Newtown’s Housatonic Valley Waldorf School, whose next Grade School Open House is Tuesday, November 16, recently received full accreditation on both the state and national levels, completing a rigorous two-year accreditation process with the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools and the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America. Now in its 21^st year, the school, serving children from birth to eighth grade, began in 1990 in New Milford as a playgroup, with the goal of blossoming into a grade school, and has graduated six eighth grades. In the accreditation report, the school is commended for its exceptional commitment to the Waldorf philosophy and pedagogy, and its extraordinary delivery of Waldorf education; its deep understanding of child development, recognizing and celebrating the social, emotional, intellectual and physical need of each child within the framework of an authentic Waldorf education; a strong development of curriculum, the teaching of arts, and a rich music program; a cohesive and committed staff, faculty, parent community and board; its collaborative leadership, and the development of a vibrant, dedicated and caring community of adults and children. The Waldorf movement is one of the world’s largest and fastest growing non-sectarian educational initiatives, with 900 schools worldwide.