Children have an innate need to move, and at Washington Waldorf School we fulfill that need in a variety of ways - such as unstructured play, games, eurythmy, and competitive sports. Movement is both a vital part of children’s development and a bottomless reservoir of joy. Although students here have plenty of ways to move, they don’t always have optimum spaces in which to move. In short, we don’t have a gym.

To address this, Washington Waldorf School is launching a $7 million capital campaign to build a gym on our current campus. This campaign is made possible by alum parent Brad Clark, whose initial $3.5 million investment has inspired the Washington Waldorf School community by matching, dollar for dollar, every additional gift raised by the community until a total goal of $7 million is reached to fully realize the gym’s construction costs.

To date, the Room to Move campaign has raised over $6.9 million of the $7 million goal.

fundraising-thermometer?currency=dollar&current=6958519&goal=7000000&color=ba0c2f&size=medium

The Room to Move campaign also acknowledges the success of Washington Waldorf School’s previous campaign, Build Our Vision, which completed Phase 1 of necessary renovations to our existing building at 4800 Sangamore Road. Building the gym is Phase 2 of a vision to make 4800 Sangamore Road a long term home for Washington Waldorf School. Building the gym is possible today because of the dedication, hard work, and generosity of many previous parents, grandparents, and faculty.

At Mr. Clark’s request, the gym will be named after two longtime faculty members, alumni parents, and grandparents of the school, John and Mary Brauer. When complete, The John and Mary Brauer Gym will serve as an athletic facility, additional classroom space, and a community space. There will truly be more Room to Move!

Gym Interior

Ways to Give

Thanks to the generosity of lead donors, the Room to Move campaign has already raised over 80% of its goal. However, to reach our final goal, we need broad participation from the entire community. There are a variety of ways to give to the Room to Move campaign. Please choose one that best fits your needs and financial situation. Naming opportunities are available.

  • Pledges
    • Pledges enable donors to make ambitious gifts and spread payments out over as many as four years. All campaign pledges must be fully paid by December 31, 2025.
  • Outright Gifts
    • Made in one payment and provides direct and immediate campaign support. Gifts may be made online or via check.
  • Stock Gifts
    • Pledges or Outright Gifts can be accepted via appreciated stock. Please contact the Development Office to learn more about how to transfer stock to Washington Waldorf School as a charitable tax free donation
  • 401K or Retirement Funds
    • Individuals over 70 are able to make gifts to Washington Waldorf School directly from their 401(k) or other retirement funds. These donated funds can be a part of an annual required minimum distribution.

Room to Move Campaign gifts provide capital support for construction of the gym. They are separate from annual One Fund gifts which provide ongoing operating support for the school. Please maintain support for Washington Waldorf School’s One Fund as your first priority, by making your campaign gift in addition to the One Fund.

Campaign Leadership

  • Vanessa Beckman, Co-Chair
  • John Beckman, Co-Chair
  • Brad Clark, Co-Chair
  • Stephanie Hanson, Director of Development
  • Jon Jackson, Co-Chair
  • Pat Jackson, Campaign Counsel
  • Maria Monteverde-Jackson, Co-Chair
  • Taisto Saloma, Athletic Director
  • Lelia True, Faculty Chair/Head of School
  • Maria Monteverde-Jackson, Co-Chair, Current and Alum Parent
  • Marilyn Noguera, Co-Chair, Current Parent
  • Vanessa Beckman, Current Parent
  • Stephanie Hanson, Director of Development
  • Kimiko Lighty, Current Parent
  • Kate Mueller, Current Parent
  • Lelia True, Faculty Chair/Head of School
  • Anja Caldwell, Current Parent
  • Bill Caldwell, Current Parent
  • Michael Gibson, Current Parent
  • Stephanie Hanson, Director of Development
  • Adam Lotinsky, Project Manager
  • Caitlin MacKenzie, Current Parent
  • Taisto Saloma, Athletic Director
  • Lelia True, Faculty Chair/Head of School
  • Dan Wacker, Former Trustee Counsel Chair
  • Scott Wilets, Current Parent
  • James Wise, Site Committee Chair, Current Parent

Thanks to all our donors

Thank you to the following parents, alums, faculty, parents of alums, grandparents, and friends whose gifts have helped us raise over $6.7 million out of our $7 million goal to date for the Room to Move campaign

(As of February 7, 2023)

John and Natalie Adams

Elise Adelmann

Lynn and Stephen Adelmann

David and Marianne Alsop

American Online Giving Foundation

Anonymous (3)

Carlos Arrien and Raquel Gomez

Taylor Barlow Grabo

Lilly Barnwell

The Beckman Family

Ella Benson

Jack Benson and Cecilia Berg-Benson

Anika Binnendijk and Nathaniel Hoopes

Doerthe and Philippe Braun

Jim and Chrissie Bryla

Edward Buckley

Nathan Bufano

Florencia del Villar, Micah Bump, and Family

Anja S. Caldwell and William C. Caldwell

Lila Campbell

Catalone Design

Eddie Chang

Kathy and Ivan Charner

Megin Charner-Laird

Gurumeet Cheng and Sat Nam Khalsa

Jane Christenson and Tom Nastick

Alfred J. Clark, Jr.

Lewis Cleveland

The Coleman Family

Bridget Conway

Ayesha and Randolph Court

Patricia Cunningham

Barbara Cuthill and David Nebiker

Leah and David Cutler

Julia Dann

Michael Danzansky

Elena Day

Corie and Michael Driscoll

Manfred Elfström

Töve and Susan Elfström

Lucy Engelman

Jim Epstein, Justine Epstein and Jules Feeney in honor of Lionel C. Epstein

Julian Feeley

Lucia Fernandez

William and Nancy Foster

Daniel and Adria Foster

Katie and Charles Fox

Maysoun Freij and Atsushi Iwai

Kris Fuhr

Susan and Joel Fuller

Allison I. Fultz and Stephen A. Langer

The Gallo Bruner Family

Erica and Andrew Girvin

Alia and Trevor Goodyear

Torie Gorges and Todd Manchester

Cindy Guayante

Frank and Anna Hall

Stephanie and Dave Hanson

Malvery Henry

Nancy Hirshbein and Bob Roche

Eric and Susan Holdsworth

Thomas Holmberg and Alison Southall

Nick Huguet

Guiesseppe and Kathryn Jones

Susan Joplin

Mia Kaplan Kristensen

Duddam Khalsa

Jonathan Jackson and Maria Monteverde-Jackson

Patricia King Jackson

Danielle and Matthew Kozlowski

Morgan Kulesza

Wally and Mechelle Kulesza

Jesse and Ashley Kulesza Laughlin

Dr. Velma LaPoint and Dr. Robert White

Julia Lieberman

Jennifer and Rob Liebreich

Jill and Phillip Lighty

Kimiko and Phillip Lighty

Laurelle Lo and David Talbot

Jay Louvis

Caitlin MacKenzie and Noel Bicknell

Mary Ann MacKenzie

Jeren Mametklycheva and Robert Smith

Katherine Marshall

Katie and Brian McCarthy

Bonnie McClelland and Wade Morefield

Bill Merkel and Family

Susan Michelson

Miranda Monkhorst-Prenger and Joseph Prenger

Margaret Morehouse

Patty Deuster and Greg Mueller

Kate Mueller and Mike and Bridget Gibson

Francesca Munzi and Kent Brokenshire

Dileep and Natasha Nair

Marilyn Noguera

Dawn and John Pace

Jennifer H. Page

Carol Parsons, in memory of Jim Reeves

Robyn and Chris Pashby

Ava Petrash

Carol and Jack Petrash

Jonathan Petrash

Melissa and Todd Phillips

Jennie Rabinowitz and Daniel Jamieson

Jennifer Robinson and Eben Kaplan

Mary and Peter Robinson

Taisto and Abby Saloma

Chrissie and Lex Sant

Marta Schley and Paul Squire

Rebeccah and Eric Sensenbrenner

Greg Simon and Margo Reid

The Simpson Family

Jessie and Stephen Sincavage

JJ and Sonu Singh

Iris Smorodinsky and Eiichi Ito

Pat and Michael Stevens

Chiz Tamaki and Michael Nakamoto

Aubrey Tingler

Erica Tingler

Jesse Travis and Greg Heltzer

The True Family

Family and Friends of Bill True

Craig van Schilfgaarde

Mara Viksnins

Dan and Yon Wacker

Sarah and Shay Wester

Carla Wheeler and Jeff Naimon

Wilets Architecture

James and Pamela Wise

Anne and Tom Wotring

Theo Zizka

Gym Exterior
Gym Site Detail