How to Apply

BWS third grade students participate in class at tree stump desks, in their outdoor classroom, Sunflower Cottage.
Third Grade in their outdoor classroom, Sunflower Cottage

Hello and welcome to the Berkshires! We’re so excited to welcome you to Berkshire Waldorf School, open for on-campus, in-person learning this year. Most of our school day takes place outside (the safest learning environment) – with outdoor classrooms including meadows, woods, the Green River, biodynamic gardens and new outdoor learning cottages.

Fortunately, the state of Massachusetts has prioritized in-person learning this school year. So, with many precautions to preserve health and safety, Berkshire Waldorf School is an “all-weather school” for first grade through middle school, and our early childhood Farm and Forest classes offer outdoor learning for children starting at eighteen months.

Discover how to apply here.

1. How to Apply to BWS: Meet


Here’s how to get started exploring Waldorf education for your family.

And then let’s find a good time for you to visit in person! The weather in the Berkshires is brilliant in the fall, and we’re happy to walk and talk in person, mindful of safety precautions.

We look forward to getting to know your family. If you have questions or to reserve your campus visit, please call the BWS Admissions office at 413-528-4015 x. 106, or choose a convenient time for a video chat right here.

 

2. How to Apply to BWS: Complete an application

2022-23 School Year Application

Our 2022-23 school year applications will open late October 2021, and are due February 1, 2022.  We’ll post the link here as soon as applications are open. You can also request an email notification at admissions@berkshirewaldorfschool.org.

2021-22 (Current ) School Year Application

We offer rolling admissions throughout the current school year, for classes where we have available seats. Tap your child’s program button (below) to create your inquiry in the BWS admissions portal and begin your journey with a conversation.

For a complete list of admissions and enrollment dates, visit our school calendar.

Tuition Cost

You’ll find 2021-22 school year tuition rates for your child’s program on our Tuition Information page. We offer two financial aid options, sliding scale tuition and tuition support, to make a BWS education reliably affordable, based on your family income. Follow the link on our Tuition Support page to complete a separate sliding scale or tuition support application by February 1, 2022 for returning families and March 1, 2022 for new families. Your cost for Early Childhood tuition is based on the combination of days and time you select.

School Community

Berkshire Waldorf School students come from diverse educational, geographic and cultural backgrounds (about 45% of our families relocated to the Berkshires to attend BWS). They come to school from across the tri-corner region: northern Connecticut, Berkshire County and Columbia County, NY. And once they graduate from eighth grade, our students matriculate to our sister school, the Berkshire Waldorf High School, as well as a broad array of independent and public high schools. Visit “Where Do They Go After Berkshire Waldorf School?” for a complete list of high schools where the Class of 2020 has been welcomed.  

3. How to Apply to BWS: Meet the Teacher

After your child’s application materials are complete, we’ll arrange a personal visit with their prospective BWS teacher. (Early childhood students will meet with a member of the early childhood faculty; grades students often meet with their class and a subject teacher.)

ADMISSIONS NOTIFICATION: We’ll do our best to notify you of your child/ren’s admissions status and any financial aid award at the same time. Enroll ASAP to reserve your child’s spot for Fall 2022 – the first day of school is the Wednesday after Labor Day.

I just want to say how much we’ve loved being part of the BWS community so far—we feel very lucky to have gotten a spot in the kindergarten, which our son absolutely loves. He’s excited about school every day, even with the cold weather.

  – Current Kindergarten Parent
Berkshire Waldorf teachers talk about the advantages of Waldorf education.

Parent-Child Garden (4 mo – 3 yrs)

Parent-Child classes are for young children who attend classes with a parent or caregiver. There are three age ranges, 4 months to walking, 1-2 years and 2-3+ years. To register for year-round sessions, visit Parent-Child Garden. 

Start my Inquiry for Parent-Child

Early Childhood (18 mos-6 years)

Children are eligible to join our Early Childhood classes (nursery for children 18 months through 3+, and mixed-age kindergarten for children who will turn 4, 5 or 6 during the school year) if they will be at least 18 months old by September 1, 2021. At Berkshire Waldorf School, depending on your child’s birth date, they may spend several consecutive years in Early Childhood, and turn 6 during their final year of kindergarten, prior to joining first grade the following fall.

Start my Inquiry for Early Childhood
Students in BWS kindergartens learn through the senses and experience - here a child listens carefully to hear the ocean in a seashell.
Berkshire Waldorf students learn through all the senses and through discovery.

First Grade

Your child is eligible for First Grade during the 2021-22 school year if they turn 6 by September 1, 2021. An interview, first grade screening and current teacher’s reference are also part of the application.

Start my Inquiry for First Grade
First graders learn with their whole bodies and through their imaginations, in classrooms filled with color.
First graders learn by doing and through their imaginations, in classrooms filled with color.

Elementary Grades 2-5

Waldorf education is based on each child’s developmental stage, so at Berkshire Waldorf School, your student’s elementary grade level is determined by their birth date rather than skill level. However, for students coming from programs outside Waldorf education, we will also consider each child’s individual experience.

Start my Inquiry for Grades 2-5
Third graders learn in vibrant classrooms with their teacher's colorful chalboard drawings and stories.
Third graders learn in vibrant classrooms with their teacher’s colorful chalkboard drawings and stories. They make their own main lesson books, writing and drawing all they learn.

Middle School Grades 6-8

Berkshire Waldorf School’s adventurous middle school program builds on the strong foundation of elementary school, advancing to a high level of personal and social responsibility, accountability, and individual and class expectations.

Start my Inquiry for Grades 6-8
Sixth graders continue their engaging study of human thought and culture by learning about and discussing life in Ancient Rome.
Middle school students join their teacher on a voyage of discovery through ancient cultures to modern times – here they are studying Ancient Rome in Sixth Grade.

High School, Grades 9-12

For inquiries and admissions for students ages 14-18 (Grades 9-12) at our affiliated Berkshire Waldorf High School in Stockbridge, MA, contact Admissions Director Sarah Blexrud at admissions@berkshirewaldorf.com or 413-298-3800.

Want to learn more?

Please click the appropriate button above to create your account, tell us a little more about your child or children, and begin a conversation. Reach BWS Admissions Director Robyn Coe at admissions@berkshirewaldorfschool.org.