Combined Class Model
Learn more about our unique combined classes.
Growing Together: The Strength of Combined Grades and Lasting Teacher Connections
Our Combined Class Model offers a unique and intentional approach to learning that prioritizes both academic and social-emotional growth.
Students end the grade school and meet our first grade teacher. This first year in the grade school lays a strong foundation for classroom habits and a love of learning.
As students step into second grade, they meet the class teacher who will be teaching them for several years, additionally as they begin second grade or third grade, students enter a combined class setting where two adjacent grade levels learn and grow together.
In this dynamic environment, younger students benefit from observing and engaging with more experienced peers, while older students gain confidence, leadership skills, and a deeper understanding of content as they model and mentor. This interplay fosters a collaborative spirit and a classroom culture rooted in empathy, inclusivity, and mutual respect.
Research shows that students in mixed-age classrooms perform as well as, and often better than, their peers in single-grade settings especially when it comes to social development and independent learning. Combined classes support differentiated instruction, allowing teachers to meet students where they are and track their growth over multiple years.
Benefits
- Stronger peer teaching and mentoring, older students guide younger classmates
- More inclusive learning communities for learners on a wide range of levels
- Gains in independence, patience, and cooperative skills across all age groups
Combined Class Model
At River Valley, class teachers loop with their students, remaining with the same combined class for several years. This continuity strengthens relationships, supports long-term academic progress, and provides a stable, supportive presence through key developmental stages. The result is a vibrant learning community where students are known deeply, challenged appropriately, and inspired to grow.
Year A | Year B |
|---|---|
First Grade | First Grade |
Second Grade | Second/Third Grade |
Third/Fourth Grade | Fourth/Fifth Grade |
Fifth/Sixth Grade | Sixth/Seventh Grade |
Seventh/Eighth Grade | Eighth Grade |
Send an Inquiry
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.
