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Governance
Stone Bridge School has a collaborative model of governance in which the Faculty Council, Charter Council, and Parent Council work together on policy and procedural issues. These important groups interact and collaborate to make our school a success. Each group has a critical role to play to keep the school functioning well. The Charter Council is the final decision-making body and is, in essence, the school's Board of Directors. It consists of representatives from the community, faculty, parents, and the school administration. A brief description of each council and the administration is given below.
Charter Council
Stone Bridge School is a California 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. The Charter Council serves as the board of directors of the corporation and is responsible for ensuring that the school’s practices and policies are fully legal, fiscally sound and consistent with the charter of the school. It gives final approval to all personnel, budget, and appropriate policy decisions. The Charter Council also reviews Stone Bridge School programs and practices to determine their effectiveness in supporting student outcomes and success as described in the charter. The Charter Council is made up of seven members. There are two community members, two Stone Bridge School faculty members, two parents of Stone Bridge School students (one elected at large and the other a representative of the Parent Council), and one classified employee of the school. The Stone Bridge School Executive Director participates as a non-voting member. Under California corporate law, Charter Council members must always act in the best interests of the whole of the corporation (school) in their decision making and may not represent particular interests.
The Charter Council meets monthly on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:00 PM at the school. As a public agency, the SBS Charter Council must adhere to the Ralph M. Brown Act, California’s open meeting law. The law’s intent is that the actions of public commissions, boards, and councils in California be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly. (Government Code section 54950.)
This small visionary group of parents and teachers, inspired and nurtured by their experience at Apple Garden (a Waldorf program for preschool and kindergarten-aged children), formed the Napa Valley Waldorf School Initiative Group. This group hosted outreach and educational events for the community, connected with Waldorf educators and pioneers, and fundraised for the task ahead. They initiated the process of founding the school by working with Twin Ridges Elementary School District located in Nevada County, California. (Twin Ridges was committed to and experienced in the creation of Waldorf-inspired charter schools.) With technical assistance from Twin Ridges, the founding members applied for and received a “planning” grant from the State of California. This grant provided funds to assess community interest in developing a Waldorf-inspired school in Napa County and to develop the school charter. In 1998, a charter for the Napa Valley Charter School was granted by the State of California, with Twin Ridges Elementary School District acting as sponsor.
After completing these steps, the Napa Valley Waldorf School Initiative Group refocused its mission and became the Napa Valley Waldorf Education Foundation (NVWEF), which played a major role in raising the initial funds for the school. This Foundation’s purpose was to support all types of Waldorf programs and promote community awareness and education in order to expand the understanding of Waldorf principles and enable this method of education to flourish in the Napa Valley. The Foundation transferred the specific activity of creating the school to the newly formed Development Group, and together they wrote a vision and mission for the school. This groundwork enabled the Development Group to apply for an “implementation” grant from the State of California, and implementation grant funding was awarded in 2000.
At this point, the process of hiring staff, purchasing equipment and supplies, and searching for a site began in earnest, with the goal of opening the school by the fall of 2000. The Development Group hired a consultant with experience in starting public Waldorf-inspired charter schools, and that consultant provided an organizational framework on which to build a functional school. The Development Group divided the tasks into committees and invited interested families to join in the work, resulting in a “small army” of pioneers who worked to develop different aspects of the school. During the spring of 2000, many people – known as the Founding Families – worked countless hours and grappled with numerous difficult challenges and obstacles (including finding an appropriate site). Undaunted, they worked together to reach compromises and find solutions in a very complex and collaborative process.
As a result, the Napa Valley Charter School opened in the Fall of 2000 at Napa Valley Expo, with students in grades K-4 and a plan to grow one grade a year until reaching eight grades. Originally housed in temporary white event tents, all of the classes were relocated to Merlot Hall and portable buildings in January of 2001. The first few years were filled with the normal challenges of a new organization as many parts of the school were still developing, but gradually the organization gained stability along with a positive reputation in the community. In 2003, the Walton Foundation invited NVCS to apply for a $150,000 grant. Once awarded, this grant supported teacher training and enrichment, purchased materials and furnishings, funded our initial science program and subsidized several years of outdoor education.
In 2004, in response to a change in California charter law requiring charter schools to be authorized by the district in which their students reside, the school embarked on a year-long process to update the charter and apply to the Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD) for local authorization. During this process the school community, including students in grades four through seven (our lead class at the time), voted on a new name for the school; and henceforth the school has been known as Stone Bridge School. The name is based on the fact that the Napa Valley was historically known for its abundance of unique stone bridges, and the symbol of “a bridge” represents the passage of students from early childhood over to the years beyond elementary education. In addition, it symbolizes the connections within our school between teachers, parents, and the administration as well as a bridge to the larger Napa Valley community.
Over the summer of 2007, Stone Bridge School moved to a new home on Salvador Avenue, sharing a NVUSD campus with Salvador Elementary School. Over the summer of 2011, Stone Bridge School moved to another site on Carneros Avenue, taking over the 10-acre location of the closed Carneros Elementary School. Throughout its years at the Carneros campus, SBS continued to thrive and grow, and fulfilled its original dream of creating and maintaining a certified organic farm using biodynamic practices.
Stone Bridge School moved to 2nd Avenue in the summer of 2021 and created a new home at the old location of Mt. George Elementary School. With a solid foundation set in its twenty plus years of operation, SBS continues to offer a unique and valuable educational choice for the children of Napa Valley.
The history of Stone Bridge School is one full of adventure, faith, and determination. The school’s development has been a serial labor of love, nurtured by parents, teachers, organizations, and other schools. The heart of Stone Bridge School lies in its commitment to its students, and in its rich and ongoing history of dedication, participation, and involvement from all of its stakeholders. The result is a unique public charter school that provides a wonderful public Waldorf educational experience for the children and parents of the Napa Valley and beyond.
Parent Council
Families of SBS students are invited and encouraged to be active participants in their children’s education and the life of the school. The Parent Council (PC) facilitates parents’ role in the smooth operation of the school. It is the organizational body for the parents and serves as their ears and voice. Representatives from each class serve on the Parent Council.
Additional information about Parent Council can be found at the link below.
Parent Council (PC) Agendas and Minutes, information on school fundraisers and other PC business, as well as PC class representatives’ contact information, may be accessed by school parents’ via their Konstella login (see link below).
This small visionary group of parents and teachers, inspired and nurtured by their experience at Apple Garden (a Waldorf program for preschool and kindergarten-aged children), formed the Napa Valley Waldorf School Initiative Group. This group hosted outreach and educational events for the community, connected with Waldorf educators and pioneers, and fundraised for the task ahead. They initiated the process of founding the school by working with Twin Ridges Elementary School District located in Nevada County, California. (Twin Ridges was committed to and experienced in the creation of Waldorf-inspired charter schools.) With technical assistance from Twin Ridges, the founding members applied for and received a “planning” grant from the State of California. This grant provided funds to assess community interest in developing a Waldorf-inspired school in Napa County and to develop the school charter. In 1998, a charter for the Napa Valley Charter School was granted by the State of California, with Twin Ridges Elementary School District acting as sponsor.
After completing these steps, the Napa Valley Waldorf School Initiative Group refocused its mission and became the Napa Valley Waldorf Education Foundation (NVWEF), which played a major role in raising the initial funds for the school. This Foundation’s purpose was to support all types of Waldorf programs and promote community awareness and education in order to expand the understanding of Waldorf principles and enable this method of education to flourish in the Napa Valley. The Foundation transferred the specific activity of creating the school to the newly formed Development Group, and together they wrote a vision and mission for the school. This groundwork enabled the Development Group to apply for an “implementation” grant from the State of California, and implementation grant funding was awarded in 2000.
At this point, the process of hiring staff, purchasing equipment and supplies, and searching for a site began in earnest, with the goal of opening the school by the fall of 2000. The Development Group hired a consultant with experience in starting public Waldorf-inspired charter schools, and that consultant provided an organizational framework on which to build a functional school. The Development Group divided the tasks into committees and invited interested families to join in the work, resulting in a “small army” of pioneers who worked to develop different aspects of the school. During the spring of 2000, many people – known as the Founding Families – worked countless hours and grappled with numerous difficult challenges and obstacles (including finding an appropriate site). Undaunted, they worked together to reach compromises and find solutions in a very complex and collaborative process.
As a result, the Napa Valley Charter School opened in the Fall of 2000 at Napa Valley Expo, with students in grades K-4 and a plan to grow one grade a year until reaching eight grades. Originally housed in temporary white event tents, all of the classes were relocated to Merlot Hall and portable buildings in January of 2001. The first few years were filled with the normal challenges of a new organization as many parts of the school were still developing, but gradually the organization gained stability along with a positive reputation in the community. In 2003, the Walton Foundation invited NVCS to apply for a $150,000 grant. Once awarded, this grant supported teacher training and enrichment, purchased materials and furnishings, funded our initial science program and subsidized several years of outdoor education.
In 2004, in response to a change in California charter law requiring charter schools to be authorized by the district in which their students reside, the school embarked on a year-long process to update the charter and apply to the Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD) for local authorization. During this process the school community, including students in grades four through seven (our lead class at the time), voted on a new name for the school; and henceforth the school has been known as Stone Bridge School. The name is based on the fact that the Napa Valley was historically known for its abundance of unique stone bridges, and the symbol of “a bridge” represents the passage of students from early childhood over to the years beyond elementary education. In addition, it symbolizes the connections within our school between teachers, parents, and the administration as well as a bridge to the larger Napa Valley community.
Over the summer of 2007, Stone Bridge School moved to a new home on Salvador Avenue, sharing a NVUSD campus with Salvador Elementary School. Over the summer of 2011, Stone Bridge School moved to another site on Carneros Avenue, taking over the 10-acre location of the closed Carneros Elementary School. Throughout its years at the Carneros campus, SBS continued to thrive and grow, and fulfilled its original dream of creating and maintaining a certified organic farm using biodynamic practices.
Stone Bridge School moved to 2nd Avenue in the summer of 2021 and created a new home at the old location of Mt. George Elementary School. With a solid foundation set in its twenty plus years of operation, SBS continues to offer a unique and valuable educational choice for the children of Napa Valley.
The history of Stone Bridge School is one full of adventure, faith, and determination. The school’s development has been a serial labor of love, nurtured by parents, teachers, organizations, and other schools. The heart of Stone Bridge School lies in its commitment to its students, and in its rich and ongoing history of dedication, participation, and involvement from all of its stakeholders. The result is a unique public charter school that provides a wonderful public Waldorf educational experience for the children and parents of the Napa Valley and beyond.
Faculty Council
It is the job of the faculty to ensure that the quality of the school’s programs is optimal by participating in financial, personnel, policy, and program decisions. Thus, the faculty inspires the direction of the school. As the Faculty Council, teachers meet weekly to discuss and support the life of the school. During these weekly meetings, they study pedagogical concepts; report on happenings within the school; plan forthcoming events; address the curricular and pedagogical needs of the school; engage in artistic work or share a meal.
The faculty co-chairs, along with the Executive Director, set the agenda for these weekly meetings. They also serve as resources and support for other faculty members. Along with the Executive Director, the co-chairs are also available for parent questions or to serve as the voice of the school should the Executive Director be unavailable.
Our faculty consists of two kindergarten teachers, class teachers (Grades 1-8), class assistants (Grades K-3), subject teachers (Spanish, Handwork, Woodworking, Math, Choir, Farming, Games, and Movement), Aftercare director and assistants, and a team of staff who provide remediation and support for academic, behavioral, and social needs of our students.
The kindergarten and class teachers are all required to hold appropriate California teaching certificates, permits or other documents issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, and the entire faculty are encouraged and financially compensated for hold a teaching certificate from a recognized Waldorf Teacher Training College or Institute. Members of the faculty are also strongly encouraged and supported to seek inspiration and expertise through continued education.
This small visionary group of parents and teachers, inspired and nurtured by their experience at Apple Garden (a Waldorf program for preschool and kindergarten-aged children), formed the Napa Valley Waldorf School Initiative Group. This group hosted outreach and educational events for the community, connected with Waldorf educators and pioneers, and fundraised for the task ahead. They initiated the process of founding the school by working with Twin Ridges Elementary School District located in Nevada County, California. (Twin Ridges was committed to and experienced in the creation of Waldorf-inspired charter schools.) With technical assistance from Twin Ridges, the founding members applied for and received a “planning” grant from the State of California. This grant provided funds to assess community interest in developing a Waldorf-inspired school in Napa County and to develop the school charter. In 1998, a charter for the Napa Valley Charter School was granted by the State of California, with Twin Ridges Elementary School District acting as sponsor.
After completing these steps, the Napa Valley Waldorf School Initiative Group refocused its mission and became the Napa Valley Waldorf Education Foundation (NVWEF), which played a major role in raising the initial funds for the school. This Foundation’s purpose was to support all types of Waldorf programs and promote community awareness and education in order to expand the understanding of Waldorf principles and enable this method of education to flourish in the Napa Valley. The Foundation transferred the specific activity of creating the school to the newly formed Development Group, and together they wrote a vision and mission for the school. This groundwork enabled the Development Group to apply for an “implementation” grant from the State of California, and implementation grant funding was awarded in 2000.
At this point, the process of hiring staff, purchasing equipment and supplies, and searching for a site began in earnest, with the goal of opening the school by the fall of 2000. The Development Group hired a consultant with experience in starting public Waldorf-inspired charter schools, and that consultant provided an organizational framework on which to build a functional school. The Development Group divided the tasks into committees and invited interested families to join in the work, resulting in a “small army” of pioneers who worked to develop different aspects of the school. During the spring of 2000, many people – known as the Founding Families – worked countless hours and grappled with numerous difficult challenges and obstacles (including finding an appropriate site). Undaunted, they worked together to reach compromises and find solutions in a very complex and collaborative process.
As a result, the Napa Valley Charter School opened in the Fall of 2000 at Napa Valley Expo, with students in grades K-4 and a plan to grow one grade a year until reaching eight grades. Originally housed in temporary white event tents, all of the classes were relocated to Merlot Hall and portable buildings in January of 2001. The first few years were filled with the normal challenges of a new organization as many parts of the school were still developing, but gradually the organization gained stability along with a positive reputation in the community. In 2003, the Walton Foundation invited NVCS to apply for a $150,000 grant. Once awarded, this grant supported teacher training and enrichment, purchased materials and furnishings, funded our initial science program and subsidized several years of outdoor education.
In 2004, in response to a change in California charter law requiring charter schools to be authorized by the district in which their students reside, the school embarked on a year-long process to update the charter and apply to the Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD) for local authorization. During this process the school community, including students in grades four through seven (our lead class at the time), voted on a new name for the school; and henceforth the school has been known as Stone Bridge School. The name is based on the fact that the Napa Valley was historically known for its abundance of unique stone bridges, and the symbol of “a bridge” represents the passage of students from early childhood over to the years beyond elementary education. In addition, it symbolizes the connections within our school between teachers, parents, and the administration as well as a bridge to the larger Napa Valley community.
Over the summer of 2007, Stone Bridge School moved to a new home on Salvador Avenue, sharing a NVUSD campus with Salvador Elementary School. Over the summer of 2011, Stone Bridge School moved to another site on Carneros Avenue, taking over the 10-acre location of the closed Carneros Elementary School. Throughout its years at the Carneros campus, SBS continued to thrive and grow, and fulfilled its original dream of creating and maintaining a certified organic farm using biodynamic practices.
Stone Bridge School moved to 2nd Avenue in the summer of 2021 and created a new home at the old location of Mt. George Elementary School. With a solid foundation set in its twenty plus years of operation, SBS continues to offer a unique and valuable educational choice for the children of Napa Valley.
The history of Stone Bridge School is one full of adventure, faith, and determination. The school’s development has been a serial labor of love, nurtured by parents, teachers, organizations, and other schools. The heart of Stone Bridge School lies in its commitment to its students, and in its rich and ongoing history of dedication, participation, and involvement from all of its stakeholders. The result is a unique public charter school that provides a wonderful public Waldorf educational experience for the children and parents of the Napa Valley and beyond.
