Our History
2015: Planting a Seed
February 2015: A large community gathering brings together Ottawa Waldorf supporter to reflect on the past and imagine what might come next. With the support of AWSNA, Flora Seul-Jacklein, then President of the AWSNA Board of Trustees, travelled to Ottawa to guide this gathering. Through a thoughtful circle process, Flora created the space for people to share their stories, listen deeply, and consider new possibilities together. We remain deeply grateful for the care, wisdom, and generosity with which she held that space, helping the community find its own path forward and planting a seed.
Spring 2015: A dedicated group begins meeting monthly following the initial gathering.
Late 2015: The group officially names itself Friends of Waldorf Education in Ottawa (FWEO) to create a new, sustainable school impulse.
2015–2017: Deep Research & Connection
Evaluating History: FWEO studies the three previous, independent Waldorf schools in Ottawa. They identify three core goals: financial stability, teacher freedom, and a modern pedagogical approach tied to nature and social engagement and healing.
Expert Interviews: The team interviews founders of established Canadian and US schools. They discover that healthy relationships are the absolute key to school success.
Deep Studies: The group consults experts (Mary Roscoe, Gary Lamb, Les Black) and studies foundational texts on school economies, governance, and self-governance.
Community Building: FWEO hosts local events, including the Time to Play film presentation, outdoor Advent spirals, veteran Waldorf lectures, and Eurythmy workshops.
Local Collaboration: They build partnerships with local initiatives, including Stone Soup Parent-and-Child Program, Garden Gate Kindergarten, Sun Child Nature Program, and Nimblekids.
2018: Launching Polaris School
May 2018: The group officially founds a new non-profit organization to serve as the legal body and governance seed.
June 2018: Two community meetings are held to draft the official proposal for the school's upcoming pilot year.
August 20, 2018: Following community consultations, the name Polaris School is officially chosen, launching as a Waldorf-inspired initiative with the ultimate goal of becoming a recognized Waldorf School.
Founded in 2018 in Ottawa, Polaris School and Centre began as a grassroots initiative with a vision of creating a modern, accessible approach to Waldorf-inspired education. From the beginning, the school has sought to balance strong academics with creativity, movement, meaningful relationships, and teacher autonomy, while keeping tuition as accessible as possible for local families. Since then, Polaris has grown into a vibrant and diverse educational community serving students from Kindergarten through Grade 8.
Over the years, Polaris has continued to shape an approach that reflects both its Waldorf-inspired roots and the needs of children today. Small classes, hands-on and arts-integrated learning, strong teacher-student relationships, and opportunities for children to learn through direct experience are central to school life. Within the Grade School, the Nature Connect program has also become a distinctive part of the Polaris experience, giving students regular opportunities to learn outdoors, build confidence and resilience, and deepen their relationship with the natural world.
Because Polaris operates independently of government funding, its growth has always depended on the strength of its community. Parents, educators, donors, and supporters have all played an important role in helping the school grow and remain viable. That shared commitment continues to sustain Polaris and reflects something that has been true since its earliest days: the school has been built, shaped, and carried forward by the people who believe in its vision.
How Polaris was created
From 2018 until Now
Our Future …
The ultimate dream for Polaris is to be completely self-sustaining and open to any child, regardless of their family's financial background. We envision a future where a strong endowment fund removes tuition barriers entirely, making our school truly accessible to everyone in our community. By growing our Nature Connect and Waldorf-inspired programs into a regional hub for outdoor learning and environmental care, Polaris aims to inspire educational change far beyond our own walls and nurture the change-makers of tomorrow.