WILLOWWIND IS TURNING 50!

1972-2022

The Beginning

In 1972, after the closing of the Laboratory Schools at the University of Iowa, a small group of educators and parents saw a gap in local school options and set out to fill it. Willowwind School was founded later that year, guided by values like self-direction and community. Willowwind was founded in 1972 by a small group of local educators and parents who sought to create a different kind of learning environment for local children, one that valued self-awareness, cooperation, and emotional development in equal measure with academic and intellectual achievement. The school’s unique education practices invited child-led exploration, curiosity, creativity, and relationship building, values that remain at the school’s core 50 years later.

The book, Wind in the Willows was a favorite of David Hall, Willowwind School’s first Director, so when the school’s original property, a small white house at 416 E. Fairchild St., came complete with a willow tree in the front yard, the name Willowwind seemed a fortuitous fit. During its first school year, 1972-73, Willowwind employed 1 part-time and 2 full-time teachers and enrolled 16 students between the ages of 4-14. The following year, Willowwind welcomed 25 students in 1st through 8th grades and employed 2 full-time and several part-time teachers and staff.

Willowwind’s small school community cultivated an enriching environment rooted in the idea that learning best takes place in a relaxed atmosphere of mutual trust and respect with a consistent care for the whole child. Learning took place in mixed age groups that allowed children to develop at their own pace, supported mentorship and collaboration, and fostered a sense of community and care for others. During these early years Willowwind faculty grew alongside their students, developing a pedagogy that embraced learning as an exploration involving the whole person. The school and its students continued to thrive in this location for more than a decade.

Students, faculty, and staff celebrate graduates at the Fairchild St location.

Moving to Johnson Street

In 1984, having reached its 35 student capacity at the Fairchild St. location, Willowwind leadership, with guidance and support from parents and community members, went in search of a building that would offer the school and its students more room and opportunities to grow. The historic 19th century Leonard-Kool House at 226 S. Johnson Street was purchased and Willowwinders began the 1985-86 school year in their new location with 38 students and 17 faculty and staff.

With the school now located just on the edge of downtown Iowa City, student learning naturally extended well beyond the schoolhouse, into theaters, museums, parks, and even Ralston Creek as faculty utilized and built curriculum around the rich and dynamic culture, history, and natural resources of our local community.

Whole school picture of students, faculty, and staff on the steps of the Johnson St location in the early 90s.

Expanding Minds…and Buildings

In 2006, as interest in Willowwind’s distinctive program continued to spread, school leadership began to explore new opportunities for growth. The school commissioned local architecture firm, Neumann Monson, to transform the existing Moose Lodge at 950 Dover Street (formerly St. Mark’s United Methodist Church) into an eco and child-friendly learning space. Expectations for this new space were exceeded and Willowwinders began the 2007-08 school year in their spacious new LEED Gold certified building. This was an exciting time in Willowwind’s history; in addition to the move, the school added a preschool program based on the teachings of Maria Montessori and began the process for independent accreditation for its K-6 program through ISACS (Independent School Association of the Central States).

Today, Willowwind is home to over 110 students in preschool through 6th grade and long held values like community building and teaching the whole child remain ever present alongside beloved traditions like class plays, partner families, and school sleepovers. Willowwind continues to foster connections across age groups through regular group discussions, mixed age classes, and mentorships. Students still spend warm months wading through Ralston Creek observing the ecosystem and collecting samples for a science project. Teachers continue to incorporate the wealth of resources and opportunities our local area provides into everyday learning experiences for their students.

Kindergarten students playing with hula hoops during P.E. on the front lawn at Dover St.

Continued Growth Through the Arts

In the fall of 2022, Willowwind launched a pilot of its Integrated Arts program which weaves visual and performing arts into the core curriculum, expanding opportunities for students to approach learning through creativity and collaboration. The Integrated Arts program also works with local creatives to bring even more art and learning to Willowwinders. Whether we're inviting muralists to come share insight into their creative process, or listening to a poet or musician share their work, we believe that providing students with regular opportunities to interact with art is imperative for both personal and academic growth. An integrated arts mindset recognizes learning as an ecosystem and invites students’ passion to seep into every element of classroom and community life. Learn more…

Third through 6th grade students collaborate on a months long project to study local art and engage others with some of Iowa City’s coolest murals.

Though its location has changed over the past 50 years, Willowwind’s philosophy of educating the whole child in a joyful and inspiring environment remains unchanged. Driving up to Willowwind today, visitors will see the large willow tree planted here in honor of our school’s origins, symbolizing the growth and strong roots of our school community. Willowwind School has a rich history within the Iowa City community and we look forward to sharing and celebrating that history, reconnecting with old friends, and getting to know new ones in the months ahead.

Upcoming Anniversary Events

Summer Gathering - Saturday, July 9th, 1:00-4:00pm

Join us for mingling, lawn games, popsicles, and more! This family friendly event is perfect for current and past Willowwinders and friends of the school who just want to come hang out, share memories, and enjoy a summer afternoon with other Willowwind friends.

Willowwind Homecoming - Saturday, October 15th, 10am-4pm

Calling all Willowwinders! Revisit your former Willowwind days during this 50th anniversary homecoming celebration. Join us for tours, live entertainment, student learning displays, showings of old video footage, reminiscing with old friends, and so much more. Whether it's been a couple of years or decades since you've been in touch with your Willowwind community, we hope you will consider making it back in 2022 to see how far we have come.

Willowwind School alumni, former faculty and staff, and friends of the school are encouraged to explore this site to view photo and newsletter archives and send in a personal update.

READY TO REMINISCE?

Alumni, we miss you!

Once a Willowwinder, always a Willowwinder! Whether you attended a couple or years or many; graduated recently or decades ago, we would love to reconnect. Use the link below to let us know what you’ve been up to since your time at Willowwind. We look forward to hearing from you!

Share your Stories & Photos

SO MANY WAYS TO STAY IN TOUCH!

Willowwind community marching for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1980s.

We are digging through the archives and finding all sorts of fun photos, newsletters, and anecdotes from life and learning at Willowwind School. Digitizing decades worth of memories takes time so will be adding more to this site as we go. In the mean time, enjoy the past newsletters and photos that we’ve unearthed so far and sign up for our (almost) monthly newsletter, Branching Out.

Oh! Don’t forget to follow us on social media.

We’ll post fun finds there too. See you around!

A Message from Mike Watson

Alumni and President, Board of Trustees

Dear Willowwind Community,

As we move into our next school year, the 50th year of operation, we plan to celebrate all that we have accomplished as a community over the last 50 years, culminating in an anniversary celebration to be held on school grounds on October 15, 2022. We invite anyone who has ever considered themselves a part of the extended Willowwind family to attend. Whether you once sat in a classroom as a student, dropped off your child for their first day, or helped support the school from afar, or all the above, please consider joining us for this milestone event.

As a former student whose time spanned the Fairchild and Johnson street buildings, and who is also a parent of one former and one current student, I look forward to the opportunity to meet so many members of our community who I don’t yet know, and reconnect with those I knew long ago. If you have the means and the time to do so, I hope to greet you and show you all that your time and effort on behalf of the school has created, even after all these decades.

I look forward to the coming year and anniversary and wish everyone health and safety in the year to come.

Sincerely,

Michael Watson

Alumni and President, Willowwind Board of Trustees