About Rowan Tree Children’s School
A holistic approach to education that nurtures the head, heart, and hands.
Our mission at Rowan Tree Children’s School is to instill a sense of wonder and curiosity in our students, leading to a deepening interest in the world around them, reverence for nature, respect for each other, and finding purpose in their actions.
Our Story
Since our humble beginnings in 2004, Rowan Tree Children’s School has been dedicated to providing a nurturing haven for children to flourish. Our journey began with a simple yet profound mission: to create a space where children aged 2.5 to 4 years could embrace the wonders of childhood through play, imitation, and rhythm.
With each passing year, our commitment to fostering a close-knit community has only grown stronger. Our small class sizes embody our belief in the power of personal connections, creating an environment that feels like an extended family—one where warmth and support are woven into every interaction.
In 2011, we took a significant step forward by becoming a provincially licensed day care center, a milestone that allowed us to expand our reach and deepen our impact.
In 2017, we embraced a new chapter as an incorporated non-profit school, guided by a Board of Directors committed to our values of accessibility and sustainability. This evolution reflects our ongoing journey to better serve our community and uphold our mission with integrity.
As we look to the future, we remain rooted in our values while embracing innovation. The introduction of our Nature Kindergarten in 2019 and our grade school program in 2020 speaks to our deep connection to the natural world and our belief in its transformative power.
As a Private School recognized by the Ontario Ministry of Education, we humbly strive to uphold the highest standards of educational excellence. Our doors are always open, inviting children and families to join us on this journey of discovery, growth, and community.
Our Mission
Our mission at Rowan Tree Children’s School is to instill a sense of wonder and curiosity in our students, leading to a deepening interest in the world around them, reverence for nature, respect for each other, and finding purpose in their actions.
Our teachers lead with integrity, respecting each student and inspiring them, igniting a fire and guiding them on their path towards a love of learning and meaning making.
Our teachers aspire to bring their students into a Waldorf-inspired learning environment, steeped in the Waldorf-inspired and Forest School principles, dedicated to the task of educating the whole child, the head, heart and hands.
Our curriculum and principles allow the students to begin with inquiry-based outdoor experiences that awaken students to their own unique ways of learning and growing towards their educational goals.
We strive to build confidence, resilience, sense of self-worth, trust in community, lasting connections and love for the earth through our Waldorf-inspired and Forest School curriculums.
Our values are interconnected, interwoven, creating a ‘riverbed’ that supports education.
Our students discover a path towards freedom, the freedom to shape their own destiny.
Land Acknowledgement
We respectfully acknowledge that Rowan Tree Children’s School is located on the Treaty 20 Michi Saagiig territory and in the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig and Chippewa Nations, collectively known as the Williams Treaties First Nations, which include: Curve Lake, Hiawatha, Alderville, Scugog Island, Rama, Beausoleil, and Georgina Island First Nations.
Rowan Tree Children’s School respectfully acknowledges that the Williams Treaties First Nations are the stewards and caretakers of these lands and waters in perpetuity, and that they continue to maintain this responsibility to ensure their health and integrity for generations to come.
We offer our gratitude to the First Peoples for their care for, and teachings about, our earth and our relations. May we honour those teachings and respect and learn from each other. May we strive to protect Turtle Island and find inspiration and guidance from Indigenous teachings and from the Indigenous communities around us.