Introducing Orchard Valley School

The Orchard Valley School is dedicated to the principles of Waldorf Education, honoring the individuality and creativity of each child and fostering a sense of community that supports children in their growth and learning. The Waldorf approach balances academic, artistic, and practical activities to awaken each child's thinking.

OVS is one of nearly 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide working with the curriculum which was first developed in 1919 by Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian scientist, philosopher and educator. We are an independent, non-sectarian school with two locations serving children ages 2 through grade 8.

Grace Farm — our 55 acre main campus located on Route 14 in East Montpelier — offers state-accredited Nursery and Kindergarten programs for children ages 3 ½ to 6 in a nineteenth century farmhouse and grades classes in a renovated barn.

Child's Garden is located on Route 12 just south of Montpelier and offers a state-accredited early childhood center for children ages 2 to 6.

Afterschool programs are available for all students at both campuses.

Morning Garden, a weekly parent-child play group for children ages 2-4 and their parents. It is led by a veteran Waldorf educator and storyteller.

The children and faculty of Orchard Valley School make full use of the natural surroundings for study, play, discovery and a genuine reverence for the natural world. The visual and performing arts — including sculpting, painting, woodworking, drawing, drama, and music — form an integral part of the academic curriculum.

The heart of the Waldorf method is the conviction that education is an art...
It must speak to the child's experience.
To educate the whole child, his heart and will must be reached, as well as his mind.

— Rudolf Steiner, founder of Waldorf Education

Our History

The Orchard Valley School represents the fruit of a unified effort to provide Waldorf Education in Central Vermont. Families in the Central Vermont area have long been served by Waldorf education. In 1991, the Montpelier Waldorf Child's Garden was founded, creating a nurturing Waldorf kindergarten. In 2000, a group of families with a deep commitment to Waldorf education joined together to found the Three Rivers School, the first school to serve the grades in the Montpelier area. In the fall of 2004, the two schools merged. The community celebrated the purchase of Grace Farm, an ideal location for a Waldorf school: 55-acres of orchards amidst a pastoral landscape, a 19th century farmhouse for early childhood programs and the Apple Barn to serve the grades. The Child's Garden campus in Montpelier continues to thrive as mixed-age preschool within the city.

Our School Community

Families and friends form the foundation of the Orchard Valley School. Their contributions of time, love, money, energy and encouragement are vital to the health of the school. Close communication between teachers and parents ensures the essential continuity between home and classroom. Families and friends join us in seasonal festivals, workshops, special events, lectures, and fundraising.

Orchard Valley School welcomes a diverse community which includes families from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Orchard Valley School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin.

Financial aid is available for all programs.

To Get Involved

We offer a variety of special events, study groups and lectures for parents, and Open Houses for families. Our Morning Garden for parents and children ages 2-4 is a wonderful introduction to Waldorf education. To learn more about our school or about Waldorf education, please call our office: 802-456-7400.