Community Vision for the Future

“Remember when we had our visioning, we talked about having a school up on a hill so we would be a beacon into the whole community?”

Those are the words of Diane Rowley, a founding member of Portland Waldorf School who, along with the other founders, established PWS’ home here in downtown Milwaukie, OR nearly twenty-five years ago.

Our current school community, the stewards of this school “up on a hill,” is now in a place to continue building upon the founders’ original vision: to become a beacon into the whole community.

While we continue to engage with each other and the community about our long-term vision and plans, last winter we became aware of an early childhood education funding opportunity that accelerated the conversation around the expansion of our own ECE program.

This not-to-be-missed funding opportunity through the The Child Care Infrastructure Fund, a grant program designed to provide financial support specifically for childcare infrastructure activities, if awarded, could significantly accelerate our projects’ timelines.

We are still entirely in the resourcing stage (shaping and shifting in real time as we move forward), however, the current state of our vision includes a dedicated Early Childhood Center, increased space for High School and Grades students, and an upgraded gymnasium.

We want to hear from you!

We are committed to involving our community in the planning and implementation of our CARE Vision. To ensure that every voice is heard, we highly encourage you to submit your thoughts and suggestions via our online form to help us better understand and address your needs and concerns. This survey will gather valuable feedback on the proposed overall CARE Vision and the specific EC and HS expansion, identify any concerns or suggestions, and help us shape a project that truly meets the needs of our community. Your input is essential to our success, so please take a moment to complete the survey and share your thoughts with us.

Community Engagement

The Current Need & Future Growth of PWS

In the short term, we are focused on the expansion of our Early Childhood Center and High School because of increased demand for early childhood spots from our local community, the need for specially designed EC classrooms for our youngest students’ needs, and the need for more high school classroom spaces.

Additionally, PWS is focused on completing the seismic retrofitting of our main building.

By mindfully and intentionally committing to growth initiatives and opportunities for our school, we contribute to the long-term sustainability of high-quality Waldorf education within the Portland Metro region for decades to come.

Please Join in the Conversation!

This is an exciting time at PWS, please fill out the form above.

Site Visioning Committee Sketch-Ups For New Build and Existing Building Renovations

In 2010, the founders of this school worked with an architect to imagine new build and renovation ideas for school expansion. Those plans have been referenced in our current vision of what our future growth could look like if and when funding is sourced and secured. Below are a few examples of the current ideas we are working off of. If you want to learn more please fill out the form above and we will be in touch!

 FAQ

  • The expansion is essential to accommodate growing enrollment in all three sections of the school (EC, Grades and HS), provide enhanced learning opportunities, and meet community demands. Purpose built spaces will better meet the age appropriate needs of the students and the operational needs of the whole school.

  • We are pursuing funding from The Child Care Infrastructure Program, alongside targeted fundraising campaigns and budget reallocations.

  • The project will be executed over the next 2-5 years, exclusively dependent upon funding.

  • Community members can participate in community meetings, complete surveys, join focus groups, and contribute to fundraising efforts. If you have further questions you can reach out to the school’s Leadership Team.

  • We are committed to keeping tuition and fees affordable for our community. The grant (if awarded) and fundraising efforts are aimed at minimizing any financial impact on families.

  • The expansion will provide developmentally appropriate classroom spaces, more diverse learning opportunities, and a better overall educational environment for students of all ages.

  • Donations can be made through our dedicated CARE Campaign webpage, at fundraising events, or by contacting our Development office directly.

  • Yes, all donations to the expansion project are tax-deductible as we are a registered non-profit organization.

  • Absolutely! We welcome volunteers to assist with fundraising events, community outreach, and other activities. Please contact our Development office for more information.

  • The projected cost is roughly estimated at $2-3M, which includes all phases of construction, equipment, and additional resources.

  • Efforts will be made to minimize any disruptions to current students' routines, with construction scheduled to avoid peak activity times.

  • The Early Childhood expansion project is entirely dependent upon securing the funding ahead of time. The school is seeking grant funding opportunities as well as seeking donations to our CARE Campaign from our community. Once the funding for this project has been secured, the project will move forward into the next phase.