Our Waldorf preschool and kindergartens nurture a sense of wonder and curiosity
in the young child, while encouraging reverence and joy for the goodness of life.
The warmth and beauty of the classrooms and the mixed age groupings provide an opportunity for children to play and learn in a home-like atmosphere. The 3-year olds (participating in a 4 hour/day program) and the 4-year olds are engaged according to their age and abilities, while imitating the mood, gestures and work of the classroom teachers (and their older friends). The 5 and 6-year olds develop the independence and sense of responsibility necessary to become leaders in the class.
In the loving and creative atmosphere of the kindergarten, these young children acquire the confidence and discipline they will need for the challenging academic work of grade school.
The kindergarten experience is rich in storytelling, puppetry, song, poetry, cooking, and artistic activities. Crafts, handwork, games, and regular outdoor play encourage the healthy growth of the child's body. Toys, art materials, and classroom aesthetics emphasize natural, simple materials, encouraging the child's imagination. Through play, each child learns a broad range of cognitive, social, and linguistic skills. As in all Waldorf classes, parents are encouraged to minimize exposure to television, videos, and other media that might hinder the free and harmonious growth of the child.
Capacities children will develop in our program:
| Social |
Physical |
Emotional |
• Manners
• Gratitude
• Respect
• Care of others
• Listening skills
• Self-control
• Flexible thinking |
• Fine motor skills
• Gross motor skills
• Coordination
• Self-care
• Competence |
• Wonder
• Good habits
• Rhythm
• Empathy
• Aesthetic appreciation
• Confidence |
| Language |
Math |
Science |
• Imagination
• Vocabulary
• Story structure (beginning-middle-end)
• Recitation
• Flexible thinking |
• One-on-one correspondence
• Counting
• Sorting
• Planning
• Sequencing |
• Observational skills
• Sensory stimulation
• Snack preparation
• Nature walks
• Care of environment |
Weekly Rhythm
Daily and weekly rhythms provide a familiar environment and support the children as they move wholeheartedly into play and learning. Each day of the week has its own morning activity. These may include watercolor painting, baking bread and churning butter, handworking (finger knitting, beeswax modeling, sewing, seasonal crafts), housekeeping (waxing, polishing, washing, mending), and making vegetable soup.
General Information
Hours of Operation
3-Day Preschool (Mixed Age) - Applicants must be at least 3 years old by June 1 of year of entry
3-Day Preschool (Monday-Wednesday, 9am - 1pm)
(3 year olds attend for the hours of 8:30am - 12:30pm or 9am – 1pm)
Full 3-Day Preschool (Monday-Wednesday, 8:30am – 3:10pm)
(Applicants must be at least 4 years old by August 15 of year of entry)
5-Day Kindergarten (Mixed Age) - Applicants must be at least 3 years old by February 1 of year of entry
5-Day Kindergarten (8:30am - 1pm)
(3 year olds attend for the hours of 8:30am - 12:30pm or 9am – 1pm)
Full 5-Day Kindergarten (8:30am - 3:10pm)
(Applicants must be at least 4 years old by August 15 of year of entry)
Extended Care is available until 6pm each day.
Teacher/Student Ratio
Each teacher and assistant has a class that ranges from 14 to 20 students.
Faculty - Kindergarten Teachers
Sondi Eugene
Sondi Eugene was raised in rural New Jersey. She later moved to Louisiana to attend Grambling State University. Sondi received her Waldorf certificate in early childhood education from Sunbridge College in 2004 and she became certified in the Lifeways Early Childhood and Human Development Program in 2009. Sondi has been teaching at WSA since 2000. She helped develop and now teaches the Afternoon kindergarten class, as well as two days of the Morning Garden Program. Sondi enjoys hiking, bike rides, cooking, crafts, and singing. She has two children, both of whom attended WSA since kindergarten and are now high school students at Academe of the Oaks.
Annamay Keeney
Born in Altadena, California and raised in northern Illinois, Annamay attended Blackburn, a small liberal arts college known for its student work program. She participated as an exchange student in Cholula, Mexico and worked and traveled in Europe. Annamay received her Waldorf certificate in early childhood education from Sunbridge College in 2002. She and her husband of 30 years were founding parents of The Waldorf School of Atlanta. She created and led the Morning Garden (parent/child) program for six years, and is in her 13th year teaching in the kindergarten program. Annamay has taught handwork and crafts with children in various settings, including public and private schools, the Boys and Girls Clubs, and many fairs, including the Piedmont Arts Festival in Atlanta. Annamay has three children. Her oldest son attended two years of kindergarten at WSA and graduated from Georgia State University. Her second son is a WSA graduate and attends UGA. Her daughter currently attends Academe of the Oaks (the Waldorf High School.) Annamay enjoys singing, sewing, embroidering, making puppets, hiking, gardening, traveling, and laughing with her children.
Annie Sommerville-Hall
Annie Sommerville-Hall was one of the founding parents of The Waldorf School of Atlanta. She began teaching at WSA in 1993 and has taught the Morning Garden parent/toddler program and 3-day preschool/kindergarten for many years. Born in White Plains, New York, and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Annie attended Georgia State University and the Southeastern Center for the Arts. She received her Waldorf certificate in early childhood education from Sunbridge College in 1998. Annie has been a teacher of many subjects, including swimming, art, barn management, horseback riding, and beekeeping. Annie taught art at The Friends School of Atlanta and had a Waldorf playgroup in her home prior to joining WSA as a preschool/kindergarten teacher. Annie's varied interests include spending time in nature, beekeeping, swimming, and the arts - theater, photography, storytelling, and crafts. Annie has been married more than 30 years, and has two daughters, both of whom have graduated from WSA. Her oldest,
one of the first graduates of WSA, received her Masters in Theological Studies at Vanderbilt University. Her youngest, a graduate of Academe of the Oaks, the local Waldorf high school, has a B.S. in psychology from Georgia College and State University.
Karen Smith
Karen Smith was born in San Francisco, and raised in a small town in southern Mississippi. Having older parents who were of retirement age, Karen spent her summers traveling with her family across the country in an R.V., visiting National Parks throughout the West and Midwest. Karen graduated Magna Cum Laude from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Art, with an emphasis in graphic design. Prior to joining WSA, Karen worked as an art director at Turner Publishing designing coffee table books, novels, and cookbooks. She also designed an elaborate display edition of the Bible, incorporating original drawings from monks in Italy. Although Karen received her Waldorf certificate in Early Childhood Education from Sunbridge College in 2004, she has been a kindergarten teacher at WSA since 2001. Karen likes to cook, make toys, and work in her garden. She is married to her husband who is a graphic designer by trade and a guitar builder in his spare time. Her oldest daughter and her husband live in Florida with Karen's first grandson. Her youngest daughter is a WSA graduate and currently a high school student at Academe of the Oaks. In seeking worldwide collegiality, Karen created an international Waldorf Early Childhood teacher discussion group on the Internet. The membership of the group continues to grow with over 500 members from 15 countries.
Emily Tremoureux
Emily Tremoureux was born and raised in Nevada City, California, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains . There she attended a Waldorf school founded by her mother. Emily studied in Denmark for a year before attending Vassar College, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in Education and Drama. She received her Waldorf teaching certificate and M.Ed. degree from Antioch New England Graduate School.
After two years of teaching kindergarten at the Rudolf Steiner School in New York City, Emily became the teacher of the first grade class in 2000 at The Waldorf School of Atlanta and graduated the class eight years later.
During this time, she served as the school's Faculty Chair for three years, providing leadership to the faculty and the school community. Emily has two children, and enjoys singing and costume design.
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