Shining Mountain Waldorf School Plans In-Person PreK-12 Learning Five Days a Week on 12-Acre North Boulder Campus
BOULDER, Colo.: Shining Mountain Waldorf School (SMWS), an independent PreK-12 school in North Boulder, Colorado, has announced a Fall 2020 Reopening Plan that includes five-day, in-person, on-campus learning. The school's plan is in accordance with health and safety requirements established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and with guidance for Colorado schools from the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE), the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), the Colorado Office of Early Childhood Division of Early Care & Learning, Boulder County Public Health (BCPH), the City of Boulder, and the Governor's Office. Their first day of school is Sept. 2, 2020.
SMWS is one of the only schools in the region to offer this kind of plan, which stands out from Boulder Valley School District's decision to start the school year with distance learning. In an announcement, Mary Eaton Fairfield, School Director, wrote, "Our 12-acre campus, smaller class sizes, and decentralized classrooms allow us to offer in-person learning Monday through Friday this fall. We are fortunate to be able to welcome our students back on campus, so that they will have the opportunity to resume learning, play, and socializing, which are all essential to the healthy development and well-being of children."
The school's reopening task force also cited:
- Access to open space: the Shining Mountain Waldorf School campus borders City of Boulder Open Space, including Foothills Park and Wonderland Lake Nature Reserve.
- Separate entrances to classrooms: many classrooms are in freestanding, separate buildings.
- Strict adherence to all public health guidelines regarding health and safety protocols.
- Community-minded families committed to taking preventative measures to reduce risk to others.
- Experienced and adaptable faculty/staff.
- Relatively small class sizes.
- Teachers ready to transition to BtC (Beyond the Classroom, or distance learning), whenever necessary.
