Our Programs

The Walther School’s goal is to help children become responsible, respectful individuals who love and value themselves, demonstrate a true concern for others, have strong communication skills and love to learn.

Motivated children learn through a highly evolved sense of curiosity. We encourage children to become lifelong learners.

The Walther School provides a wide range of multi-faceted opportunities for children to become deeply engaged and to focus for long periods of time. Self-directed children stay with a task to its completion.

Our program promotes honest talk and sensitive listening. We are responsive to the “teachable moment” and place no ceiling on discovery. Students learn through individual choice and interest, experiencing the world with their imagination. The program sets clear limits allowing great freedom within these limits. We address consequences, not punishments. Important issues concerning safety solutions and problem-solving are part of our daily curriculum. The Walther School has no predetermined notions of who any child should become, and we value the entire process, not merely the product.

Class Size and Structure

The Walther School advocates small classes and structure that is developmentally appropriate. Classes are comprised of 21 students with 3 teachers per class keeping the ratio at 1/7 indoors and 1/10 for outdoor activities.

The day is balanced with half indoor and outdoor play separated by circle time.

Hours

The school term begins in September and ends in June. A Summer Session is also available in July.

Classes are in session Monday through Friday. Children attend the morning or afternoon session.

Morning sessions are from 9 am to Noon Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Afternoon sessions are from 1 pm to 4 pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

For Pre-K (only) a special session is held on Wednesdays from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

There is an optional lunch hour that takes place from 12:00pm – 1:00pm that parents can sign up for and is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Enrichment Program

The Walther School Enrichment Program provides our children with a wide variety of supplemental programming throughout the school year, which enhances the school experience.

Our Enrichment Program is supported entirely by funds raised by the PTA. Some of the enrichment programs occur weekly, such as gardening with Lauri on Mondays, music with Stephen and Carole on Tuesdays, and yoga with Amy on Fridays while other programs happen monthly, like art week with Marilyn. A few programs happen intermittently throughout the year, for example, a visit from The Animal Guys – Wildlife Learning Center who bring in exotic animals for show and tell, and the many musical guests who come play for the children. (Professional harpists, drummers, violinists, and flutists, among others, have visited.)

The Enrichment Program team also coordinates annual field trips to the Underwood Farms Pumpkin Patch, the spring whale watching boat trip in Redondo Beach, and the always-exquisite trip to the Palos Verdes tide pools.