Welcome to Ms. Stephanie’s Willow Forest!

From the Heads of School

Dear Parents,

Greetings to you and hoping that 2021 has begun well for you and your family. We are excited to welcome your students back to campus on Monday, dearly hoping that these next five months go as smoothly for in class learning as the first five have. We plan to continue to be as ever vigilant as we have been stressing mask wearing, the four “W’s” of hygiene and staying home when one has symptoms of illness. As a reminder, we ask that you:

Monitor symptoms within your family circle so that you will know if there is some type of illness arising in your family unit.

As you students participate in activities outside of school, that you remain aware of the health practices that are being utilized in that circle. Please speak with your student about the steps that they should take while skiing, at ski school, in other sports activities or other arts such as dance.

Remain vigilant about the students covering sneezes and for them to avoid sharing food.

Wash and clean hands hourly for one of the best protections against the spread of the virus. If soap is not available, sanitizer is the next best step.

If your student or a member of your family is traveling away from the valley, please continue to check in with the school or the local health department to make sure that you are taking the steps necessary to be safe, and for the need to quarantine thereafter, if necessary.

Please continue to recognize how our individual choices may affect others. We wish to keep the school fully functional and have no need for a cohort to remain at home.

We have worked together so well to keep the classroom doors open for the students, and it has been a blessing for all of us. Thank you for all that it takes in doing so. It takes a village to keep our work moving in the grace filled direction that we aspire for, and we are blessed to have a truly wonderful one.

With gratitude,

Tim Connolly

Larry Smith

Anne White

2021 Re-enrollment - Mark Your Calendar

We’d like to express our deepest gratitude to the families who have remained committed to the Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork through challenging and uncertain times. Together, we’ve seen our school and this education adapt to meet our students in ways we never imagined possible. Your unwavering dedication to Waldorf Education has not gone unnoticed and we’d like to ensure you and your families are first in line when it comes to securing your student(s) spot in their class for the 2021/2022 school year and a smooth transition into the year ahead.

We ask that you mark your calendars with the following details in anticipation of the upcoming re-enrollment window: Re-enrollment will open on February 10th and we are offering an early commitment discounted re-enrollment rate of $175 per family for applications submitted by March 3rd. On March 4th, the re-enrollment fee will double to $350 per family and it will become more challenging to guarantee your student’s place in their class as new applications will also be reviewed at this time.

We stand in complete commitment to serving our students across the grades with curriculum that is academically compelling, emotionally attuned and globally engaged. Thank you for your dedication to an education that prepares students for the journey ahead.

4th – 8th Grade Music with the Aspen Music Festival

As many of you know, we are blessed to have our students working with the artists and teachers from AMF. The students in the school begin working with them in 4th grade and continue on through 5th grade playing a stringed instrument. The students begin playing interval and pentatonic flutes in the first grade and progress to recorders as they age. Upon entering the 4th grade, they begin in earnest to formalize much of what they have learned by working with these very capable teachers. The students meet for class twice per week, and many take additional lessons after school.

In a normal year, we would have held a music concert in December as an opportunity for them to showcase their acquired skills. Given our circumstances this year, the teachers elected to video their work to date and presented this to the student’s parents through this link. Many of you may have already seen these recordings, but I wished for just one more opportunity for the whole community to see the progress that the students are making.

Heather Kendrick and Jeanette Adams have been working with the 4th and 5th grade students. available at this link. Roberto Arundale leads the 6th – 8th grade students, where they have the option to continue to play their stringed instruments.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17Lw-LNdBM_RYEsaZ35r-UnnJinX8z_Gs?usp=sharing

Many thanks to the AMF for their service to the community. We could not be more fortunate to have forged this relationship with them, and express our gratitude for their excellence.

Tim Connolly

Faculty Re-Commitments for 2021-2022 School Year

For multiple years now, the faculty gathers during the first week after we have returned to school in the new year to reflect on the future of their work at the school. The tradition arises in Waldorf schools that during this holiday period, the faculty ponders their commitment to their work, the joy and struggles and how they may feel positioned for remaining at the school into the future. During our meeting this week, we will gather and share our reflections of the first half of the school year. It is a time of listening to each other and deepening our understanding of our work together.

Reflecting on last year’s meeting, it was a time of great joy and celebration for all of us. Many would go on to reflect about the joy and meaningfulness that they were achieving in their work. Little did we know that two months later, we would be teaching at home while observing the consequences of a worldwide pandemic. The pandemic has not been easy on anyone, and certainly for students and teachers, it has had its extreme effects. In the independent school movement, schools have closed, teachers have left their careers behind and student learning has suffered across the country.

There has been much to ponder and our faculty has experienced the same effects. These past five months have brought forward some difficult moments yet brought many more moments of joy to us all. We reflect on this balance of the two, and upon those reflections take our entire meeting time to reflect with each other, our personal goals for the future and the determination of our fate for the future years with each other and your families.

For the Faculty – Tim Connolly

Reflections from the Kinderhaus and the progress of the school year into 2021

2020 was a difficult year for many individuals, schools, childcare programs, and small businesses. For some families it was absolutely tragic.

Many have expressed a sense of gratefulness to see the calendar turn, wishing away a year that has been so full of challenges, hoping that 2021 will be more generous. And yet, when I look back on the past year, I am so incredibly grateful for all that we have achieved in our little Kinderhaus. Dark times, especially, hold profound opportunities for growth and renewal and just as the seeds that lay dormant under winter soil hold all that is needed for next season’s blossoms, the seeds of regeneration are being prepared in our own hearts and in our conscious community at this time.

The Moonflower Kindergarten came together in the middle of August. It was a large class of 22 children. We early childhood teachers had been preparing endlessly-trying to find ways to envision a classroom environment that would be safe, and being flexible in ways never imagined. I have to admit I was very nervous-what would the children look like after being away from each other for six months? Would they be able to move into the group dynamic easily? I was preparing myself for a lot of much needed “social work” and who knows what else after such a difficult time.

However, after the first day of school I was quickly reminded of the magic and wonder of early childhood. The children came together flawlessly. So happy were they to be back and do what they are meant to do. PLAY. We all watched in awe as they came together, some old friends, some very new. However, this did not matter as they were finally able feed their souls with the medicine so necessary for a healthy childhood. They brought us into the moment-where we needed to be. All the trouble and conflict going on in the outside world melted away as we focused on The Three Billy Goats Gruff, celebrating Birthdays, and who has a sharing at the snack table.

We learned to wear our masks diligently! We have become quite accomplished at this and now we are as seasoned with masks as we are with wearing our hats!

Even during the darkest of days this past year, our Early Childhood community found ways to lift each other up. This came about through a smile at the gate as parents dropped their children off for school every day with so much love and gratitude that their children would indeed have the benefit of being together at school. We had to forgo the little pieces that we all love so-birthdays, festivals, gathering in the play yard to connect. This was difficult, and yet as the children came to school each morning, I felt such incredible gratitude for the amazing community I was a part of. We were a family, our own little pod, and I was fiercely protective to try my best to keep the children healthy. Amazingly, we did stay healthy as parents dressed children warm, kept them home at the onslaught of any symptoms, and ensured that the children wore their mask diligently every day. The children seemed more rested this year then I remember in the past, having full good nights of sleep and beautiful lunches and breakfast filled their bellies.

The class was large and I was so very grateful for the very skilled group of teachers I have had the honor of working with. Now, as we move into 2021 the manifestation of the Forest Kindergarten has finally come to fruition. Seven of our friends with Ms Stephanie are embarking on this amazing journey with their families. Ms. Stephanie and I went for a walk down to her new classroom, the Willow Forest last week. Many of the families had come to help her prepare the classroom and the space felt bright, light, and strong. It was clearly held by the whole community and Ms. Stephanie was glowing in anticipation of what was to come.

As I look upon 2021 and our dear Kinderhaus, with its amazing teachers, families and all of the rich potential for the coming year, I am so excited and proud of who we are and what we can accomplish together.

Ms. Heidi

We are thrilled to announce the growth and expansion of the early childhood programs at WSRF.

We are adding a third mixed age kindergarten class launching in January 2021. We are now accepting applications for a very limited number of spaces for our mid-January opening. Applications for children ages 2.5 to 6 years will all be considered at this time.

If you or anyone you know is considering this opportunity for your child, now is the time to submit an application! Space is extremely limited due to the continuation of distancing and safety measures taken to support the health of our entire community.

Come this spring 2021 we will be further expanding this class as we take advantage of our great on-campus outdoor space of the Willow Forest Camp! This unique program calls the outdoors their home; and leverages a curriculum that fully immerses students with the world around them. The growing desire for education outdoors and the slew of research supporting its benefits, both physical and cognitive is a desire within our community we can no longer ignore. We have hired a most wonderful teacher for this group of students, Stephanie Warner. Stephanie’s passion and experience with teaching children is coupled with her love and expertise in the outdoors- what a perfect combination of skills to fully lead these children in their education!

Applications are now be accepted for a very limited number of spaces in this exciting new program. Please contact Catherine, Enrollment Coordinator to learn more (catherine@waldorfschoolrf.org). Please see the newly launched Enrollment Referral program section to learn how you can earn a discount on your re-enrollment fee by helping us to spread the word about this exciting expansion at WSRF.

Introducing Enrollment Referral Program

When it comes to spreading the word about our school, our current community members are our most influential ambassadors. This year, we would like to extend our gratitude to all those who share our special community with their friends and network and their ambassadorship translates to new families joining our school. As a token of appreciation, we are introducing an Enrollment Referral program. Current community members have the chance to earn $100 off their re-enrollment fee for each new family who submits an application based on having heard about the school through a direct referral (up to $175 to cover the entire re-enrollment fee). New applicants to WSRF will be asked during the application process if they were referred and this will allow us to track applicable enrollment fee discounts.

To start, this opportunity is specifically available for applications to the kindergarten expansion, kicking off in mid-January and continuing into the spring with expansion into the Willow Forest. Applications are now being accepted for a limited number of spaces in the Kinderhaus (for all ages, 2.5-6 years) and we thank you in advance for spreading the word about this exciting opportunity at our school!

Alumni News

Alumni Reflections on the topic of Social Media

as written by WSRF Alum and Roaring Fork High School junior, Katie Noll

Social media has always been a huge part of our lives and will continue to be. Growing up, I wasn’t exposed to media until around 8th grade, when I got my first phone. I remember being frustrated with my parents in their choice of waiting to get me a phone so late. It made me feel out of place; I wasn’t grouped in with the majority of the public. Everyone around me was snapchatting and talking about things they had seen on Instagram, and I felt excluded from that. Now that I have social media and it has become a part of my everyday life, I have a better understanding and comparison to what social media can do to a person. At that time, however, I was frustrated. Now, reflecting on the direction my parents choose, I am unconditionally grateful.

I took Political Science this semester via University of Colorado, which in itself has intrigued and educated me in a variety of ways. Presently, growing up is not only a struggle due to the pandemic, but a challenge because of the influence that social media has on adolescence. In taking Political Science, we were required to watch The Social Dilemma, a documentary about social media and its impact and powerful influence. The documentary was accurate, and alarming based on research done behind the scenes for different apps. By the end, I wanted to delete social media, buy a flip phone, and go against the norms of society, but I didn't, and here's why.

Being a high school student at RFHS, I believe I have a good understanding of how social media affects my generation. There is a certain need to feel included, to post that one picture you think makes you look good, to show the world how great your life is. In reality, we are just living through our phones, lacking creativity, and obsessed with what the world thinks of us. We have become so prone to measuring our self-worth in the amount of likes or views we get on a post. No matter how much anyone says it doesn’t affect them, it does. We have become so addicted that deleting an app, such as Snapchat, seems like the scariest decision of our lives. We have found comfort in our phones. It may fill that awkward silence, but it’s also heartbreaking that these apps control our lives.

I’m not saying go off the grid. I’m saying find a balance. Leave your phone at home or in your car and direct your full attention to the world and people around you. Take the time to notice little things, have a meaningful conversation and give that person your undivided attention. Those snapchats will still be there when you get back. Although it may be hard, limit yourself. People have lived hundreds of years without the technology we have today, so find the power in yourself to overcome the temptations and break the norms of society to rediscover the things that really matter.

Katie Noll

WSRF Class of 2018

Community Notes