December 4th News
Winter
When the geese are flying south
And the sky is grey, my dears,
Close your eyes and lift your nose;
Listen with your careful ears.
Feel the winter coming on;
Hear it in the crackling trees;
Note the crisping, quivering wind
Sharply snapping at their leaves.
Let the frost rest on your face;
Sense a shiver on your skin.
See how pretty nature is
When she ushers winter in.
Excerpt “Suzie Bitner Was Afraid of the Drain” by Barbara Vance
As Mother Nature ushers in the winter, all on the earth is growing quiet. The geese, the trees, all the plants and animals are storing away food and moving into sleep. When the snow comes, the quiet will be even deeper.
We humans can miss this call to slow down and turn inward to reflect. We can only feel the anticipation and excitement of this special time instead. We might even feel harried with the hustle and bustle of preparing for the holiday season, with plans for decorations, gifts, treats, travel, cleaning.
This year the pandemic is pushing us to connect with Mother Nature’s “settling in,” to listen and reflect, to connect with the themes of hope, warmth, and community of the Winter Solstice!
These themes of the “rebirth” of the sun are reflected in cultural and religious festivals celebrated at this time, including Diwali (celebrated on November 14 this year), Hanukkah, Shab-e Yalda (Iran), Soyal (Zuni and Hopi), Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve.
Waldorf schools around the world celebrate this “turning of the wheel” through engaging in unique festivities, nature observation, storytelling, poetry recitation, and singing with the intention of experiencing a healthy balance between the excitement and anticipation of gift giving and receiving and the inner reflection which this time of year is asking of us.
As an overarching experience, we celebrate the four kingdoms of nature during the four weeks of Advent through story, song and often in the lighting of candles each day or week. We honor the mineral kingdom, the physical foundation for life, in the first week. During the second week we focus on the plant kingdom, that which nourishes us. The kingdom of beasts is then feted in the third week. We remember all the gifts which the insects, fish, birds, mammals, all the members of the animal kingdom share with us. The fourth week of Advent honors the human being. Understanding our unique place in the universe and how all the kingdoms of nature not only contribute to our existence but also need our respect and protection is the focus. We recognize that we each have an individual human spirit which is the essence of what it is to be human.
Our annual festivities over the course of the next three weeks begins with St. Nicholas’s Day (December 6). St. Nicholas is known for rescuing children from unkindness, danger, and despair. He is forgiving and repairs wrongdoing, showing us how we too can bring more kindness into the world. On Monday, December 7 the children might just see St. Nicholas passing by our school as he leaves baskets of fruit, nuts and special messages for them all.
This is a European tradition that Waldorf schools all over the world enjoy!
The Advent Spiral comes next during which the children of each class experiences “the return of the light” as a community. This festival takes time as each child walks the spiral created from evergreen boughs and sets their individual lit candle in a place of their choosing. Each light adds to the increasing luminosity. This festival shares a picture of how important the light of each of us in community and, of course, gives the children a literal experience of the sun’s return!
Santa Lucia Day (December 13) follows the Advent Spiral for grades 1-8. This festival is a tradition from Sweden which celebrates the kindness of Lucia who is said to have brought food to the hungry people of one of Sweden’s provinces during a time of famine. The Second Grade learns about Santa Lucia in depth, and on December 14 they bring delicious Santa Lucia buns to each class as they sing a traditional Italian tune about her. It is always such a treat to experience this festival of simple, quiet awe.
Celebrating the Jewish festival of lights, Hanukkah, comes after this. The Hanukkah story of lights which burned longer than seemed possible, of the determination to stay awake and keep the lights burning, exemplifies the important qualities of cooperation and courage that we strive to instill in our students. Our classrooms will be filled with celebrating these qualities through storytelling, song, lighting the menorah, games, and food.
On December 18 we will all join in a new festival for us this year - each of the cohorts in the grades will focus on one of the four kingdoms and receive gifts from their teachers, in the form of stories, crafts, poetry, a warm drink, and a special offering. Though typically, the entire school would gather over three weeks to hear a tale from each kingdom, the faculty determined we could still bring the closeness, togetherness, and intimacy of advent, while still remaining safe if small groups met with each other. Thus, on that day, 1st and 2nd grade will delve deeply into the mineral kingdom, 3rd and 4th grade will look with amazement to the plant world, 5th and 6th grade will experience the wildness of the animal kingdom, and 7th and 8th grade will stand upright with the world of the human being. Each cohort will also receive the gift of a eurythmy performance by our own 7th Grade. Finally, in recognizing that we are blessed to receive so much from the earth, each class will find a creative way to give back to the earth and her creatures with an offering of food, building material, or otherwise.
Patti Connolly and Julie Hall
From our Heads of School
Dear Parents,
Typically, today would have found us placing the final touches on the classrooms, the hallways and the chalkboards for the school's traditional Winter Faire. It has always been a day treasured by so many of us. Besides the opportunity to craft, to eat together and to purchase holiday gifts, it is a day to laugh and reminisce with the students, visitors and the alums who may like the rest of us desire to spend the day together celebrating the beginning of the holiday seasons. As with many traditions during Covid times, we have had to adjust. The lack of the Winter Faire is just one of those adjustments, hard to swallow but one that you give up in an attempt to keep all healthy and the doors of the school wide open.
Traveling during the holidays is another one of those traditions of the holidays. Many of you had to give up on the larger Thanksgiving celebration with extended family and friends. Many of you will do the same on Christmas Day. No air flights; no laughter; no hugging and tearful expressions at the airport; no Christmas parties; and no opportunity to once again be in your parent's home, the one you perhaps grew up in. It breaks our hearts to lose out on being with those we love and the traditions that we hold so close.
Part of going home includes the reverie of bringing your children to places in your hometown that were instrumental to your life. I recently read a personal story of a woman who took her four children and her husband to celebrate the holidays with her family in her hometown in Southern California. Of course, she had to have the five of them see her workplace throughout high school that in her mind was part of the essence of her critical teen years. It was a non-descript fast food burger restaurant, not a chain but an independent business run by a man who was dedicated to his dream to own his own business.
As they pulled up the location, it was surrounded by strip malls, built at a time when it was critical to build. There was no beauty to the buildings, no architectural imagination, just row upon row of buildings that needed to be built. As they pulled up, a flood of memories filled the woman. She was lost for the moment in the hours that she poured into her work all for an amazing sum of $2.75 per hour. She recalled the time that she made a mistake on an order and undercharged a customer $13. Her next paycheck held back a deduction for the money. She kept working hard and a year later developed such relationship with the owner that he gave her a $100 Christmas bonus. It was from these roots that she was able to gain admittance to Stanford University.
As she sat in the car, her reverie for the past was lost and she began to look at her children. She asked if any of them would have wished to work there, and two said it may have been fun, yet the other two had no interest. As the woman pondered her children's response and the looks on their faces of disdain for the burger joint, it dawned on her that her experience was completely necessary for her. She also realized right then that her children would have their own experiences, and while different, their experience would be realized to be just as valuable for them as hers was....just different.
As we look ahead to the days of this holiday, it will perhaps be a year of new experiences and newly obtained traditions will be developed. While this will be difficult for us all, perhaps with our insights into what is essential and what is really important, we will come to understand that the richness of our lives is built in variety of ways. What we thought is essential, will be looked at with new eyes. Perhaps this new view will be greeted with the thought that what was important, is now replaced with new feelings, new understandings and new values. Change is not something we always relish, but this year, just maybe, the cancellation of one thing will bring the blessings of another.
With much gratitude and appreciation for you all.
Tim Connolly
Larry Smith
Anne White
Our Kinderhaus is Growing! New class starting January ’21
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!
Colorado Gives Day
Tuesday, December 8th is Colorado Gives day. Please take a moment to consider making a donation if you have not already.
Our school was founded on, and thrives, thanks to the generosity of our community. You gifts will help ensure that independent, student-centered, developmentally appropriate education remains alive and well in the Roaring Fork Valley. It is thanks to donors like you that we are able to provide scholarship support to approximately 34% of our families - families who would not be able to attend WSRF without your help.
You can schedule your donation ahead of next Tuesday or donate directly through the Coloradogives site and your donation will be boosted by the organization’s $1 million incentive fund.
Thank you for your support of this education and the beautiful souls that are entrusted to us.
Parent / Teacher Conferences - 2021
As you are aware, the Parent Teacher Conferences for the Grades had been scheduled for Thursday, January 14 and Friday, January 15. Now that those days will be part of the extended Winter Break, these meetings are being re-scheduled by the teachers and the meetings will be taking place beginning this week through to the early part of February. Each Faculty member will be in touch with you to arrange for a meeting time. The 1st grade just completed their meetings this past month, and the 2nd - 8th grade teachers are in the midst of doing the same whether that be after school, during school or perhaps on a weekend day. Conferences may be held in person using physical distancing protocols or on Zoom, and as previously indicated, each teacher will arrange for these meetings to occur. In the past, Robyn and/or Harley have been able to schedule these meetings, yet for this year, you will be re-directed to your student's teacher to schedule, as the meetings will be held at times fit intentionally into the individual teacher's schedule. Please in touch with your class teacher to learn of more details if you have not been communicated with as yet. 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th will begin this month and 5th will begin next month.
In the past, the Faculty has held meetings with a collective of subject teachers that parents can meet with. Again, this is difficult to do in the same fashion as we have done in the past. Subject teachers are completing reports and passing them to the main lesson teachers for distribution. If you have a desire to meet with the subject teacher, please feel free to connect with them directly or speak to your class teacher to help communicate your desire.
The Kinderhaus has already held its first meetings this past October with the second round of meetings to be held during February whether that be after school during those first weeks or on Friday, February 12, when there is no school for the Kinderhaus students only while conferences are held.
Tim Connolly
COVID-19 update from Garfield County Heath Department
Here is the latest from Garfield County Health Department (WSRF will follow the local health guidelines):
You have likely seen in the news that the CDC is changing its quarantine guidelines in hopes of obtaining more compliance when asking contacts of COVID cases to quarantine. The adjustment in length of time in quarantine is not a black and white, straightforward scenario, and is conditional upon certain criteria being met. It is also less effective in preventing the spread of the virus. However, it also has the potential to bring more people who have been exposed to the virus into compliance with quarantining, and to keep schools and the economy open. For now, local guidelines will continue using the “gold standard” of 14 days until our protocols and guidelines have been updated. You will be informed when that changes.
This link below provides updated guidance from the CDC on how to more safely quarantine at home when someone in the household has been exposed but others have not been told to quarantine. It also gives recommendations on how to quarantine the rest of the household when someone in the household is positive for COVID.
Please share this document with your school communities. As you may know, public health is unable to contact all positive cases at this time, due to the overwhelming numbers of positive cases in the county. We are prioritizing calls to families with preschool and school-age children (along with some other high-risk populations). We are relying on the public to take personal responsibility and follow isolation and quarantine protocols when they are notified by a provider that they are positive. When someone tests positive, it is hoped that they will inform their close contacts and instruct them to quarantine.
If you know of a teacher who tests positive, please let me know, as they may not be routinely called during this surge in cases.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/protect-your-home.html
Thank you for your continued diligence and adaptability in helping keep your students, families, and staff as safe as possible!
Waldorf Curriculum Spotlight: What is a Main Lesson Block?
Main Lesson (sometimes referred to as the ‘morning lesson’) is a central element of Waldorf Curriculum. This is the place where all our students, 1st to 8th grade, begin their days and is typically about two hours in length (8:15am-10:15am at our school). A Main Lesson block typically lasts 4-6 weeks and refers to the subject that is the central focus of Main Lesson during that period of time. For example, you might find the 8th graders in the midst of a physics block while the 4th graders are working their way through a local geography block.
This approach to focusing on areas of study allows the classes to build on subjects over a concentrated period of time. It also nurtures students to fully immerse themselves in a given topic, while having time to digest, consider and contemplate the area of study. While teaching in blocks is a long standing element in Waldorf Education, the approach has gained attention with higher education and our reorganized learning environment as schools seek new ways for students to absorb lessons more deeply. Stay tuned for our next curriculum spotlight to learn more about how a Main Lesson takes shape in our classrooms!
Restorative Practices at WSRF
About six weeks ago, the newsletter featured an overview written by Board Trustee and Former Faculty Administrator, Frances Lewis, on the school's Restorative Practice. The overview provided the history and the rationale behind the policy, especially featuring an explanation of how Dr. Will Bledsoe entered into our community at such a pivotal time. The following is repeat of part of that article that will serve as a reminder of the policy background and implementation.
"As Waldorf educators, there is high value placed in seeking to understand the child through non-judgmental observation. We strive to take a Geothean approach to working with the phenomena of the developing child in an effort to glean insight into the "who" of their unfolding. It is not an easy path and is an art we value. In so doing, we have come to appreciate behavior or misconduct as a mode of communication; a way of expressing an unmet need; an act of dis-regulation; a call for relationship and connection. We see behavior as separate from the intrinsic "who" of the child. We see that children are more than their behavior and it is our job to see through and beyond into their higher natures and do what we can to call this forth.
Even though we value this perspective, Frances along with her colleagues could see that our former policy and practices were more reflective of outdated, punitive, shame-based methods that did not foster the degree of reflective learning we wished for our students to experience. It was and is our goal to provide our students with a foundation in relationship building skills that upholds one of the central tenants in the founding of Waldorf Education; to inspire and nurture a sense of brotherhood amongst human beings. One of the fundamental and practical steps to achieving this goal is it to follow the steps of the restorative process: recognize one's behavior, own how it impacts others, and strive to make amends for one's actions and to compassionately support others in the process. It also involves knowing when to draw a line and hold fast to accountability. As we have found, the restorative approach can take time and is not always a swift process as we strive for progress over perfection."
To help understand this policy further, the current Restorative Committee with the assistance of Liesl Bellack created a short three-minute video that further describes the process in a synthesized and ideally understandable way. We hope that you take the time to watch it and respond with any questions or comments that you might have about the process of the policy. If you do have any thoughts to offer, please reach out to committee members Pam Rosenthal, Larry Smith, Patti Connolly, Liisa DeClute or Tim Connolly.
With much gratitude,
The Restorative Committee
Gift Giving for Faculty & Staff
It has been a generous offering on parent's parts to wish to give the Faculty and Staff some type of gift at the holidays. We have indicated in the past that no gift is required or necessary, yet we recognize that parents wish to express their gratitude. In the past, baskets with cards for each teacher and staff member have been placed in the Sunroom for those who wish to write a note or give a gift to a teacher. This will not work so easily this year with living into the school's Covid restrictions. With that, you are free to offer an individualized and personal card to the faculty and staff member you would like to offer words of gratitude to, and/or a small token of appreciation. There will be a table placed at the main entrance of the school beginning Monday, December 7, right inside the front door, where you may place cards. The basket will be checked each day by Robynn Dorfi, and the cards gathered and presented to the employees on the last day of school on December 18. If you have any questions or thoughts, please email or call Robyn, Larry, Anne or Tim.
Annual Fund:
Goal $200,000 & 100% Current Parent Participation
Thank you to all who contribute to the strength and success of our school: Your hard work, vision and dedication make our programs possible.
Our community commits an incredible amount of time, treasure and talent to ensure that WSRF can offer a rich and robust curriculum to every family seeking a Waldorf education. Thank you for being a part of that community and for helping to bring our shared vision to life.
As part of the worldwide Waldorf movement we educate our children toward freedom. And as part of the Roaring Fork Valley, we strive to ensure that our students are safe and loved, and that all are respected for their diverse opinions, backgrounds, ethnicities, and identities. Balancing the local with the global, we aim to inspire each of our students (and our community members!) to embrace the fullness of life, with hope for the future.
The WSRF Annual Fund is about supporting our unique and impactful programming in addition to ensuring an economically diverse student body and attracting and retaining talented faculty.
Our 2020-21 goal is to raise $200,000.
100% Parent Participation is key for grants and foundation support.
Gifts of all sizes make a significant difference.
Cash, Gifts of Stock, and Corporate Matching are all appreciated.
Make your gift today!