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Category: Middle School

Nature is Essential for Learning

A nature-based education is beneficial for children for a multitude of reasons. Research highlights that education with a strong nature component helps reduce stress, improves focus, increases resilience, enhances discipline, and encourages healthy physical activity. Waldorf Education emphasizes scientific field work, nature-based play, and hands-on learning, which all support academic growth, engagement, strong social skills […]

The Real Reason Young People Are Anxious

Technology is merely a symptom. The problem is the romantic corruption of imagination, and the solution lies in classic books and art. Wall Street Journal | Opinion Written by Emily Finley. Ms. Finley is a senior fellow at the Albertus Magnus Institute and an instructor at Pepperdine University Updated Feb. 7, 2025 In “The Coddling […]

Waldorf Cultivates Skills Employers Want 

Research by the hiring platform Indeed.com found the top skills employers seek are effective communication, teamwork, the ability to problem solve, creative thinking, work ethic, and adaptability. Waldorf Education prepares students with these crucial skills by integrating academics with visual and performing arts, outdoor education, and practical work, building social-emotional skills and collaboration into the […]

Columbia University: Kids Learn Better Off Screens

Columbia University: Kids Learn Better Off ScreensColumbia University: Kids Learn Better Off Screens

Columbia University research reveals that children comprehend texts better, and remember the material longer, when reading and writing on paper. In recent years, there has been a decline in youth reading scores, which the study attributes to the shift towards digital learning. Waldorf Education prioritizes handwriting, physical texts, and books. Technology is introduced as children […]

Welcoming Joshua Berman as Director of Middle School Outdoor Education

Joshua Berman, ak.a. “don Josué,” is stepping into the role of Director of Middle School Outdoor Education at Shining Mountain Waldorf School

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT We are happy to announce that Joshua Berman, ak.a. “don Josué,” is stepping into the role of Director of Middle School Outdoor Education at Shining Mountain Waldorf School (SMWS)—in addition to continuing his work as a teacher in the lower school and as Social Media Director. Joshua has been a teacher at SMWS […]

Empowering Digital Navigators

Shining Mountain Waldorf High School April 21, 2022, in Boulder, Colo. (Photo by Jack Dempsey)

Cyber Civics at Shining Mountain Waldorf School As screens and media become integral to our lives, Shining Mountain Waldorf School is at the forefront, equipping students to be ethical, responsible, safe, compassionate, and courageous members of both real-life and digital realms. Join us in shaping future leaders with a keen understanding of technology and a […]

Finding Inspiration and Overcoming Fear: An Interview with Sarah Gillis

Annabelle Boak interviews Astronaut Sarah Gillis, Class of 2012

On Interviewing Sarah Gillis, Shining Mountain Waldorf School Class of 2012, about how Waldorf education helped her develop curiosity, creativity, and imagination to become a successful engineer and problem-solver. Complete interview video and transcript here. by Annabelle Boak  The wall behind us was mottled with luminous pink and purple, and superimposed on its artistic cacophony […]

Untold Story: How Waldorf Education Prepares Students for the Online World

Sixth grade students at Shining Mountain Waldorf School dissect a computer in a Cyber Civics lesson entitled “Investigating Today’s Tools.” PHOTO: Joshua Berman

By Joshua Berman This article was originally published in The Boulder Daily Camera’s “Raised in the Rockies” Family and Parenting Guide on August 1, 2022 An excited cluster of sixth graders surrounded the table where I’d placed an assortment of devices — an old iPhone, PC and laptop. I was about to remove the side […]

The Greatest Scientists are Artists Too

Louis Pastuer was a painter. Albert Einstein and Francis Arnold were both accomplished musicians. New research shows that award winning scientists, and especially Nobel Prize winners, are far more likely to have artistic hobbies than the general public. Many of them, including Einstein, cite the role of the arts in their breakthroughs. Creativity and perseverance […]

Working with Your Hands Does Wonders for Your Brain

Prolonged focus between our hands and raw materials encourages cognitive connections, fine-motor activity, concentration, perseverance with tasks, and a sense of pride in meaningful work. Susan Biali Haas M.D., originally published in June 2019 on the Psychology Today website. I’ve been working hard on a proposal for a new book. This involves a lot of sitting […]

Is ‘AQ’ more important than intelligence? Educating for an Uncertain Future

By Seb Murray, originally published in Nov. 2019 on the BBC website, Worklife 101 . As workplaces change, is it enough to be smart? Enter AQ, the capacity to adapt that may well determine your future career success. Once, if you wanted to assess how well someone might do climbing the career ladder, you might […]

Waldorf Schools are Media Literacy Role Models

By Soni Albright, originally published in Oct. 2021 on the Cyber Civics website. As we celebrate Media Literacy Week 2021, it’s hard to believe that Waldorf schools in North America have been leading the way when it comes to Media Literacy education. What’s that? Waldorf schools and “Media” Literacy? Do you mean those schools that […]

Field Day 2020: Summer Wishes and Water Splashes!

Here’s an end-of-the-school-year, pre-summer gift from all of our faculty and staff. This video goes out to all our dear families—especially students and parent volunteers who would normally have been out at Field Day today! Be sure to turn up your volume, watch the video all the way to the end, and don’t forget your […]

The SMWS Post, 2nd Edition, a 7th Grade publication

2nd edition, Spring, 2020, Boulder, CO By students in the 7th grade at Shining Mountain Waldorf School Editors: Lilla Molnar, Finneas Palazzari, Sascha Panian A note from Joshua Berman, Language Arts (and Spanish) teacher at Shining Mountain Waldorf School: In the second week of March, seventh grade students were preparing for a field trip to […]

Video Premiere! Educating our Children Beyond the Classroom

At Shining Mountain Waldorf School, an independent K-12 school in Boulder, CO, educating our children continues as faculty and staff deliver the comprehensive, experiential curriculum of Waldorf Education into our students’ homes. This video, which was created by Nita Davanzo, Class of ’99, on behalf of SMWS’s Advancement Team, provides a glimpse of the magic […]

May Festival at Shining Mountain Waldorf School

Ah, to be skipping through the May sunshine in the north field at Shining Mountain Waldorf School! The hogback rises to the west, the May Pole stands straight and true, and our entire community gathers to usher in the spring! This is a brief tribute to past May Festivals at our school, and also a […]

New video from AWSNA, the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America

Waldorf: An Education for the Future On September 19, 2019, Waldorf education celebrates 100 years. Across the globe, Waldorf schools are engaging in creative, social and environmental actions. With these initiatives, Waldorf communities are seeding the future. 100 years is only the beginning. Visit https://www.waldorfeducation.org/waldorf100 to learn more. Join the movement. Seed the future.

Teaching World Languages with Storytelling: A Waldorf-friendly approach

By Joshua Berman I walk into the brightly colored 3rd grade classroom, where the children are already seated, with my guitar case slung over one shoulder and a covered basket of props in my hand. A few items are strategically overflowing and students try to catch a glimpse of what’s inside—today, a chef’s hat, a […]

- Sarah Gillis, SMWS Class of 2012 and Sr. Space Operations Engineer at SpaceX

“I feel like one of the really important things that you get out of a Waldorf education is curiosity—curiosity to go and learn and explore what’s out there in the world. I fell into engineering and a path that I don’t think I would have anticipated, but having an arts background where you’re bringing creativity and imagination into problem-solving, there’s a really incredible synergy between those.”

- Sarah Gillis, SMWS Class of 2012 and Sr. Space Operations Engineer at SpaceX

Play-Based Learning | Scientists Say Child's Play Helps Build A Better Brain
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Job Details

  • Job Title: Facilities & Grounds Assistant

  • Program: Administration

  • Reports to: Facilities & Grounds Director

  • FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

  • Date: January 2026

Position Summary

Shining Mountain Waldorf School (“SMWS”) is a PreK-12th grade campus consisting of 8 acres and 15 buildings located at the foothills of North Boulder, Colorado. In conjunction with the Facilities Director, the Facilities and Grounds Assistant provides year-round maintenance, seasonal upkeep, and improvement of school buildings and grounds to support our nature and outdoor school curriculum. Maintenance, safety, and improvement projects are essential to welcome visitors and the SMWS community to the natural beauty of the SMWS campus.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Required skills to address issues relating to campus maintenance: plumbing, electrical, carpentry, painting, HVAC, care of the grounds, etc.

  • Daily tour of campus and playground for hazards, trash, safety, and wildlife concerns

  • Daily response to requests for repairs and campus assistance

  • Daily late afternoon safety checks for campus and building safety

  • Weekly service and safety inspection of school buses (fuel, oil, tires, etc.)

  • Weekly cleaning and organizing of facilities and grounds workshop

  • Weekly safety inspections of playground equipment

  • Preparation for school events and meetings, including setup and breakdown of tables and chairs

  • Seasonal work, inspecting and maintaining classrooms, air conditioners, swamp coolers, furnaces, water heaters, thermostats, etc.

  • Supplement early morning seasonal and evening snow removal and ice management throughout campus in preparation for the student and parent arrival and departure of the school day

  • Delivery and moving of items throughout campus classrooms and buildings

Additional Responsibilities

  • Outdoor work, walking, repairing, and attention to our 8-acre campus

  • School events set up and break down – festivals, concerts, and plays   

  • Driving ability to include driving school truck with trailer   

  • Working knowledge of automotive care and maintenance   

  • Working with faculty and assisting in moving and preparing classrooms   

Education and Qualifications

  • Familiarity with landscaping and irrigation, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, painting, HVAC, and general maintenance items

  • Friendly and approachable temperament working with faculty, staff, students, and community

  • Previous construction, trade, and technical skills

  • Self-starter in recognizing and completing necessary campus needs and maintenance

  • Skill and ability to operate power tools in accordance with proper safety guidelines

  • Basic computer skills

  • Driver’s license required with excellent driving record

  • Available to work a flexible schedule at times when work is needed outside of normal working hours – early mornings and weekends (early/late snow removal, event set up and break down, facilities emergencies, etc.)

Work Setting

  • Status: Full time – 40 hour a week non-exempt position

  • Type: This is an hourly, year-round position

  • Hours: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm (may require some early morning and evening hours)

  • Environment: Work setting varies based on assignment – indoor and outdoor work on campus and buildings

Salary and Benefits

  • Pay: Hourly wage of $25.00 per hour – overtime paid (time and ½) when over 40 hours are worked per week

  • Time Off: Personal Time Off (monthly accruals of 2 weeks and 3 weeks after 1+ years)

  • Sick Leave: Colorado Paid Sick Leave (1 hour earned each 30 hours worked up to 48 hours each calendar year)

  • Holidays: Up to 15 Paid National Holidays per calendar year, including a paid week during the December holidays

  • Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, long-term disability, 401(k) with match (determined annually), flexible spending account, and other ancillary benefits

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the Essential Duties and Responsibilities of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be able to perform:

  • General construction work-related requirements, including but not limited to: lifting, bending, standing, kneeling, carrying items, working on a ladder, etc.

  • Ability to lift at least 60 pounds

  • Work in tight spaces – work may be in small spaces within buildings, crawl spaces, and frame restrictions

  • Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. 


Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, and three references to hrmgr@smwaldorf.org

Shining Mountain Waldorf School is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting, retaining, developing, and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to their race, religion, gender, gender identity, disability, familial status, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited by state or local law. We are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment, where employees are treated with respect and dignity. 


Job Details

  • Job Title: Substitute Teacher

  • Program: Grades 1 through Grade 12

  • Reports to: Campus Operations Director

  • FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

  • Date: October 2024

Position Summary

Shining Mountain Waldorf School, a PreK to High School, is seeking Substitute Teachers. In order to create an encouraging learning environment for students while their regular Teacher is absent, our Substitute Teachers will need to effectively manage and instruct the class. We are looking for individuals who have teaching experience, love the classroom environment, and are available (sometimes on very short notice) to work during the week. Knowledge of Waldorf education is a plus.

Essential Responsibilities

  • Teaching and supervision of students in the event that their regular teacher is unable to lead class.

  • Manage classroom behavior and follow lesson plans provided by the regular Teacher to create a cohesive and consistent learning experience for students.

  • Manage the classroom effectively to encourage student participation, minimize distractions and maintain a positive learning environment.

  • Adapt teaching methods to fit the needs of each individual student.

  • Supervise students in and out of the classroom, including in class transitions, and on the playground.

Work Setting

  • Classroom and playground environment

Salary and Hours

  • Pay: $25 per hour with a 2-hour daily minimum

  • Timesheets are required to be completed

  • Substitute Teaching hours vary and are contingent on SMWS Faculty absences from the classroom and class needs

  • Calls to Substitute Teach may be made on very short notice – evening and morning hours

  • Substitute hours are based on SMWS need for classroom coverage

Education and Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s Degree

  • Teaching experience and classroom experience required

  • Comfortable with students and academic focus

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the Essential Duties and Responsibilities of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be able to perform:   

  • Sitting and standing for class presentations   

     

  • Lift 25 pounds, bending, stretching   

     

  • Mobility to move about the classroom, walking around our 12 -acre campus, and playground   

     

  • Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.  

 
Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest and resume to hrmgr@smwaldorf.org.

Shining Mountain Waldorf School is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting, retaining, developing and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to their race, religion, gender, gender identity, disability, familial status, sexual orientation or national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited by state or local law. We are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment, where employees are treated with respect and dignity.



Kim Rector
Kim Rector

Admissions Director

Kim brings more than 12 years of dedicated experience in Advancement and Admissions within Waldorf Education. Kim’s journey with Waldorf Education began in 2013 at the Austin Waldorf School, where she discovered a deep passion for Waldorf pedagogy and Anthroposophy. After relocating to Colorado in 2014, Shining Mountain Waldorf School quickly became a second home for her family. That same year, Kim stepped into the role of Lower School Receptionist, marking the start of nearly a decade of service and leadership at SMWS.

With over 15 years of experience in non-profit fundraising and event management, Kim was a natural fit for the position of Development Director at Shining Mountain, a role she held from 2017 to 2020. She then transitioned into Admissions, serving as Admission Director from 2020 until her family’s return to Austin in 2023. Kim continued work in Waldorf Education by serving as Admission Director at the Austin Waldorf School for the following three years.

Kim studied Biochemistry at Texas State University and has completed her Foundation Studies in Anthroposophy.

Outside of her professional life, Kim and her husband, Julian, are parents to their three children, Sydney, Suri, and Julian. Together, they enjoy hiking, fishing, camping, skiing, and cooking as a family.