TRUCKEE, Calif.— After years of operating on separate campuses, adapting to shifting pandemic protocols, and enduring a lengthy permitting process, Wild River Waldorf School is finally uniting its entire student body on a single 40-acre forested property just outside Truckee.

While the TK/Kindergarten program has always been located at the Haskatasun site on Union Mills Road, the grades programs—previously housed elsewhere—are now moving to join them at Haskatasun.

“This is a big milestone for us,” board member and parent Ana Kamin said. “It took many wins and setbacks, some tears and a lot of determination, but our community held together—and the dream of building out our forest campus is beginning to take root.”

The independent Waldorf-inspired school, which serves children ages 4–13 from the North Lake Tahoe region, has operated across multiple sites since its founding. The new unified campus marks a transformative moment, offering students a purpose-built environment rooted in nature and the Waldorf philosophy of whole-child education.

“Our entire school has never actually been together,” Alex Ball, Admissions Manager, said. “Through COVID and everything else, our classes were siloed. So this is really about creating unity—for the kids to look up to each other, for teachers to collaborate. It’s a shift that reflects our philosophy.”

The campus features outdoor classrooms, sustainable gardens, a working farm, and open spaces for exploration. Wild River’s leadership also emphasizes a commitment to Indigenous land stewardship, in partnership with local nonprofits and cultural practitioners.

From beeswax crayons to forest walks, the school’s low-tech, hands-on approach creates a learning environment intentionally designed to nurture imagination. Each day begins with a walk in the woods, followed by seasonal circle time and experiential lessons.

“The idea is to create a homelike space where children feel centered and safe,” Board Chair and parent Lauren Bello said. “They do real-life tasks—setting tables, cleaning up, working with natural materials. They learn by doing.”

That philosophy extends to the school’s broader operations, where parent involvement is not just encouraged—it’s essential. Both Bello and Kamin sit on multiple committees focused on fundraising, events, and community building.

“This is volunteer-led,” Ball said. “It’s parents, it is our community. It is us coming together. Because this means so much to us and…all of these kids.”

The road to consolidation hasn’t been easy. Although the land was previously permitted for school use, Wild River had to restart the process from scratch. Town planning hurdles, ADA requirements, and fire safety concerns made for a five-year odyssey of advocacy and adaptation.

“We’re pioneering for the town,” Bello said of the permitting process. “Some of these things had no precedent in Truckee.”

Currently, in Phase One of development, the school is preparing its existing structure for full occupancy while planning future additions like modular classrooms and expanded outdoor facilities. Fundraising continues, powered by the community and the Friends of Tahoe Truckee Waldorf nonprofit.

Despite the challenges, enrollment is growing and new grade-level combinations are in the works. The school is also expanding its reach through festivals and community events like the annual Autumn Festival, Winter Fair, and the beloved Mayfair—open to all, regardless of affiliation.

“It feels really good as a human on this earth right now to be trying to gift things to other humans,” Bello said. “Because it’s not about you—it’s about everybody.”

The school’s approach to technology is similarly intentional. Devices are introduced only in upper middle school, with a focus on critical thinking and media literacy. 

Wild River recently hosted a regional Rube Goldberg machine competition, where its seventh-grade girls’ team took first place. Projects like these, school leaders say, bring learning to life.

“If you teach a child how to learn, they can learn anything for their whole life,” Ball said. 

Looking ahead, Wild River hopes to use its forest campus as a resource for the wider community, with plans for nature-based events and intergenerational activities.

As construction continues and excitement builds, the school remains focused on its mission of cultivating free-range thinkers rooted in wonder, balance, and community.

“Our goal is that they leave knowing who they are,” Kamin said. “Because when you know yourself, the rest will come—skills, resilience, everything else.”

For more information or to schedule a tour, visit http://www.wild-river.org.