By Robert Kostrzeski | Director of College Counseling
I am truly delighted to have joined the Waldorf School of the Peninsula community this semester as the new Director of College Counseling. My first visit to campus was filled with delightful highlights: fresh eggs delivered to our Pedagogical Administrators, chicken coops meticulously crafted by our students, innovative cell phone spa cubbies. A visiting university representative marveled at the thriving pumpkins in our garden, took a deep breath and remarked, “this feels like a return to education.” Teachers are always ready to engage in meaningful conversations in the hallway, and our faculty meetings are imbued with purpose and intention. The atmosphere here is not only cozy and inviting but also rich in kindness and focus. I could not have envisioned a more fulfilling in-person visit. As a newcomer to Waldorf education and specifically to WSP, I left campus with heartfelt gratitude, especially towards the students and teachers.
While I have had the pleasure of meeting many students, faculty, staff, and families, there are still some I have yet to connect with. For those who missed my earlier introduction, I would like to share a bit about myself. I am a student-focused advocate and advisor, most recently serving as the University Counseling Coordinator/High School Counselor at the International School Nido de Aguilas in Santiago, Chile. I have contributed to various boards, such as MaiaLearning and EAB Global Concourse, both of which are dedicated to educational college counseling. In my role as Co-Chair of the International ACAC (Association of College Admission Counseling) Pre-Conference Institute, I have had the privilege of training hundreds of counselors.
With 25 years of experience in education and admissions counseling, I currently serve as the Academic Director for the International University Advisor certificate program at The University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, training college advisors worldwide. My background includes leading admissions and directing international exchange/study abroad programs, as well as serving as a university counseling director at both U.S. independent and international schools. My experience spans institutions such as the School of International Training (VT), the University of Arizona, The Gregory School (AZ), Drew School, and Wildwood School (CA), along with the Awty International School (TX). I regularly present at professional conferences, including International Association for College Admission Counseling (ACAC) and the Council of International Schools (CIS), most recently delivering a session on the use of AI in the college admissions process in July 2024. My international experience includes work in Chile, Malaysia, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, and, of course, the United States. I currently reside in South America and connect with WSP students virtually.
I take great pride in supporting and guiding the Class of 2025—a remarkable group of changemakers, dancers, artists, gender-fluid souls, open-minded global citizens, multilingual orators, compassionate advocates for social justice, and thoughtful, articulate individuals. As I prepare my recommendation letters, each one brims with the “flowers of the page” cultivated by our dedicated faculty. During a particularly poignant moment at a faculty meeting, each teacher shared vivid anecdotes about our students, which I eagerly incorporated into my letters. My heart swelled with emotion as I witnessed the growth, self-actualization, and confidence that WSP students so vividly embody. WSP is a nurturing blend of family, warmth, and elevated academic learning. Here, we not only cultivate the mind but also inspire the spirit through love, creativity, and kindness.
WSP students stand out for numerous reasons, particularly their innate ability to engage with adults. They advocate for themselves with authenticity and genuinely connect with the mentors who support them. In today’s landscape of selective admissions, character has become a paramount component of the application process, especially given the pervasive online distractions faced by families and teens. WSP students exemplify empathy and care for one another, emerging as agents of change on a social-emotional level that surpasses that of many teenagers I have encountered in my career.
The Class of 2025 is set to apply to over 80 unique colleges and universities across four countries and 16 different states. They boast an impressive average unweighted GPA of 3.66, with 42% of the class intending to apply Early Decision and 58% opting for Early Applications (Early Action, Restrictive, or Priority). We will share more detailed statistics once their applications have been submitted and results are announced in the spring.
I also had the privilege of meeting the Class of 2026 while proctoring the PSAT. They are a truly remarkable group of young academic industrious WSP leaders. We will be offering an on-campus SAT preparation course for them as they eagerly look ahead to the next steps in their educational journey.
I cherish working with teens, honing my teen 007 Jedi skills and enjoying life as a father to my nine-year-old son. I firmly believe every young person deserves a trusted sounding board – someone who recognizes and nurtures their potential.
In many ways, Waldorf School of the Peninsula is leading the way; our graduates are distinguished by their deep connections, groundedness, and tender-heartedness. The critical thinking and depth of insight reflected in their academic pursuits are truly impressive. I embrace WSP’s commitment to authentic learning opportunities and its dedication to inclusivity and belonging. I am forever grateful for this opportunity.
Image: Members of the class of 2024 matriculated to the above colleges and universities.
At Waldorf School of the Peninsula, students experience music as a journey of self-discovery, challenge, skill, community building, and emotional expression. Here, music is more than an elective, it is a vital and integral aspect of the curriculum.
Wonder: The Early Years As our youngest students walk slowly down the hallway along with their teacher, we hear a ‘good morning’ song. Music fills the air throughout the day for all sorts of reasons, such as a blessing over our food or a way to set the mood during story time. Both vocal and instrumental experiences are essential, as they develop different capacities: vocal music is created from within the body, while instrumental music uses external materials that foster coordination and muscle memory.
The strings journey begins when our 3rd grade families, with the guidance of class and music teachers, help their child choose a string instrument that resonates with their temperament. The instrument is perfectly sized, as if it were made just for them. Wonder sets in: What is this object made of? How do I make a sound with it? Is the bow really strung with hairs from a horse’s tail? These early questions spark curiosity, leading to a lifelong relationship with music. As students learn about posture and position, they experience a physical connection between their bodies and the sounds they can make. Each class continues to grow as a social being, working together to create beauty as a group, even with the simplest of songs.
Our learning is deliberate and magical! The students begin learning to play by ear, focusing on the beauty of the sound. “Look what I figured out!” they exclaim with wide-eyed excitement, rushing forward with newfound skills. As confidence builds, they practice together before class, experiment singing and playing in rounds, and create layers of harmony that reflect their own growing complexity. We introduce note-reading and musical terminology gently. The progression is slow but steady, developmentally appropriate, and always focused on fostering independence and creativity.
Growth: The Middle Years
By Middle School, the music has grown more complex, and so have the students. We continue singing through this time of vocal changes, which can be challenging. If a string instrument did not speak to a child during their early years, they can now play a wind, brass, or percussion instrument in the Band. Imagine two rooms, each filled with 35 middle schoolers, fresh from recess, ready for a different kind of play time.
In this phase, music becomes a deeper form of self-expression and communal collaboration. Orchestra and Band are each divided into sections, contributing to the richness of the sound. We sing multi-part music, and play Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass recorders. Our music reflects the diverse personalities we find in the classroom. Some students thrive on fast, rhythmic passages, while others prefer the comfort of familiar melodies. With that said, all students perform each piece with a sense of ownership, knowing that their contribution is essential to the whole.
This is also a time of growth and questioning. Adolescents are notorious for self-doubt, and many will struggle with the physical and technical challenges of their instruments—whether it’s learning vibrato, shifting into higher positions, or simply keeping up with new key signatures. Teachers and families must continue to support the students, encouraging them to persevere, fostering resilience and a growth mindset.
Transformation: High School By the time students reach High School, they are no longer beginners. They have honed their skills, developed their own musical voices, and learned how to collaborate as a group. The music they play now demands a level of emotional depth and intellectual understanding that goes beyond the mechanics of playing an instrument. Each rehearsal becomes an exploration of emotion and storytelling. Students learn to use different techniques, such as dynamics, phrasing, and tone color.
During the performances for our community, the audience is drawn into the music, invited to experience something new. High schoolers may be asked to reflect on their music through art or poetry, deepening their connection to the pieces they perform. By this stage, students have the confidence to play anything, to tell a musical story, and to appreciate the beauty of their own journey.
Music Promotes Lifelong Learning
Music is a vehicle for wonder, growth, and transformation. It teaches discipline, fosters collaboration, and provides students with a sense of accomplishment and personal identity. Whether students go on to pursue music professionally or simply carry their love for it into adulthood, the lessons learned will stay with them for life.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a Waldorf student or why we say experience drives learning, come and feel it for yourself. At WSP we are intentionally different—so why would our open house be the same as all the others? Join us for a one of a kind event with demo lessons, interactive experiences and a High School student panel.
Demonstration Lessons include:
High School Science
High School Humanities Socratic Seminar
Developing Mathematical Thinking through Grades 1-8
Literacy in Grades 1 – 8
Moving with Meaning: A Eurythmy Experience
Applied Mathematics: Grades 6 – 12
Scientific thinking through a Botanical Lens
Lines in Space: From Form Drawing to Projective Geometry
Visual Art Experience from Grades 6 – 12
And more
WSP Curriculum Explorations include:
Blacksmithing
Stone carving
Garden Tour
High School Clubs
Musical Performances
Fiber Arts Display & Experience
And more!
Join us for a one-of-a-kind event with demo lessons, interactive experiences, and a high school student panel.
This event is intended for all parents or guardians. Students in 7th grade and above and are encouraged to attend our high school demonstrations.
While infants in arms are always welcome, we cannot accommodate younger students at this event.
Behind S.E.L or Social Emotional Learning rests the idea that humans undergo a process of learning how to develop healthy social relationships from birth onward and that there are key elements that contribute to a meaningful life. When I was young, this program was called hanging out with the neighborhood kids, finding a compromise with my sister about the game we would play, or feeling guilty about something I said at school and vowing to be different. It was reading novels in school where “bad” characters got rejected and hearing stories where being kind and loving paid off. It was being called in during recess by my class teacher to have a conversation with someone whom I caused to feel bad. Social Emotional Learning was not a program but rather experiences in life that made someone, albeit slowly, a better person.
In this current moment, where humans ages 13-18 spend an average of seven hours a day on their devices, that natural time to learn how to be a socially responsible human has dwindled.[1] Young people just don’t spend that much time together anymore and the result is that they don’t build those skills of compromise, of self-awareness, of responsible decision-making. Was it easy for me to learn many of those things as a young person? Absolutely not. Those are hard lessons, but they are also some of the most important for a successful and fulfilling life.
While that social development time has dwindled for many, Waldorf School of the Peninsula’s philosophy has always, and will always, center around social development. At the core of our philosophy is the intention to educate social beings. What is now called “Social Emotional Learning” is embedded in our curriculum/approach from our nursery program all the way through high school.
While it may be tempting to associate S.E.L. solely with sessions in Bridget Kenevan, our school counselor’s office, WSP’’s approach extends far beyond that. From Eurythmy sessions to field trips, class meetings, games, and even Spanish classes, opportunities for S.E.L. abound throughout our curriculum. Allow me to provide some specific examples of how the core principles of Social Emotional Learning are integrated into our high school humanities program.
Empathy work is encountered in all novel-based classes. In 9th grade, students read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and take on the perspective of being a rejected outsider as well as the rejector. Jumping into the victim’s shoes as well as the perpetrator’s shoes is important for understanding the dimensions of being human.
In 10th grade Historical Fiction, students interview their family members to discover their story. By adding a historical perspective, they expand the world they originate from. Their presentations build confidence, self–expression, and deepen relationships.
In 11th grade, student’s follow Parzival’s journey by mirroring his questions with questions of their own through journaling. They self-reflect deeply through questions such as the following: Do you know of anything your parents experienced that have directly shaped the way they chose to raise you? What parts of your parents’ biographies appear to influence your identity? Who are you without your parents? Who are you when all of the material comforts are stripped away? Why does suffering seem necessary for growth? What teachings have you received from people in your life that you are ready to leave behind? What teachings or ideas are taking their place? What behaviors do you want to rid yourself of? The contemplation of these and more questions culminate in a week-long trip that countless graduates credit as having changed their life.
In 12th grade, students study a complex subject that many adults have a hard time talking about: Israel and Palestine. They develop their ability to really dive into each perspective. Instead of only critically thinking about the complex conflict, they engage in relational thinking, expanding their ability to hold two truths at once.
These tenets are encountered again and again, and by the time students graduate from 12th grade, their ability to articulate themselves, understand others, work with others, and be socially responsible is unparalleled. When S.E.L came out as a program to be added to schools, our teachers looked and saw what Waldorf had been working with for decades. I would go so far as to say that Waldorf education is the best social emotional education in the world. It just takes twelve years, give or take. If you don’t believe me, come and talk to our 12th grade class.
At WSP, we are fortunate to have two alums of our school serving as physical education teachers. Liam and Marina bring with them rich backgrounds in physical fitness and athletics, coupled with a deep passion for cultivating our students’ growth in these areas. Liam teaches our ninth and tenth grade PE classes, while Marina leads our eleventh and twelfth grade classes. They recently provided insights into WSP’s Physical Education that I am excited to share with our community.
WSP’s PE curriculum is designed to enhance students’ understanding of movement and spatial awareness through age-appropriate activities, empowering them to apply these skills throughout their lives. Emphasizing a social component in these activities fosters self-awareness in movement, space, and group dynamics.
In ninth grade, the curriculum places a strong emphasis on activities that cultivate courage and inner focus by challenging students to overcome obstacles. With students coming from a variety of backgrounds and movement experiences, the class begins with simple activities to quickly engage everyone and transition into gameplay. A popular introductory game is “pillow polo,” resembling field hockey, which helps students enhance their hand-eye coordination. Throughout the year, students develop their concentration skills, enabling them to progress to more complex sports like volleyball, basketball, football, soccer, baseball, ultimate frisbee, and street hockey. An important element of this year is the principle of respecting each individual’s starting point, fostering an environment in which students unite to explore new experiences together.
Once students move into tenth grade, the classes revisit the sports introduced in the previous year, benefiting from an additional year of practice that enhances their hand-eye coordination and deepens their ability to focus and engage in each sport. With familiarity comes faster recall of the rules, enabling the group to dive into activities more swiftly and confidently.
In these first two years of the high school PE program, the goal is group work – to learn how to be teammates while getting more comfortable with movement and coordination.
Transitioning into eleventh grade, the physical education program undergoes a shift towards a deeper understanding of body mechanics. Students explore how muscles function and provide support, refine their breath control during exercise, and enhance overall body awareness. Alongside traditional sports, they delve into personalized activities such as yoga and weight training, aiming to strengthen the mind-body connection essential for lifelong functional movement. This foundation not only promotes current fitness but also helps them learn to prevent future injuries.
In the twelfth grade the students participate in much of the same activities as the prior year, but with more confidence and experience. Now they will start to make more independent choices and create their own weight lifting routines. They also learn more deeply what movements affect their specific bodies and in what ways.
In these last two years of high school, the students move from competing against one another to being their own competition. In most of our lives, people sit so much. We want our students to get outside, get their heart rates up and get moving. We hope that through these experiences they will learn what they enjoy, and take it forward into the next phase of their lives – both in being physically active, but also growing their social awareness.
Like all of our programs, WSP’s high school physical education classes seek to meet the students where they are developmentally and support them in their growth. Over the four years, we hope our students will develop and strengthen their cardiovascular abilities, strength, mobility awareness, and individually improve in ways such that they find movement joyful and fun.
I am truly delighted to have joined the Waldorf School of the Peninsula community this semester as the new Director of College Counseling. My first visit to campus was filled with delightful highlights: fresh eggs delivered to our Pedagogical Administrators, chicken coops meticulously crafted by our students, innovative cell phone spa cubbies. A visiting university representative marveled at the thriving pumpkins in our garden, took a deep breath and remarked, “this feels like a return to education.” Teachers are always ready to engage in meaningful conversations in the hallway, and our faculty meetings are imbued with purpose and intention. The atmosphere here is not only cozy and inviting but also rich in kindness and focus. I could not have envisioned a more fulfilling in-person visit. As a newcomer to Waldorf education and specifically to WSP, I left campus with heartfelt gratitude, especially towards the students and teachers.
As our youngest students walk slowly down the hallway along with their teacher, we hear a ‘good morning’ song. Music fills the air throughout the day for all sorts of reasons, such as a blessing over our food or a way to set the mood during story time. Both vocal and instrumental experiences are essential, as they develop different capacities: vocal music is created from within the body, while instrumental music uses external materials that foster coordination and muscle memory.
instrument is perfectly sized, as if it were made just for them. Wonder sets in: What is this object made of? How do I make a sound with it? Is the bow really strung with hairs from a horse’s tail? These early questions spark curiosity, leading to a lifelong relationship with music. As students learn about posture and position, they experience a physical connection between their bodies and the sounds they can make. Each class continues to grow as a social being, working together to create beauty as a group, even with the simplest of songs.
By the time students reach High School, they are no longer beginners. They have honed their skills, developed their own musical voices, and learned how to collaborate as a group. The music they play now demands a level of emotional depth and intellectual understanding that goes beyond the mechanics of playing an instrument. Each rehearsal becomes an exploration of emotion and storytelling. Students learn to use different techniques, such as dynamics, phrasing, and tone color.
