A new Waldorf-inspired high school will open in August, starting with one class of Lawrence freshmen.

Sun Prairie High School plans to subsequently phase in one more grade level each year. The class will be held at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St., at least for 2026-27.

Inspired by the Waldorf method developed by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, Sun Prairie will teach in “blocks.” A block is an intensive learning period in which students study a single subject, such as geometry, for the majority of the morning. The approach is individualized to each student, so one might choose to dig into a book they picked out on the topic.

Then, special sessions in the afternoon, such as fiber arts, relate back to that day’s main lesson but strengthen fine motor skills and creative expression. They’re mostly hands-on, arts-based activities.

“That sort of deep dive that happens in the block time allows students to get a deeper depth of learning, rather than doing, like, 45-minute classes and then skipping to the next class really quickly,” said Kevin Smith, a founding board member of Sun Prairie.

Prairie Moon Waldorf School at 1853 East 1600 Road in Lawrence serves preschoolers through middle schoolers, but it is not a requirement to attend Prairie Moon or any Waldorf-inspired school to enroll in the incoming freshman class. 

Kim Pikul, another founding board member of Sun Prairie, said she and fellow parents had been discussing what their children attending Prairie Moon were going to do after eighth grade. 

Pikul met Kevin and his wife, Kerstin Smith, at a Prairie Moon festival and initiated the idea for the high school. From there, others joined. The two schools are separate from one another, but Sun Prairie’s founders voted to select the similar name. 

Pikul said the high school is not a member of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America, which is why it currently uses “Waldorf-inspired” or “Steiner-inspired” verbiage. Schools must operate for seven to 10 years before seeking accreditation, according to the association’s website.

Art is woven into every subject in Waldorf education, and Pikul said a few Lawrence Arts Center instructors will teach specialized art lessons. 

Steiner believed his philosophy could foster free thinkers with a strong sense of social responsibility. Kerstin, a founding board member who will also head the faculty and teach humanities classes at Sun Prairie, said Waldorf education is more of a pedagogy than a curriculum. Students may write essays, but there are no textbooks or worksheets, and no standardized testing.

“At the heart of Waldorf education is curiosity,” Kerstin said.

Kim Flora and her family decided to pivot to Waldorf education for more hands-on learning, and out of concern about increased screen time in school. Flora’s child, Vance, has attended Prairie Moon for five years and plans to attend Sun Prairie in the fall.

A rising freshman, Vance said he’s looking forward to continuing a similar experience in “a school community that sees me, gets me, and is able to help with individual needs.” 

Vance said a typical day in his class of 20 eighth graders at Prairie Moon begins with the block, or main lesson, and then transitions to the “circle,” where students move their bodies or sing. Then, they have more lessons before a snack and their first recess. They participate in two 45-minute special classes, have lunch, take another two 45-minute special classes, and do their assigned chores before dismissal.

Some blocks this year include algebra, geometry, chemistry, physics, human fertility, writing, and Renaissance history, Vance said. Specials are handwork, Mandarin, movement, music, orchestra and woodworking, he said. 

Pikul said likely up to 25 seats will be available in the fall. Annual tuition at Sun Prairie will be on a sliding scale, ranging from $500 to $15,000. 

The schedule will mostly align with the Lawrence Public Schools academic calendar, running from August to May with breaks. Students will attend a typical five-day week with 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. days.

Learn more about the school on its website, sunprairiehighschool.org.

Maya Hodison (she/her), reporting correspondent, has been with The Lawrence Times since July 2021. Born and raised in Lawrence, she enjoys focusing on issues that people in marginalized communities face and amplifying voices that are oftentimes unvalued. Read more of her work for the Times here.

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