Founded in 2006, New Amsterdam School began as a grassroots alliance of educators, parents, and community leaders determined to bring the benefits of Waldorf education to Lower Manhattan. A tranquil oasis in the East Village, NAS offers a warm, home-like learning environment with programs for children 12 months - 6 years old. The New Amsterdam community embraces diversity, fosters inclusivity, and honors the uniqueness of each child.

New Amsterdam School embodies an innovative spirit of Waldorf Education. As a member of WECAN (the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America) and an Associate Member of AWSNA (Association of Waldorf Schools of North America), NAS is part of the well-established Waldorf movement that today includes over 1000 schools and 1600 early childhood programs in 58 countries. Waldorf education is proudly known as the fastest-growing independent school movement in the world.

Our Program

Our modern, innovative approach to Waldorf education inspires reverence for the natural world, for one’s self, and for others, while building foundational practical, social, and cognitive skills. In our Early Childhood program, children thrive in self-directed play, music, games, baking, painting, and abundant time in nature. They freely explore the world around them, developing fine and gross motor skills, social skills, and self-knowledge that lay the groundwork for future social and academic success. 

The multi-disciplinary Elementary School curriculum integrates the sciences and humanities with the arts and practical handwork such as gardening, woodworking, weaving, and cooking. Students create their own textbooks complete with drawings, diagrams, and text. These hands-on project-based activities create a rich basis for New Amsterdam’s rigorous mathematics and language arts curriculum. New Amsterdam Students develop flexible thinking, creative approaches to problem-solving, and the capacity to face the complex challenges of today’s world.

Our Community

As a close-knit community, New Amsterdam attracts faculty and families who are committed to the shared values of respect, empathy, kindness, and collaboration. Parents give generously of their time and talents, working together to co-create the life of the school in partnership with teachers and staff. The community comes together through an array of opportunities, including parent education evenings, community art events, and celebrations of seasonal festivals such as the Spiral of Light in December and the Spring Festival in May.

Most notably, despite the immense pressures of the pandemic, the NAS community has demonstrated its resilience and courage, offering in-person learning for students since school reopened in September of 2020. This unprecedented school year is a true testament to the unwavering commitment each community member has to the school’s collective health and well-being. True to its mission, New Amsterdam supports the unfolding of each individual’s authentic self—child and adult—and aspires to awaken children, teachers, and parents to the present and future needs of the world.