Care Team Members
Abigail West
Guidance Counselor
“Through years of attending parent-child classes, I have experienced Waldorf education firsthand and appreciate its focus on experiential learning in nature, as...
Gabrielle Nembhard
Pedagogical Chair
“Waldorf education supports children in unfolding their full potential, discovering who they are, and developing skills to thrive in life.”
Jennifer Sherman
Head of School
“In a Waldorf school, decisions about every aspect of the educational experience are guided by the needs of the growing child, resulting...
Melody Birdsong-Shubert
Early Childhood Lead Teacher
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” ― Maya Angelou
Molly Watson
Grades Support Teacher
“I love how Waldorf education looks at each student as an individual on their own unique journey.”
Sara Sweningsen
Educational Support Coordinator & Educational Support Teacher
“I appreciate how Waldorf education weaves stories, art, song, crafting, and movement into teaching rich lessons, connecting children to nature and the...
Shannon O’Connell
Fine Arts Teacher
“I love the idea and practice of nurturing the individual spirit of each student. It is so important for children to be...
Tonya McGovern
Math Skills Teacher
“I appreciate the vision to inspire freedom of thinking and strength of will inherent in Waldorf education. I’m eager to instill confidence...
Guidance Services
Guidance services at River Valley Waldorf School are an essential part of our holistic approach to supporting student well-being.
These services are designed to nurture the social and emotional development of students, helping them build the inner resources needed to navigate school and life with confidence and resilience. Guidance may include individual or small group support, facilitated conversations to resolve peer conflicts, and collaboration with teachers and families to address emotional or behavioral concerns.
Grounded in Waldorf principles, our guidance work honors the developmental stage of each child and seeks to foster self-awareness, empathy, and healthy relationships, all within the context of a caring and respectful school community. Students have access to guidance services when daily needs arise and by referral of a faculty member.
Curative Movement and Sensory Development
At River Valley Waldorf School, curative movement and sensory developmental work are thoughtfully integrated into our approach to supporting the whole child.
These practices are grounded in Waldorf pedagogy and anthroposophic principles, recognizing that healthy physical development and sensory integration are foundational to cognitive, emotional, and social growth.
Through rhythmic movement, balance work, and exercises that support spatial orientation and body awareness, students build greater coordination, focus, and resilience. Curative movement activities are tailored to individual student needs and can be woven into both classroom life and one-on-one or small group support.
This developmental work strengthens the child’s relationship to their own body and environment, helping to unlock learning potential and deepen their overall sense of well-being and may be offered to students as intervention or longer term support.
Start the Enrollment Process
Send a brief form, and our enrollment specialists will call you by the next business day to learn about your child, share how Waldorf nurtures whole-child growth, and answer every question you have.
