Blue Oak Charter School

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Blue Oak Charter School A public charter school putting students first through creative, child-centered Waldorf instruction. School tours are available on a monthly basis.

Blue Oak Charter School provides the greater Chico community with a public Waldorf education. We offer our students small class sizes, developmentally based curriculum, and a broad array of specialty subjects including: music, art, handwork, movement and foreign language. Come see how we are engaging and inspiring children in their learning experience! Please visit our school website to learn more about the educational opportunities we provide. www.blueoakcharterschool.org

Why Do Waldorf Students Do Handwork?Knitting, sewing, woodworking, gardening, modeling, cooking, and other practical act...
10/09/2026

Why Do Waldorf Students Do Handwork?

Knitting, sewing, woodworking, gardening, modeling, cooking, and other practical activities are more than ways to make something beautiful.

They ask children to concentrate, follow steps, recognize patterns, coordinate movement, solve problems, and persevere when something does not work the first time.

Children experience the satisfaction of making something real through their own effort. Handwork also gives children opportunities to develop patience, care for materials, and confidence in what their hands can accomplish.

At Blue Oak, we value practical work because learning does not happen only when children are sitting at a desk. Sometimes the hands are part of the lesson.

Why Do Students Create Their Own Books?One practice found in many Waldorf-inspired classrooms is the creation of student...
10/06/2026

Why Do Students Create Their Own Books?

One practice found in many Waldorf-inspired classrooms is the creation of student-made books. Instead of recording every lesson only through a commercial textbook or worksheet, students may create pages through writing, drawing, painting, diagrams, maps, and other forms of representation.

The process asks students to listen, understand, select important information, organize their thinking, and present what they have learned carefully.

The finished book becomes both a record of learning and a personal expression of the student.

Practices vary from classroom to classroom, but the underlying idea is simple: learning becomes deeper when students actively create a record of what they have learned.

Understanding Waldorf: Why Is Art Part of Academic Learning? (Part 5)At Blue Oak, you may notice that drawing, painting,...
10/02/2026

Understanding Waldorf: Why Is Art Part of Academic Learning? (Part 5)

At Blue Oak, you may notice that drawing, painting, music, drama, movement, and other artistic experiences are woven into classroom learning. This is intentional.

Artistic work asks children to observe carefully, make choices, practice skills, remember ideas, and communicate their understanding in different ways. A child might paint a scene from a story, draw a scientific observation, create a map, illustrate a mathematical idea, or use music and movement to experience a concept.

Art does not replace academic learning. It deepens it.

This is another way we seek to educate the whole child.

This is Kellie! She is our Student Services Coordinator/Registrar and has worked at Blue Oak since 2018. She holds a Bac...
10/01/2026

This is Kellie! She is our Student Services Coordinator/Registrar and has worked at Blue Oak since 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and English from Southern New Hampshire University, and recently started the Master's of Fine Arts program in Creative Writing and English in the hopes of becoming a college professor and published author! She’s an avid reader and theatre-goer who loves to travel.

Thank you for your dedication to Blue Oak, Kellie! 💙

This is Emma! She is our 8th grade teacher. Emma earned her degrees from UC Davis and Chico State, then she spent a deca...
09/29/2026

This is Emma! She is our 8th grade teacher. Emma earned her degrees from UC Davis and Chico State, then she spent a decade working as a child and family therapist. She joined the Blue Oak team in 2020 as our school counselor and transitioned to classroom teaching in 2024. Fun fact about Emma - she attended Waldorf school in her elementary and high school years!

Thank you for everything you do for our Blue Oak community, Emma! 💙

This is Ashley! She is starting her fourth year as Blue Oak’s beloved school counselor. Ashley has a degree in Psycholog...
09/24/2026

This is Ashley! She is starting her fourth year as Blue Oak’s beloved school counselor. Ashley has a degree in Psychology, and a Masters Degree of Education in School Counseling. She’s currently working toward her second Masters Degree of Arts in Clinical Psychology! When Ashley isn’t at work or school, she enjoys painting, watching reality TV, eating sushi, and running.

Thank you, Ashley! We love you! 💙

This is Sarah! She is our current 6th grade teacher. Sarah has taught kindergarten through 8th grade during her 18 years...
09/22/2026

This is Sarah! She is our current 6th grade teacher. Sarah has taught kindergarten through 8th grade during her 18 years at Blue Oak! She enjoys listening to podcasts, learning Spanish, and watching & attending sporting events of all kinds. Fun fact about Sarah - she’s traveled to 6 out of 7 continents!

Thank you for your dedication, Sarah! We love you! 💙

Understanding Waldorf: Why Do We Protect Imagination? (Part 3)Imagination is not simply something children use during fr...
09/22/2026

Understanding Waldorf: Why Do We Protect Imagination? (Part 3)

Imagination is not simply something children use during free time. It is also a capacity that supports creativity, problem-solving, flexible thinking, and the ability to imagine possibilities that do not yet exist.

In Waldorf classrooms - stories, art, movement, open-ended materials, and play can give children room to develop that capacity.

A simple piece of wood can become a boat, a bridge, or a home. A story can invite a child to create pictures inwardly rather than receiving every detail already made for them.

At Blue Oak, we value the imaginative life of childhood because we believe children need opportunities not only to receive ideas, but also to create them.

Understanding Waldorf: Where Did It Begin? (Part 2)Waldorf education began in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1919, shortly after...
09/21/2026

Understanding Waldorf: Where Did It Begin? (Part 2)

Waldorf education began in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1919, shortly after the First World War. Emil Molt, director of the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory, approached Rudolf Steiner about creating a school for the children of his workers. The school opened on September 7, 1919, with 12 founding teachers and soon welcomed many other children as well.

From that beginning, Waldorf education gradually spread beyond Germany and eventually around the world. Today, schools inspired by Waldorf education interpret those original ideas in many different ways.

At Blue Oak, we honor that history while thoughtfully adapting what we find meaningful for children and families in a contemporary public school. Blue Oak has now served children as a Waldorf-inspired school for 25 years in Chico, CA.

Below is a list of the nearest Waldorf schools within a 2 hour drive of Blue Oak.
Yuba River Charter School — Grass Valley, CA
A.M. Winn Public Waldorf School — Sacramento, CA
Alice Birney Public Waldorf School — Sacramento, CA
Golden Valley Orchard School — Orangevale, CA
Golden Valley River School — Orangevale, CA
River Oak Charter School — Ukiah, CA
Live Oak Waldorf School — Meadow Vista, CA
Waldorf School of Mendocino County — Calpella, CA
Camellia Waldorf School — Sacramento, CA
Sacramento Waldorf School — Fair Oaks, CA
Davis Waldorf School — Davis, CA
Sierra Waldorf School — Jamestown, CA

Pictured: Founder of the Waldorf Movement - Rudolf Steiner

Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925) was an Austrian philosopher, scientist, and educator who founded Waldorf education in 1919.

Recognizing that children learn best when their imagination and hands-on experiences are engaged alongside their intellect, he developed a holistic learning approach designed to nurture the "whole child" - head, heart, and hands.

Today, his visionary philosophy forms the foundation of thousands of Waldorf schools worldwide, fostering independent thinking, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning.

The Blue Oak School Verse...This is our school. May peace dwell here. May the rooms be full of contentment. May love abi...
09/18/2026

The Blue Oak School Verse...

This is our school.
May peace dwell here.
May the rooms be full of contentment.
May love abide here,
love of one another,
love of our school,
and love of life itself.
Let us remember,
that as many hands build a house,
so many hearts build a school.

Why Do We Say a School Verse?
In Waldorf education, a school verse is traditionally used as a brief spoken or recited passage to help children gather themselves, mark the beginning of the school day, and shift into a shared learning space.

At Blue Oak, the verse has become a meaningful part of our whole school community. Every morning at 8:15 a.m., our entire school gathers on the playground blacktopto say the verse together before beginning the day.

Creates a transition. The verse marks the shift from whatever we were doing before into the shared work of the day.

Builds rhythm. Beginning each day with the verse creates a familiar and meaningful rhythm that helps children know what to expect.

Gathers attention. It gives everyone a moment to pause, listen, and be present before the day's learning begins.

Creates community. Standing together as an entire school reminds us that we are part of something larger than our individual classrooms.

Connects us to purpose. The verse reminds us that the work of the day is about learning, growing, and caring for one another.

Creates a moment of reverence. It invites us to begin the day with thoughtfulness, gratitude, respect, and intention.

Makes being on time meaningful. Because our verse begins promptly at 8:15 a.m., it is important that all students arrive before 8:15, are on the blacktop, and are in line and ready to begin with their school community. Being here on time means being present for the very first shared moment of the school day.

Extends beyond the classroom. At Blue Oak, the verse is also used before some staff meetings, Parent Council, Charter Council, Finance Committee Meetings, Facilities Committee Meetings, and other gatherings. It is a shared tradition that helps us bring intention and purpose to the work we do together.

The school verse is a small practice, but it reflects something important about Blue Oak: how we begin matters.

Address

450 W East Avenue
Chico, CA
95926

Telephone

+15308797483

Website

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