Our Story

In January of 2022, Ms Emily began Tidewater Waldorf in the loft of her family home in Savannah. She had spent the past 15 years in education, starting her journey as an English Teacher in Argentina. She has taught in a variety of settings from inner city Baltimore, public and private schools, working with migrant workers on the border of New Mexico, and teaching adult basic education. While living in Baltimore at an intentional living community Emily was introduced to Waldorf Education. From the moment she entered the Baltimore Waldorf School to participate in a parent/child class with her then two-year-old son Auggie, she knew her life had changed forever. From that time, Emily began to explore how she could make Waldorf Education an integral part of her and her family's lives.

Emily and her family moved to Sedona, AZ where Emily taught at Running River Waldorf School and received her Waldorf Education Certificate. In January of 2021, she had her 4th child, little Eliza, and Emily decided that she needed to step away from the demands of a full-time teaching position and be home more with her children. This decision started her on the journey of an accidental homeschooler and the creation of a homeschool hybrid program.

Late in December 2021, Emily and her family moved to Savannah, Georgia where she started Tidewater Waldorf in her home. Starting with just three first grade children she slowly grew and laid the groundwork for our program. By the fall of 2022, Emily had seven students in her mixed first/second grade class and was beginning to attract families that were seeking Waldorf education for their children.

As a few of her grades students had younger siblings that wanted to participate in her tiny, in-home school, Ms Emily hired her first teacher in January 2023. Ms Belen joined Tidewater Waldorf as the first Kindergarten teacher where she led the mixed age kinder class of six students while Emily continued with her grades class in the loft space.

Early Childhood Class uses Ms. Emily’s porch as their first classroom.

Ms. Belen and Ms. Emily turn her daughters’ rooms into the E.C. play area.

Our first Grades Classroom in Ms Emily's Loft

The Grades First Classroom in Ms Emily’s loft.

At the end of the 2024 school year, it was clear that we were outgrowing Ms Emily’s house! Tidewater Waldorf now had ten 3rd/4th students and ten kindergarten students and was ready to find a new space.

Our community was growing and building together. Tidewater Waldorf hosted their annual Knit-a-thon fundraiser to officially begin the process of finding a new space outside of Emily’s home. Our community pulled together, with many parents painting, refinishing floors, helping with landscaping and building desks.

In September 2024 we opened our doors in Thunderbolt!

“A healthy social life is found only when, in the mirror of each soul, the whole community finds its reflection, and when, in the whole community, the virtue of each one is living.”

~ Rudolf Steiner

What is a Homeschool Coop program?

Tidewater Waldorf is a drop off program supporting families who have chosen home education. We offer hands-on creative lessons inspired by Waldorf methods of learning. Students are welcomed to a place of respect and encouragement, where they learn to be self-sufficient and are provided with the space to flourish. The curriculum, pedagogy, and teaching methods are designed to nurture and realize each child's unique potential. Our hybrid homeschool education model offers Waldorf classes three days a week while also allowing for the natural rhythm of family life to flourish in your home. We emphasize the importance of protecting our children’s childhood and allowing them to thrive through their imagination and play. Our program includes aspects of a traditional Waldorf Education while also educating families on how to incorporate these practices in their own home and lives.

Our program meets: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 9:30am - 1:30pm, September through May.

At school, our teachers create a magical environment in the classroom. Students participate in main lessons with art, circle time and songs, poems, integrative movement, and stories. The teacher sets the rhythm and sense of order in the classroom while also holding a gentle space for children to feel safe and welcome to learn.

While teachers create a space of learning for our children, our families also are committed to help nurture the communal life of our program. Families help in creating seasonal festivals, help with fundraising, care for the communal space, and participate in our intentional community.

Each week students are sent home with light work to help support their academic progress in the classroom. Examples of supplemental work sent home may include weekly spelling words, math problems, practicing multiplication tables, or phonics support as needed. Even though we provide an in-depth arts focused curriculum, parents are still responsible for their child's education and ensuring they are meeting all state requirements.

Our part-time program provides a healthy work/life balance for students and families. We have found that our hybrid program creates a space to slow down in our lives and keep our energy recharged for our classroom work and family bonding.

Families and children are best able to experience the benefits of our program by making a full year commitment. Many skills taught are built slowly over regular practice with classmates - such as playing the violin, cello or recorder, knitting, speaking Spanish, singing, painting with watercolor, and more.