1. VISIT
The best way to get to know Steiner is to come visit. On walks through both our indoor and outdoor classrooms, you’ll experience the “aliveness” that sets Steiner apart and learn how Waldorf education meets your child’s curiosity, creativity and need for action with learning that also builds self-esteem, character, empathy and leadership.
Starting at 9am in the Steiner library—the original school building, a classic Berkshires timber frame barn—you’ll visit grades 1 through 8, tour art studios and gardens, and meet faculty, alumni and current parents. Families interested in the early childhood program for children 2 years, 9 months through 6 will also visit Early Childhood classes and activities.
We welcome visitors year-round, and we warmly invite you to our unique Family Open House, Saturday, March 30, from 10a-12p and our Early Childhood Puppet Play/Date, Saturday, April 6, at 10:30a. For more information about upcoming events and to reserve your spot, click here. To schedule a personal tour, please call 413-528-4015 x. 106 or email admissions@gbrss.org.
2. APPLY
Children are eligible for our mixed-age Early Childhood (pre-K and kindergarten) classes when they are 2 years, 9 months old by September and toileting independently. If there are spaces available, students may be eligible to apply for January admission if they are at least three years old and toileting independently.
(To register for Parent-Child classes for children younger than 2.9 or who are not yet toileting independently, visit Parent-Child Garden. For admissions for students ages 14-18 at our affiliated Berkshire Waldorf High School in Stockbridge, MA, contact Admissions Director Samantha Stier at admissions@berkshirewaldorf.com or 413-298-3800.)
To apply for Early Childhood (ages 2.9-6), please provide:
- Completed Early Childhood application
- $50 application fee per student
- Teacher’s Reference for students with prior school experience, waived for students moving up from Steiner Parent-Child Garden classes
Children are eligible to apply for First Grade in the fall when they are age 6 by June 1. A first grade screening and teacher’s reference are also part of the application.
To apply to Grades 1-8, please provide:
- Completed application (apply here for grades 1-5; apply here for grades 6-8)
- $50 application fee (per student)
- Copies of student’s previous reports or grades
- Teacher’s Reference for transfer students
- Signed Transcript Release form to release records from previous school(s)
Click on the links for admissions forms. We need to receive all requested materials to consider a student’s application, but they do not necessarily ensure its continuation. The Steiner School accepts admissions throughout the year, provided there is room available in the class. We offer sliding scale tuition based on your adjusted gross income for Early Childhood and Grades students, as well as additional tuition support based on need for Grades 1-8, once your child has been accepted. You’ll find current tuition rates at Annual Tuition Rates, and more information about sliding scale tuition and additional tuition support on our Tuition Support page.
For Early Childhood programs, once we’ve received your child’s complete application materials, we’ll be in touch to arrange a meeting with you and your child in an Early Childhood classroom.
For First Grade, once we receive your child’s application and teacher’s reference, the next step is to arrange your child’s first grade-readiness screening, a personal visit that includes stories, activities and games. Your child will go on this visit with an experienced classroom teacher and another member of the first-grade readiness faculty. Afterwards, the teachers will also meet with you. When enrollment for First Grade nears capacity, priority is given to current Steiner early childhood students.
For students entering Grades 2-8, once we receive and review all admissions materials, the class teacher and a subject teacher may arrange a meeting with you and your child. If the class teacher would like to move ahead with the application, s/he will invite your child to spend at least two consecutive days in the classroom. During the class visit, another teacher will also meet with your child. Based on this visit, if the class teacher would like to move forward with the application, s/he will arrange a meeting with you.
- Our school’s suitability for the child’s age, ability and individual educational needs.
- Whether the applicant is compatible with the efficient education of children already placed in the school. We aim to maintain a healthy constellation of pupils in each class.
- Whether we have the resources to meet the student’s needs. Children who are not doing well in other schools often flourish at Steiner, but there are learning and behavioral challenges that are beyond our scope. In some cases, children may be accepted on a trial basis. Additionally, a child joining a class in elementary or middle school may need individual tutoring support in specific subjects, such as foreign language learning or music, to participate comfortably with their class. Individual tutoring is the responsibility of the parents.
- Although we especially welcome pupils from other Waldorf schools, Steiner admissions policies still apply.
After your child’s interview or visit, we’ll send a letter notifying you of your application status. If your child is accepted, you will also receive an email link to complete online enrollment forms, including:
- Tuition agreement
- School health forms and immunization record
- Student permission forms
The tuition agreement in TADS.com will let you select payment options for the year. You can opt to pay the enrollment deposit right in TADS or pay by check. This non-refundable deposit reserves your child’s place at Steiner, and is applied to the cost of tuition for the year. Once your child is accepted, if you would like to apply for adjusted tuition based on your income, please see instructions on our tuition support page.
