Summer News 2011

WALDORF SCHOOL of Lexington

Summer News ‘11 Summer Greetings from the Director Dear Friends, The summer season, like migrating birds, has come and nested at the Waldorf School. Around the campus, the light yellow-green foliage of spring and early summer has deepened into summer-green. Flowerbeds are thick with lilies, roses, and colorful summer flowers. Children in our summer program are enjoying nature’s splendor and each other, day after day. Within the school - the corridors are still echoing with the memory of a resplendent 8th grade graduation--classrooms are now emptied, floors are ready to be cleaned and polished, and walls are being painted in preparation for the new school year. And, there is the anticipation of a new roof before the school year begins.

Transition is also the theme for my family. The moving truck has come and gone, transitioning our household from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains of Boulder Colorado to our new residence in the forests of Lincoln. My wife Heike and I are very happy to be settling in and becoming acquainted with the natural beauty and cultural offerings of Lexington and the Boston metropolitan area. Our youngest daughter Alena, who graduated from Shining Mountain Waldorf High School last year, has returned from a “gap year” that took her to Europe, Australia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos for work, travel, and service. Her “home” in the meantime has moved across the country. So she is re-settling as she reads Kafka essays in preparation for starting as a freshman at Bard College. Heike, who grew up in Berlin, Germany is enjoying a return to a four-season climate with its expanded opportunities for gardening.

The quieter environment of summer is an opportunity for me to roll up my sleeves and continue learning about this wonderful school and community, and to prepare for the new school year.

continued on page 2

Mr. Schiappacasse admires newly finished Main Lesson books this June.

40th CELEBRATIONS:

SAVE THE DATES!

SAVE THE DATE

March 12, 2011, 7 p.m. GALA AUCTION School warming: Oakley September 7:30 p.m.

Country6, Club, Watertown, MA PCA all-school picnic: noonPicnic -2 Sept. September 25, 12 p.m. 17,PCA Holiday Fair: Nov. December 3, 10p.m.

- 4 Alumni Panel 21, 7-8:30 Robert Mendenhall Memorial Concert Dec. 4, 10-4 40th Annual Holiday Fair at Follen Church: March 9, 7:30 p.m.

Apr. 8, 2011 , 7 p.m. Mendenhall Concert Auction, Dinner & Dancing: March 31, 2012

The Main Office will be CLOSED for vacation August 5, reopening August 22.

Greetings from the Director (cont.)

In this Edition: From the Director Accreditation Renewal News from the Community Class of 2012 Graduates Class of 2007 Next Steps Seraj Bharwani Addresses Graduating Class on Education for Global Leadership Building & Facilities Summer Projects Maternity Leave for Leah Bartell Early Childhood Classrooms Assignments Interview: Middle School Skills Teachers Andrea Faber & Megan Curtis After School Programs News Great Year for Fundraising Party Plans: Dinner, Dancing & Auction March 31, 2012 Thanks to Parent Volunteer Leaders Changing Faces Great Meadows Summer Program News

1 3 3 4 4 5 8 8 9 10 12 13 13 14 16 16

Edited by Holly Kania Summer News is a publication of the Waldorf School of Lexington. Reproduction of content without express permission of the school is prohibited. Copyright July, 2011.

Volume IV, July 28, 2011

Sounding another note of transition, the end-of-year Board retreat in June offered confirmation of the fruits of hard work, dedication, and leadership that this talented group of volunteers--under the helmsmanship of board chair Mooly Dinnar--has provided during this special 40th Anniversary Year. Special mention should be made of the service of three outgoing board members, Jonathan Edson, Cheryl Dressler, and Tom Digby who have served the school well. For more on the board’s summary of their service and of the accomplishments of the past year, see our school’s website: http://www.thewaldorfschool.org/trustees.

As we look forward to next year, the school will be deeply engaged in important long-term projects: faculty and staff will collaborate on the school’s reaccreditation, while members of the Board of Trustees will lead the community in continued refinement of the school’s strategic Long Range Plan. As part of the LRP work, trustees will conduct a number of “Fireside Chats,” casual conversations probing community members on such long-term goals as a campus master plan and seeding an endowment to ensure the school’s facilities and financial health many years into the future. If you are interested in hosting a Fireside Chat in your home, please contact me and I’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

I want to thank the children, faculty, staff, and parents of the Waldorf School for such a warm welcome as I slipped into the School Director role in the spring.

I feel deeply honored to be part of this great school, and I am excited to be joining the Waldorf School at this time of fulfillment and of new beginnings. I look forward to seeing all of you in the fall!

Robert Schiappacasse

Clockwise, from top left: Outgoing trustees Cheryl Dressler (with her daughter), Tom Digby, Jonathan Edson

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10 Year Accreditation Renewal Process This year, the school’s Faculty and Staff will begin the work of renewing the school’s accreditation with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America. The process entails a significant investment of time as faculty and staff collaborate to evaluate our school’s effectiveness in meeting educational goals and to set new priorities or reaffirm existing ones. We have been able to schedule this work with minimal disruption to our students and families: while our initial calendar called for middle school early releases on a handful of Thursdays, we have adjusted so that the grades 6 -8 may continue with academic classes on Thursdays until the 3 p.m. pickup. Please consult our revised calendar, available on the home page of the website. We look forward to a fruitful year of deep reflection and collaboration as we do this important work.

News from the Community:

Senora Rios

May Day, Caribbean-style, at Costa Rica’s Sea Heart School

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Magnolia Rios (Spanish) will spend time this July volunteering as a kindergarten assistant at the Sea Heart Waldorf School in Talamanca, Costa Rica. The fledgling school was formed at the request of a group of local families, and is greatly appreciative of both vounteer support and financial contributions. Its lyrical name comes from the Sea Heart vine, a legume which grows from the forest floor high into the canopy, its seeds often making their way to the sea, traveling as far as Ireland or Africa. With several Waldorf initiatives currently under way in Costa Rica, but only two experienced teachers in the small country, there is a great need for trained Waldorf educators who are able to volunteer their time to teach the “beautiful, multicultural, jungle children.” Magnolia and WSL faculty colleagues have also provided a donation of school supplies to Sea Heart School. If you would like to join a group of individuals who are contributing money to support the cost of one year’s tuition at Sea Heart School for a Costa Rican child, please contact Senora Rios. To learn more about the school, visit it on the web at http://seaheartschool. blogspot.com.

Kristin Canty’s (Parent ‘08, ‘09, ‘11) documentary “Farmaggedon” was recently reviewed in the NY Times: “Not content to cry over spilled raw milk, she has made a movie whose claims, if accurate, should give us all food for thought.” The film raises a concern that agribusiness and government agencies are colluding to harass small, independent farmers. For reviews, trailers and more info, visit http://farmageddonmovie.com/.

Congratulations, Kristin!

Congratulations to the Class of 2011 This year’s graduation ceremony was a heartfelt and fitting close to the journey through our school of 21 students and their class teacher, Stephen Bloomquist. Student presentations included dance, comedy, and musical offerings. Director Robert Schiappacasse and Finance & Administration Director Joe O’Regan each offered thanks to the students’ parents for their dedication and many gifts over the years of their childrens’ education. On behalf of the College of Teachers and the Board of Trustees, College Chair Karen Weiland joined Stephen Bloomquist to award the diplomas.

In his remarks to the graduates, their families, and the faculty (see accompanying article, next page), parent Seraj Bharwani endorsed the values of Waldorf education he has observed here, thanking the “passionate educators” at our school -- from academic subject teachers like Andrea Faber (Math), Megan Curtis (English), Christa Clark (German), and Magnolia Rios (Spanish) to specialists Chris Eastburn (Chorus), Leah Bartell (Orchestra) and so many others who inspired the graduates’ love of learning.

Reitred Eurythmy Teacher Dolores Kaufmann also addressed the students with affectionate memories of their work (and antics) in her class over the years.

The graduates will attend the following schools next fall: Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, Cambridge School of Weston, High Mowing Waldorf School, International School of Boston, Lawrence Academy, Lexington High School, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, Milton Academy, Minuteman Technical High School, The Newman School.

Members of the Class of 2007 (Class Teacher Tara DeNatale) graduated

high school this spring, and their plans include: Bates College, Dean College, Earlham College, Eckerd College, Lake Forest College, Middlebury College, New York University, Pratt School of Design, Skidmore College, University of Chicago, University of Vermont. Congratulations!

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He further added that the schools will aim to be the absolute best for training future leaders of the country, will be merit-based and needs-blind in their enrollment decisions, and will achieve top-rankings for the quality of primary and secondary education globally. It all sounded very exciting, except I didn’t know why he was calling me. I had never built any schools nor did I have any background or experience in the field of education.”

continued next page

About the Speaker Seraj Bharwani is the Chief Analytics Officer of Visible Measures. Previously, Seraj served as senior vice president and group director at Digitas for more than 14 years. While at Digitas, Seraj led the Strategic Alliances and Analytics group with the primary role of driving innovative co-marketing relationships and digital marketing for major consumer brands across a wide range of industries in the U.S. and overseas. Prior to Digitas, Seraj was Director of Alliances at MIT Media Lab. Outside of work, Seraj enjoys swimming and biking with his two children and does pro bono work for non-profit organizations like the Aga Khan Development Network in planning and building primary and secondary schools in Africa, South and Central Asia. Seraj holds an undergraduate degree in computer science from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and a masters degree and an MBA from MIT. Summer News ‘11

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• E R S AR Y

Right about that time -- in mid-2006 -- I received a phone call from the Managing Director of the Aga Academies program, which is part of the Aga Khan Development Network, a non-profit institution based in Paris, France. AKDN employs about 80,000 volunteers running local programs in health, education, and social welfare in 30 countries across Asia and Africa. He informed me that His Highness the Aga Khan was interested in building 18 (K-12) schools in 14 countries over the next 15 years, with a total investment approaching about a billion dollars.

NIV

Enrolling our children into the Waldorf school was not my idea. I had never heard of the school until my wife brought it to my attention. All she said was ‘it has a very organic curriculum that is aligned with the natural development of a child.’ I was sold. However, as my son finished the 4th grade we were beginning to wonder if our choice of the school was still relevant.

L o f LEX IN

AN

“My topic for this presentation is How I became an advocate for the Waldorf School of Lexington.

H

OO

ON • 40th GT

Parent Seraj Bharwani ‘11, ‘15 addressed the packed audience at June 11’s graduation ceremony from a unique perspective: A media management executive by profession, Bharwani was invited by the Aga Khan Development Network to steward a massive global study on education to identify the qualities of schools that best develop future leaders. Bharwani’s remarks interwove his research findings from the global study with his experience as a parent at WSL. Excerpts from his speech follow:

L D ORF S WA C

Bharwani Speaks at Graduation: Education for Global Leadership

“This research turned out to be a massive investigation and involved: 50 analysts, researchers, and consultants from 14 countries; 300 interviews of heads of states, ministers, CEOs; 500 in-person interviews with educators; 1,000 in-person focus groups with parents; several hundred forums with students across grade levels.”

Members of the Class of 2011 and Class Teacher Stephen Bloomquist were in a celebratory mood after their class trip.

Bharwani Speaks at Graduation: Education for Global Leadership, cont.

“He then explained that His Highness wants to know what qualities or attributes make a school consistently produce great leaders, and asked if I would be interested in leading this investigation on a pro-bono basis. Essentially this was a non-traditional research assignment with the goal of identifying the best performing schools anywhere and finding out what made these schools stand out. With some trepidation, I finally took on the assignment.

“Let me say that this project was the best pro-bono advisory work I have ever done in my life. It helped me develop a profound sense of appreciation for what the Waldorf School of Lexington has done for our children and for these graduates.”

Let me say that this project was the best pro-bono advisory work I have ever done in my life. It helped me develop a profound sense of appreciation for what the Waldorf School of Lexington has done for our children and for these graduates.

This research turned out to be a massive investigation and involved: 50 analysts, researchers, and consultants from 14 countries; 300 interviews of heads of states, ministers, CEOs; 500 in-person interviews with educators; 1,000 in-person focus groups with parents; several hundred forums with students across grade levels.

I personally met with curriculum designers and administrators of all kinds of schools across all major curriculums – IB, IGCSC (Cambridge system), National/Public, American, German, French, etc. Now I know what they teach in the Kenyan public schools or in the French schools of Madagascar or the IB schools in Kazakhstan.

So what did we learn about the characteristics of the best performing schools? I will save the 300-page report for a later date, but in summary, we discovered four major factors common to the schools that consistently produce great leaders. These schools have: 1. Passionate educators (teachers & administrators) who genuinely care about the students – There is a one-on-one relationship between students and teachers (e.g.

150-year old school in Northern India called the Doon School or Kings College in Budo,Uganda, or even the Upper Canada College in Toronto – all known for producing great leaders across a wide range of disciplines).”

continued next page

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Bharwani Speaks at Graduation: Education for Global Leadership, cont.

“2. Dedicated Parents who truly care to enhance the student learning experience (not the helicopter kind who second guess educators).

3. Diverse students who are curious and excited about learning (the student forums we conducted at some of the best schools were very interesting; students were very articulate, not afraid to ask challenging questions, etc.).

4. School environment that encourages original thinking, diversity of thought and learning styles.

So how does the Waldorf School of Lexington stack up against these criteria?

This question was on my mind throughout and now it is time for you to know where we netted out. Passionate Educators, Dedicated Parents, and Eclectic Students in an environment encouraging pluralism of thought, attitudes, and behaviors. These are the core ingredients for leadership development. This is the Waldorf School of Lexington in a nutshell -- way up there in the ranks of the best schools that I have known from my research.

I am reminded of Karen Weiland’s account of the formative days of this school at one of the morning assemblies a few months back. As she described the humble beginnings of the school, you could feel the energy, the aspirations, and the determination of the charter members to create a new institution from the ground up. Let there be no doubt that what we see here today has come together (at the Waldorf School of Lexington) by design and through genuine commitment to education, by scores of cohorts (of educators, parents, and students) over the last 40 years. I stand frankly in awe of what you have created.

Let me conclude with a few parting messages for the graduates: I have only 3 (not 5; not 10); it should be easy to remember: o Be Thankful - You are blessed with the absolute best education that our society has to offer today. Be thankful to those whose contributions (money, time, knowledge & expertise) brought this quality of learning to you. o Be Confident - You are better prepared than a vast majority of students at your level to excel in high school and beyond. o Stay Focused & Determined - You have the core ingredients to become the future leaders in any field of endeavor you choose.

Just remember, 10 years from now when I do a search for prominent Waldorf graduates on my favorite I-Device, I want to see your names at the very top.

Congratulations! We are proud of you. I wish you all the very best. Thank you. “

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The Class of 2011 climbed Mt. Monadnock as fourth graders.

Busy Summer for Building Manager Paul Menz Despite his exalted status as an internet celebrity, Building & Facilities Manager Paul Menz is not resting on his laurels. He has a full summer of repairs and upgrades to keep him busy.

Paul’s summer to-do list is focused primarily on two major undertakings: ~ Managing the process of completing repairs to the Adams Building roof. Last summer, the first third of the roof was replaced, with the hope to install a new roof on the remaining twothirds this summer: Thanks to generous community support (see p. 13 for details), Mr. Menz will oversee installation of the phase II new roof this August. ~Renovations and upgrades to Adams Building classrooms related to the opening of a third kindergarten classroom. (See following page.) The Parent-Child Classroom and Extended Day Classroom require some adjustments to accomodate new classroom locations for various programs.

To me, a building - if it's beautiful - is the love of one man, he's made it out of his love for space, materials, things like that. ~ Martha Graham

Assisting Paul with this work is woodworking teacher Andrew Freeburg, and Alums Michael Valenti ‘97 and Aidan Freeburg ‘09.

To view Paul’s command performance as a master fundraiser, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkZhrRvm_EM. The video was directed, filmed and edited by Julia van Daam, who when she is not directing our summer program, is an independent filmmaker.

Maternity Leave for Leah Bartell

Instrumental Music Program Director Leah Bartell is expecting her second child in October of this year, and is on maternity leave until February. Her students and colleagues will miss Leah’s bright smile and steady baton. We wish great happiness and health to Leah, son Adrian, husband Gabriel Solomon, and the new arrival.

The school is very pleased to announce that Lynn Nowels will step in to lead the 7th and 8th Grade Orchestra until Leah’s return.

Students and parents are familiar with Lynn’s wonderful teaching in note-reading classes, 6th grade orchestra, and private music lessons. Joining Lynn in covering for Leah’s leave is Lisa Lederer, who will teach 4th and 5th grade strings classes. Lisa comes to us with more than 20 years of experience as a music educator and violin teacher. She is the former Director of the Suzuki Program at Longy School of Music in Cambridge.

We are grateful that such talented teachers have agreed to play these key roles in our instrumental music program while Ms. Bartell is away.

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Early Childhood Classroom Assignments With a new kindergarten added this year, some classrooms have been reassigned. We hope the chart & maps below are helpful: CLASS

TEACHER

CLASS LOCATION

*Blue Sky Kindergarten

Leah Palumbo

Adams Bldg, 1st Fl, rear hallway, far right

+Evergreen Kindergarten

Wendy Margo

Adams Bldg, 1st Fl, rear hallway, middle

+Sunflower Kindergarten

Karen Graham

Adams Bldg, 1st Fl, rear hallway, far left

+Sweet Peas, Buttercups, Morning Glories

Marilyn Pelrine & Kirsten Carr

Adams Bldg, Ground Floor, across hall from Orchestra

*Roses, Rosebuds,

Marilyn Pelrine & Kirsten Carr

Adams Bldg, 1st Fl, rear hallway, middle (Evergreen K)

*Grade 1 Afternoon

Susan Cody

Adams Bldg, Ground Floor, across hall from Orchestra

*Early Childhood Afternoon

Deb Kunhardt

703 Mass Ave (Nursery Building), 2nd Floor

+Extended Day

Deb Kunhardt

703 Mass Ave (Nursery Building), 3rd Floor

Waldorf Park

+ New Location * Same Location as Last Year

Adams Building Ground Floor Gym

Eurythmy

Adams Building First Floor Sunflower K

Evergreen K/ Afternoon Parent-Child

Blue Sky K

Boys Mechanical Homespun

Grade One Chorus/Café Auditorium

Transitional Nursery & Morning Parent-Child Classes

Kitchen/Café

Grade One Afternoon

Boys

Stairwell

Director Office

Girls Grade Two

Library Orchestra

Woodshop Entrance

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Candid thoughts: Middle School Skills Teachers Andrea Faber & Megan Curtis The Middle School Math Skills program began a decade ago with a grant from parents who saw the need for academic enrichment in the important high school preparatory years. The Middle School English skills program addresses the same need for more rigorous high school preparation than could be achieved solely through Main Lesson blocks. Both classes begin in sixth grade with twice weekly sessions, increasing to three classes a week in seventh and eighth grades. Summer News sat down with Middle School skills teachers Andrea Faber (Math Skills) and Megan Curtis (English Skills) to learn about their work with students in grades six through eight:

SN: Andrea, before we talk about the program, tell us how you came to the school.

AF: We came to the States for my husband’s job. Our two daughters were in public school, but didn’t speak English. I was familiar with Waldorf pedagogy from Germany, and believed the school would give them a chance to adapt and grow in this new culture. Karla now goes to Smith College, and Meike is a rising junior at Cambridge School of Weston.

SN: What is your teaching background?

AF: I am a trained public school math teacher for grades 5 – 10, and taught in German public schools. I have been the Math Skills teacher here since 2000, when the program began.

SN: Can you share some of your goals for the program?

AF: (Math Skills Assistant) Irene Goncharov and I have tried to build up a program that enables students to advance into high school successfully, making sure that the student moves on both academically, and confidence-wise.

SN: So how do you do that?

AF: We have three equally important emphases: Academics, organization, and emotional/social learning – what in Waldorf pedagogy, we call “head, hands, and heart.” In academics, we need to make sure the students know what skills they need for high school, and that these fundamental skills are strong. Over the last five years, I have collected placement tests from different high schools so we are clear what they are asking for. We have a very good relationship with the Waldorf High School of Massachusetts Bay, Lexington High School, and Cambridge School of Weston. We have reached out to others, too. I also stay in contact with recent alums to find out if they felt prepared, and every year, we implement their feedback in improvements to the curriculum. In grade 8 algebra, we work from a textbook, which will be an important skill in high school.

SN: How do you work with them on their organization?

AF: When you are an organized student, you are already ahead. We teach time management, homework, and organized presentation of your problem solving. You also need strategies for what to do when you are not able to answer the question or do the homework: ask teachers, consult peers, go to the textbook, use every resource.

SN: Students in a class often have a range of abilities. How do you address individual needs?

AF: We are able to offer private tutoring, and a homework club after school. For stronger students, we provide extra work, and they can mentor students who are struggling.

SN: How do you address the emotional/social piece?

AF: Math is a subject where frustration can be very high. Ask parents! The relationship to math often is not positive if the student doesn’t have a natural aptitude. It is crucial starting in Grade 6 to give students a sense that there is never a “wrong” continued next page Summer News ‘11

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Middle School Skills (con’t.) answer; this is YOUR answer and you need to understand why this mistake happened. So they have to reflect and understand how they are thinking about the problem. This helps students accept where they are and have an understanding of their own thought processes. We work to make a safe classroom—building confidence and self-esteem--and to get you to work at improving yourself. Students become much more independent because we are asking them to take responsibility for their learning.

SN: Megan, what was your path to becoming the English skills teacher?

MC: I am a graduate of the school (‘94), having gone through grades 1-8 with Stephen Bloomquist as my class teacher. I appreciated it when I was here, but I really appreciated it when I went to public high school and saw the difference between the two! In college (Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY), I studied writing and philosophy. In thinking about professional paths, I realized that I wanted to teach, and I went to England to do my Waldorf teacher training. It was perfect timing that an English skills teacher position opened up here just as I was finishing my teacher training.

SN: How has the program evolved since you’ve been teaching it?

MC: I’ve developed it as I’ve been doing it. The approach is grounded in Waldorf pedagogy, with subjects in each grade tied thematically to Main Lesson work. Over the three years, students build up the important skills needed to plan, write and edit the kinds of assignments they will meet in high school.

SN: In addition to high school readiness, what are some of your goals for the program?

MC: I want the students to love writing and have an appreciation for language and its beauty. They need to be able to communicate clearly. Once they learn the skills of structure and mechanics, I try to help them love what they are doing and express themselves well. In class, we use a mixture of creative writing, journaling, expressive and expository writing, within a framework of grammar, punctuation, vocabulary building, and essay structure.

SN: Do you have any broad themes grade-by-grade?

MC: Sixth graders work primarily on observation and accurate reporting of “real” phenomena. In Grade 7, we begin to deal with more figurative language such as metaphors and similes, expressing emotion and ideas from a more inward stance, which suits where they are coming from developmentally. By Grade 8, students learn to express an informed opinion while making use of established structures, in essays as well as in poetic structures such as iambic pentameter and sonnets.

SN: Tell us about some of the larger projects you do with your students. continued next page Summer News ‘11

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Andrea Faber and Shaheen Bharwani ‘11 work on an equation in Grade 8.

“I want the students to love writing and have an appreciation for language and its beauty.

They need to be able to communicate clearly. “ Megan Curtis

“In academics, we need to make sure the students know what skills they need for high school, and that these fundamental skills are strong.

Over the last five years, I have collected placement tests from different high schools so we are clear what they are asking for. “ Andrea Faber

Middle School Skills (con’t.)

MC: There is a big project each year. In Grade 6, their major work is an Olympics newspaper. They do all the reporting, editing, writing, and layout.

In grade 7, we are focusing on reading, summarizing, and research writing.

Students do a long, researched biography tying into their Main Lesson curriculum about World “discoverers” like Marco Polo. In Grade 8, they will have learned essays, letters, stories, poetry – all the genres. So their culminating project is a literary journal that represents their best work in their preferred medium. The journal is available in the Library and the Main Office for anyone to read.

SN: What is your stance on word processing and typing work?

Middle School English Skills Teacher Megan Curtis

MC: We’re not producing a Main Lesson book. Our emphasis is on content, so students are able to type their work, particularly in Grades 7 & 8 when they have longer writing assignments. Word processing and typing are skills they will need for this subject in high school. The process of hand writing can be very arduous for some and actually slows clear expression of their ideas.

SN: You also edit the bulletin, help out with the website and Facebook fan page, and work in the Library. Do you have any time for fun?

MC: Yes, I play guitar and sing, write poetry, songs, and stories, and ride my bike from Somerville every day when the weather is nice.

SN: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Back-to-school details: * Remember to submit your child’s required forms, available on the website at www. thewaldorfschool.org “Login” at bottom right of any page. Then proceed to “Community” > “Parent Pages” > Required Forms * The school does not conduct state-required Health Exams that are performed in public schools. Check with your child’s health care provider to learn more. * Please provide the school with a copy of your child’s annual physical exam report by fax, scan or snail mail.

Thank you!

MC: I’d want them to know how great it is to be an Alum of a Waldorf school. Everywhere I go, I meet Waldorf people, and there is an instant, almost inexplicable connection. Being educated in a Waldorf school really becomes

After School Program News After school programs will have a new face -- two new faces, in fact -- this coming fall. Elizabeth Stubbs, lead EC afternoon teacher for the past two years, is moving on to teach at Cape Ann Waldorf School, and we wish her the very best. Susan Cody, our long-time Extended Day Lead Teacher, will continue on as a consultant as we transition the programs to new leadership: Deb Kunhardt will be the lead teacher for the early childhood afternoon and the extended day programs. Deb comes to us from Upper Valley Waldorf School in Vermont where she led the afternoon programs, and assisted early childhood classes. Anshin Higashibaba joins Deb as the assistant teacher for both afternoon programs. Anshin is a graduate of the Cape Ann Waldorf School and the Waldorf High School of Massachusetts Bay. Anshin has been an assistant EC teacher and lead afternoon program teacher at the Cape Ann Waldorf School.

Early Childhood afternoon class will continue to meet in the Fairy Bell Nursery classroom, while the Extended Day program will relocate to the wonderful and welcoming 3rd floor classroom of 703 Mass Ave. Summer News ‘11

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Fantastic Year for Fundraising Our 40th Anniversary Year inspiried new levels of generosity from our community, and the Board of Trustees, Faculty, and Staff are truly grateful for the outpouring of enthusiastic support. Here are some highlights: ~ Ably led by the all-volunteer Development Committee, our Annual Giving Drive successfully closed on January 31, 2011, raising $170,800, with a community-wide participation level of 92%. Giving was inspired in part by several generous fundraising challenges: a Board Matching Challenge of $10,000 and two challenges from an anonymous donor offering to match up to $45,000 of contributions. Our heartfelt thanks to all who made a financial contribution to Annual Giving 2011. We also thank the members of the Development Committee for their dedication and hard work: Keith Hartt (Chair), Miguel Canizares, Elisa Elkin Cleary, Carol Damm, Tom Digby, Mooly Dinnar, Juleby Hirsch, and Laurel Kayne. ~ The 40th Anniversary Gala celebrating our school’s milestone year took place on March 12, with a sold-out crowd of 238 enthusisatic attendees, and an additional team of 11 volunteers from the school. Music was generously provided by Gabriel Solomon (a teacher of private violin lessons to many of our students) in a jazz trio of violin, guitar and bass. Highlights of the evening included a moving slideshow of the school’s history, and a hilarious video hosted by Building & Facilities Manager Paul Menz (see p. 3) presenting a “Special Appeal” to fund repairs to the Adams Building roof. Together, the array of items auctioned off and the “Special Appeal for the Roof ” grossed $131,467 (netting $93,550 after all expenses). We thank our Gala Team and Gala Event Volunteers on page 12.

Class Teacher Karen Weiland & Parent Tal Dinnar at March’s Gala Benefit. The felted tapestry was created by Mrs. Weiland’s students and bought for her in enthusiastic bidding by class parents.

~ The Annual Robert Mendenhall Memorial Concert once again filled the sanctaury of our neighbor, Follen Community Church, with exquisite music, performed by musicians from our faculty, parent body, alumni and students.

The concert drew enthusiastic praise from the full house, raising $7,625 to support the school’s Music program. Funds raised help to defray the cost of private music lessons for eligible students; consistency in private instruction is fundamental to the excellence of our music program.

Celebrate our School with Auction, Dinner and Dancing at the Charles Hotel, Cambridge Save the Date! Saturday March 31, 2012 JOIN THE TEAM Join the auction/dinner planning team to help create our second annual fundraising event. We would love to build a team of organized and enthusiastic volunteers who want to have fun and help our school. We are looking for a core group to help with various tasks leading up to the auction. We could also use a few people for more finite tasks: a writer, a decorator, a numbers person. Come laugh with us and help us create an event to remember. Please contact Mia Moran at mia@emtype.com if you would like to volunteer.

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Above and below: Ballroom & Exterior, Charles Hotel

Deepest Thanks to our Parent Volunteers: Although our “First Annual Summer’s Eve Celebration of Gratitude” had to be cancelled due to severe thunderstorms, we are no less grateful to our parent volunteers for their extraordinary gifts of time and talent this past year. Our 40th anniversary year was unusually rich and rewarding in so many ways. We could not have done it without tons of help. The list that follows recognizes parents not on the school payroll who played a leadership volunteer role in 201011. It is sure to be incomplete, despite our best efforts.

If we have inadvertantly omitted your contribution, or that of someone you know, please let us know so that we can recognize your dedication and express our thanks.

Parent Members of the BOARD OF TRUSTEES: Ted Braveman Mooly Dinnar Miguel Canizares Keith Hartt Tom Digby Jonathan Edson Cheryl Dressler Shannon Ames Jonathan Green Jeff Ask Helene Svahnqvist Parent Members of Board Committees: DEVELOPMENT Laurel Kayne Miguel Canizares Juleby Hirsch Tom Digby Carol Damm Mooly Dinnar Elisa Elkin Cleary Keith Hartt, Chair GOVERNANCE IMPLEMENTATION: Helene Svahnqvist Jan Connery Shannon Ames Mooly Dinnar LONG RANGE PLAN: Miguel Canizares Cheryl Dressler

ENROLLMENT Jonathan Green Tom Digby

DIRECTOR SEARCH Jan Connery Mooly Dinnar

BUILDING & SAFETY Jeff Ask Ted Braveman

ACCREDITATION Cheryl Dressler CLASS PARENTS Janet Westerhoff Hanna Boyle Beth Sager Mia Moran Kristen Butler Kristin Bray Maria Brunette Robyn Vogel Meredith Culhane Amanda Bosh

Christina Polyak Amy Durlach Jeff Ask Anne Kelly Nancy Sieber Elisa Cleary Vandna Cartales Liz Reading Carol Monzillo

Parent Organizers: HALLOWEEN WALK Kristin Bray Mirja Troppenhagen Parent Organizers: HOLIDAY FAIR CRAFTING Anne Gursky Kristen Bray Parent Organizers: ADMISSIONS PACKETS Yoshiko Mizukami Emi Morse Kristin Bray Irene Novia Anne Gursky PARENT ADMISSIONS SUPPORT AT OPEN HOUSES: Katrin Kaufer Christine Alaimo Claudia van Dijk Kerstin Zanger Dianna Dixon Ben Ames Christina Brucia Mia Moran Mooly Dinnar Taryn Pinstein Helene Svahnqvist Jonathan Green Maria Brunette Carol Damm Tom Digby Cheryl Dressler Anna Giacomo PARENT P.R. POSTERING TEAM: Brenda Behrend Emi Morse Tom Digby Yoshiko Mizukami Jonathan Green Elizabeth Green PARENT HOMESPUN VOLUNTEERS: Brenda Behrend Margo Malupin Anne Gursky Yoshiko Mizukami Debbie Ridley Kerri Brann Summer News ‘11

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PARENT HOMESPUN (cont.)

Irene Novia Mirja Troppenhagen Ann Wiedie Amanda Bosh

VOLUNTEERS Kristin Bray Stacey Zawel Amelia Mueller (alumni parent)

PARENT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION ACTIVE MEMBERS: Chair: Christine Alaimo Communication Officer: Michelle Willis Volunteer Coordinator: Amy Durlach Treasurer: Amanda Bosh Design & Photography: Mia Moran All-school picnic: Chris Alaimo Open House Support: Kerstin Zanger, Michelle Willis, Chris Alaimo, Taryn Pinstein Lost & Found: Ann Wiedie, Michelle Willis PARENT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION ACTIVE MEMBERS: Adult Lending Library: Julie Hannon Holiday Fair Rummage Sale: Taryn Pinstein Holiday Fair Community Room/Community Table: Shannon Ames Adult Ed: Carol Jones Gardening Group: Ann Wiedie International Potluck: Mary Ross & Maria Brunette New Family Host Program: Mary Ross & Ann Wiedie Nursery & Kindergarten New Parent Reception: Michelle Willis Waldorf Dads Connection: Juleby Hirsch Horseshoe Refreshments: Kerstin Zanger PARENT MEMBERS OF THE GALA COMMITTEE Deb Goldman Carol Damm Elizabeth Green Laurel Kayne Julie Hannon Christine Alaimo Kerstin Zanger Amy Durlach PARENT VOLUNTEERS AT THE GALA EVENT Stacey Zawel Eliza Brown Andrea Paquette Peter DeMasi Linda Rhines Dianna Dixon Debbie Ridley Julie Hannon Mia Moran Carol Jones Sebastian Diaz Summer News ‘11

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PARENT MENDENHALL RECEPTION ORGANIZER: Carolyn Dittes PARENT PERFORMERS AT THE MENDENHALL CONCERT: Peter Sulski Stephanie Orvik Anita Sulski Justin Godoy Jenny Stirling Heloise Degrugillier Karl Orvik EURYTHMY SEWING HELP Jamie Young Anna Horvath PARENT VOLUNTEER OLYMPICS JUDGES & SPORTS COACHES Claudia Hauert Coeli Jaccodine Vito Aluia Stacey Zawel PARENT KITCHEN VOLUNTEERS Kim Shaknis Sara Levine Tal Dinnar Kerri Brann Andrea Paquette Anna Giacoma Laurel Kayne Linda Rhines Elisa Cleary Amy Oliver Carol Monzillo Mary Ross Deana Landrigan David Snieckus PARENT EXPERTISE IN GRAPHIC DESIGN, PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEOGRAPHY David Warren Vito Aluia Carol Damm PARENT ORGANIZERS OF VIENNESE BALL Paula van den Broek Nancy Sieber PARENT ORGANIZERS OF SALSA NIGHT Vickie Kins Lasha Schoeffel PARENT PUPPETRY SUPPORT Claudia van Dijk Deana Landrigan PARENT MAIN ENTRANCE BEAUTIFICATION (PLANTERS): Amy Durlach

Changing Faces We bid a fond farewell to the following faculty & staff who are moving on to new pursuits this fall. We will miss them!

Jennifer Beardslee, Early Childhood Afternoon Program Assistant Stephen Bloomquist, Class Teacher (on sabbatical) Laura Conti, ‘96, 40th Anniversary Events Coordinator Pauline Kelly, Little Meadow Nursery Assistant Elizabeth Stubbs, Early Childhood Afternoon Head Teacher.

We welcome these new/returning members to our faculty/staff :

Sunflower Kindergarten Teacher Karen Graham

Kumi Akiyama joins us as Sunflower Kindergarten Assistant.

Originally from Japan, Kumi comes to us from the New Amsterdam Early Childhood Center in New York.

Karen Graham rejoins our Faculty as Head Teacher for the Sunflower Kindergarten. Karen was previously Head Nursery Teacher at Cape Ann Waldorf School, and an assistant in our own Fairy Bell Nursery. She joins colleagues Wendy Margo (Evergreen Kindergarten) and Leah Palumbo (Blue Sky Kindergarten) as the third member of our kindergarten teaching team. Karen is also the mom of three WSL students: Kate Graham-O’Regan ‘09, Matt (Grade 8) and Owen (Grade 6). She is married to Finance & Administration Director Joe O’Regan.

Grade One Teacher Paula van dan Broek

Paula van den Broek returns from her sabbatical to be Class Teacher for the new first grade (the Class of 2019!) Paula was Class Teacher for the Class of 2008 from Grades 3 - 8, following with the Class of 2010, whom she led in Grades 7 and 8. She spent her sabbatical reading, studying, and learning a completely new skill: ballet. Paula’s three children are all graduates of our school.

And please read page 12 to learn more about our new After School program teachers, Deb Kunhardt and Anshin Higashibaba.

Great Meadows News The tie-dyed shirts are drying in the sunshine, the sprinkers are going, and Great Meadows summer program is in full swing. Our counselors and CITs are all Alums of the School; many of them have spent every summer with us since they were campers themselves. Program Director Julia van Daam challenges you to find a more engaging camp staff anywhere! Spaces are still available.

They are: (pictured at left, l-r)) Megan Monzillo ‘09 (LHS), Mariah Carr ‘05 (Denison University), Magda Bermudez ‘06 (Hampshire College), Kate Graham-O’Regan ‘09 (Waldorf High of Mass Bay) not pictured: Meike Faber ‘09, Cambridge School of Weston.

Summer News ‘11

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