User:Antapodosis/Hawthorne Valley School

Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School (HVWS) is an independent co-ed Waldorf day school set in the foothills of the Taconic Mountains on 400 acres of fields, farmland, and rolling hills in Ghent, Columbia County, New York. HVWS offers classes from prekindergarten through grade 12. The school is accredited by the New York State Association of Independent Schools and by the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America.

Founded in 1973, HVWS is one of the oldest and largest of the approximately 170 independent Waldorf schools in North America (there are about 1,000 such schools worldwide). The first high school class of HVWS graduated in 1983.

The high school has an active boarding program for students from other schools worldwide. It currently enrolls students from Afghanistan, Canada, China, several European nations, and Mexico.

Curriculum
The school follows an interdisciplinary approach based on the Waldorf curriculum, with a strong emphasis on English, math, and science skills and on art, music, and intercultural understanding. The high school curriculum is college preparatory.

Situated on a thriving organic biodynamic farm, all grades at HVWS have classes that integrate farm science (biology, economics, nutrition) with their curriculum. In 3rd and 9th grade, HVWS students spend a week directly learning at the farm.

The lower school offers the EARTH program for students who might not thrive in a traditional classroom environment. The EARTH program combines a land-based and classroom curriculum.

Events
The school's annual public events include the following:
 * The Fall Farm Festival (the second Sunday of October)
 * The Yuletide Fair (the first Saturday of December)
 * The Spring Fair and May Day Celebration (the first Saturday of May)

Athletics
HVWS competes with public and private schools in cross-country, volleyball, and basketball. It also fields club soccer teams for boys and girls.


 * In 2008, the HVWS varsity cross-country team won the New York State Class D cross-country championship.
 * In 2009, the HVWS varsity cross-country team finished third in the New York State Class D cross-country championship.

Larger community
HVWS is a branch of the Hawthorne Valley Association, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to social renewal through education, agriculture, and the arts.

Hawthorne Valley Association is one of the largest employers in Columbia County, New York. Its other branches and initiatives include:
 * Hawthorne Valley Farm, a 400-acre biodynamic farm, with a dairy, bakery, lacto-fermentation kitchen, green market, community-supported agriculture program, and farm store. The farm sells its produce and products at the Hawthorne Valley Farmstore, through an online marketplace, and at Union Square and other greenmarkets.
 * The Visiting Students Program and Camp, conducting year-long farm and nature programs for children aged 8 to 15 years.
 * The Farmscape Ecology Program, conducting research on the interaction between agriculture and native species.
 * The Farm Learning Center, providing professional farmer training and development and classes, workshops, and tours for children and adults to participate in farm-based leaning experiences.
 * Adonis Press, publisher and distributor of poetry books, books of essays, and books on phenomena-centered science.
 * Alkion Center, a Waldorf teacher-training institution.
 * The Center for Social Research, combining research and practical initiatives as a means to identify and implement solutions to modern-day social problems.