As is customary in Waldorf schools, the Emerson Waldorf School is governed by a three-fold structure comprised of the Board of Directors, which is responsible for legal and financial matters, the College of Teachers, which is responsible for pedagogical matters, and the Administration, which is responsible for the day-to-day running of the school.

The College of Teachers

The College of Teachers is the guardian of the curriculum, the identity and the mission of the school. This is the body which makes final decisions about which teachers join or leave the school and which programs are offered (within budgetary limits). The College meets weekly, on Wednesday afternoons, and works collaboratively and through consensus. Its primary mission is to nurture and support the ideals of Waldorf Education within the school. It is comprised of experienced teachers, who have been at Emerson for at least several years, and who are invited to join. The College has a Chairperson, and parents are welcome to communicate directly with her about any pedagogical concerns–although it is best to speak first with your child’s class teacher when possible.

Member of the College of Teachers for the 2011-2012 year are:

Nancy Balasubramanian
Ingeborg Boesch
Jason Child
Viorica Comaniciu
Patricia Cornell, Chair
Ameli Fairman-Evans
Carol Kubik
Robin Olson
Rob Rich
Kris Ritz
Kathleen Stone-Michael
Benjamin Trueblood
Shannon Wiley

The Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is comprised of parents, alumni, faculty, and friends of the school who have been invited to join as members, plus one Parent Representative elected by the Parents’ Organization, and the school Administrator, who is an ex-officio member. The Board supports the work of the administration and the College of Teachers by discussing and making recommendations on budgets and finance, legal matters, fundraising and development, and long-range planning. Regular members serve for a term of three years, while the PO representative serves for one year. The Board has several standing committees, including a Finance Committee and a Long-Range Planning Committee, and may establish temporary committees and Task Forces to accomplish special tasks. Members of the community are welcome to refer matters of concern to the Board through written communication with the chairperson or by attendance at the open session of the Board held at the beginning of its regular meetings. Board minutes are kept in a file in the Main Office, and available to the community.

Members of the Board for 2011-12 are:

Charles Viles, Chairperson
Patricia Cornell, College Representative, Vice-President
Mark Hulbert, Treasurer
Georg Buehler, Vice President
Viorica Comaniciu, College Representative
Judy Grant
Melanie Sullivan
Karla Boyce-Awai
Georg Buehler
Paige Chandler
Carol Mahaffey
Joyce Felder
Barbara Holloway

Administration: Interim Leadership Team

Patricia Cornell, College Chair
Jason Child, College Representative
Mark Hulbert, Treasurer
Charlie Viles, Board Chair

The Emerson Waldorf School is operating under an interim administrative arrangement for the 2011-2012 school year, during which year the school will be searching for a new administrator. The interim arrangement will be overseen by a team of two consultants working together, each of whom has several decades of experience in school administration:

·         Kay Hoffman, an accomplished school administrator, Waldorf School teacher, committee chair, teacher mentor, public speaker and lecturer and accreditation team member. Kay holds a Bachelor of Arts in French and English from SUNY Albany and a Master in Education with a focus on Community Development and Waldorf Administration from Sunbridge College.

·         Claus Sproll, a business professional with many years of experience in independent school administration, human service organizations, intentional communities and small businesses. He completed studies in school administration and community development at Sunbridge College and in social therapy from the School for Spiritual Science in Dornach, Switzerland. Claus is a certified instructor in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, is the CEO of LILIPOH Publishing and has served on numerous Boards of Directors.
Our Interim Leadership Team (ILT) is responsible for implementing the decisions of the College and Board and is responsible for communications within the school, in the larger Waldorf community, and with local and state institutions, for ensuring that all legal requirements are met, finances accounted for, and that the school is run efficiently. They oversee and work with an administrative staff which plays an integral role in the daily operations of the school through staffing the offices, attracting and processing new enrollment, communicating with parents, recording and organizing school records, managing school finances, maintaining school property, and many other tasks which are part of school life, from supplying band-aids to processing transcripts. Our Interim Team operates an Open Door policy, and you are free to stop by and talk to any of them about your suggestions and concerns at any time.

Circle of Chairs

The Circle of Chairs meets weekly, and is comprised of a representative of the Interim Leadership Team and the Chairs of the four sections of the school: Early Childhood,  Grades, High School and Subjects. This committee can respond quickly to needs for immediate decisions or direction on issues with both pedagogical and administrative aspects.

Faculty

All teachers at Emerson Waldorf School are members of the Faculty, and meet weekly as a group, on Thursday afternoons, on Teacher Workdays, and during Work Week, for study and discussion of educational topics and issues and concerns relevant to their teaching. There are sectional Chairs for each of the four sections of the school: Early Childhood, Grades, Subjects and the High School.

Most of our teachers have Waldorf training, in addition to undergraduate or postgraduate degrees, and varied teaching and life experiences. Teachers, who are in daily contact with the children, have the ability to respond directly to student needs and parent concerns. They strive to connect with each family, building a network of support for each child. Teachers maintain open communication with parents through regular class meetings and email. If a parent has any concerns about their child, it is best to first approach the child’s Class Teacher with this concern. Please visit the Early Childhood, Grades 1-8, and High School sections of the website for teacher biographies.

The Emerson Waldorf School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin the the administration of its education policies, admissions policies, tuition adjustment program, athletic or other school administered programs.