Our Story

While attending a worldwide gathering of Waldorf educators in Switzerland in 2012, Justine Costerouse was inspired by the keynote speaker's closing remarks: “If you take nothing else away from this conference please take this: Go home and found more kindergartens!”. This idea had been brewing for some time. Soon after, a happenstance encounter between Justine and Abbie Coburn, each on vacation in Hawaii with their respective families, sparked the next steps. Justine told Abbie, “I’m thinking of starting a school” to which the reply was “Me too!”.  Abbie soon told a friend from teacher training, Jessie Elliot, “Justine wants to start a school, just like we do. We should meet with her.”

Throughout their teacher training Abbie, Jessie and classmates discussed the type of school they felt would bring to life the ideals of the training and how Waldorf education can be a healing force in our current times. A few weeks after the chance meeting in Hawaii, the three experienced teachers sat in a circle in Jessie’s living room.  After subsequent meetings they presented their vision to interested parents. Preschool enrollment was soon in full swing and by February 6, 2013, 13 families were enrolled as we opened Dandelion Preschool. 

Visit our blog to see how we progressed in the early days.

Golden Bridges School completed our first full school year in 2014 with preschool, kindergarten and aftercare programming. In 2015 we added first grade and have added an additional grade every year since. GBS purchased the farm on Cotter Street in 2014, and in 2020 landed at our long-term home in Portola. With steady growth in enrollment, we graduated our first 8th grade class in June of 2023!

OUR MISSION AND VALUES

Golden Bridges School nurtures compassionate, creative, and critical thinkers who learn deeply from the natural world. Guided by principles that emphasize the developmental needs of each stage of childhood, our curriculum seamlessly integrates academic excellence with experiential learning, where the arts, practical skills, and environmental stewardship are woven into the fabric of the educational journey. We honor the individual pathway of each learner while addressing the broader context of their experiences, inspiring children to grow with confidence, empathy, a sense of belonging, and a strong social conscience.

  • Our Waldorf-trained teachers reimagine a comprehensive education that goes beyond academics to nurture our children physically, emotionally, intellectually, and socially —integrating experiential learning, arts and environmental stewardship into a balanced, innovative curriculum.

  • Golden Bridges School emphasizes a social education, teaching students to see, empathize with, and be curious about others, fostering a strong sense of community, belonging, and mutual respect.

  • Our urban farm, Hawk Creek Farm, and the expansive McLaren Park transform learning by connecting students to their environment, promoting sustainability, and fostering a love of the land. Through hands-on exploration of the land, our students learn to problem-solve, innovate, and cultivate emotional strength.

  • Through practices of inquiry and courageous conversations across differences, Golden Bridges School strives to offer an education that is anti-racist, equity-focused, and healing-centered that reflects the cultures of our students. The freedom of teachers to draw from their Waldorf training to create a curriculum for the students in front of them is a foundation of our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging in service of our collective liberation.

  • We believe in the seamless interplay between school life and the home life of our students. We foster strong, supportive relationships within our school community, embracing the unique gifts of each family to create a cohesive and supportive educational environment for our children.