Understanding Lakeside

Our Mission

Drawing from the surrounding farms and forest and based on Waldorf education, Lakeside School cultivates the whole child in an evolving ecosystem of independent thinking, community spirit, and stewardship of our natural world.

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Understanding Lakeside

Our Children

Through independent exploration of both farmland and wild forests, we aim to deepen our students' understanding of themselves and the world around them. By nurturing compassion and adaptable thinking, we empower them to step into the global community with confidence and courage.

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Understanding Lakeside

Our Faculty

Lakeside School is committed to supporting the professional growth and creativity of our faculty by endowing them with the freedom of self-direction in developing curricula and facilitating a collaborative interaction between teacher, child, and parent.

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Understanding Lakeside

Our Community

As a school, we strive to create an accepting environment that fosters a love of learning and a sense of hope for the future. Throughout the year, Lakeside School invites our surrounding neighbors to join us for seasonal celebrations, community discussions, and family activities. By practicing responsible stewardship, we model a commitment to duty and service to our community and land.

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About Us

Inspiring connections to nature & community.

Lakeside School at Black Kettle Farm in Essex, NY, is an independent, non-profit early childhood school and day care that offers a holistic education inspired by Waldorf principles. Situated on a scenic working farm, the school integrates nature-based learning with a rich curriculum designed to nurture creativity, social-emotional growth and a natural sense of wonder.

The school community values inclusivity, collaboration, and sustainable living, with a mission to support each child’s intellectual, artistic, and practical development. Through its small class sizes and dedicated faculty, Lakeside School creates a nurturing environment where children are empowered to grow into compassionate, capable, and confident individuals.

Associate Member of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America

About Us

FARM & FOREST

Growing Minds & Nurturing Hearts

OUR PHILOSOPHY

An Outdoor Classroom

In the Adirondacks

  • Exploring the relationships between humans and nature through sustainable farming
  • Emboldening our students to participate in forest exploration
  • Building developmentally appropriate foundations of science, mathematics, language, and arts through Waldorf philosophy
  • Providing families with opportunities to nurture their children with a better knowledge of developmentally appropriate expectations
  • Bringing together parents, students and friends from the local area to foster a renewed sense of community
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OUR BLOG

A Glimpse into Lakeside

Articles

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Lakeside School
December 15, 2024
Connecting Children with Nature: Building the Foundation for Science Education and Environmental Conservation

As a child one of my greatest passions was climbing trees. Finding suitable climbing trees in Southeast Alaska’s rainforest was a challenge, but I was always up for a challenge. Alders were the best for jungle-gym play and horse riding. I could climb the highest in hemlocks, without getting pricked by sharp needles. Up in …

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December 15, 2024
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Growing Decision Makers

As I drive up the golden tree lined mountain road to Lakeside School each morning, it feels a bit like approaching paradise. Right now, at autumn’s finest – the school is tremendously beautiful. It is also a haven of peace from the political turmoil that has caught our nation in its grip. Arriving at Lakeside …

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December 15, 2024
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Welcome to Autumn!

The students of Lakeside School are greeting autumn with unchecked enthusiasm. They rapidly fill baskets with apples, grapes, bell peppers, and tomatoes – harvesting their hard planting work in the spring. Green walnut balls, scattered about the play yard from our giant walnut tree, are tossed into a wagon – which is then transformed into …

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