Where is the school located?
Our school is located on Craycroft Road, just north of the Mervyn's store on Broadway. We are leasing space from the Rincon Congregational Church.

What grade levels does your school offer?
We began as a K-3, currently we are K-4, we will be K-5 next year 2010-2011. We hope to grow to 8th grade, and to have a pre-school in the future.

Isn't there a Waldorf school in Tucson already?
Yes, there is a private Waldorf school in Tucson; tuition there is beyond the reach of many families. As a charter school, Desert Sky Community School offers an integrated arts-based education for the whole child, which is accessible to families regardless of income.

What is a charter school?
In Arizona, a charter school is a public school, administered separately from the public school district. The charter school receives public money to run the school, and must articulate state standards and testing like a public school. However, the curricular emphasis and school governance is run by the school as specified in the 'charter', which is the school's contract with the state. In Arizona, charter schools have more freedom to set their own goals than in other states.

Who is 'Dr. Rudolf Steiner' that's mentioned on your home page?
Dr. Rudolf Steiner developed the first Waldorf school in 1919 in Stuttgart, Germany based on his ideas of child development, which have been supported by modern research in education. Waldorf education emphasizes teaching that is appropriate to the child’s developmental level. It is important not to rush children into early academics, but to encourage their imagination and creativity to spark a desire for learning.

What is the focus of your curriculum?
Our school integrates academic, artistic, and practical work, inspired by the innovative curriculum of Waldorf education, a teaching method used in over 600 schools throughout the world. Art and music are taught at all grade levels; cooking and outdoor play are important for the kindergarten, and grade students also perform plays and learn handcrafts in addition to studies of history, science, literature, and foreign languages. Our school is expected to offer Spanish and German, and to incorporate local culture, history, and environment into festivals and field trips as well as classroom study. We hope our school will be a place where children find goodness, truth, and beauty.

What is Waldorf Education?
See Waldorfanswers.com for some answers. The section called ‘public Waldorf' is especially relevant.

Is this a religious school?
No. The school does however have a moral or spiritual aspect in educating the 'heart' toward responsibility, respect, and compassion.

Is this education popular? How are other Waldorf-inspired charter schools doing? Do you expect your school to grow?
Other Waldorf-inspired charter schools in Arizona (Phoenix, Flagstaff, Prescott, and Sedona) have waiting lists of students wanting to enroll. The administrations at these other schools have been very helpful with advice and encouragement that a Waldorf methods charter school will succeed in Tucson. We have over 100 families currently interested in the school, and the state approved our charter on January 11, 2006. With the help of volunteers such as yourself, we had a K-3 school ready for August 2006. We expect to add a new grade (one new classroom) each year, and anticipate we will expand to a larger location as we grow.