Leadership

While all Waldorf schools are part of an international movement, each school is independent, self-governing, and distinct in character. The Waldorf School of Princeton is led by a collaboration of the Board of Trustees, the College of Teachers, the Parent Council, and the Administration. Each has its specific role that creates a vibrant, healthy educational institution. Read more about these roles in our governance document.

The Waldorf School of Princeton is a nonprofit organization accredited by both the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA), and the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS).

Board of Trustees

The Board is responsible for the legal and financial integrity of the school. It is composed of current and alumni parents, faculty, and friends from the wider community. Working subcommittees of the Board are vital in moving the school’s strategic plans forward.

Board Chair: Dean Smith, boardchair@princetonwaldorf.org

One of the primary responsibilities of the Board of Trustees is to engage in creating our Strategic Plan, which has been updated for 2016-19.

College of Teachers

College Chair: Elan Leibner

The College is responsible to develop, implement, review, and refresh its Waldorf curriculum, educational policies and teaching approach. Concerned with the quality of its programs, the College oversees the faculty, the children, and the manner in which the school operates. Composed of faculty and staff members who are particularly committed to the philosophy of the school, the College regularly devotes meeting time to study various aspects of the developing human being.

College Members for 2019-2020

Elan Leibner, College Chair/Leadership Team

Pamela Shafer, Leadership Team Chair

Sarina Ciranni-Jones, Leadership Team

Antoinette Layton, Business Operations Administrator

Kristin Hughes

Amy Shor

Sarah Kessler

Susan Eggers

David Heberlein

Nora Sheehan

Parent Council

As representatives of the parent body, the Parent Council is actively engaged in the life of the school. It works to foster a cohesive school community by providing parents a forum that brings together Board, Faculty and Administration for discussion of issues of concern with the parents. By sponsoring events and projects that enrich the life of the community, welcoming new families, and providing opportunities for adult education, the Parent Council helps strengthen bonds in the community. Its monthly meetings include representatives from the Faculty, Board, and the Administration.

The Parent Council is composed of parent representatives chosen by each early childhood and grade school class teacher to serve for two-year terms.

A Waldorf education requires a partnership between parents, the Faculty, and the Administration. An active and vibrant parent body is vital to the healthy functioning of our school. The Parent Council represents the parent body and ensures that it fulfills its part of the equation by participating actively in the school’s functioning.

Parent Council Mission Statement

As representatives of the parent body, we are actively engaged partners in the life of the school. We work to foster a vibrant school community, we provide parents with a voice in the school, and we serve as a liaison between the Administration, the Faculty, the Board, and the parent body. We provide opportunities to strengthen bonds by sponsoring events and projects that enrich the life of the school community and by providing opportunities for parent enrichment and education.

We help to build warm and united classes by acting as the eyes and ears for our classrooms, by welcoming new families, and by promoting fellowship in any way we can. We provide a forum to bring together parents, Board, Faculty, and Administration for discussion of issues of concern to the parents and we ensure that our class parents are informed about what is happening in the school.

Administration

The Administration manages the non-pedagogical operation of the school. The Board delegates and empowers the Administration to fulfill those day-to-day and strategic obligations that are not specifically assigned to a Board Committee or to the College.