Facebook pixel

Our History

Minnesota Waldorf School grew out of a parent-led movement for Waldorf education in the Twin Cities.

The Minnesota Waldorf School Association was established in 1979. The first kindergarten program opened in September of 1981.

The school continued to grow and moved to a larger location in Minneapolis. By 1986, there were 100 students in five grades and two kindergartens.

In 1987, the decision was made to separate into two Waldorf initiatives: the City of Lakes Waldorf School, which is just south of downtown Minneapolis, and Minnesota Waldorf School in Roseville, a northern St. Paul suburb.

MWS continued to grow and prosper at the Corpus Christi site, and by fall of 1995, with approximately 120 students, it was clear that a move to a larger space was needed. In December 1998, the site of the Hideaway Bar was identified as a location for the school. 

The site, more than eight acres, was relatively undeveloped, and close to public park land. Ground was broken in May 2000, and the school made the move to its current site during the first week of January 2001.

In the summer of 2009, the Early Childhood building (fondly referred to as the Kindergarten Cottage) was completed. An addition that included a woodworking and science room, along with new office space for administration was completed in the summer of 2010.

Each year brings new growth to Minnesota Waldorf School. In April 2011, the Spring Event Fundraiser “Fund-A-Need” raised money to begin the new Garage and Storage building that houses and protects our outdoor equipment, as well as the stage and circus supplies. This new building has an attached greenhouse to support our “horticulturiculum” program—the gardening program at MWS.