Times Chronicle & Public Spirit
Camphill School puts emphasis on developing relationships
The Camphill School’s philosophy has always been subtly different from other schools for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Our argument is a simple one. The only mechanism for the real inclusion of any of us in society is to be valued by other people who are able to build deep, enduring and empowering relationships with us.
Healthy families provide this. Friendships provide this. Neighborhoods where social ties are active and strong provide this. It is living, breathing people that are always at the root of it.
When families first visit The Camphill School in East Nantmeal Township, Chester County, they find that kind of deep, robust and enduring social fabric. Our teachers stay with their classes from first grade to eighth grade and through all four years of high school.
Perhaps most important of all, our students find friendship among their peers. They are with other children that face the same challenges, see the world through the same lens and want the same experiences for themselves.
They see one another during school vacations, their families become friends, and they share a role as protagonists in a common journey.
When families first visit The Camphill School, this is the environment they meet. This is what surprises them.
Our families haven’t only found a new school. They have found an extended family that they didn’t know existed, one that will support them in their struggles and celebrate their achievements.
They have found a place where their child will thrive and where their family will be included. They have come home.