The school had over 80 families enrolled this school year when the devastating floods hit Boulder, Colorado, on September 11 to 13, 2013. In the middle of the night, nearby roads became rivers and eventually flooded the entire interior of the school.  The wall of muddy water that rushed through the school reached 4 and a half feet high and destroyed everything that wasn’t on high shelves: toys, dolls, silks, furniture, craft materials, appliances, and office equipment. We had just begun with enthusiasm the new school year – it was only the ninth day of school when the flood hit – and now we had to abandon our dear school building.  A temporary location to house the school was quickly found, and with only donated toys and materials, we reopened in a nearby synagogue on September 23rd.

Before the flood

Over the next few months, donations continued to pour in, both from our local community and from around the country.  Waldorf schools all over the world sent us well wishes and tangible support.  We were uplifted by this outpouring of generosity and kindness; honestly, that support is what sustained us through the dark times.

Flood damage

We continued to hold classes at the temporary location until the repair and restoration of our building was completed.  Not only was the interior of the building cleaned, gutted and rebuilt, but also the outside grounds required major restoration – we excavated areas that came in contact with flood waters and replaced all that pea gravel, sand, soil, and sod on the play yard.  It was an exhausting, massive effort over several months that involved many people.

Finally, the restoration of the whole school was complete; teachers and staff worked countless hours over their winter break to get the school up and running again for the re-opening day of January 6.  It was the third time the teachers had to set up their classrooms for this school year.  The opening day – for parents, children, and teachers alike – was filled with joy and relief.  It was four months after the flooding and we were finally back “home.”

We are so grateful to be back on our land where the teachers and children together help tend the gardens, feed the goats, and gather chicken eggs.  The building is more beautiful than ever; visitors familiar with the school are convinced that there is more spaciousness and light in the school than ever before.  We know the light-filled school rooms are thanks to the abundance of love and hope and kindness that was sent our way from near and far.

The many wonderful physical donations enabled us to fill our space with new dolls, toys, and materials.  Monetary donations helped defray the costs of restoring the building and school grounds that exceed what insurance pays.

We lost nearly every “thing” of our school to this flood, but the heart of the school has remained fully intact and in a way, new life has been brought to the school.  Through all the difficulty, we have been uplifted by our community and the outpouring of support. Words cannot express how grateful we are to each and every one of you who chose to reach out to us during this very challenging experience. Thank you, thank you, thank you.