The Mountain School was founded by Katherine Woods with the close support and direction by her parents, Ward and Priscilla Woods. From the beginning in the fall of 2004 a great deal of support for the vision of the school came from the local community. Katharine purchased the property and obtained the permit for The Mountain School in the winter of 2005. She then moved to Mustang Lane and began to build the school’s infrastructure. During the winter of 2005 an appeal of the school’s permit was filed. For the following two years The Woods family, along with many teachers and assistants continued to pursue the goal of opening the school. They defended themselves through various appeals, which were eventually dropped, built the farm, and perfected existing structures and designed the future school building.
In the winter of 2007 ground was broken on the school building itself. A Green design for the school was donated by The Living Architecture group in Ketchum, Idaho. The firm’s founder and lead architect Dale Bates’ study of Rudolf Steiner’s architectural insights made his firm the perfect match for The Mountain School. With the excellent oversight and workmanship of Lloyd Construction, and the wise guidance and unwavering hard work of Patti Lousen, the school’s administrator, and the backbreaking, heartfelt and constant efforts of John Delorenzo The Mountain School received it’s Certificate of Occupancy On June 16th, and opened its doors to a full enrollment of children in it’s Summer Camp Art, Farm and Wilderness program.
Although no religious doctrine or dogma is taught at The Mountain School, teachers do nurture the child’s sense of awe, wonder, and beauty and teach reverence, respect and attention to the needs of others. School families hale from diverse social, economic, religious, and professional backgrounds, yet what we share as teachers and parents is a common vision of love and joy for our children in the present and for their future.
The Mountain School offers an education based upon the principals of anthroposophy.
Anthroposophy is a rigorous science of the spirit, initially developed and practiced by Rudolf Steiner, where one continually investigates the history and destiny of both the Human Being and the World. Out of this understanding of the Human Being, a sound, ever-evolving pedagogy arises for educating the young. Through the study of anthroposophy by freely acting and independently responsible teachers, parents, and other community members, an environment is created that provides children with an education that furthers the likelihood that each will be able to discover, and functionally fulfill, his or her own self-determined destiny.