The Clover Hill School Inc. is a dynamic community of volunteers, teachers, parents and supporters who believe in Waldorf education and study the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf schools and Anthroposophy, the philosophy behind the pedagogy. We are a 501(c) (3) entity that was organized in 2003 with the mission to bring Waldorf education to Lower Fairfield County. Our long-term (10-15 year) goal is to establish a major Center of Waldorf Education in Norwalk on a campus we own. The Center will encompass an Early Childhood Center (parent & child and kindergarten programs), an elementary school, and eventually a high school.

The School offers Waldorf-based programs for children aged 2 months to 6 years of age in our beautiful classroom at the Christ Episcopal Church in East Norwalk. These programs feature a fully licensed mixed-aged kindergarten for 3 through 6 year olds, and our "Growing Together" program for moms, dads and children 2 months to 4 years.

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While searching for a home, The Clover Hill School Board of Trustees decided to focus its attention on Lower Fairfield County. By founding our school in this area, we could fill the "hole in the donut" of Waldorf education in the Tri-State Region of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. Within a 30 mile radius there are well-established Waldorf schools with full Early Childhood through 12th grade programs in Garden City, New York (Nassau County), in Manhattan, and in Spring Valley, New York (Rockland County). Importantly, Sunbridge College (a Waldorf teacher training institute) is also in Spring Valley. In addition, there is a kindergarten through 8th grade school in Newtown, CT, and an Early Childhood program in Wilton, CT. Stamford and Norwalk were selected as the two most promising locations within lower Fairfield County. Demographics and community studies have shown us that there is a need for quality, reasonably-priced alternatives to the type of education offered in this area. It is our aim to fill this need, by bringing Waldorf Education to Lower Fairfield County.

Tremendous efforts have been made to bring about the birth of this initiative by a group of people who believe that Waldorf Education is an important impulse for our time. Long before it opened its doors in the fall of 2004, The Clover Hill School was held as a cherished dream by the members of The Michaelic Anthroposophical Group of Connecticut. A number of its forty members have sought training in various aspects of Waldorf Education and now serve as teachers, advisors and board members of the School.

The School offered its first Parent and Toddler class for children aged 2-4 years old in the fall of 2004. In 2006, we added a Parent and Infant class for children aged 2 months to 2 years old. These classes took place in the Friends Meeting House in Stamford, Connecticut. In 2007, The Clover Hill School moved to the Parish Hall at Ridges Roxbury United Methodist Church in North Stamford. We combined our two popular programs into one and offered Honey Bees Parent and Child classes for children 2 months to 4 years at this location. At the same time, there were great efforts made and increased involvement from the community to establish a presence in the City of Norwalk. After nearly three years of challenges and hard work, we proudly opened our campus in East Norwalk with a newly refurbished classroom and a large play yard at the Christ Episcopal Church. We now offer a fully-licensed Mixed-Age Kindergarten for 3 - 6 years olds plus a Growing Together program for moms, dads and children 2 months to 4 years old. In the fall of 2009, the Board decided to focus its attention on Norwalk and is committed to building connections with the community, strengthening enrollment and expanding programs in the greater Norwalk area. Growing Together playgroups are forming in Stamford, and meet in local homes on a weekly basis.

In addition to ongoing classes, The Clover Hill School offers festival celebrations, community events and educational opportunities throughout the year. The School hosts an annual Harvest Fair and May Picnic as well as an ongoing series of "Family Activity Days" and Play and Tea open houses. Additionally, educational lectures and craft workshops for adults take place on a regular basis.

The Clover Hill School is committed to the proven ideals and methods of Waldorf Education, inspired by Rudolf Steiner. The School is devoted to the protection of childhood and to providing an education that serves the needs of the developing human being. We offer a classical education that addresses the whole child, including the head, the heart and the hands. Our educational approach develops the capacities needed to thrive in our modern world, including skillful hands, moral courage and independent thinking. We recognize each child as a being of body, soul and spirit. With this in mind, the School aims to inspire a love of learning, so that each student is thoroughly academically prepared for his or her next steps in life and is also given opportunities for the unfolding of unique gifts. As educators, we measure our success on more than what students know or can do now. We are interested in how they continue to develop throughout their lives.

Through a common understanding of all members of our school community, we can best meet the needs of the growing child. Our School provides ongoing opportunities for adult education, including parent workshops, public lectures, study groups and teacher development programs.

An active community surrounds and supports the families of the School. Our School is committed to fostering and enriching this community through public events, community outreach and the celebration of seasonal festivals. Through all aspects of its mission, the School aims to serve the lower Fairfield and surrounding Westchester County areas by being an active and responsible contributor to the community at large.