Testimonials
Parent and Child/Infant Program
Mulberry is the highlight of our week. Being a stay at home parent can be isolating, particularly with a toddler, but our mornings spent with Mary at Mulberry always fill our buckets. In an age of phones and virtual communication, it is such a privilege to do work with my hands while my child plays independently. She loves the routines of our school morning and she talks about them throughout the week. The songs have made their way into our daily lives! We've built friendships with other parents and we've both learned from the wisdom of our "classmates". Mary is an exceptional educator who makes everyone feel welcome, leads the conversation in an objective manner, and challenges us all to think critically about child rearing in the 21st century. Each week feels like a really awesome dinner party!" |
My daughter and I started attending Mulberry’s baby group when she was about six months old. It has become a highlight of our week. Watching her develop and grow against the backdrop of Mary’s kind reassurance and our new friends’ encouragement has been such a gift to this new mother. Of all the baby groups/activities we’ve done, Mulberry’s has been the best; I feel genuinely cared for. We’ve also built friendships that extend outside of the weekly group. I’ll look back at my maternity leave, and my early days of motherhood, with warmth for Mulberry, Mary and this group." |
Coming to the Parent and Child group each week this past year has been the most grounding activity for my son and I. Mary has such a gift for creating a warm and welcoming environment for all. Her gentle guidance inspires me to take a step back and look at my child from a different perspective, allowing him more space to explore and be with others. She's been a wonderful presence in our lives." |
My daughter and I joined the toddler group about 6 months ago, and we can't get enough! I've seen her come out of her shell and make connections with other kids in the class. I've also made many connections with other moms and dads, and genuine friendships are forming outside of the class. Mary is a fantastic facilitator and makes everyone feel warm and welcome. I highly recommend joining the group, especially if you're a stay-at-home parent who needs a little socializing with other adult humans." |
Mulberry is a magical place where parents and their kiddos can go to play, imagine, relax, and thrive honestly. It creates a comforting environment for littles to move and grow and learn freely and with peers. Parents also get the bonus of making valuable connections with other parents. Mulberry has been one of our most cherished experiences together.” |
“We have loved attending the Parent & Child program at Mulberry. Mary is so welcoming and all the parents/caregivers we’ve met here are lovely. The atmosphere is one of kindness and creativity. Our daughter loves attending, and snack time is really a highlight for her (and us!) with the delicious home-cooked food and a couple of small rituals incorporated into the activity. And we also really appreciate the focus on outdoor play at Mulberry. Thanks!" |
I started attending parent and baby group when Cedar was just six or seven weeks old. Outings can feel so overwhelming when you are newly post partum, but this group provided a warm and easeful atmosphere for us. We felt very welcomed, and I looked forward every week to sharing in circle with other parents, asking for advice and resources from those who may have already gone through whatever I was experiencing that week, AND learning sweet songs and rhymes for my baby. An hour was the perfect length of outing for us, and we always felt right at home, even on fussy days. We are very grateful to Mulberry, Holly, and Mary for providing such a space for parents in the community!" |
"I am so grateful to belong to a weekly Parent & Child Group at Mulberry. I attend with my 3-year-old, and it is one of the highlights of our week; my daughter is so happy when she gets up in the morning and I tell her that it's a "play group day"! It's been, by far, the best thing I've done to meet & form friendships with other parents/families with young kids." |
“For six years (and 3 children), the Parent and Child class at Mulberry School has been the highlight of my week. In addition to much loved songs, stories, and free play for toddlers, the programming provides just the right mixture of warmth, wisdom, and wit to support and inspire parents of young children.”
High School Teachers
I've adored almost every Mulberry student who has crossed my path. The trait that I find the most impressive or endearing is that almost every one has had a genuine love of learning. The Mulberry students seem to arrive pre-loaded with intellectual curiosity and an openness to learning and new ideas. They also tend to be strong in the areas of grasping the big picture. When talking about themes in English or History they see how these themes are threads throughout the literature or the history covered. And that is invaluable to creating really well-balanced students/individuals that seem to have more than one area of strength. They're open to all learning.
In general, most Mulberry students come well prepared for essay writing. They're strong, clear writers with the ability to form insightful well thought out ideas. I also find that they are generous to their fellow students; they don't necessarily see another student's success as a hit or poor reflection on them. They're not competitive. Lastly, I find a lot of Mulberry students are strong conversationalists. They tend to have an ease and comfort in discussing a wide variety of topics. There's a maturity to them. Though they are still children, they are not childish."
Kingston Secondary School Teacher
Parents
From preschool through grade 8, our family has benefited from an approach to education that has met our three very different kids where they were and has encouraged them to blossom. We value the time they've spent outdoors, the respite from screens, the engaging curriculum and the opportunity to develop skills in woodworking, sewing and knitting. Their creativity has been fostered, and they have flourished in an environment where they are known and valued by the entire community of faculty, staff and students." |
… [E]very time we have our parent teacher meetings … [the class teacher] always comments on the quality of M’s writing, her maths, and the tidiness of her work. She has often said, 'I don’t know what they did at that school but even through lockdown they managed to bring M along.'" |
We’ve had the privilege of being a part of this school community for years, having a child in grade 7 and one in grade 4. We joined to school with curiosity to see if it was the right fit for our family (apprehensive at the beginning as we are a pretty mainstream family), and it absolutely was. As a trained teacher, I was uneasy about the traditional curriculum and lack of resources in the public system. As our years at Mulberry pass, we continue to be more and more impressed. The academic experience is rigorous, rich, and the children engage with the material in a way that ignites a passion for inquiry based learning. Emphasis is placed on a strong community for the children, giving them daily opportunities to work on supporting each other, working through social situations, and developing deep caring friendships. This is not the ‘hippie’ school that many believe it is. It is a forward thinking community of educators who use best practices and science based approaches to engage a child’s whole self. The faculty and staff hold each of the children in a way that honours their unique identity and serves their best interests. Families come with varied backgrounds – military, PhD’s, farmers, educators, entrepreneurs, doctors, carpenters, engineers and lawyers. Some of us make sourdough, and some of us feed our kids goldfish (or both!!), and the most wonderful thing about being part of a community like this is that all choices are respected. I have immense gratitude that my children have the opportunity to spend their days in a place where they are exposed to different cultural celebrations, where they are encouraged to express creativity through different means, where they are celebrated for who they are, and where their minds are being challenged."
Lori Rand
Mulberry Parent
Alums
As a student I will always remember the tight knit group of classmates I grew up with. The majority of my class are still close friends and I’m grateful for that lifelong connection. I also remember how hard the teachers worked to ensure that we were all challenged and were able to pursue our interests.” |
Mulberry Waldorf school changed our families lives for the better. In the early year programs we, as parents, learned to see our children more deeply, and in the elementry years we learned how to support our children with where they were at developmentally. |
