As a former student of the Whistler Waldorf School (“WWS”) with an international—South Korea and the U.S.—background, I wanted to draw the Council’s attention to a ‘global perspective’ on WWS. I am writing this letter on behalf of all international students, who have attended or are currently attending WWS, in order to express our concerns about the council’s recent decision to execute a final extension to the school’s current lease. Through this letter, we hope to emphasize the positive impacts of the school, how much the school is valued not only by the local but also the international community. Hence, the negative impacts the eviction will bring to the community will be far reaching and ‘global’.
WWS is a very important aspect of the Whistler community, providing unique and valuable experiences for both locals and international students. As an international student who has experienced multiple different educational systems from multiple schools and countries, I can strongly assure everyone that the experiences provided by WWS are things that cannot be easily found anywhere else in the world. The unique values WWS advocates for, such as communication, collaboration, self-expression, and independence, are values not easily fostered by other schools. For all families who are considering a move to Whistler, education is a top priority. For international families, the choice of school becomes more than just education, but a starting point of assimilating into the broader community. Therefore, having a menu of schools to choose from, and one of them being as unique as WWS, can be a determining factor for international families who choose to move to Whistler.
The environment the school provides for its students is extremely caring and loving, with the dynamics almost representing a family as a whole. The teachers and students all have very close relationships, knowing each other on a personal level and therefore providing a healthy environment; this level of trust and bonding provides a place where students can feel safe and happy. The love and care that the staff give to every student therefore helps international families fit into the community, turning them into valuable members of the Whistler community. Normally, transferring to a school abroad and fitting in is extremely hard, and the students may have trouble fitting in and becoming part of the community. However, in WWS, even international students who are far away from home can feel like they belong. The closeness between the teachers and students allows for a home-like environment where students can seek help when needed. This trust and bond that the WWS staff has created allows international constituents to become a healthy part of the Whistler community. To this day, I still consider Whistler rather than Korea as my true home.
The Waldorf education philosophy that WWS practices is a unique and highly reputable method of education that is recognized globally. Many international families choose to come to Whistler because the Waldorfian education system of WWS is such an attractive aspect of the Whistler community. The school not only provides educational opportunities that build students’ knowledge but also allows for personal growth and self-exploration through unique experiences related to directing oneself in their work independently. A notable quality that students of WWS possess is their confidence and understanding of their own identities. These traits are not fostered easily and require a perfect balance of independent and dependent opportunities; this is provided by WWS, making it an extremely valuable asset for Whistler. Thanks to the unique experience I got with the independent project opportunities WWS provided, I am still motivated to continue my interest in art and design. Waldorfian curriculum allows students to dive deeper into their interests and ultimately helps them make their career choices. The independent growth and self-learning that can be achieved from WWS’ exclusive curriculum is an extremely appealing factor that makes the community more valuable, attracting even international families to move to Whistler.
WWS creates valuable and unforgettable bonding experiences with nature that can be cherished for the rest of the students’ lives. Families worldwide who often come from big cities see this connection with nature as a very valuable aspect of being part of the Whistler community. One significant example of this is the annual camping trips that the school provides, where the students can go on up to three multi-day camping trips a year: one in the summer, one in the winter, and one at the end of the year. The students can connect with nature and grow closer with their peers through these trips, learning to value the environment around us. I would like to emphasize that these kinds of opportunities are not often seen in other schools, and that WWS is a very unique example of a school that provides its students with such opportunities to become familiar with nature and the vast environment around them. Families who moved to Whistler from other cities around the world value these opportunities greatly. As a person from a big international city, the camping trips were a unique experience for me that gave me another reason to love Whistler both as a place and a community. The connection with nature that WWS promotes is perfect for Whistler, and strengthens the value of the Whistler community as a whole.
Now that I have transferred to another school, I am starting to realize more and more about how special and
valuable my experiences in WWS were. I am certain that no other place would be able to provide such a unique environment and experiences, and am glad that I got to experience them while I was in Whistler. To take away these opportunities from future students will be heartbreaking, and we plead that the decisions about the eviction can be altered. We would like you to know that WWS is extremely valued and supported by the international community and that it would be a pity to have such a place taken away. How disappointing would it be if international families started to look elsewhere to move to because WWS is no longer there? It is not just intangible values that international families bring (mainly diversity and multicultural perspective) to Whistler, but also negative economic impact would be meaningful. International families who move to Whistler often bring upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars of capital injection into the municipality per year they stay in Whistler. At the same time, they are often not looking to join the workforce. The net job creation would be many dozens, if not hundreds, if you assume 20-30 international families who are linked to WWS. Please also note that through a medium like WWS, international students and families often participate in local community services and volunteer work. For example, my family loved our involvement in the Canadian Ski Championships, especially the Para Nordic events.
As international students who have or are currently attending WWS, we strongly suggest that the Council reconsider its recent lease decision with regard to WWS. We will be reaching out to a broader international student network connected to WWS in weeks to come. We hope to show to the Council that not only the local but also international communities will be watching carefully how the Resort Municipality of Whistler and its Council decide with regard to the fate and future of WWS. This matter, therefore, also needs to be considered from the ‘global perspective’.
