Rainbow Gardens is stewarded with care by its own community. In the spirit of servant leadership and service to the whole, our teachers, administrators, and parents are placed at the helm of the school's collaborative decision-making process.
Our 5-person Board of Directors comprises the Founding Parents and School Director, Program Director, a Parent Council Representative, and an independent member with expertise in alternative education administration and Waldorf education. Teachers are consulted and represented at the Board Meetings by the Program Director. Board Meetings are open to families and staff; Meeting dates are
Alongside the Board, our Parent Council serves as a communication and feedback conduit to the teachers and staff. Here, parents work to support parents. They also help organize volunteer parent events and parent workdays. The Council typically meets monthly and is led by two parents, one representing the Nursery Program, and one representing the Mixed-Age Pre-K classroom.
Blake Pierson, Founding Parent
Andrea Lively, Founding Parent & School Director
Peggy Roche, Program Director & Nursery Lead Teacher
Cara Gauthier, Parent Council Representative
Liz Hess, Former President of the Ithaca Waldorf Initiative
The Board gathers regularly to discuss the past, present, and future at Rainbow Gardens. We solve problems as a whole, convening around topics like programming, enrollment, financial stability, and a commitment to WECAN Shared Principles.