Our Waldorf kindergartens nurture a sense of wonder and curiosity in the young child, while encouraging reverence for the goodness of life. In the loving and creative atmosphere of the kindergarten, young children acquire the confidence and discipline they will need for the challenging academic work of grade school.
The kindergarten experience is rich in storytelling, puppetry, song, poetry, cooking, and artistic activities. Crafts, handwork, games, and regular outdoor play encourage the healthy growth of the child's body. Toys, art materials, and classroom aesthetics emphasize natural, simple materials, encouraging the child's imagination. Through play, each child learns a broad range of cognitive, social, and linguistic skills. As in all Waldorf classes, parents are encouraged to minimize exposure to television, videos, and other media that might hinder the free and harmonious growth of the child.
Capacities children will develop in our program:
| Social |
Physical |
Emotional |
• Manners
• Gratitude
• Respect
• Care of others
• Listening skills
• Self-control
• Flexible thinking |
• Fine motor skills
• Gross motor skills
• Coordination
• Self-care
• Competence |
• Wonder
• Good habits
• Rhythm
• Empathy
• Aesthetic appreciation
• Confidence |
| Language |
Math |
Science |
• Imagination
• Vocabulary
• Story structure (beginning-middle-end)
• Recitation
• Flexible thinking |
• One-on-one correspondence
• Counting
• Sorting
• Planning
• Sequencing |
• Observational skills
• Sensory stimulation
• Snack preparation
• Nature walks
• Care of environment |
Weekly Rhythm
Daily and weekly rhythms provide a familiar environment and support the children as they move wholeheartedly into play and learning. Each day of the week has its own morning activity. These may include watercolor painting, baking bread and churning butter, handworking (finger knitting, beeswax modeling, sewing, seasonal crafts), housekeeping (waxing, polishing, washing, mending), and making vegetable soup.
General Information
- Each teacher and assistant has a class that ranges from 12-18 students
- 5-day classes: age three (by February 1) through age six
- 3-day class: age three (by June 1) through age five
- Classes meet 8:30am - 1pm; an Afternoon Kindergarten program is available until 6pm each day
Faculty - Kindergarten Teachers
Sondi Eugene
Sondi Eugene was raised in rural New Jersey. She later moved to Louisiana to attend Grambling State University. Sondi received her Waldorf certificate in early childhood education from Sunbridge College in 2004 and she became certified in the Lifeways Early Childhood and Human Development Program in 2009. Sondi has been teaching at WSA since 2000. She helped develop and now teaches the Afternoon kindergarten class, as well as two days of the Morning Garden Program. Sondi enjoys hiking, bike rides, cooking, crafts, and singing. She has two children, both of whom attended WSA since kindergarten and are now high school students at Academe of the Oaks.
Annamay Keeney
Born in Altadena, California and raised in northern Illinois, Annamay attended Blackburn, a small liberal arts college known for its student work program. She participated as an exchange student in Cholula, Mexico and worked and traveled in Europe. Annamay received her Waldorf certificate in early childhood education from Sunbridge College in 2002. She and her husband of 30 years were founding parents of The Waldorf School of Atlanta. She created and led the Morning Garden (parent/child) program for six years, and is in her 13th year teaching in the kindergarten program. Annamay has taught handwork and crafts with children in various settings, including public and private schools, the Boys and Girls Clubs, and many fairs, including the Piedmont Arts Festival in Atlanta. Annamay has three children. Her oldest son attended two years of kindergarten at WSA and graduated from Georgia State University. Her second son is a WSA graduate and attends UGA. Her daughter currently attends Academe of the Oaks (the Waldorf High School.) Annamay enjoys singing, sewing, embroidering, making puppets, hiking, gardening, traveling, and laughing with her children.
Jolie Luba
Jolie Luba was born in Philadelphia, and moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil when her parents completed their Masters degrees. When one of her two brothers joined a Waldorf kindergarten, the whole family was drawn to Waldorf Education in different ways. Jolie received her degree from the University of Sao Paulo as a Psychologist, and after that she earned her Waldorf Early Childhood certification. As an English teacher for many years, she taught adults and children in Waldorf Schools and other environments, including children with special needs. As a coordinator in a language school, she was responsible for teacher recruitment and training and supervision of the student's progress in learning. When Jolie's husband received a Post Doctorate position in Florida, the family moved to the States. After almost two years as a stay-at-home mom, Jolie earned a position with an early childhood program for the Flagler County Schools. When her husband was invited to Georgia State University as a Post Doctorate researcher, Jolie was glad to find in Atlanta a Waldorf kindergarten for her son. Ready to put her Waldorf Early Childhood training in use, she happily joined WSA to assist in the afternoon kindergarten program. She also helped with the grade school handwork classes during a faculty member's maternity-leave, which made her realize how much she loves the needles, thread, and yarn. Jolie's hobbies include drama and dancing, and she regularly joins her friends at the Dances for Universal Peace.
Annie Sommerville-Hall
Annie Sommerville-Hall began teaching at WSA a few years after the school started, and was one of the founding parents. She currently teaches our 3-day preschool kindergarten, as well as the Morning Garden program. Born in White Plains, New York, and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Annie attended Georgia State University and the Southeastern Center for the Arts. She received her Waldorf certificate in early childhood education from Sunbridge College in 1998. Annie has been a teacher of many subjects, including swimming, art, barn management, horseback riding, and beekeeping. Annie taught art at The Friends School of Atlanta and had a Waldorf playgroup in her home prior to joining WSA in 1993 as a preschool/kindergarten teacher. Annie's varied interests include spending time in nature, beekeeping, swimming, and the arts - theatre, photography, storytelling, and crafts. Annie has been married more than 30 years, and has two daughters, both of whom have graduated from WSA. Her oldest, one of the first graduates of WSA, is attending a Masters Degree program at Vanderbilt University and the other graduated from Academe of the Oaks, the local Waldorf high school, and currently attends Georgia College and State University.
Karen Smith
Karen Smith was born in San Francisco, and raised in a small town in southern Mississippi. Having older parents who were of retirement age, Karen spent her summers traveling with her family across the country in an R.V., visiting National Parks throughout the West and Midwest. Karen graduated Magna Cum Laude from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Art, with an emphasis in graphic design. She received her Waldorf certificate in early childhood education from Sunbridge College in 2004. Karen is starting her tenth year as a kindergarten teacher at WSA. In seeking worldwide collegiality, Karen created an international Waldorf Early Childhood teacher discussion group on the Internet. The membership of the group continues to grow with over 500 members from 15 countries. Prior to joining WSA, Karen worked as an art director at Turner Publishing designing coffee table books, novels, and cookbooks. She also designed an elaborate display edition of the Bible, incorporating original drawings from monks in Italy. Karen likes to cook, make toys, and work in her garden. She is married and has two daughters, one is married and living in Florida and the other in the eighth grade at WSA. Several years ago, Karen and her younger daughter took up the international sport of Geocaching. Using a hand-held satellite Global Positioning System (GPS) unit and location coordinates shared on the Internet, they have found "hidden treasure" in parks and other public sites in Atlanta and other areas around the South.
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