Becoming the Possibility of Our Strategic Plan
The Journey
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Live Oak Charter was established as an independent charter in 2001 by a Circle of Friends who shared a desire to create a public TK-8 Waldorf school for the community of Petaluma and beyond. Originally authorized under Petaluma City Schools to serve 250-280 children, Live Oak grew and thrived for many years, extending our reach to families up and down the corridor, as well as to the coast. But as with all organizations, the winds of change were upon us. By the late teens it became clear that Live Oak Charter would need to reassess our position within the matrix of the public education system if we were to remain a sustainable and viable school of choice for many years, and families, to come.
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Beginning in 2022, the board undertook a Strategic Planning process to assess what was truly important to our community going forward. This process included tea, snacks, lots of conversation and the goodwill of many. All the stakeholders participated over many months - board, faculty, staff, foundation, LO Tide, alumni and parents - to uncover our priorities and workshop those areas for initiatives and feasibility. It was not an easy process and there were many twists and turns along the way, but by doing the hard work together, we gave ourselves the gift of a steady compass to guide our approach & actions today.
- Priority #1: Deepening our Waldorf Roots
- Priority #2: Ensuring Student Joy
- Priority #3 Creating Community & Belonging
- Priority #4: Institutional Sustainability
It is now the winter of 2025 and we continue to hold the flame of our founding - to create a public Waldorf school for the community of Petaluma and beyond - as we step into the possibility of our strategic plan. We are both proud and excited to be expanding our Circle of Friends to include both Petaluma City School and Valley Vista Elementary and to be starting our next chapter with a new charter.
We will be updating this page as the process moves along.
Last Update 3/21/25
Please join us.
Last Update 3/21/25
Please join us.
Working Toward a Shared Future
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Current Overview (June 2025)
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Institutional Stability, Belonging & Student Joy
A New Charter for a New ChapterWriting a new Charter* to reflect the deepening of our Waldorf roots and increasing institutional stability, student joy and belonging.
Collaborative Town Hall
10/28/24 For the first time, the LOCS and Valley Vista communities gathered for a collaborative feedback session on the current Charter and Implementation Plan. Read Full Notes
Groups were directed to join table discussions around Core Principles and Curriculum, Mission/Vision and Goals, Site Leadership, Supports for Targeted Students and Supportive and Intentional School Environment followed by a juicy discussion that included a free flow of questions. Read the New Charter |
Gathering for a Shared Purpose
Between Teachers - Student Transitioning to Middle School
Child Centered
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* What is a Charter? The charter is a guiding document for our new school describing how we teach and what we teach. It describes what it means to be a public Waldorf school in good standing with the Alliance for Public Waldorf Education.
Waldorf Practice: Deepening Our Waldorf Roots
Becoming a Certified Public Waldorf SchoolIn the school year 2023/24 the faculty and director began writing about our strengths, challenges and innovations for each of the seven Alliance for Public Waldorf Education principles to become certified as a Public Waldorf and receive the right to use "Waldorf" in our name. As part of that certification process, we (faculty, board, staff, parents) identified the ways Live Oak supports & articulates these seven principles with examples from Live Oak's curriculum, practices and rituals in order to develop the narrative of our application. We have submitted the APWE application, and are now one step closer to becoming an Alliance-certified Public Waldorf School and fulfilling this long term goal.
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Schools as Learning Communities |
Our faculty & board chose three Core Principles to focus on in our application:
Update June 6, 2025: The process is complete and Valley Vista Public Waldorf is certified.
- Child Development. This is required by the Alliance, as it is foundational to Waldorf pedagogy
- Social Change Through Education. A principle our school has demonstrated strength and skill in.
- Schools as Learning Communities. A principle that highlights Live Oak's current evolution and where we are growing.
Update June 6, 2025: The process is complete and Valley Vista Public Waldorf is certified.
Belonging: Expanding the Circle
Our Work with Valley VistaThe leadership teams of Live Oak Charter and Valley Vista are working in collaboration in three main areas:
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Naming the New School
Live Oak & Valley Vista gathered at the Valley Vista campus for 2 evenings to experience the land, share delicious food and explore questions of meaning and place. A committee with stakeholders from both schools recommended a name to the PCS School Board for approval.
The process was as such:
The process was as such:
- Community Night 1: Grounding Ourselves in Our Roots - Tuesday, January 14th
- Community Night 2: Brainstorming Themes and Names - Wednesday, January 22nd
- Naming Committee: From the ideas generated from night 1 & 2, a committee with equal representation from Live Oak and
Valley Vista stakeholders selected a name to recommend to the PCS School Board for approval. The name chosen by the committee is Valley Vista Public Waldorf. - PCS School Board: Voted to confirm the new name.
The Details
Answers to Commonly Asked Questions
The Details Section will be updated the week of June 9, 2025.
1. What will be the size of the school and class structure?
Our combined enrollment for next year will likely be around 400 students. Our current plan is to start the 2025/2026 year with two classes per grade from TK-7th with one 8th grade. Of course, this will all depend on enrollment.
2. Which teachers will be making the move?
It's our understanding that all current Live Oak teachers would like to make the move with us, and we have an assurance from the District that they will have a spot at the new school if they desire. We are working hard to assure that Live Oak staff will also have a spot at the school, but this cannot be guaranteed at this time. We’ll know all of this for sure later this spring.
3. How will the Valley Vista's Spanish-speaking community and multilingual learners (MLL) be incorporated into the Live Oak curriculum?
Valley Vista has a large Spanish-speaking community: 27% are multilingual learners (MLLs). While there is evidence that the Waldorf method of learning to read, write and speak supports MLLs, the Live Oak faculty is working with Valley Vista's resource teachers as well as the Sonoma County Office of Education to level up their teaching strategies to support MLL students. In addition to strategizing a more robust program for meeting MLL needs, we are looking into offering Spanish to all students to create a culture of belonging.
4. Which Specialty Programs will we have?
Currently, Live Oak Charter offers Handwork, Movement and Middle School Math - all taught by Full-Time Certificated teachers. We will be bringing these programs with us to the new school and are hoping to offer additional programming. We are currently exploring gardening, Spanish, strings, and Marimba. Once the principal and initial faculty are hired, decisions on programs will be made.
5. Will there be Waldorf training for new faculty?
Our intention will be to hire Waldorf experienced teachers as much as possible. For any new teachers without Waldorf training, a structured Waldorf training plan is in the works. Likely a 2-3 day introductory course and additional grade-level specific training. We are also exploring opportunities for certifications similar to successful models used at other public Waldorf schools like Alice Birney Waldorf in Sacramento. Additionally, we will be structuring each grade with a team of teachers, meaning a Waldorf-certified teacher with a teacher-in-training to work with the two classes together.
6. Will all teachers need to be Waldorf trained or certified?
Yes, all our faculty will need to be trained or certified. We’re aiming for a majority of our faculty (currently 75%) to have Waldorf certification. Additionally, we are partnering with PCS to ensure quality Waldorf training for all new and existing teachers.
7. What about media and technology integration?
Our charter clearly outlines a stance on limiting media use in multiple ways at home and in school, particularly for younger students. The aim is to balance technology's benefits while maintaining a largely tech-free environment for children to encourage their natural development. We have a robust set of family media guidelines we’ll be using to help new families navigate this. As well, we'll continue to discuss these guidelines with the community through events like parent education nights to dive deeper into the Waldorf philosophy and how current research supports our model.
8. Will classes be split or merged, and what about looping?
Assuming we have two classes per grade, each grade will have a dedicated teaching team. Ideally, both teachers will have Waldorf certification or training and we believe we’ll be able to attract these teachers in recruitment. We’ll be sure to distribute the teachers with the most training and experience across the grades, ensuring a rich Waldorf practice. In some cases, we’ll have a teaching team consisting of one Waldorf-certified teacher and one Waldorf-trained (or in-training) teacher. This collaborative model would allow for a rich blend of experience and perspective, fostering a strong sense of community within each grade. These teaching teams would work together to create meaningful connections across the grade through shared projects, field trips, and other collaborative activities.
Small class sizes will be maintained, ensuring that each child receives personalized attention and support. Team teaching will allow for two perspectives on each student, strengthening our ability to truly understand and nurture their unique needs and potential.
Once the principal is hired and faculty is in place, they will work thoughtfully to make decisions on how best to arrange students (both current and new) into each of these classes so that each class is balanced and whole. Every student’s needs and experiences will be taken into account and very tenderly held throughout the process. We know this change could cause some disappointment, and our faculty is prepared to create a loving environment for this transition.
9. How will social-emotional learning (SEL) be supported during this transition?
We recognize that change can bring emotional challenges for all of us, and our teachers are prepared to focus on SEL during this transition. We will create a nurturing environment for the students by involving the whole community, including parents. It’s up to all of us so we will continue asking for a lot of parent participation. Additionally, smaller class sizes and continuing to use aides will help maintain the support structure needed for students to thrive.
10. What’s the timeline for key decisions?
The PCS Board passed the MOU 12/10/24 and passed the New Charter on 12/17/24. Thank you to everyone who showed up and wrote emails in support. The next big decisions in our shared timeline are naming the school by the start of February and hiring the principal by the end of February.
11. What is the new school’s name, and who will lead it?
The name of the new school is Valley Vista Public Waldorf. A collaborative naming process happened in January 2025 and the recommendation was given to the PCS board for approval. (See above)
The process to hire the school leader (principal) happened in late February through mid-March and included PCS staff, as well as community and board members from both Live Oak and Valley Vista. On March 19, 2025, Kat PcFee was announced as the new principal of Valley Vista Public Waldorf Charter School.
About Kat McFee: As stated in the Parentsquare post to the Live Oak community - "Kat brings not only extensive knowledge and leadership but also a genuine admiration for the courage and innovation of this community. She sees our strength, values our vision, and is confident in her ability to help guide us through this transition successfully. Having a Waldorf-certified leader with charter school experience is a critical step in securing our Alliance certification and ensuring our program and Charter remains strong as we welcome 230+ new students and their families into this child-centered, teacher-led, community-held model of education we have been practicing for the past 23 years."
12. When can we tour Valley Vista’s campus?
If you would like to see the Valley Vista campus, tours are regularly held January - February 2025. Please see the schedule on the PCS website.
13. Do current families of Live Oak Charter and Valley Vista Elementary need to re-register?
No. Families of Live Oak Charter and Valley Vista Elementary are guaranteed a spot at the new school and do not need to re-register. However, siblings attending their first year need to apply (and have priority.) - see Enrollment for instructions.
14. How do new families apply for the upcoming 2025/26 school year and when?
Apply to the New Public Waldorf Charter on the Petaluma City School's website via SchoolMint. Select "New Public Waldorf Charter School" in the SchoolMint program. Open enrollment begins January 9, 2025 and ends February 14th. - go to Enrollment for instructions.
Our combined enrollment for next year will likely be around 400 students. Our current plan is to start the 2025/2026 year with two classes per grade from TK-7th with one 8th grade. Of course, this will all depend on enrollment.
- Note: For historical reference, we started this process because our current model has fixed costs that exceed our state allocations, so we have a structural deficit. A school of our size (under 300) is challenging to run as an independent entity, has lots of additional overhead, and is difficult to sustain and staff, so the funding model no longer works. Being bigger opens the door to additional programming. It also creates a dynamic and energizing teaching environment.
2. Which teachers will be making the move?
It's our understanding that all current Live Oak teachers would like to make the move with us, and we have an assurance from the District that they will have a spot at the new school if they desire. We are working hard to assure that Live Oak staff will also have a spot at the school, but this cannot be guaranteed at this time. We’ll know all of this for sure later this spring.
- Note: The Live Oak board's decision to move forward with the new charter was made with guidance from the faculty from the beginning.
3. How will the Valley Vista's Spanish-speaking community and multilingual learners (MLL) be incorporated into the Live Oak curriculum?
Valley Vista has a large Spanish-speaking community: 27% are multilingual learners (MLLs). While there is evidence that the Waldorf method of learning to read, write and speak supports MLLs, the Live Oak faculty is working with Valley Vista's resource teachers as well as the Sonoma County Office of Education to level up their teaching strategies to support MLL students. In addition to strategizing a more robust program for meeting MLL needs, we are looking into offering Spanish to all students to create a culture of belonging.
4. Which Specialty Programs will we have?
Currently, Live Oak Charter offers Handwork, Movement and Middle School Math - all taught by Full-Time Certificated teachers. We will be bringing these programs with us to the new school and are hoping to offer additional programming. We are currently exploring gardening, Spanish, strings, and Marimba. Once the principal and initial faculty are hired, decisions on programs will be made.
5. Will there be Waldorf training for new faculty?
Our intention will be to hire Waldorf experienced teachers as much as possible. For any new teachers without Waldorf training, a structured Waldorf training plan is in the works. Likely a 2-3 day introductory course and additional grade-level specific training. We are also exploring opportunities for certifications similar to successful models used at other public Waldorf schools like Alice Birney Waldorf in Sacramento. Additionally, we will be structuring each grade with a team of teachers, meaning a Waldorf-certified teacher with a teacher-in-training to work with the two classes together.
6. Will all teachers need to be Waldorf trained or certified?
Yes, all our faculty will need to be trained or certified. We’re aiming for a majority of our faculty (currently 75%) to have Waldorf certification. Additionally, we are partnering with PCS to ensure quality Waldorf training for all new and existing teachers.
7. What about media and technology integration?
Our charter clearly outlines a stance on limiting media use in multiple ways at home and in school, particularly for younger students. The aim is to balance technology's benefits while maintaining a largely tech-free environment for children to encourage their natural development. We have a robust set of family media guidelines we’ll be using to help new families navigate this. As well, we'll continue to discuss these guidelines with the community through events like parent education nights to dive deeper into the Waldorf philosophy and how current research supports our model.
8. Will classes be split or merged, and what about looping?
Assuming we have two classes per grade, each grade will have a dedicated teaching team. Ideally, both teachers will have Waldorf certification or training and we believe we’ll be able to attract these teachers in recruitment. We’ll be sure to distribute the teachers with the most training and experience across the grades, ensuring a rich Waldorf practice. In some cases, we’ll have a teaching team consisting of one Waldorf-certified teacher and one Waldorf-trained (or in-training) teacher. This collaborative model would allow for a rich blend of experience and perspective, fostering a strong sense of community within each grade. These teaching teams would work together to create meaningful connections across the grade through shared projects, field trips, and other collaborative activities.
Small class sizes will be maintained, ensuring that each child receives personalized attention and support. Team teaching will allow for two perspectives on each student, strengthening our ability to truly understand and nurture their unique needs and potential.
Once the principal is hired and faculty is in place, they will work thoughtfully to make decisions on how best to arrange students (both current and new) into each of these classes so that each class is balanced and whole. Every student’s needs and experiences will be taken into account and very tenderly held throughout the process. We know this change could cause some disappointment, and our faculty is prepared to create a loving environment for this transition.
9. How will social-emotional learning (SEL) be supported during this transition?
We recognize that change can bring emotional challenges for all of us, and our teachers are prepared to focus on SEL during this transition. We will create a nurturing environment for the students by involving the whole community, including parents. It’s up to all of us so we will continue asking for a lot of parent participation. Additionally, smaller class sizes and continuing to use aides will help maintain the support structure needed for students to thrive.
10. What’s the timeline for key decisions?
The PCS Board passed the MOU 12/10/24 and passed the New Charter on 12/17/24. Thank you to everyone who showed up and wrote emails in support. The next big decisions in our shared timeline are naming the school by the start of February and hiring the principal by the end of February.
11. What is the new school’s name, and who will lead it?
The name of the new school is Valley Vista Public Waldorf. A collaborative naming process happened in January 2025 and the recommendation was given to the PCS board for approval. (See above)
The process to hire the school leader (principal) happened in late February through mid-March and included PCS staff, as well as community and board members from both Live Oak and Valley Vista. On March 19, 2025, Kat PcFee was announced as the new principal of Valley Vista Public Waldorf Charter School.
About Kat McFee: As stated in the Parentsquare post to the Live Oak community - "Kat brings not only extensive knowledge and leadership but also a genuine admiration for the courage and innovation of this community. She sees our strength, values our vision, and is confident in her ability to help guide us through this transition successfully. Having a Waldorf-certified leader with charter school experience is a critical step in securing our Alliance certification and ensuring our program and Charter remains strong as we welcome 230+ new students and their families into this child-centered, teacher-led, community-held model of education we have been practicing for the past 23 years."
12. When can we tour Valley Vista’s campus?
If you would like to see the Valley Vista campus, tours are regularly held January - February 2025. Please see the schedule on the PCS website.
- Note: To learn about the Waldorf program, sign up for a School Tours at Live Oak Charter
13. Do current families of Live Oak Charter and Valley Vista Elementary need to re-register?
No. Families of Live Oak Charter and Valley Vista Elementary are guaranteed a spot at the new school and do not need to re-register. However, siblings attending their first year need to apply (and have priority.) - see Enrollment for instructions.
14. How do new families apply for the upcoming 2025/26 school year and when?
Apply to the New Public Waldorf Charter on the Petaluma City School's website via SchoolMint. Select "New Public Waldorf Charter School" in the SchoolMint program. Open enrollment begins January 9, 2025 and ends February 14th. - go to Enrollment for instructions.
