Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the sliding scale tuition slide?

We have a few non-negotiable fees: a $25 new student application fee, a $450 supplies fee, and a $150 registration fee. There is a $1200 minimum pledge. We arrived at this number because we believe that a motivated student can easily earn $1825 in a summer, and we always have a couple of students paying their own way. At the upper end, the sky’s the limit! We encourage any family that can pay more than the cost per student to do so, enabling families who can’t pay the full amount to attend. There are also occasional field trips and course expenses (e.g., Photography, Foods and Nutrition) that require nominal additional fees.

When is the application deadline?

In order to make financial and pedagogical decisions we need applications by mid-July.

Is it expensive?

Certainly not when compared to other Waldorf high schools. Our cost per full-time student for 2010-2011 is $6300, plus ancillary expenses for field trips, etc. A Waldorf school offering a full program in a large city can cost almost $20,000 per student per year. The State of Wisconsin contributes approximately $7000 per student to public school districts. The educational experience we offer is unique, and its rigors are limited only by the student’s own engagement.

Can a student transfer from Youth Initiative to the public school system?

Yes. There will be credits to negotiate and there may be some placement tests required.

What does the new credit system look like?

It is still being developed. We are in the process of assigning credits or partial credits to each of our classes, so that colleges and other schools will easily understand how much of each subject a student has covered at YIHS.

What does Waldorf pedagogy mean?

Waldorf pedagogy is the system of teaching in Waldorf schools. Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher, developed this system in the early 20th century. Waldorf pedagogy is based on his understanding of human development: that we develop different aspects of our consciousness in stages of approximately 7 years. The stage from age 14-21 is when we all develop our capacities of thinking, and the curriculum enhances this development through the classes offered and the way they are taught.

How many students are in the school?

Between 40 – 60.

What is the student to teacher ratio?

Most classes are 10-15 students each. A few are larger, a few are smaller. Because our faculty is community-based we often have more teachers in one year than we do students, giving our students a variety of opportunities for inspiration and connection with adult mentors.

What kinds of art classes are offered there?

YIHS offers a wide variety of required and elective art courses. Freshman and new students are required to take two introductory courses, Introductory to the Visual Arts and Introduction to Drawing, which are prerequisites for all other art courses. After that the student is given a variety of choices in Drama, Painting, Drawing, Photography, Comics, Printing and others.

What’s in your science program?

Our Science program offers instruction in theoretical foundations and hands-on, experiential learning. We have a full cycle of biology, chemistry and physics along with other offerings such as astronomy, genetics, meteorology, and water cycle. You can view a schedule of Main Lesson Blocks and a sampling of course descriptions and syllabi here.

Is there a music program?

Yes, and it’s expanding. We offer some music elective classes and have a ½ hour class, twice a week in which students either sing or play in a jug band. Each year students choose the art and music class electives. In addition to the classes, students have ample opportunities to perform at the events that the school organizes.

Is YIHS a slacker school?

YIHS is the opposite of a slacker school; students have the real responsibility of collaboratively running their school. If they slack, the school feels it and falters. Students know both that they’re in charge of their education and that there are teachers and administrators to help keep them on track. Teachers coordinate and moderate the homework load, but students are held to high academic standards and are challenged to do their best work in and out of the class.

Unfortunately, YIHS is not for everyone, and occasionally students are asked to seek out other schools. YIHS demands organizational skills, self-direction, and concerted effort in an environment with a great deal of freedom.

Why are there no letter grades?

YIHS believes learning should not be a competition and that knowledge is its own reward. Youth Initiative does not use letter grades nor does it rank students in any way. Youth Initiative faculty provide weekly and final narrative evaluations for each student for each class. These final evaluations are recorded in the student’s transcript, along with a “grade” of pass or fail. We believe that narrative evaluations are a more thorough and accurate representation of a student’s performance. And colleges agree; we have gotten positive feedback about our transcripts from a number of post-secondary institutions. For examples of these narrative evaluations download a sample final or weekly evaluation.

Is YIHS accredited?

YIHS is registered with the State of Wisconsin as a Non-Public School. We are not required to have certified teachers, though a few of our teachers are certified. We offer a high school diploma and our students are by and large able to attend the colleges of their choice.

Do graduates go to college?

Our students have been accepted to and attended a wide variety of post-secondary institutions, from technical and trade schools to prestigious Liberal Arts schools such as the University of Chicago. For a complete list of colleges that have accepted our graduates click here

What have alumni gone on to do?

Of the over 100 graduates of YIHS, some have gone on to prestigious universities, small liberal arts colleges, and foreign travel; some have also gone on to start their own business, farm organically, work in the media, and start families. Several have returned to Viroqua and have taught at the Youth Initiative.

What sports does Youth Initiative offer?

Youth Initiative has several cooperative relationships which allow our students to participate in a variety of intramural sports. Our relationship with Viroqua High School allows students to participate in varsity tennis, cross-country, golf and several other sports. Varsity football is the only major sport not now open to YIHS students. In addition to these school-to-school opportunities YIHS students and parents were instrumental establishing Driftless United Athletics, sponsors of a co-ed intramural soccer team.

Are you guys a hippie school?

In so far as hippies were creative, democratic, environmentally conscious, and convivial, “yes”, we are a hippie school. In so far as hippies were unconstructive, wayward hedonists, then “no”, YIHS does not embody these values.

Is YIHS the same thing as Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School ?

The short answer is no, but the two schools, although distinct financial and administrative entities, do share a pedagogical philosophy and many individuals are or have been associated with both schools.

Both Youth Initiative and Pleasant Ridge follow the guidelines of Waldorf education, which respect students as whole beings that think, feel and act. However, Waldorf education changes with the age of the children, subject matter and teaching style are developmentally appropriate. Thus, high school teachers don’t teach in the same manner as elementary teachers. In high school, the intellect of the students is the focus of development: the YIHS curriculum aims to inspire critical and creative thinking in students.

Each year several students attend YIHS who did not attend Waldorf grade school. These students sometimes need some orientation to vocabulary and some encouragement in the arts, but are more than able to meet the challenges of a Waldorf high school.

What does your emblem symbolize?

Our logo is an image of a stained glass window that was produced by early YIHS students as a fundraising project. It is currently installed in the St. Joseph’s Ridge Catholic Church, about 20 miles from Viroqua. It is a great example of the work our students do to help fund their school—artistic, cooperative, beautiful.

What’s your mascot?

Our mascot is the goat. The goat is a symbol of resourcefulness, tenacity, and good-natured chicanery. It also represents our connection to small-scale, local agriculture.