Eastside Community School

09/17/2026

🌱 At the end of last year, our 3rd graders put together a compost bin. On the first day of school this year, they reviewed the composting lesson and used the compost to plant seeds and starts.

Our students start deep learning from the very first day of school. How?

Did you know that at a Waldorf school, students keep the same teacher throughout grade school? Having a cohort of classmates to travel with through their educational journey creates a safe place for learning.

This sense of safety and familiarity is easy to step into immediately. Our model enables teaching and learning to begin on day one! 🌱✨

09/15/2026

🌟Every morning when the 1st grade students enter their classroom, they are tasked with finding one new thing that has been added to this beautiful scene created for them by their teacher. Once they find that new addition, they silently put their finger on their nose and show that they are ready to start their day and move on to their morning lesson.☀️

Photo Credit: Maria K.

09/10/2026

🌿✨ Looking for a gentle way to begin your day - with your little one and a warm circle of other parents? 🌿✨

At Eastside Community School, our Parent-Child classes offer a warm, nurturing space where young children and caregivers grow together, honoring the gentle rhythms of early childhood and fostering meaningful connection in a busy world.

For children from birth to age 3, we create a loving environment rich in play, imitation, and sensory experiences - through open-ended play, seasonal songs, storytelling, nature connection, and simple handcrafts. Parents are invited to observe, ask questions, and share in thoughtful conversation within a supportive, inclusive community.

At its heart, this class honors early childhood as a sacred time, nourishing both the child and the parent through a deeply meaningful and caring experience. ✨🌿

Come feel the warmth, connection, and gentle rhythm of a Dewdrops Parent-Child class!

Summer Session:
• Fridays, 8:30am –10:00am
• Oct 2nd to Nov 13th, (no class Oct 30th)
• $240 for 6 weeks
• At Eastside Community School, Issaquah

👉For more information and registration, visit the link below: https://www.eastsidecommunityschool.org/parentchild-old

Join our Waldorf inspired Parent and Child class designed to support families in the early stages of their child’s life. Dewdrops provides a nurturing environment where parents or caregivers and their infants or toddlers can connect, explore nature, and engage in purposeful activities. Guided by a...

09/07/2026

✨ A glimpse back at the days of preparation before our Early Childhood classrooms were ready to welcome the children. The simple toys, cozy spaces, and little touches that make each classroom feel so warm and inviting.

Tomorrow, these spaces will be filled with play, laughter, and the familiar rhythm of a new school year.

We can’t wait to welcome our littlest members back on campus! 💛

09/03/2026

🌹 The Rose Ceremony: The First Day of School at ECS🌹

Today, our school community gathered with joy to welcome a new class of first graders into the grade school and to begin a new year together.

One by one, each first grader was called by name and welcomed by their new teacher. Then, each received a rose from their eighth grade buddy, a first gesture in a friendship that will grow throughout the year. The first and eighth graders will share lunch and play together each week, giving our youngest grade school students a special connection with the oldest. Through these relationships, the first graders are seen, celebrated, and welcomed into the larger life of the school, while the eighth graders have the opportunity to become caring guides and role models for the children following in their footsteps.

Then came another beginning: the first story of the year. The first grade teacher shared a Zulu folktale about the origin of all stories, setting the stage for a year in which stories will accompany the children each day, awakening imagination, carrying lessons, and bringing the curriculum to life.

The faculty welcomed the children with a beautiful round, and then, roses in hand, the first graders followed their teacher to their classroom to begin their very first day.

Our gathering continued as each class teacher and subject teacher introduced themselves and offered a glimpse of what awaits the children in the year ahead.

There was such happiness in coming together again: old friends greeting one another, new families being welcomed, teachers and students reunited, and everyone eager for what lies ahead.

May this new school year be filled with friendship, discovery, growth, and many wonderful stories. Welcome, first graders, and welcome back, everyone! 🌹

Photo credit: Kelly J., Maria K.

08/31/2026

✨Behind the quiet hallways, preparations are underway. Every basket, every book, every name tag is thoughtfully put in place as the classrooms begin to take shape. The first drawings are making their way onto the blackboards, and all the little details are slowly coming together as we prepare for a new school year.

There’s something beautiful about these quiet days before the school comes alive again, waiting to be filled with curiosity and wonder.

We are almost ready, and can’t wait to welcome everyone back! 💐

08/30/2026

🌿 A new school year is almost here, and one of our favorite traditions is about to return. In every classroom, a beautiful blackboard drawing greets students at the beginning of each new learning block. More than just artwork, these hand-drawn creations help set the mood for the weeks ahead, inviting curiosity and a sense of wonder before the first lesson even begins.

Are you wondering how long it takes to create blackboard art? Teachers often spend hours, sometimes coming in during the evening or over the weekend, to create these works of art. And sometimes, students get to be part of the tradition too, creating the blackboard drawing and bringing their own creativity and imagination to the classroom. In fact, two of the drawings you see here were created by our students! Can you guess which two? 👀🎨

We can’t wait to see the beautiful blackboards that will greet our students as we begin this new school year.✨

08/25/2026

🌿 Our EC teachers are looking forward to welcoming new and returning families for an Early Childhood Social at Beaver Lake tomorrow!

Bring a blanket, a snack, and your enthusiasm for spending time together, connecting, and enjoying the morning as a community. 💚

For additional details, please refer to the email sent to EC families.

08/25/2026

✨A new school year is just around the corner, and we’re looking back at one of the many special events that brought our community together. Our Gala in March was an especially meaningful evening filled with gratitude, connection, and cherished memories as we celebrated 30 years of our school.

As we prepare to welcome everyone back to campus, we’re reminded that the heart of a school is the community that supports it.💙

Photo credit: KayAnna C.

08/23/2026

As our 2026 graduates prepare to begin their year in high school, we’re wishing them a wonderful start to this new chapter. ❤️

At the end of the school year, we celebrated the Class of 2026 with a beautiful Commencement Ceremony full of music, memories, laughter, dance, and a few tears.

A special thank you to their teacher, Ms. Simmons, who guided this class from first through eighth grade, and to the parents and families who supported them and our community along the way.

We are so proud of you, Class of 2026! You will be deeply missed, and we can’t wait to see where life takes you. We hope to see you around our campus for the years to come! 🌿✨

Photo credit: KayAnna C.