OUR MISSION

Cairn Hill brings the transformative power of the arts to young learners in urban and multi-ethnic communities using nature, story, music, and the hands-on approach inspired by Waldorf education.

OUR HISTORY

In early 2012, three educators: Daniel Bekele, Ed.D., Cheryl Dressler, Ed.D., and Margaret Ris, M.Ed met at the Abiata Café in Malden, Massachusetts to determine the best way to bring the gifts of Waldorf education to children in public school settings.

They agreed to found a non-profit organization for this purpose and named it after a spot in Malden’s beautiful and rugged Fells Reservation: Cairn Hill.​

Founders Cheryl Dressler, Margaret Ris, and Daniel Bekele

The founders appreciated the metaphor of the cairn—a pile of stones marking a path created by many—and envisioned the activities of the new organization​ as helping to guide children along their paths.

Our Goals

As active representatives of the public Waldorf school movement in New England, we seek to increase the visibility of Waldorf Education in the region and to make it available to a wide range of students in a diverse community.​

Through daily extensive exposure to the outdoors, we seek to cultivate in children a deep connection to nature and an appreciation of the earth.

We include gardening and encourage healthy eating to strengthen the bodies and minds of young children. We are developing the next generation of stewards of our planet!