Ways to Contribute

How We Think About Money

The original Waldorf school was founded for the children of factory workers and the school was fully funded by the owner of that factory.  In addition to giving indications for the pedagogy of the school, Rudolf Steiner emphasized the need to create an organization responsible for the financial well-being of the school. The main idea was that the school should not be responsible for its own funding.  The more freedom the school had from fundraising the more freedom the teachers would have in their teaching.  In some ways, this is very similar to the public school model where, in this case, the government is responsible for the financial needs of the school.  The difference we hope to create is that the funding source will not be responsible for the content or pedagogy presented in the school and that the faculty will remain free to determine the operations of the school.

While holding this vision and history close in our hearts; at Golden Bridges School we are asking questions about money.  We are thinking about value and worth and how human beings might develop a sense of these without attaching a dollar sign.  

Each of us has a particular relationship to money.  Perhaps we never had enough and feel that money is an obstacle or a challenge in the way of getting what we need.  Perhaps we always had plenty and feel that it has been a means to achieve, acquire, support, and explore.  Most of us are somewhere in between.  But certainly, this relationship is lifelong and, much like relationships with people, it takes some work to get it right.

As a school, we are examining our use of money.  This is practically reflected in several ways:
  • Our tuition adjustment process, which allows families to find a tuition that is sustainable for both their budget and the budget of the school
  • Our teacher salaries are equal, unless otherwise agreed upon by a unanimous decision of our Board
  • Our funding sources reach beyond the pockets of our parents and into the greater community
  • Our constant questioning about necessity versus want
"I can't tell you how good it feels to know that with their accessible tuition, not only can we afford to send our daughter to GBS, but with other families we can help offset costs for others who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford it. It means we're invested in this together." 
—GBS PARENT