The New Amsterdam School

Mission 

New Amsterdam grows strong, loving, spirited human beings who know who they are and love what they do. We provide a classical curriculum that is experiential, inquiry-based and academically rigorous through a modern Waldorf approach that is responsive to our time and place. Our students exercise individual freedom and self-initiative while developing meaningful, long-term relationships, building the resilience and skills they need to effect meaningful change in the world. 

History 

New Amsterdam School was envisioned by Chris Huson, a board member and a parent at Rudolf Steiner School, in 2006 with the intention of bringing living community to downtown New York following 9/11. The first teacher was Lisa Bono and together Chis and Lisa made it possible for parent-child classes to begin in the West Village, first at the Anthroposophical Society of NYC and then at the home of Rob and Nina Kaufelt. Many parents and community members were intimately involved and the school grew due to their interest and dedication. Eventually the school moved to the East Village on Clinton Street and 1 Avenue B, and then 62 Avenue B. All the while the program grew to have nursery, then kindergarten, and finally elementary school classes. The elementary school location opens in September 2019 at 41 Ave B, having outgrown the co-location with the early childhood at 62 Avenue B. New Amsterdam has been a full member of WECAN (Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America) since 2014 and an associate member of AWSNA (Association of Waldorf Schools of North America) since 2018. Currently, New Amsterdam School has parent-child through grade five students.