March 12th News
Congratulations Lowry Camp (WSRF Class of 2022) for his third place win in the annual Rocky Mountain Sled Dog Club Skijor Race! Lowry and Zelda raced against adults in a category that included one and two-dog teams and he came in third place overall. If you see Lowry, you might ask him to tell you about the four-mile racecourse, or about his mentor's 12 dogs. Or – you can wait and learn all about it next year when Lowry gives his 8th Grade presentation!
Have student or alumni news that needs to be shared? Let us know at info@waldorfschoolrf.org!
Calendar Reminders:
Daylight saving time begins on Sunday
March 19th is a full day of school
No School March 22-26
Dear Parents,
Over these next weeks, our 8th grade students and our alums that will graduate high school will be hearing from the schools wherein they wish to advance and continue their educations. It is an exciting time, and filled with nervousness as most of us can well recall. Just this week, our 8th graders began hearing from their schools of choice about acceptances. People often ask where do our students end up matriculating to. There is a recent research publication that speaks to this, and the common theme is that high school teachers and university professors often are endeared with our graduates. In the end, while every student may not always be the highest achiever at their next level, it is their intellectual curiosity and personal interaction with others in the world, that sets them apart.
Close to that vein, I was sent a news article from the NY Times last week. It was a graduation speech, and for some that is boring material, yet I am one of those old saps for graduation speeches. Cynics will say and rightfully so, that most are filled with cliche, recycled stories and come from people in life who no matter how successful, have made their fair share of mistakes.
In this instance the words of wisdom come from George Saunders, an American writer who grew up in Texas and Illinois, graduated from Colorado School of Mines and received his Master's Degree in creative writing from the University of Syracuse. He has several novels to his credits and is a self-described lover of Russian Literature, which makes me a fan of him right then and there. His address at his alma mater took place some eight years ago and his message is timeless, and one that we strive so diligently for with your students, in our daily actions. Mr. Saunders spoke of his regrets in life.
"In 7th grade, this new kid joined our class. Ellen was small and shy. She wore blue cat's-eye glasses that only old ladies seem to wear. When nervous, which was pretty much always, she had a habit of taking a strand of hair into her mouth and chewing on it. She came to our school and neighborhood and was mostly ignored, occasionally teased. I could see that this hurt her. I still remember the way she would look after such an insult. Eyes would be cast down, feeling like she was just kicked in the gut and trying as much as possible to disappear. Sometimes I would see her hanging around alone in her front yard, as if afraid to leave its confines.
Then, they moved. That was it. No tragedy, no big final hazing. One day she was there and one day she was not.
Now, why do I regret that? Why after forty-two years later am I still thinking about it? Relative to most kids, I was actually pretty nice to her. I never said an unkind word to her. In fact, I sometimes even mildly defended her. But still....it still bothers me. So here is something that I know to be true, as corny as it sounds, and I don't quite know what to do with it. What I regret most in life are failures of kindness. Those moments in life when another human being was there, in front of me, suffering, and I responded....sensibly, reservedly and mildly. Or to look at it from the other end of the telescope: Who in your life, do you remember most fondly with the most undeniable feelings of warmth. I bet....those that were the kindest to you.
It is a little facile, and certainly hard to implement, but I would say, as a goal in life, you could do no worse than trying to be kinder. So, how might we do this? How might we be more loving, more open, less selfish, more present and less delusional?
There are ways. You already know that because in your life, there have been high periods of kindness and low periods of kindness. You know what inclined you in both directions of that spectrum. Education is good; immersing ourselves in a work of art: good: prayer is good; meditation's good; a frank talk with a dear friend; establishing ourselves in some kind of spiritual tradition - recognizing that there have been countless really smart people before us who have asked these same questions and left behind for answers for us. Because kindness, as it turns out, is hard - it starts out with rainbows and puppy dogs, and expands to include everything else. So, quick, end of the speech advice: according to me, your life is a general process of becoming kinder and more loving; Hurry up. Speed it along. Start right now."
This advice from Mr. Saunders is as relevant today as it ever has been. We tell our children all the time that it is ok to have differences and to be different. I did so with my children. My parents did so with me, and their parents did so with them. It is a timeless message, yet one that is so hard to steadily take up in our daily endeavors. With Mr. Saunders renewed encouragement, perhaps it is another moment when we renew the message of giving grace to each other and be as kind to all others that we greet. With the unfolding of spring at our doorstep, our hearts are filled with the renewal of spring. In this renewal, perhaps this message will be one renewed for all of us and a message as relevant as ever, and one that will continue to be passed onto generation upon generation.
Sending all the best for the final week of school ahead of our break and the beauty of the season that is just about upon us..
With much gratitude and appreciation 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.
School News
Sopris Circus Camp is Back this Summer at WSRF!
What: After a 10 year hiatus, the Sopris Circus Camp with WSRF movement teacher, Julianna Lichatz is back this summer at WSRF. Each day begins with students warming up with tumbling skills before rotating through a wide range of aerial, balance, object manipulation and sculptural skills classes. This summer camp is sure to be filled with circus arts and fun for all students while enjoying summer days on our beautiful campus. Space is very limited, be sure to sign up early to secure your spot.
Who: Rising 3rd and 4th graders (8-10 years) & Rising 5th to 8th graders (11-13 years)
(Space is very limited: each week is capped at 10 students to comply with likely COVID precautions.)
When: 9:00am-3:00pm daily, July 5th - 9th for younger group (8-10 years) & 9:00am-3:00pm daily, July 12th-16th for older group (11-13 years)
Where: The Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork Campus
How Much: $375 per week
Where to Sign up: Please sign up here
Nominate your WSRF class teacher for the Summit54 Outstanding Teacher Award
Three elementary teachers from each town (Basalt, Carbondale, and Glenwood Springs) will be selected as Summit54's 'Outstanding Teachers.' Prizes will be awarded to teachers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty during the pandemic—teachers who have demonstrated courage, who have acted fearlessly on behalf of his/her students, teachers who have given selflessly to support students’ well being, and teachers who have shown special kindness to students during Covid-19.
Thank you O'Keefe family, Rachel Poirier, Ms. Wamsley, and Mysterious Mr. Pink
Unlike many independent schools, WSRF has never been able to rely on a large urban center for our student population. Since our inception we've always needed to run buses, drawing families from Aspen to Glenwood and beyond, serving the entire Roaring Fork Valley.
Some of our earliest parent volunteers were bus drivers, but as our school grew in size, so did our buses, along with the need for commercial drivers.
The pandemic upended that. Seating dozens of students together, across multiple cohorts, for 30 minutes or more? Formerly a necessity, our humble bus service now risked closing down the school for good.
Faced with the challenge, we went back to our roots and the Glenwood Express was born. We split the down valley route into two shorter loops, allowing more seating space for students and a shorter, safer ride for all.
None of this would have been possible without our dedicated volunteers, parents willing to drive the small white bus, shuttling families from Glenwood and Rifle. An enormous debt of gratitude is owed to Marina and Tim O'Keefe, Rachel and Roger Poirier, and Maura Wamsley. Thank you taking up the torch and joining the proud line of WSRF volunteer drivers.
Wanted: Gently Used Picnic Tables
If you know of any gently used picnic tables, we would love to add them to our playground. Please call 970-963-1960 with any leads!
Waldorf Curriculum Spotlight: Window Into 6th Grade
We are excited to share a new, dynamic window into 6th Grade Waldorf Curriculum here at the Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork. Middle School years at WSRF are academically rigorous while also challenging the emotional, social and individual development of all our students. The focus is on preparing our students not only for the high school years ahead but also for what the rest of their lives hold. Please enjoy this brief introduction below for a window into the creative, engaging way our curriculum comes to life at the beginning of the Middle School years in Waldorf Education.
Employment Opportunities 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.
