Summerfield Waldorf School & Farm

Community Life

Community Enrichment Events

Our public workshops and classes bring Waldorf’s experiential learning to all ages and interests through lectures, writing workshops, dance, singing, choir, and art.

Past CEC events

September 19, 2025: Surviving Parenting and Teaching with Jaimen McMillan

Jaimen McMillan

In this lecture and participatory workshop with Jaimen McMillan, parents and teachers will share what has worked for them, and examine what has not worked. Then, using the discipline of Spacial Dynamics®, we will learn techniques to create spaces to meet the children in new ways. Through simple movements and interactive exercises we will see that space is more than the abstract distance that separates us, but can become a substance that can connect us. We will experience that creating the dynamic we long for may indeed involve changing ourselves. Come prepared to share, think, move, and laugh!

Founder and director of the Spacial Dynamics Institute and developer of the Spacial Dynamics® method, Jaimen McMillan has been leading trainings for movement professionals since 1980. In addition, he has a private practice, working with a wide spectrum of clients ranging from those with movement challenges, to top-level athletes and professional performance artists, all learning to enhance their skills and abilities. Mr. McMillan is a prominent lecturer in the areas of physical education, movement therapy, consults in the fields of business leadership and injury prevention, and is a recognized contributor to the world-peace movement.

Sliding Scale Admission: $20-30. No one turned away for lack of funds. Location: Summerfield Waldorf School & Farm, 655 Willowside Road, Santa Rosa, CA. Register here.

September 18–22, 2025: Waldorf Fathers’ Retreat

Roland Baril

Held by Roland Baril, Master Teacher / Leader of Fathers’ Groups (opens in a new tab). Hosted by Marin Waldorf School Class Teacher, Roland Baril.

We believe that supporting fathers in their quest to be the best dads they can be and deepening their appreciation for Waldorf Education is essential for our educational movement. It can make a great Father’s Day gift for the whole family!

About Roland Baril: Roland has led a Fathers’ Group at Marin Waldorf for four years, at Summerfield Waldorf School in Santa Rosa for four years, and at Greenwood School in Mill Valley for eight years. He a 33-year veteran Waldorf teacher and is the father of two sons, now young adults, who attended Waldorf schools from grades K-12.

For more information and to register, please contact , (707) 292-4748.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

  • What role do parents play in the daily life of the school?

    Our parent community thrives here at Summerfield in the active support of various programs, fundraisers, projects, and field trips throughout the year.

    At Summerfield, parents have the opportunity to serve on the Board of Trustees, participate on committees, act as chaperones on field trips, organize annual events such as the Sprites Night, Winter Faire, Epiphany Bonfire, and more. Through our Community Enrichment Program, they host the daily Coffee Cart* before school to create a gathering place for parents to share, support, and engage. Our parents plan educational lecture series, community dances, and family game nights...just to name a few. They also help the sport coaches, assist in food preparation for the seasonal fundraiser meals, and make handcrafts for various events.

    Summerfield parents also support the work of the classroom teachers by creating a home life conducive to healthy growth and learning. The parents' support of our Smart Device Policy and Social Media Recommendations reinforces our pedagogical foundation and subsequent teacher-led responsibility to present technology to a class only at the appropriate developmental stage for the child to best receive it.

    Regular parent evenings with the class teachers help to create a caring network of support for each child and for the class as a whole. Friendships between Waldorf families often continue for decades after the children graduate, and many parents tell us that the unusually close-knit community at the school is a joy appreciated by the whole family.

    *Coffee Cart is generally Tues-Fri (year-round).

More answers on our full FAQ page.