Camellia Waldorf School

We LOVED this little school. You'd never know from the strip mall you pull up into, there is a small farm behind the school that the children tend to.The staff is very supportive of parents and we had a wonderful experience in this small Waldorf school.

Our daughter attended a preschool at Camellia Waldorf last year and loved it there. The school, the community, and the teachers are very special. Our daughter transferred from a Montessori program. The main difference is the curriculum incorporates more natural and unstructured play which is what we're looking for in early education. In the morning when we entered the classroom, it would fill with the smell of delicious food that the teachers were making with the children. My daughter loved the nutritious snacks that they served- hummus, vegetable soup, almond butter, blueberry muffins, etc. The main teacher, Ms Shannon, is also very sweet, warm and wonderful with kids. The assistant, Ms Megan and all after care teachers are also amazing. Ms Shannon is a great story teller. Teachers here recite different stories from their memories and hearts. They sing while they hike and when they need to get kids attention. My daughter now loves storytelling and imaginative play. It's truly a wonderful place for all children to learn and grow. We can't wait for the Kindergarten experience!

I've seen my daughter spend K-8 at Camelia and then go on to excel at McClatchy's HISP and VAPA programs, both rigorous High School curricula. The academics are top notch, but what makes Camelia different is a commitment to truly understanding the world instead of just retaining information about it. Kids learn how to become people and to interact with adults in a way that seems tragically rare these days.

We had a horrible experience with the preschool and pulled our son out after a couple weeks. His teacher, let's call her M, was condescending to my wife and I and tried to insinuate my son was on the spectrum when he had separation anxiety since he's never been to daycare or school before. (Mind you, she had only met him for a total of 3-4 hours and he's not on the spectrum, but even if he was she is not qualified to diagnose him).They did not give him snacks when he was hungry and when he was crying from missing his parents they left him outside with no supervision because he was "disturbing the class". A 3 YEAR OLD!!! Not to mention another kid threw a cement block and almost hit my son with it and the teachers didn't even clock it! I can't imagine how hurt kids can get with all the diy yard work. With one teacher and assistant (14:2) you would think they would be able to handle the children but they were overwhelmed and short with the kids who were behaving like typical preschool aged children. It's so sad these young kids are being talked down to in that way :( Letting the kids have accidents because the teachers can't handle taking them to the bathroom and then turning around and telling the parents accidents happen is so ridiculous!I can't speak for K-8 so maybe the teachers are better, but I would never trust M with a child let alone my own!! For how much the tuition is, go with a different preschool! I wouldn't wish our experience on anyone!

You should take my photo down from your yelp page because this school was awful... The teachers were the worst part of my experience here. One time I was stuck in a tree and asked a teacher there to help me out of the tree and she said " get down yourself" I than broke two bones in my leg and had to wear a cast for months... I was in a wheelchair for most of those months. My mom never sued for some apparent reason but I wish she did. I also was with my friends one day there, and we were wearing shorts not up to there standers, they told us we will only be able to work at hooters.. why would you say that to 10 year olds. Trust me that was only half of what these teachers put me through. The only thing I got out of this school is that I can crochet and juggle which I definitely don't feel like was worth it. For the teachers wondering who I am my names Audrey Behler.... thanks for the trauma .

This school has upsides and downsides. The upsides are that it's small, safe, and has some wholesome community aspects. The downsides are that it is extremely expensive (tuition is $12,200 for elementary and middle school), and it being a small school that is not perfectly organized, it can be inconsistent. There is no set rule book that they go by at all times, they kind of make up rules along the way. The curriculum delivery is very much dependent on the teacher, and it is adjusted for the individual class, which can be a good thing or a bad thing. Some of the rules are pretty old fashioned, students are not permitted to use cell phones at any time on campus or on class trips, which can be hard for some students. This is very strictly enforced and will result in discipline even if the cell phone is used at recess. Then there are the classic rules that just don't make much sense anymore, like a sexist dress code (although this is inconsistently enforced) that targets females and their bodies and teaches the message that it is girls responsibilities to dress "appropriately" instead of encouraging self-expression. The school still splits people up by "boys" and "girls" for things like forming lines which could be problematic for gender nonconforming students. The curriculum, although generally pretty good, teaches history in a fairly whitewashed and male-centric way. Students do generally get lots of recess time which is a good thing, although it is sometimes taken away as punishment for minor offenses such as chewing gum or using your phone on campus. The school also, although it does not belong to a certain denomination of christianity as far as i know, is fairly religious and talks about God and Saints I am not at all using this information to try and discourage you from attending this school, rather to provide you with facts about the experience so that you can choose what is best for your child.

We have been at Camellia Waldorf school from Pre-school to 8th grade. We have loved the small class sizes which allow for children to be seen and heard. They have the opportunity to make authentic connections with themselves, their peers and their teachers. The early childhood education is an amazing foundation with which they get to build upon as they go further up the years. The teaching methods allow children to learn from the inside out! It's a great school!

My girls have been at Camellia Waldorf for the last 4 years - starting in preschool and now in kindergarten. We can't say enough good things about Camellia - the teachers and staff are so kind and really treat our girls as individuals. The class sizes are very small, ensuring our girls get a lot of attention and care each day. I love that the Waldorf focus is on being outside, continuing to teach arts, music, and other important life skills - not just academics. We also love the community - nicest group of fellow parents and the school festivals have become highlights of our year! We definitely thank our lucky stars that we found Camellia - our oldest is a fairly shy/quiet child and she has blossomed at Camellia - and the outdoor preschool is perfect for our exuberant middle child - keeps her active and engaged all day long!

Both my children attended Camellia Waldorf School for 10 years. I cannot say enough about the education at this school. My teenagers are 14 and 16. They are funny, smart, and will look you in the eye when you talk to them, and shake your hand when you meet them.They were seen at this school for who they are. In the ups and downs of ages 4 through 14, they were met at every stage with enthusiasm, love and just the right amount of discipline and structure.After leaving CWS, they both tested into good high schools and their standardized test scores were off the charts.My boys are completely unlike each other, and yet each received all that he needed from this school. I could go to any teacher, whether he or she taught my child or not, and they would be able to comment on my child's development, strengths and needs for support. Not only that, no matter how challenging my child had been, the teachers' comments always came out of love and a desire for my child to be the best he could. I felt like these teachers saw who my children were, sometimes more than I did, and held them in the best light and as a possibility in the world.Whether assessing for academics, social skills, or well-rounded development, this school has met my children at every stage.Cami

Camellia Waldorf School has provided a rich and wonderful education for our children. I highly recommend it!