The Art of Administration Training Program and Summer Intensives

Summer 2024 

on Whidbey Island, in Freeport, Maine, and online

Artwork by Michael Pinchera

2 year Program in Administration, Leadership and School Development

Leading with Spirit is a professional development program designed to support administrative leadership in Waldorf Schools and Collaborative Institutions across the continent. It includes three one-week summer intensives that can be taken separately or as part of a two-year part-time program with monthly mentoring, research projects, independent study, and participation in online collegial seminars.

“Without the experience, resources and ongoing support, I have had from this program,

I don’t think I would have survived the last six months.

In so many ways, personally and professionally,

 it has helped me learn, grow and be successful.”

Program participant 2017

Waldorf Schools work with a new pedagogy based on a holistic, age-appropriate image of child development. They also practice a new form of community life in which teachers, administrative staff, and parents are partners in developing the community of the school. The working together of these three groups in the life of the school requires insight, social sensitivity, and competence so that the school can be healthy and best serve the needs of the children. This new professional development course offers teachers, administrators, board members and parents an opportunity to reflect on and work with the challenges of building a Waldorf School Community that is vibrant, innovative and effective while honoring the unique contributions of each member of the community.

The summer intensives are based on the successful certificate and Master’s Program in Waldorf School Administration and Community Development offered at Sunbridge College between 1991 and 2008.

Each summer seminar can be taken on its own but, when taken in sequence, the seminars will build a deeper capacity for serving the community of Waldorf education.

Program Description and Content

FULL PROGRAM: Three summer sessions, monthly class calls to explore emerging topics, four weekend workshops, Mentoring, Independent Research, Online Cohort Support

 Understanding the Social and Spiritual Foundations

 Working Together in Community

 Deepening Principles, Roles and Practices

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TYPICAL DAILY SCHEDULE

Each day will consist of presentations, case work, artistic work and a seminar on inner development.

8:30-10:30   Singing, Verse and Morning Presentation

10:30-11:00   Morning Break

11:00-12:00   Case Study Work in Groups

12:00-12:30   Biography Conversations

12:30-1:45     Lunch Break

1:45-2:30     Case Study and Group work – session 2

2:30- 3:30     Painting and Observation or other arts.

3:30-4:00       Afternoon Break

4:00-5:00       Inner Development Seminar

5:00-5:30       Singing and Review of the Day


Core Faculty

(see about us page for more background)

Mara D. White 

Director (retired), Waldorf High School of Massachusetts Bay

Marti Stewart 

Administrative Director, City of Lakes Waldorf School

Sian Owen-Cruise, Ph.D. 

School Administrator, Rudolf Steiner School of Ann Arbor

Michael Soule, MA 

Administrator (retired), Whidbey Island Waldorf School

Lisa Mahar, MA,  

Administrator (retired), Monadnock Waldorf School

Program Advisor

Christopher Schaefer, Ph.D. 

Author, Consultant, Past President of Sunbridge College

 Full Program Option and Cost

 The full program runs over two years with a week-long intensive each of three summers, a requirement to attend two-weekend courses each year (paid for separately), an independent study and research project each year, mentoring from program faculty and professionals in the field and ongoing online contact with a cohort group. Participation in the full program  provides the participant with the widest range of course experience and personal support.

Completion of the full program leads to a Certificate in Administrative Leadership.

The cost of the full program is $5550

and includes the three summers 

and two years of coaching 

and monthly seminars


Partial Program Option Available

 The program may also be taken in parts. Summers intensives, weekend seminars, and professional mentoring support are available separately.

Join the program in one of our locations this Summer and further your journey

Next course: Summer 2024


These courses will be held in person

and in a shortened online course. These intensives can be taken alone or as part of a 3-summer 2 -year certificate program in Waldorf Administration



The Art of Administration and Evolving Waldorf Schools:

Understanding the Social and Spiritual Foundations 

    School Organization and 

the Image of the Human Being 

The Dynamics of School Governance 

Leadership in a Collaborative Spiritual Organization 

The Healing Social Life: Working Together

Presentations, Case Studies, Discussion Groups, Inner Development, Artistic Work, Group Work


Whidbey Island, WA 

July 14-19

with Michael Soule, Marti Stewart, and Connie Stokes

$850 US or CDN plus 

$50 registration fee

Register here



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 The Art of Administration and Evolving Waldorf Schools:

Working Together in Community

Dialogue in Human Encounter

Group Roles and Team Development

Decision-making, Consensus and Facilitation

Understanding Conflict

Developing Community Dialogue over Time

Presentations, Case Studies, Discussion Groups, Inner Development, Artistic Work, Group Work


Maine Coast Waldorf School

July 21-26

with Lisa Mahar, Michael Soule, 

and Guests

$850 US or CDN

$50 registration fee


Register here


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ALSO OFFERING

Online course Summer 2024

July 8 - 12

Art of Administration:

Understanding the Social and Spiritual Foundations

(content same as Whidbey 

in condensed format )

with Lisa Mahar and Michael Soule

$550 USD or CDN 

plus $50 registration


Register here



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 Tuition for In-person Intensives

$850 (US or Canadian dollars) 

plus $50 registration

Discounts available for multiple 

participants from a single school

 Tuition for Online Intensives

 $550 (US or Canadian dollars) 

plus $50 registration 

Discounts available for multiple 

participants from a single school


LWS partners with 

the Regeneration Foundation 

to provide small tuition support grants 

to people of color.

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Registration Application Process

(registration form here)

You may register to participate in one of this summer’s intensives or you may decide to register for the whole two-year program which includes ongoing class meetings and  professional mentoring, research projects and a certificate in Waldorf School Administration. Participants in the one-week summer intensive may still join the full program after the first week.

For the summer program only, please submit a letter including the information below with a $50 application fee made out to SCC to Lisa Mahar, lisamahar5@gmail.com

For the full two-year program, please submit a letter including the information below with a $100 application fee made out to SCC plus the following documents to Lisa Mahar, lisamahar5@gmail.com

Application should include: Name Address City State Zip Email Phone Current School or organizational affiliation Position 

Location you are applying for: East Coast - West Coast - Online

For new students:

A brief one page description of your experience with and relationship 

to Waldorf education and Anthroposophy 

A short statement about why you would like to join this course

A resume

For returning students  (summer sessions only): 

A brief description of the major successes and challenges of your year, along with burning questions you are holding.

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Tuition, Fees, and Financial Agreements

Course Registration: 

To register for a single week or the full program, send a check to 

Sound Circle Center

PO Box 15279 • Seattle WA • 98115 

or contact us for online payment options

Single week program fee:  

$850 tuition plus $50 registration fee 

due with application. 

Discounts available for additional participants from your school each plus $50 registration fee

Full 2-year program fee  is $1500/year  in addition to the three summer intensives ($850 each)

             plus $100 registration due with the application

Total cost $5550

Payment options available

Tuition for the first summer week-long intensive may be applied to the whole program if a student decides to join the program after completing the first week.

Refunds:

The registration fee is non-refundable.

Course fees cannot be refunded within two weeks of the start date of the course. A $100 fee (in addition to the registration fee) will be charged and the tuition may be applied to the following year. 

If a student is not able to continue in the full program, tuition will be refunded on a pro-rated basis.

Discounts: We have made every attempt to offer this program at the least possible cost. No scholarships are currently available. 

We partner with The Regeneration Foundation that offers small tuition support grants for persons of color.

Other financial questions may be directed to Lisa Mahar at lisamahar5@gmail.com 




“Seek the real practical life but seek it in a way that does not blind you to the spirit working in it. Seek the spirit, but do not seek it from spiritual egoism, from spiritual greed but look for it because you want to apply it unselfishly in practical life, in the material world. Make use of the ancient principle: spirit is never without matter, matter never without spirit.” – Rudolf Steiner

Leading with Spirit Art of Administration training program is a collaboration with Sound Circle Center for Arts and Anthroposophy in Seattle. Sound Circle is a recognized teacher training institute with the Association of Waldorf Schools of N. America. For more information about Sound Circle and its programs please visit them at www.soundcirclecenter.org