We began in a rented church space with 21 kindergarteners and seven 2nd and 3rd-grade students. As word about Emerson’s program spread, our school doubled in size in the second school year and doubled again in year three.  Rapid growth kept us scrambling for more space, which led to the purchase of our current site and the construction of the grade school building. In the fall of 1987, we began the school year with 146 students in kindergarten through Grade 8. That same year, we became fully sponsored members of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA).

In 2000, we decided to expand our school to include a high school.  A capital campaign was initiated to raise funds for the new building, as well as, several other improvements to our campus which included a new Woodwork Shop, the Handwork and Music buildings and necessary infrastructure improvements. Emerson’s first 9th grade class began in the fall of 2002 and we moved into the new high school building in the fall of 2003.  In order to accommodate our growing athletics program and the desire to create a farming and gardening program, we purchased the farm across the road from the school later that same year.  

Our first high school graduation was held in June of 2006.  Of the 15 graduates, many were Emerson “lifers,” having started at EWS as kindergarteners. In 2006, we also started the Nursery and Morning Garden programs; a building to accommodate those programs was opened in January 2007. 

In 2010, another milestone was achieved, when Emerson received accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS).