Meristem Update – Project Manager Report for 2015

“The first U.S. branch of the U.K. Meristem school opened Tuesday, Sept. 8 2015, in Fair Oaks in the Sacramento region.” – Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article34414239.html#storylink=cpy

Meristem Center for Transformative Learning [according to their web site] is a “three-year day and residential program that uses a contemporary apprenticeship model to develop contextualized, transferable skills to transition young adults into work life.”

This program in our view falls short of what Rudolph Steiner College – Meristem partnership was [per our information] projecting to accomplish, which was to include autistic students in the Waldorf teaching program at Rudolph Steiner College by creating inclusive supported conditions for autistic people on the RSC campus.  What they have created so far instead is an expensive program for transitioning young autistic adults into work life  – “Privately funded, Meristem is a top-shelf option, costing $45,000 per year for commuters and $70,000 for live-in students” – a program which is [while arguably useful] nevertheless is segregated as are the rest of UK Ruskin Mill programs.

On a positive side we’ve been contacted by a group of Rudolph Steiner College graduates who have heard of our efforts and had own novel ideas for an integrated school closely resembling our vision.