Willowwind School
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 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.