Land, Campus, & History

Land

At Sacramento Waldorf School, we are committed to being caring and thoughtful stewards of the land we occupy. We have been on our current site in Fair Oaks since 1971. So much of what makes our school unique can be found along the riverbanks and in the oak groves, as the fall-run Chinook and steelhead salmon migrate past campus, as the plum trees on the farm blossom in early spring. The soil has a story to tell, and we are only a small part of that story.

Our school is located on land historically inhabited by the Miwok and Nisenan. To learn more about the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe and to support the California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project, please visit nisenan.org.

Campus

We make full use of our spectacular 22-acre campus overlooking the American River. Children in all grades have continuous opportunities for year-round outdoor activities through the curriculum, their daily play times, and an extensive range of sports and extra-curricular activities. This beautiful setting provides a nurturing educational environment including a working farm, expansive playing fields, art studios, theater, gymnasium, gymnastics room, math and science labs, and multimedia rooms. 

History

Early Days

Founded in 1959, Sacramento Waldorf School began as a home-based Kindergarten with just two children. It quickly outgrew its early home, moving first to a rented church hall, then to a house and garden provided almost free of charge by a parent. Growth continued, and the school graduated its first Eighth Grade in 1967. In 1971, the school moved to its present location, establishing a 3.5 acre mixed use farm as a first step in its relocation. The Farm continues to thrive, a statement of the school’s commitment to its surroundings and location within California’s rich agricultural region. The campus has been continuously developed as enrollment has increased.

Next Steps

The High School was founded in 1974. It began with a Ninth Grade class and grew steadily, graduating its first Twelfth Grade in 1978.

Steady growth has been punctuated by several major events. In 1985, the day before the new school year was scheduled to begin, the Dome Building, which housed the library and administration, was destroyed by arson. The entire community rallied behind the school, and a new combined administration and library building was completed in 1987. In 1997, after a capital campaign, we opened Linden Hall, a large multi-purpose athletics, performing arts, events, and classroom building.

Into the 21st Century

In September 2006, the school broke ground to build the High School science and math buildings, which were completed in the fall of 2007. These beautiful structures provide dedicated classroom and laboratory spaces for Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Physics, as well as meeting spaces and faculty offices. In 2013, our outdoor quad area was established with a lot of hands-on help from the whole community.