December News (December 13th, 2024)
In this week's community newsletter please find details for:
Thank you to our community for Winterfaire & keep shopping at the store!
The Final School week of 2024:
Thursday December 19th Early Dismissal 12:30pm PreK-8th, 12pm toddler NO AFTERCARE on Thurs Dec 19th, YES Bus
Plus The Shepard's Play on Thurs Dec 19th
No School - Winter Break on Friday Dec 20th through Jan 6th 2025, School resumes Jan 7th!
Holiday Giving for Teachers
Final chance to donate to WSRF in 2024
Upcoming Events in January including
Bring a Parent to School Month Jan 13th - 31st
Campus Tour Jan 28th
(Free!) Parent Education: Winter Wellness Jan 30th
We wish to say a big THANK YOU to our entire community of parents and volunteers who made the 33rd Annual Winterfaire a tremendous success. To every parent who baked a sweet treat or made a gift for the angel room or volunteered your time, thank you!
We also wish to say a big thank you to event sponsor Colorado Rocky Mountain School!
*PLUS: Keep shopping in the Winterfaire Store through Dec 19th dismissal! Shop anytime during school hours and pay at the front office for a range a wonderful gifts and inventory still available from the Winterfaire Store! Toys for toddlers, art supplies for grade students and so much more and support WSRF with your holiday shopping!
Looking ahead to next week, the final week of the semester here are the key details:
The Final Advent Assembly & the Shepard's Play is being hosted at 11:30am in the Hall on Thursday December 19th. Parents are invited to attend this final gathering of the year to hear a faculty presented Advent Story and our faculty will present the Shepard's Play. The play shares the traditional tale of the birth of the baby Jesus and a message of reflection at this festive time of year!
Thursday December 19th is Early Dismissal: 12:30pm for PreK to 8th Grade and 12pm for Toddler. YES, Regular Bus service and NO AFTERCARE!
Friday December 20th through Monday January 6th:
No School for the Winter Break - School Resumes 1/7
We know that many parents wish to show teachers their appreciation during the Holiday Season. While there is absolutely no pressure or expectation to do so, there will be labeled brown bags available in the Sunroom this coming week for parents to add gifts or notes of appreciation to. If you are unsure which teachers your child interacts with here are more details:
Every Child sees: Ms. Isabel and Mr. Stroh in the front office at some point. Additionally:
Starflower: Ms. Marina, Ms. Cicely, Ms. Barb, Ms. Christina
Sunflower: Ms. Katie, Ms. Ann, Ms. Mary, Ms. Kindra (Mr. Joshua for Aftercare)
Moonflower: Ms. Orchid, Ms. Barb, Mr. Ryna, Ms. Abigial (Mr. Joshua for Aftercare)
Blusky Kindergarten: Ms. Heidi, Ms. Mandy, Mr. Joshua, Ms. Baba (Mr. Joshua for Aftercare)
Willow Forest: Ms. Stephanie, Ms. Allison, Ms. Maria, Ms. Norma (Mr. Joshua for Aftercare)
1st Graders: Ms. Mile (Class teacher), Elena Baba (Eurythmy), Luke Wander (Mandarin), Marja O’Connor (Spanish), Julianna Lichatz (Movement), Thea Pratt (Handwork), Ms. Haines (Handwork Asst), Mr. Allen (Music), Jen Paradis (Counselor), Nicki Leniton (Student Support), Ms. Cohen for Aftercare
2nd Graders: Ms. B (Class teacher), Elena Baba (Eurythmy), Luke Wander (Mandarin), Marja O’Connor (Spanish), Julianna Lichatz (Movement), Thea Pratt (Handwork), Ms. Haines (Handwork Asst), Mr. Allen (Music), Jen Paradis (Counselor), Nicki Leniton (Student Support), Ms. Handy, Ms. Cohen for Aftercare
3rd Graders: Ms. Bromberg (Class teacher), Elena Baba (Eurythmy), Luke Wander (Mandarin), Marja O’Connor (Spanish), Julianna Lichatz (Movement), Thea Pratt (Handwork), Ms. Haines (Handwork Asst), Mr. Allen (Music), Jen Paradis (Counselor), Nicki Leniton (Student Support), Ms. Liesl (Form Drawing & Beeswax), Ms. Cohen for Aftercare
4th Graders: Ms. Wild (Class teacher), Elena Baba (Eurythmy), Luke Wander (Mandarin), Marja O’Connor (Spanish), Julianna Lichatz (Movement), Thea Pratt (Handwork), Ms. Haines (Handwork Asst), Mr. Allen (Music), Jen Paradis (Counselor), Nicki Leniton (Student Support), Veronica and Camilla with Aspen Music Festival, Ms. Cohen for Aftercare
5th Graders: Mr. Fuell (Class teacher), Elena Baba (Eurythmy), Luke Wander (Mandarin), Marja O’Connor (Spanish), Julianna Lichatz (Movement), Thea Pratt (Handwork), Ms. Haines (Handwork Asst), Mr. Allen (Music), Jen Paradis (Counselor), Nicki Leniton (Student Support), Veronica and Camilla with Aspen Music Festival, Ms. Liesl (Reading & Painting), Ms. Cohen for Aftercare
6th Graders: Ms. Kealey (Class teacher), Elena Baba (Eurythmy), Luke Wander (Mandarin), Marja O’Connor (Spanish), Julianna Lichatz (Movement), Thea Pratt (Handwork), Ms. Haines (Handwork Asst), Mr. Allen (Music), Jen Paradis (Counselor), Liisa DeClutte (Student Support), Mr. Moffitt (Math), Roberto with Aspen Music Festival, Ms. Cohen for Aftercare
7th Graders: Mr. Marchand (Class teacher), Elena Baba (Eurythmy), Luke Wander (Mandarin), Marja O’Connor (Spanish), Julianna Lichatz (Movement), Thea Pratt (Handwork), Ms. Haines (Handwork Asst), Mr. Allen (Music), Jen Paradis (Counselor), Liisa DeClutte (Student Support), Mr. Moffitt (Math), Roberto with Aspen Music Festival, Ms. Cohen for Aftercare
8th Graders: Ms. Frazee (Class teacher), Elena Baba (Eurythmy), Luke Wander (Mandarin), Marja O’Connor (Spanish), Julianna Lichatz (Movement), Thea Pratt (Handwork), Ms. Haines (Handwork Asst), Mr. Allen (Music), Jen Paradis (Counselor), Liisa DeClutte (Student Support), Mr. Moffitt (Math), Roberto with Aspen Music Festival, Ms. Handy, Ms. Cohen for Aftercare
WSRF’s Administrative & Staff Team includes Morgan Jacober (Community Development), Brie Fitzsimmons (Business Admin), Tim Connolly (Faculty Admin). Stacie Scheafer (EC Director), Julie Hall (Enrollment Coordinator), Catherine Woolcott (Enrollment Coordinator), Liesl Bellack-Fuell (Marketing & Communications), Josh Ervin (Facilities Manager), Gabe Mead (Bus Driver)
We are in the final days of 2024 which also means: the final days to make a generous donation to the Annual Fund and claim it on your 2024 tax return!
The Annual Fund is absolutely critical to bridge the annual gap between tuition revenue and operating expenses. We still have 25% of our Annual Fund to raise this year and we need you! Please donate today and claim a deduction on your 2024 tax return!
I write to you today to joyfully and proudly announce on behalf of the Faculty and Administrative Council that our current 8th grade teacher, Ms. Kirsten Frazee, has accepted our offer to take on the position of 1st grade class teacher for the 2025-26 school year!
Ms. Frazee is in her eleventh year of teaching at the school. Kirsten was raised in the beauty-filled state of Minnesota. She first discovered Waldorf education in 1997 while working as an organic farmer in Maine. Over the years, that discovery led to her attendance at the Rudolf Steiner College in California where she received her certification as a Waldorf educator. We were so fortunate when she chose our school to begin her teaching career in 2007. After four years of class teaching, she moved to Gunnison to be with her new husband, Jed. Their two children, 7th grade son, Elias, and 4th grade daughter, Gillian, were born there.
What a gift to our school when they moved back to Carbondale seven years ago, with Kirsten assuming her current role with the class of 2025 when they were second graders! I have had the pleasure of working with Kirsten for most of the years she has worked at the school. I first met and began working with her in 2008, and again in 2018 when I returned to the school after an absence. Kirsten is a such pleasure to work with! She sets high standards for her class in terms of their academic growth and decorum. Her work ethic each year, each block, each day, is second to none. Best yet perhaps, is the joy she brings to her teaching. I had the pleasure of teaching her students mathematics from 5th grade through 7th grade, and the aspect that stands out to me the most is their intellectual curiosity. What a delight they are to teach, just as it is to work with their class teacher! As I walked into their classroom each day, I was greeted with warmth and happiness that brought a smile to my face. A word that I would use to describe them is “genuine”, a trait that they clearly receive in part from their teacher.
It brings great joy to me to make this announcement on behalf of the school community. While Kirsten anticipates this new endeavor, she is completely focused on teaching and guiding the 8th graders, which is no small task. Formal introductions to families who may wish to join the rising 2025-26 1st grade class will come in early 2025. In the interim, please feel free to congratulate Kirsten on this next step on her journey as a Waldorf educator!
On behalf of the Faculty and Administrative Council, we send you our gratitude and appreciation.
Tim Connolly
Interim Faculty Administrator