Weekly Reminders
Please check your child's belongings for the manila envelope that was sent home on Tuesday, December 9th.
Inside are 5 Tax Credit donation letters that you are encouraged to send out to friends and families.
Thank you for your efforts in helping support Desert Star to continue to provide resources for your children.
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Monday, January 14th 3:00pm - Parent Council Meeting
Wednesday, January 7th - 3:00pm - Board Meeting - All are invited to attend
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Board News & Views
New Member, Petra Breakstone
Welcome, Petra Breakstone, to the Board of Directors at Desert Star Community School. Petra is the newest member of the Board, replacing Bridget Van Block. Petra and her husband, Neil, and third grade son, Jonah, moved to Sedona last summer. Jonah attended Highland Hall Waldorf School, a private Waldorf School in Northridge, California, from preschool through grade 2. Petra was on the Highland Hall Parent Council, a fundraiser, scrip coordinator and Co-Chair person for the largest, annual fundraiser, the Wine Soiree! Petra also works in the financial world with World Financial Group. She deals with insurances, estate planning and merchant services as well as having her own businesses that include a vegan skin care line and healthy vegan chocolates! "I feel very fortunate to have found the Waldorf Education here in Arizona for my son, as I adore the way the kids learn literally from the inside out." We are so glad to have you here in Arizona, Petra!
(See Petra's Article Below)
Bridget Van Block, Founding Parent/Original Board Member, Resigns
As we welcome a new Board member, we acknowledge the huge void that has appeared on the Board with the exit of Bridget Van Block. Bridget is now working full time so has stepped off the Board. I offer you a little history of Bridget and her involvement with Desert Star. In March of 2004, Bridget spoke with a large group of parents and teachers about the possibility of forming a new charter school. 70 people were in attendance and she excited the entire group of people! I can still feel the excitement of that evening; as I recall a major snowstorm was occurring outside but that did not stop anyone from attending. A group of about 15 adults continued to meet, usually at Bridget's house, to explore a long term new school initiative and the process of applying to the Arizona State Charter School Board began. This began very intense work and the charter was submitted in August of 2004. It took another year of revising the charter, primarily in the area of administration governance, and the charter was accepted in 2005; the school Desert Star, opened in August 2006. For two and one half years, Bridget held the vision and the faith that we would succeed and she was right! We opened and Bridget continued to work hard on the Board for over two years. Without her energy and dedication, Desert Star might never have opened. In addition to this, Bridget was instrumental in writing the Charter School Implementation Grant from which we have received $150,000 a year for three years. This has allowed us to purchase supplies, pay for professional education for our teachers, and bring in Master Teachers like Eugene Schwartz and Joan Treadaway to work with parents and teachers. There is no way we can express our gratitude to you, Bridget. So, when you see Bridget in the parking lot, be sure and thank her for her vision, creativity and pure will power in the creation of Desert Star Community School.
Possible 7th & 8th Grade Expansion
The discussion continued at the Board meeting on December 3 regarding
the expansion of Desert Star to include a grade 6/7 next year. After
hearing a finance report from our new business manager, Jennifer Young,
as well as an update from the faculty, we realized no final decision
could be made at this time. We continue to review the financial
situation and have realized that in order to remodel the second
Earthship into a classroom for our current 5th/6th grade class, create
another playing field and make the necessary improvements to our
current campus we will need $150,000. Although a meeting is scheduled
with a bank, it is unlikely in this economic climate that we will be
able to consolidate all of our loans as well as add to our debt load at
this time. However, we do want to leave open the possibility that this
$150,000, may be bestowed upon us, so the Board has voted to apply to
the State Board for Charter Schools to amend our charter to include a
7th grade. An additional $200,000 would be needed over the following
two years (for one classroom for 2010 and another for 2011) to add two
additional classrooms in order to have one classroom for kindergarten
through grade 8. If
you have ideas, please feel free to contact any member of the Board or
leave a note in the office for one of us to call you. We invite and
encourage your input and ideas. Thank you for your patience and support.
Submitted by Catherine Weld - President, Board of Directors
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GERMAN TRADITIONS Winter Holiday Season
By Petra Breakstone Desert Star's Newest Board Member
With the weather getting colder and the light of the season changing, we may be reminded of our own traditions that were a part of our own individual upbringing. In my tradition, Germans celebrate Advent, a romantic and delightful time of the year, which is strongly linked to fine tradition. Every Sunday, we would light a candle on an Advent Kranz, a round reef placed on a table made of sprigs of pine with some simple holiday decorations. We would do so for the next four weeks.
Winter markets, in wonderful settings invite one to share in the joy of the season. Germany's first winter market was recorded way back in 1393. Today there are more than 2,500 beautiful winter markets with fairy lights and romantic huts all over the country. One can find plenty of hand-crafted decorations, cute little incense burners, pyramids and nativity scenes to place at the heart of the winter display.
Both gingerbread houses and the Nutcracker came from German stories. In fact, before the Nutcracker became a Tchaikovsky ballet, he was the hero of an 1816 story by Berlin's Ernst Theodor Amadeus (E.T..A.) Hoffman. The gingerbread house has a similar beginning. It first appeared in the Grimm brothers' tale of Hänsel and Gretel, then in Humperdinck's short opera about the two lost children. It became a tradition in German opera houses soon after its world premiere on December 23, 1893. Few people outside Germany remember the opera any more, but the old crone's gingerbread house survives. It's rebuilt each December. Families strategically place gumdrops and frosting on the little house, while bakeries display it in their windows.
Perhaps in the coming years we can have a city made from gingerbread houses at our very own Winter Holiday Faire....
Petra Breakstone, born in Germany some time ago....  Nutcrackers at Winter Market in Germany
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Greetings!
Members of the Desert Star Board of Directors and I recently attended the State Convention for Charter School's annual conference in Carefree, AZ. Over 700 charter teachers, administrators and board members attended the two-day conference. Ninety-plus workshops were offered in the areas of teaching, governing and leading. Professional development opportunities offered in a conference like this prove to be valuable learning experiences for those who attend. Connections are made and ideas shared. Next year we hope to have a Desert Star team of teachers, principal and board members attend the conference. Did you know that one in four public schools in Arizona is a charter? Arizona leads the nation in the highest percentage of students attending charter schools. Read the article on charter schools for a general overview of what it means to be a charter. Susan Simon Principal Desert Star Community School 
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Teacher & Community Corner
Announcements
Our 100th Day:
Our 100th day is coming up on January 22 ! This is our most important
enrollment marker for funding, so let's put the word out. If we get 10
more new students, we'll have 100 students.
Event to Introduce Desert Star As Our Local Waldorf School:
Saturday, December 20th from 3:00 - 6:00 pm at the Java Love Café, next to the Harkins Theater Building in West Sedona. See you there!
*Are people you know curious about what is different in the way kids learn at a Waldorf school?
*Do you have friends and neighbors who are feeling unsure about their child's school and looking for other options?
*Would you like to be able to show off what your kids do at Desert Star to those you are for asking for tax credits from?
Then spread the word! Come by Java Love Café for an informal introduction to Desert Stars unique methods for engaging, educating and honoring children. There will be live music and lots of familiar faces! So come enjoy the Holiday Season with our school community, enjoy a cup of something hot and a yummy snack or meal while you look through the display of our childrens main lesson books, handwork and their wonderful artwork.
Tax Credit Clarification:
If you do not owe any state income tax, you will not get a state tax refund of your Tax Credit Donation to Desert Star. However if your Tax Credit Donation causes you to overpay your State witholding for the year, you will revieve a refund or a credit for up to five years upon filing your taxes.
Fingerprinting for Volunteers:Yes we mentioned this in last weeks newsletter and we are saying it again: Fingerprinting cost will go up from $51 to $65 for volunteers as of January 1, 2009.If you would like to help drive kids on field trips, get them before the increase!!!!
Extra Clothing:The weather is changing. Please look in your closets. We still need clean extra sweat pants sizes 8 to 12 neutral colors. This is for students who might have need for spare clothes during the school day. Clothing Donation Drive:Please participate in the Desert Star Community School'sFirst Annual Clothing Drive for the needy in our communityBring your slightly worn winter clothes for the entire family to the school including warm winter jackets, long pants, long sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, mittens, winter-hats, scarves, blankets and anything else that will keep children and adults warm this winter. Deposit your donations in a plastic bag into the large cartons that will be placed in the traffic circle starting Wednesday, December 17th through Friday the 19th.Weekly Carpool Reminder:We are receiving numerous calls during the school day for office staff to get carpool messages to students or even to arrange rides for the students. Please make arrangements for your carpool and rides prior to school hours.Desert Star Newsletter Archive Link:
We are not only a school, we are a growing resource for the greater community. If you have missed any of our newsletters, you can view them by going here: http://www.desertstarschool.org/newsletters.html
Teacher Highlight - Once Upon A Time in Kindergarten...
by Michelle Bordelon,
Kindergarten Teacher
It all begins with a story.The stories in the kindergarten shape the curriculum as well as contain all the magic. Through our stories we have found the secret of the little red house with no windows and no doors and a star inside. We have followed the journey of the kite up to the heavens and its return to its young creator as a sword. We discovered, along with the little fairy, what the egg laid by the sun really was. We had to listen closely for the whispers among the trees and were saddened when the great mother tree fell to the forest floor. We also learned that a pair of turkeys saved the seeds from the great flood. And, of course, the Three Little Pigs always huff and puff their way into our play.Our Waldorf kindergarten provides lots of time for imaginative play indoors and outdoors. I am treated daily with hot chocolate and whipped cream, all varieties of cupcakes, nut soups, ice cream, and bread all concocted from our "play" kitchen. We have a beautiful fairy house, completely furnished, and a real sand tray full of sea treasures. Our big, hollow, wooden blocks are an eternal source of creativity. I have also seen some of the finest castles ever built, complete with kings, queens, villagers, and all of their animal friends.In our kindergarten, we play games like "Hide It in the Hole", "A Pattern (or Letter) on My Back", "Mystery Box", and "Pretzel Letters". Right now, we are in "mouse training" where we are attempting to train beanbags to run to the top of the house (our heads) and into our hand "basket". We turn nice, warm beeswax into apples, pumpkins, and butterflies. We dip our "fairy wand" brushes, wipe the feet, and let the color fairies play. We have even been known to finger paint with pudding! (Chocolate, of course!)And then there's SNACK!I'll bet you never knew how many things there are to eat that begin with the letter "P"!If it sounds like fun, it IS! And through it all, the children are gently introduced, in an alive and beautiful way, to the world of letters, numbers, patterns, and the world around them. Most of all, they learn to hold hands and sing, even when they disagree. That's the part I like best.Michelle BordelonSubmitted by Michelle Bordelon, Kindergarten Teacher Student Artist Spotlight -
Cedar Gardner, Grade 6 - By Zenna MacGregor
Cedar has a natural ability to draw and he loves it so much that he is enrolled in drawing classes held after-school on Thursdays! He likes to practice light-source and shading, form and blending with blending stumps. Cedar always finishes his art projects in a timely and professional manner. Although his art journal at Desert Star seems to take journeys of its own in between art class, Cedar handles this in a lighthearted and friendly way. Keep up the great work Cedar!!
Graphite Horse With Armor
 Cedar's Cougar
Submitted by Zenna L. H. MacGregor, Art teacher
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Parent Testimonial Link
New Link For Our Web Site
The new link is up and running on our web site for our parent testimonials. We are encouraging all parents of Desert Star students to participate. By doing so, you are helping create our expanded presence on the World Wide Web.
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What Is A Charter School?
Desert Star Community School is currently one of 478 charter schools in the state of Arizona, serving over 100,000 students
By Susan Simon, Principal
Arizona has approximately 12 percent of the nation's charter schools and 8 percent of charter students. Charter schools are public, state-funded schools. They were created through legislation in 1994. Charter schools do not charge tuition. Each charter school must comply with everything in is charter contract with the state as well as with all applicable state, federal and local laws and requirements.
Every charter school has a governing board that oversees the bigger picture of how the school will grow and thrive. There are currently seven members on the Desert Star Board of Directors, who guide the vision of our charter. Everyday school decisions are made at the school level by the principal. Each school develops it's own set of governing policies relating to attendance, discipline, personnel, etc. Charter schools develop a unique curriculum, often differing from that offered in public schools. However, charter school students are required to master the same skills as public school students.
Desert Star's compliance with state and federal laws is regulated by the State Board for Charter Schools. Staff from the charter board make site visits during the first two years of a charter's existence. During these unannounced visits to the school, the investigators review lesson planning, check for alignment of the state standards with the Waldorf curriculum, observe teachers teaching, evaluate office record keeping and interview the principal about curriculum issues and the general running of the school. Desert Star passed our site visits from the charter board. The next formal visit from the charter board will be in year five, although they may choose to drop in at any time. Charters must be renewed at the fifteen-year mark.
Parents often ask if Desert Star must enroll all students who apply. The answer is "yes", if there is space in the classroom. Charter schools are funded by the state and receive money based on student enrollment and attendance. Therefore, it's important that we continue to increase our enrollment, in order to support our programs.
Charter schools present a viable alternative to parents who are dissatisfied with local school programming or who desire a unique curriculum for their children. Desert Star and the other charters in Arizona face big challenges to insure the continued growth and health of their schools. The entire school community must work harmoniously to realize the goals and vision that the school is built upon.
Further information about charter schools in Arizona may be found in the state department of education website at HYPERLINK "http://www.ade.state.az.us"
Submitted by Susan Simon, Principal
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Great Ways to
Support Our School
We get credit for every. click!
GoodSearch.com is a search engine site that donates to the organization of your choice when you perform a search.
You can help Desert Star by using Good Search as your search engine, and choosing Desert Star Community School (Cornville) as the organization you support through Good Search.
If you want to help Desert Star even more, make Good Search.com your home page so that every time you use them as a search engine, instead of let's say, Google, Desert Star gets the credit for that search.
Type in our web address www.desertstarschool.org. from Good Search.com to access our web site, Desert Star gets credit again.
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When visiting Desert Star's web site, be sure to use our Amazon.com Associate Link located in the right hand column of our home page. We get credit from Amazon for every item purchased from our site. This is only if your purchase through Desert Stars Amazon links not from Amazon directly. Do all your Winter Holiday shopping through our link and DS gets a donation.
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We have a fantastic Waldorf book list and a way to order
right from our site. Go to our web site under Parent Resources and then to Recommended Books.
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Remember, instead of paying the state your taxes, direct them to Desert Star. Go to the Support Us page on our website then go to the State Tax Credit page.
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THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
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Thank you in advance for spreading the word about Desert Star Community School.You may forward this newsletter by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page. For more information, please call or visit us on the web.
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