Woodhaven Faculty Liaison Kent Ratekin and freshman Kelvin Jenkins put together a chalkboard at the Organic Farm School classroom. (Marli Jenkins)

Woodhaven Faculty Liaison Kent Ratekin and freshman Kelvin Jenkins put together a chalkboard at the Organic Farm School classroom. (Marli Jenkins)

New alternative high school on Whidbey inspired by Waldorf

This time next year, Woodhaven High School may officially open its doors as an accredited school.

An alternative high school could soon be a reality for South Whidbey.

A group of parents, teachers and community members have joined together to create an initiative for a high school that would focus on encouraging independent learning. Woodhaven High School, as it is called, will be inspired by the holistic education style of Waldorf schools.

Marli Jenkins is the mother of one of Woodhaven’s first full-time students. Jenkins has shouldered the administrative duties for the initiative school, which is already operating, as she works with the Washington State Board of Education to help it gain accreditation.

“It takes a special kind of pioneer to jump into something that’s unfamiliar, and really kind of a start-up,” Jenkins said.

Woodhaven’s model is based on the democratically run Youth Initiative High School of Wisconsin. In talking with the administrator there, Jenkins has helped determine the probability of the alternative school surviving in the small community of South Whidbey.

“I thought if they can do this in a town of 4,000 where it’s frozen half of the year, certainly we can put something together,” she said. “It’s daunting, but doable.”

Former Langley Middle School teacher Kent Ratekin has helped set the curriculum for Woodhaven as the faculty liaison and one of the eight teachers. No stranger to start-ups, he helped begin a Waldorf school in Bellingham with friends.

“It’s just been really inspiring to see their energy to want to get something going,” Ratekin said about South Whidbey. “You can kind of see that there’s something missing on the island here, so it’s been fun to fulfill that.”

Classes started this past September for a dozen students, who are mostly either graduates of Whidbey Island Waldorf School or home-schooled.

One of the unique things about Woodhaven is the opportunity for students to form apprenticeships with mentors in the community. Jenkins’ son, Kelvin, is currently working with a 3-D printing artist.

“We are actively looking for more mentors, more people who think independent education is a good idea,” Jenkins said.

Although they have had classes in the yurt at the Organic Farm School in Clinton, Woodhaven students also had the opportunity of taking kayaking lessons and most recently, ceramics lessons from Whidbey Clay Center in Freeland.

This time next year, Woodhaven High School could officially open its doors as an accredited school. The hope is for students on its school board to have equal say and control of their education as parents and teachers.

South Whidbey School District Superintendent Jo Moccia continues to encourage students and families to attend the public district, but she said private schools similar to Waldorf “offer a unique philosophy toward education” and the choice to attend them is “a family matter.”

School Board Vice President Julie Hadden agreed.

“Like Dr. Moccia, I think that where parents send their children to school is one of personal choice,” Hadden said. “South Whidbey School District is a gem of a school district.”

She added that the impact of Woodhaven on South Whidbey High School’s enrollment would be “a shot in the dark” and impossible to predict.

A Woodhaven event celebrating the upcoming winter solstice, the Advent Spiral, will be open to the community from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on Dec. 6 at 6972 Humphrey Road in Clinton.

This story originally appeared in the South Whidbey Record, a sibling paper to The Herald.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Rep. Suzan DelBene, left, introduces Xichitl Torres Small, center, Undersecretary for Rural Development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture during a talk at Thomas Family Farms on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Under new federal program, Washingtonians can file taxes for free

At a press conference Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene called the Direct File program safe, easy and secure.

Former Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy Jeremie Zeller appears in court for sentencing on multiple counts of misdemeanor theft Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ex-sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 1 week of jail time for hardware theft

Jeremie Zeller, 47, stole merchandise from Home Depot in south Everett, where he worked overtime as a security guard.

Everett
11 months later, Lake Stevens man charged in fatal Casino Road shooting

Malik Fulson is accused of shooting Joseph Haderlie to death in the parking lot at the Crystal Springs Apartments last April.

T.J. Peters testifies during the murder trial of Alan Dean at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bothell cold case trial now in jury’s hands

In court this week, the ex-boyfriend of Melissa Lee denied any role in her death. The defendant, Alan Dean, didn’t testify.

A speed camera facing west along 220th Street Southwest on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Washington law will allow traffic cams on more city, county roads

The move, led by a Snohomish County Democrat, comes as roadway deaths in the state have hit historic highs.

Mrs. Hildenbrand runs through a spelling exercise with her first grade class on the classroom’s Boxlight interactive display board funded by a pervious tech levy on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Marysville, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lakewood School District’s new levy pitch: This time, it won’t raise taxes

After two levies failed, the district went back to the drawing board, with one levy that would increase taxes and another that would not.

Alex Hanson looks over sections of the Herald and sets the ink on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Black Press, publisher of Everett’s Daily Herald, is sold

The new owners include two Canadian private investment firms and a media company based in the southern United States.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.