Policies and Information
Media and Technology
The Pasadena Waldorf School educates students from early childhood to the adolescent years through an intentional and developmental curriculum and pedagogy. Teachers make decisions at each step along the way to nurture and support the fullest unfolding of their potential. When it comes to technology and media, the question is not if, but when.
Research indicates that the impact of electronic media can have detrimental effects on a young child’s healthy growth and development. We encourage families to incorporate our progressive practice to eliminate, or at least reduce screen time in their children’s daily lives, especially during early childhood. As students grow, we encourage a thoughtful approach to progressively introducing media and technology as they advance through the grades with the developmental guidance and consultation of their teachers.
In our school curriculum, technology is gradually introduced during the middle school years because this is when the students are most ready to begin to understand the implications and ramifications of the digital world. A meaningful curriculum is presented to middle school students that allows them to orient their own use of technology in a wider social context.
By the time our students join our high school, both media and technology are fully integrated into our school program to prepare students for college and beyond.
Immunization Policy
The State of California School Attendance Law requires that all children entering school comply with the Department of Health regulations summarized below. California School Immunization Record forms are submitted upon enrollment. California School Immunization Law* requires that all children entering school for the first time submit evidence of their completed immunizations. It also requires that schools submit annual immunization reports to the state.
*Note to all applicants: Please visit https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/School/shotsforschool.aspx in order to find out about immunization requirements to attend public and private school in California.
Required immunizations include:
• Polio
• DTP or DtaP (diptheria, tetanus, pertusis)
• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
• Hib
• Hep B
• Varicella (Chicken Pox)
Requirements vary depending on the age and grade of the entering student. Additionally, all students entering the first grade are required to complete the Report of Health Examination for School Entry and all students entering the 7th grade are required to have and submit documentation of a Tdap booster and Varicella booster.
Pasadena Waldorf School complies with all California vaccination and reporting laws and encourages parents to make informed vaccination decisions in partnership with their family health care provider. The school operates in accordance with California Health & Safety Code 120325(c), in which the legislature provides “exemptions from immunization for medical reasons.”
In the case of an outbreak, children who are not fully immunized may be temporarily excluded from attending school. More details are available at the website: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/School/laws.aspx
Parent Participation
Our families come from many cultural, religious, and occupational backgrounds, and each family here is drawn to and supports our mission. While we highly value the many ways parents enhance the community, the most important contribution parents make to their children’s education is at home. All parents are asked to make their home a place that reflects the values of Waldorf Education and offers children a sense of continuity and coherence between school and home.
Parental involvement is a strong predictor of children’s success, and Pasadena Waldorf School offers parents a variety of meaningful opportunities to make a real difference in their child’s education, including volunteering to help with class activities and performances, going on field trips, and assisting with school-wide festivals and fundraising events such as the annual Elves’ Faire.
Many parents also serve the school through collaborative work on our Parent Council and on various committees. Gifts of time and talent are just as important as financial support. Each year, thousands of volunteer hours are collectively offered by PWS parents, without which our school would not be the extraordinary place that it is. Many volunteers report that they have experienced deep opportunities for growth, as well as an increased sense of community, through their involvement with PWS.
Parent Council
As representatives of the parent body, the Parent Council’s mission is to build community, facilitate communication, and support parent education. The goal of the Parent Council is to ensure that all parents are co-creators of the healthy life and spirit of the Pasadena Waldorf School community.
Adult Communication Policy
At PWS our vision for our community of students, faculty, staff, parents, neighbors, and friends is that we will find that each “single soul reflects the total community, and the community itself is reflected in the single soul” (Rudolf Steiner). As adults in this community, we are obliged to provide models worthy of imitation for the children. If we are to foster respect, we must model respect in our interactions with each other. Our school is committed to positive adult communication, based on mutual respect. We are committed to an atmosphere where different perspectives are heard and valued, and confidentiality is respected.