APRIL 19, 2022
Board Appoints Vanessa Kohlhaas as Next Head of Seattle Waldorf School
Dear Seattle Waldorf School Community,
It is with great enthusiasm that I announce that the Board of Trustees has unanimously appointed Vanessa Kohlhaas as the next Head of School at Seattle Waldorf School.

Many within our school community know Vanessa. She joined SWS in 2019 as the Early Childhood Director, and her thoughtful, wise leadership has been a great gift to our school community. Over the past two years, Vanessa has worked closely with our current Head of School Raquel Scharf-Anderson, and with other members of the senior leadership team. As the Board considered a number of external candidates during the Head of School search process, we recognized that the best candidate for the next Head of Seattle Waldorf School is already here.
VANESSA KOHLHAAS
We are thrilled that Vanessa decided to apply and has agreed to serve the school in this capacity, and we are looking forward to partnering with her to strengthen and enhance SWS.

Prior to becoming a member of the SWS community, Vanessa spent many years as an Early Childhood teacher at Whidbey Island Waldorf School. She served as the Professional Development Committee Chair, establishing both a nursery program and a family connections program. Vanessa has been very involved in the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN) organization, representing the northwest region from 2010–2018 and she served on the planning committee for the 2021 national conference, themed Toward a Kinder, More Compassionate Society: Black Lives Matter in Waldorf Early Childhood Classrooms and Communities.

Vanessa received her undergraduate degree in Music from the University of Texas, Austin and a Masters of Education from Antioch University. Since 2021, she has been a participant in the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS) Pathways to Leadership Program, a selective leadership training program. Vanessa holds numerous certifications: through the State of Washington her certifications include Early Childhood Teacher, Elementary Teacher, Special Education and Early Childhood Special Education Teacher, and she holds a Waldorf Early Childhood Teacher certification.
Vanessa has successfully led a number of important initiatives during her three years as a Director at Seattle Waldorf School. She initiated a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Work Group for the early childhood faculty and guided a long-range vision process with the early childhood faculty and a Board Work Group. Her innovative vision was key to the design and implementation of the SWS remote early childhood program during the pandemic. Her collaborative work on the Pedagogical Leadership Council, which considers curricular decisions for preschool through grade 12, as well as her work with the senior leadership team and on Board committees, has given Vanessa great insight into all areas of Seattle Waldorf School.
GRADE 10 WATERCOLOR
While leadership transitions bring change, and Raquel’s strong leadership will be missed, we are very confident in Vanessa’s abilities. We feel so fortunate to know that our next Head of School knows and loves our school community, understands Waldorf education deeply, and will bring great passion and commitment to serving all of us at SWS as our next Head. We hope you will join the Board in our enthusiasm and congratulate and thank Vanessa as she prepares to serve as the next SWS Head of School.
Eva Elliott
Chair, SWS Board of Trustees
Message from Vanessa
Dear Seattle Waldorf School Community,

I just returned from a trip to celebrate the sixtieth wedding anniversary of my in-laws where, together, our family took a canoe ride on the Mississippi River. It was a lot of work to paddle together, sometimes against the current and other times carried forward by an eddy; we enjoyed sharing the experience and seeing the beauty that surrounded us. I thought a great deal about the SWS community during the trip and what brought me to our school three years ago. As the only Waldorf school in Washington State with an early childhood through high school program, our school provides a unique learning opportunity for students.
PRESCHOOLERS AT PLAY
Our beautiful campuses offer an environment where learning happens not only at desks, but through movement, art, and a connection with nature. Most importantly, our dedicated teachers strive to impart a deep level of respect and knowledge of child development, and it is through this understanding that they are tasked with developing a curriculum out of their own creativity. Seattle Waldorf School is a place of learning—not only for students, but for all community members.

We have experienced a tremendous amount of growth and change over the past three years. The pandemic created a shifting landscape that demanded flexibility and innovation. We also found ourselves at a turning point—not just for Seattle Waldorf School, but also Waldorf education. Our school’s commitment to creating a community that is inclusive for all students, families, faculty, and staff, especially those who have been impacted by racism and oppression, and to create a culture that supports racial equity by changing our existing systems and practices is being put into action. Change takes courage and can only be accomplished through collaboration. We are beginning a strategic planning process that will include all members of our community and bring clarity to our school’s identity and goals. While change can sometimes create tension, it is also an opportunity for reconnection, healing, and growth. This change is essential as we move forward together.
As the next Head of School at SWS, I will be guided by my belief in collaboration and listening to learn. These principles have guided me in the classroom as well as in my leadership positions. I am excited to be on this journey with you and I look forward to celebrating along the way. I know we all long to reconnect through school-wide festivals. We have the opportunity to re-enliven these important events and, in the process, rebuild community connections. We can also find everyday moments to celebrate—such as hearing laughter on the playground, watching friendships deepen, and seeing a student’s wonder after a new discovery in class. Finding and celebrating the joy in our shared experiences is a gift for us all.
GRADE 4 WATERCOLOR
As we imagine our future as a school, our mission remains our guidepost: Daily we strive to inspire learning, courage, and joy in the developing human being. I want to thank the Board for their time and consideration in selecting me as your next Head of School. I also want to thank Raquel Scharf-Anderson for her guidance and hard work over the past two years. Most of all, I want to share my gratitude with the families, faculty, staff, and Board for all that you do to make this school a community. I ask for your support as I step forward to serve as the next Head of Seattle Waldorf School. It will take all of us paddling together to get to our destination. 

Warm regards,
Vanessa Kohlhaas
SWS 2021–22 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Eva Elliott, President
Nat Burgess, Vice President
Brigitte Bertschi, Secretary
Fred Ingham, Treasurer
Brett Calhoun, Trustee
Tanja Omeze, Trustee
Steve Roos, Trustee
Cathy Simon, Trustee
Raquel Scharf-Anderson, Head of School (Ex Officio)
Community Association Rep (Ex Officio)
Mission
Daily we strive to inspire learning, courage, and joy in the developing human being.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
At Seattle Waldorf School we are committed to creating a community that is inclusive for all students, families, faculty, and staff, especially those who have been impacted by racism and oppression, and to create a culture that supports racial equity by changing our existing systems and practices.

Land Acknowledgment
We acknowledge that we reside on the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish peoples who have stewarded this land for generations. We pay our respect to the Elders and their descendants, past, present, and future, and honor with gratitude the land, plants, and animals.
Banner artwork by grade 11 student Maddy