February-March News
Re-Enrollment Ends March 3rd.
Wait lists begin March 4th
Congratulations, 4th Grade on the completion of your Animal Reports!
“The time has come today when the bond between love and wisdom must once again be created. It is created when knowledge as wisdom is born in human hearts through love. Love stands above opinions only when people can get along despite the most diverse beliefs. With love above all, the greatest variety of convictions can exist side by side. Then individual opinions do not work alone, but rather all work together in a great choir.”
Dear Families of WSRF,
With re-enrollment at our doorstep, many parents are asking how next year will look. Will we be in masks? What will community life look like? Parents are expressing the missed connections with one another, and the desire for community to be the way it has been in the past. Those of us at school each day are fortunate to experience the joy present in the students. We see the daily blossoming of friendships and the passion present in students' learning. We feel incredibly blessed for the many compromises each family and faculty member continue to make in an effort to provide the children with a consistent, caring and warm environment to come to every day.
While we wish we had more answers to what next year will look like, we can assure you we are walking a shared path with the desire to get through this time together. We can promise we are not being complacent or rigid, but open to varied perspectives, desires, and beliefs.
Toward that end, AC has created a COVID Advisory Group tasked with providing guidance to us regarding the school’s COVID protocols. This group will be represented by Faculty, Board members and parents. We see opportunity for innovation from a variety of perspectives, yet we feel deeply that having the children together for in-person learning is at the forefront of our efforts. We hope that each and every family will choose to stay in community and work through this time together. We know you all will need to make choices that you feel is best for you and your children. With this, we continue to invite your questions and input, and please know that we will respond to each one.
Steiner’s work highlights the various larger swaths and gestures of consciousness evolving in humanity with an intention of identifying possibilities and direction forward. This direction stems from a moral and ethical standpoint — with the belief that the dignity of each human being is unconditional and based on the understanding that humans are spiritual beings. We are certainly living through times making it difficult to see and feel our way forward. COVID brings sweeping changes alongside already stressed social and environmental systems. We have a lot to think about as individuals as well as collectively.
We at WSRF strive to share commonalities and respect for each person's spiritual freedom which becomes a key bridge across our binary thinking. This requires a shared common path forward so we may further seek our opportunity to explore the many contributing factors of the journey as we gain wisdom and knowledge by working together. More simply said perhaps, "Love often comes through understanding another, and the soul loves without desire.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times….
it was the season of hope, it was the winter of despair.”
Charles Dickens may well have written a Tale of Two Cities in light of the world today. The book, written in 1859, is about the French Revolution and those whose lives were changed by it. Dickens' theme asserts his belief in the possibility of transformation on a personal and societal level. The text implies the change of the old regime in France prepares for the beautiful and renewed Paris envisioned by one of the main characters. It is his final act which speaks to a human capacity for change and personal compromise. Dickens suggests that compromise must be made in the realm of personal loves and loyalties for the good of the collective for transformation to occur.
We know many feel stress and anxiety related to the changing times. As parents and grandparents, we want the best for our children. We want to feel hope and inspiration for them. Every one of us who choose Waldorf education feel similar or perhaps, we wouldn’t put the effort into having our children attend Waldorf schools. An overarching aspect of the work of Administrative Council, is to collectively gather input and find a way through which allows us to stay together in community. COVID has added a layer of complexity to this process with so many differing experiences and opinions on how to navigate.
Yet one thing we can promise you — we care for each and every child, parent, teacher, grandparent, and member of our community. Complacency is a word we cannot relate to at the moment; it is far from our purview as we strive to keep our community together when we could allow division to take over. We hold the students at the center of this work. While not a statistic we wish to tout, UNESCO reports 290 million students are out of school worldwide, as a result of mandates to slow the spread of COVID, and 24 million students are projected to drop out of school as a result of those closures. We are grateful to have begun the year fully in person and to have so far remained that way.
We are here out of service, love and care. Thank you for entrusting us with your children.
With much gratitude to you all,
Anne White, Tim Connolly, and Larry Smith
WSRF Quarantine and Travel Policy
Are students and teachers who have recently traveled to “red zone” counties or internationally required by the school to quarantine prior to being back in school?
Yes, the school requires that after you return from travel to “red zone” counties within the USA or an international destination, you must remain at home for 10 days upon return. Please report your travel destinations to Administrative Council and a determination will be made if quarantine is required based on the most current data regarding incident rates.
Some parents are inquiring about Spring Break travel. For planning and transparency, we utilize the map published here and consider Red to mean 100 or greater average daily cases per 100,000 people in past week. Data changes daily.
Returning Families: Please Re-enroll by next Wed, March 3rd
Re-Enrollment Wait Lists begin March 4th
Thank you to all our current families who have re-enrolled! We appreciate your support in challenging times. We will be solidifying class composition and creating class lists with the teachers by confirming re-enrolled and newly accepted students. This allows the teachers to begin planning for the rich delivery of in-person Waldorf education here on campus with their new constellation of students.
Reminder for those that have not yet re-enrolled: We are receiving an unprecedented number of new applicants. We will process new families’ applications starting March 4th. After March 3rd, we cannot guarantee spots for returning families that have not completed re-enrollment. The fee will increase to $350/family, and your child will be placed on waitlist according to date of re-enrollment.
As a faculty and staff, we are eager to welcome you to a new school year. We are more committed than ever to meeting each student with a curriculum that is academically compelling, emotionally attuned, and globally engaged. Thank you for your dedication to WSRF. We look forward to continuing the journey with you.
Employment Opportunities within the School for 2021-2022
Early Childhood: Kinderhaus Lead Teacher
For the 2021-22 School Year, the Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork may be seeking candidates for a Lead Teacher to join our Early Childhood Kinderhaus in August 2021.
The Kinderhaus Lead teacher is responsible for all aspects of the classroom work as an ambassador of the school and works hand in hand with colleagues; including managing and preparing for classroom activities and the supervision of children during regular class hours; supervision of independent play; preparing snack; planning and preparing of housekeeping and handwork duties; providing and leading in story time and circle time (singing, finger games, movement activities); helping the children to clean and tidy the classroom; child observation; and working with colleagues who serve as assistants in the classrooms.
Our Kinderhaus program serves families and students from parent-child classes through Kindergarten. Our staff is currently made up of four lead teachers, five full time assistants, and part time assistants. Working together in unison has been a critical component of the success of our programs. We seek an individual who is charismatic, can communicate well and see childhood as a time of great opportunity and fun!
Qualifications: Completion of all Colorado State ECE licensing requirements. In addition to these hours of training, there are four other short-term trainings that must be filled. All faculty and staff must have a current CPR; First Aid certification; provide proof of non-active TB; complete a Health Screening by a licensed health care professional; and complete a fingerprinting via Live Scan. The successful candidate would hold a Waldorf Teaching Certificate or be currently enrolled in a program or willing to begin that program immediately, as well have experience teaching in a Waldorf setting. The successful candidate would hold a four-year Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or have experience and trainings that might satisfy the educational background we seek in candidates. The position is full time with a full-time teacher's salary and comparable benefits.
Benefits:
Expected annual salary range of $47,000-$57,000 depending on qualifications, training and years of experience.
Benefits to include health, dental, life & disability insurance; retirement plan; paid vacation and PTO; and tuition remission
To apply please email a letter of interest to me at tim@waldorfschoolrf.org. It may be that you will be asked to provide a resume and or updated transcripts as well. In the alternative, you may also call me at 970-963-1960.
The window to apply for these positions closes on March 26, 2021. The candidates will be screened and informally interviewed by the Faculty Administrator prior to entering the more formal process of meeting with the Kinderhaus Faculty and/or the Faculty's Pedagogical Development Committee serving as the hiring committee for and with the Faculty. Please note as well that the Lead EC teacher position will be offered to the successful candidate based on new enrollment and the need of the school to open an additional classroom with a projected date of August 2021.
Early Childhood: Kinderhaus Assistant Teacher
As you are aware, Ms. Jess will be leaving the Kinderhaus at this school year's end. With that, we are seeking candidates to take her role. The Kinderhaus Assistant participates in all aspects of the classroom work as an ambassador of the school and works hand in hand with the lead teacher, including managing and preparing for classroom activities and the supervision of children during regular class hours, supervision of independent play, preparing snack, housekeeping and handwork support and duties, participation and support in story time and circle time (singing, finger games, movement activities), helping the children to clean and tidy the classroom, and child observation.
Our Kinderhaus program serves families and students from parent-child classes through to Kindergarten. Our staff is currently made up of four lead teachers, five full time assistants and hourly assistants when necessary. Working together in unison has been a critical component of the success of our programs. We seek an individual who is charismatic, can communicate well and see childhood as a time of great opportunity and fun!
Qualifications: 6 ECE units required at minimum, with continued coursework towards another 15 hours of training per year. In addition to these hours of training, there are four other short-term trainings that must be filled. All faculty and staff must have a current CPR; First Aid certification; provide proof of non-active TB; complete a Health Screening by a licensed health care professional; and complete a fingerprinting via Live Scan.
Benefits:
Expected annual salary of $31,800
Benefits to include health, dental, life & disability insurance; retirement plan; paid vacation and PTO; and tuition remission
To apply please email your resume, and a forward a copy of your transcripts to tim@waldorfschoolrf.org. In the alternative, you may also call at 970-963-1960.
Grades: Handwork Assistant
During the current school year, due to the various limitations presented to us by cohort groupings, this important role in the school was not able to be filled. As we look toward brighter horizons, we are hoping that in the 2021-22 school year that we will be able to utilize this position to its full extent. The position of Handwork Assistant works closely with our lead handwork teacher, Ms. DeRudder. As you may be aware, Thea has been in this role at the school for a decade and as previous assistants will tell you, she is a master at what does. The schedule for next year includes 16 weekly periods of Handwork taught from Grade 1 - 8, with two additional classes of practical arts with the 3rd grade class. Duties of the role include:
Reading aloud - read stories to students in an engaging, yet not overly dramatic, way. The hope is to help the children quietly focus on their work. Clear diction and good articulation is a must.
Helping with Handwork projects - assist with knitting, crochet, hand sewing, machine sewing, cooking, and other craft projects. A candidate for this position need not be proficient at all types of handwork listed but needs to have the capacity to learn these skills on the job.
Class holding - The HW assistant helps to hold the class energetically with a calm supportive mood. Keen intuition is needed to know when to stand aside and when to step in, taking cues from the Lead Teacher.
Student relationships - The HW assistant should strive to create positive supportive relationships with all students.
Cleaning and prep - This position has light cleaning and project prep duties; for example, clean up after 3rd grade cooking class, balling yarn, cutting project pieces, etc... directed by the Lead Teacher.
Bonus! - The Handwork assistant has the unique opportunity to learn so much about Handwork, classroom management, and the Waldorf curriculum.
Benefits:
Expected hourly rate of pay: $18.50/hr
Position is ineligible for benefits outside of workers comp and unemployment.
To apply for the position, please send your resume and a letter of interest to Tim Connolly, Faculty Administrator @ tim@waldorfschoolrf.org or you can reach him at the school at 970-960-1960. The school will be taking applications for this position up through March 26, 2021. Candidates will be screened through the Faculty's Pedagogical Development Committee in conjunction with the school's Lead Handwork Teacher.
School News
2020 February Conference Recap
Historically, this week break was created to allow for teachers from all of the country to attend conferences on either the West or the East Coast. Thirty years ago, the main training centers were coastal and served as the central gathering places for teachers. The week away from campus allowed for professional development, being with your colleagues in a more relaxed setting and the time it may take one to travel.
In the years since, with the growth of the movement, these conferences now take place in the varying regions of the country. This year, for example, the Faculty was slated to attend the conference in Santa Fe. It was cancelled sometime last year due to Covid, and thus, we met together on campus for three days. It afforded us the opportunity to look more deeply at topics such as diversity, race and gender. To prepare for the discussions, the faculty observed five hours of documentaries related to the topics on their own, which led to timely and helpful conversation, and the EC staff attended an online three-day workshop the previous weekend. We also looked to the future of the school and the school's master plan for its physical plant, and desires that the group has for enhancement of the campus.
We spent significant time learning more about differentiating work with the students in the classroom, as well. Liisa Declute, Nicki Leniton and Heather Handy led this part of the workshop. Oft times, differentiating work can appear to a teacher as requiring more time, yet in the end, they helped us to better to understand how one can work smarter without needing to work more.
Julie Hall - Formally announced as 1st grade teacher for the 2021-22 School Year
Another part of our work this past week was to finalize the decision to have Ms. Hall become the 1st Grade Class Teacher for the 21-22 school year. As written in a previous newsletter, Julie has been with her current first grade class since their beginnings as grade students. She has guided the current 5th graders so well and beautifully that it will indeed be tough for her and the students to part. The good news is of course, they will only be 200 feet away from each other! As well, the community is blessed to have a wisened experienced teacher to guide the incoming 1st grade class.
With Julie's departure from this role, the Faculty Pedagogical Committee has been conversing on Zoom and over the phone with candidates for the 6th grade class. We feel fortunate to have the interest in the position and the class, and are actively working with candidates. As a teacher to the class, I can well say just how fortunate the students have been over the past years, and moreover, just how fortunate the new teacher will be to receive this class!
Parenting Your Child Towards Healthy Sexuality Study Group
In January I led a three-part online study for interested 1st Grade parents that included presentations, lively discussions, and homework assignments. During the first two evenings we discussed the Circles of Sexuality (find out more here). We then explored how the developmental stages of sexuality from birth to adolescence and why it is so important for us to talk to our kids about the aspects of sexuality developing during each stage of their childhood. The worth of using teachable moments to share accurate information and our values with our children was another critical topic. We shared excellent resources of support with each other such as the podcast Just Say This by Amy Lang and the How to Talk to Your Kids About Sex online course by Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife, Robie H. Harris’s books, and C Is for Consent by Eleanor Morrison.
The last study evening was all about gender and gender equity. To better understand gender, I presented the Genderbread Person activity (find at https://www.genderbread.org), which shows how gender encompasses gender identity, gender expression, anatomical sex, and sexual expression - and each of these aspects are continuums not binary concepts. How gender identity develops early in a child’s life and how we can support our children’s healthy gender development were also explored.
I so appreciated the parents’ earnest participation and support of each other as they explore how best to support their children in all areas of their development! Please email me at patti@waldorfschoolrf.org if you are interested in the handouts and resource list we generated.
Patti Connolly - 1st Grade Class Teacher
Waldorf Curriculum Spotlight: What (in the world) is Eurythmy?
The term “speech made visible” is often applied to this incredibly unique movement work done within Waldorf Curriculum. Sounds, letters, shapes, forms and patterns are all created and worked with throughout this movement based artistic endeavor.
In the description given by Waldorf Publications, “This dance form is an essential part of the curriculum in Waldorf schools. It has its echo in another topic unique to Waldorf schools, Form Drawing. This kind of drawing builds a spatial awareness in children, and leads them to know the drawing of line as movement come to stillness. In Eurythmy many of these forms would appear on the floor if the feet were made of chalk!”
Our students, 1st through 8th, participate in Eurythmy with concepts and complexity building steadily over the grade levels.
A visual window is the best starting point to begin to understand the concept of shapes in motion or patterns at play. Our 3rd and 4th graders recently finished a Eurythmy block with specialty teacher Ms. Elena Baba. The time was spent on our stage, working on pieces that would normally be shared at an all school assembly for our community. A short video window can be explored here as the 3rd and 4th graders share their recent work: