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| News from the Minnesota Waldorf School |
September 14, 2009 |
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Welcome to our Update!
The Weekly Update is our school newsletter, sent every Tuesday morning. The Update is where you will find school news, a weekly calendar of MWS events, as well as listings of workshops, conferences, and family news items. The Classifieds section is the place for anything you want to buy, sell, trade, rent or advertise (50 word maximum). The deadline for all items is 2 pm Friday. Please e-mail items to Amy Stephens. We reserve the right to edit articles and classified items as needed. An archive of Weekly Updates may be found on the website.
If you prefer to receive a paper copy of the Update, please let Amy Stephens (in the Front Office) know. She will send it home with your youngest child each Tuesday. Paper copies are also available on the table in the front entry.
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Welcome, New Students & Faculty!
We welcome all of our new students & their families:
Miss Brenda's Kindergarten: Uma, William, Lucy, Lennon, Elsina
Miss Eileen's Kindergarten: Amelie, Hal, Annika, Kendal, Amani, Jacob, Joren, Orion, Sophia, Connor, Benjamin, Sean
Miss Mary Lou's Kindergarten: Devon, Edith, Ivy, Madeline, Helena, Gabriel, Alexander, Oliver, Audrey, Omid, Gabriel
Mr. Weick's 1st Grade: Theo, Ariannya, Cloe, Mariella
Ms. Kane's 5th Grade: Sage, Kyra
Mr. Maier's 7th Grade: Max, Ruby, Caroline
Mr. Sibley's 8th Grade: Kali
We're delighted to introduce our new faculty:
Mr. John Burrell, Beforecare & Aftercare
Ms. Ingunn Henrikssen, Beforecare
Mr. Kurt Curtin, Movement & Games
Ms. Jennifer Holt, Kindergarten Afternoon Assistant
Ms. Sharlene Bohr, Coverage
Ms. Karin Magnussen, Aftercare
and those faculty returning to new positions:
Ms. Claire Maier, Miss Brenda's Assistant
Ms. Ann Fisher, Miss Eileen's Assistant
Mr. Gideon Weick, 1st Grade
Ms. Marjorie Maier, 2nd Grade
Mr. David Maier, 7th Grade |
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Wednesday Pizza Begins This Week!
The 8th grade will send home order forms this week for the first round of Wednesday Pizza Days. You may order slices of cheese pizza from Figaro's (organic ingredients), cookies from Community Homestead and organic carrots for your child and get a reprieve from packing lunches on Wednesdays! All funds raised will go toward the 8th grade class trip.
Order 4 weeks at once or by the week. Additional order forms are available outside the front office and on the school website. Orders are due by the morning of September 16th-- there is a collection box in the front entry of the school.
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Reminder: Children go to Extended Day Before 8:15 am & After 3:30 pm
For the safety of our students, children who arrive prior to 8:15 am must be accompanied by an adult or be enrolled in Beforecare. Drop-in Beforecare is billed at $5/hr or $2.50/30 min.
A member of the faculty or staff will wait in the entry with children dropped off after 8:15 am until the classrooms open at 8:20 am.
Likewise, any child not picked up by 3:30 pm, will be sent to Aftercare. Drop-in Aftercare is billed at $5/hour for the first hour and then at $1.25/15 min.
Contact: Beth Amos |
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Keep Our Fire Zones Clear
It is imperative that we keep the sidewalk and circle areas in front of the school open and available for emergency personnel. If you plan to leave your vehicle even for a "moment", please park in the north lot or in one of the spaces east of the front circle.
The no parking zones are clearly marked. Take a minute to notice them the next time you're dropping off or picking up your child. Keeping these areas open and accessible keeps our community safe.
On a lighter note, the space marked "First Fool Parks Here" is a reserved space raffled off and won at the Frolic, our annual spring gala. If you wish it were your special spot, we'll happily sell you a chance or two to win it this Spring!
Kindergarten Cottage Parking
Kindergarten families should park in the front/main parking lots. When the construction is complete, families with infants or special needs may park in the few parking spots in the back lot adjacent to the cottage for drop-off and pick-up.
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MWS Kindergartens Home Sweet Home at Long Last!
Monday was a beautiful day for the first day of Kindergarten, and for the official dedication of the Kindergarten and Early Childhood Cottage. The morning began with a special blessing ceremony attended by the kindergarteners and their families. Emotions and anticipations were high as the teachers and children untied the ceremonial bow on the front doors, and entered their new classrooms together for the first time.
After school, an official dedication ceremony was held, and many thanks were given (see below). The Kindergarten teachers greeted touring visitors in their classrooms, and Parent Council (thanks Ben and Ting Ting!) provided an array of tempting treats for the current families and alumni who were present for this momentous occasion.
Mary Lou began the event with a fascinating account of the many locations of the Minnesota Waldorf School kindergartens. Twenty eight years ago, the kindergarten began in St. Peder's in Minneapolis and had numerous homes before finally settling into the main building of our current location in 2001. What a journey!
While the kindergarten was assured a permanent home, the original building plans calling for a separate Kindergarten building were not realized at that time. The dream for the kindergarteners to have their own little house with a little kitchen, separate from the hustle and bustle of the bigger children and their activities, would have to wait!
At long last -- yesterday -- the kindergartens moved into a new, permanent cottage, built especially for young children, with tiny potties, hand washing sinks, their own kitchens, and lots of sunshine and nature outside their many windows.
If you missed the tours, take some time after class hours to stop by and see what has finally come to fruition for our kindergartens. Home sweet home at last! |
Many, Many Thanks for a Beautiful Early Childhood Building!
So many people contributed to the planning and building of the Kindergarten & Early Childhood Cottage that it is impossible to mention them all here. Certainly, the work of the faculty must be noted, for their many planning inputs, and also for their flexibility in accommodating all of the room changes that occurred this summer. Thanks go to Alex Weick, for his tireless work in the face of an unprecedented summer of change.
Melinda Lopes was 'on call' virtually every day this summer, and her ability to make decisions and guide the project to completion cannot be understated. Sara Homstad, working first with the Building Committee in planning and continuing through this summer, has held this project from start to finish. Thank you, Sara and Melinda!
Our general contractor Bob Wander and his construction crew were amazing and joyful workers, making up time for any project obstacles and finishing the 7,000-square-foot project in less than three months!
Thanks also to architects Paul Stankey and Marc Asmus for their design and flexibility, and for their efforts to create a truly 'green' building.
Thanks so much to landscape designer Moira Bateman, whose wonderful work will become more evident in the next year. Thanks also to Josh Reid from Prairie Restorations, who has donated labor for planting of up to 1,000 native perennials and shrubs for our early childhood landscape.
Thanks to Finance Committee Chair Tim Kane and Steve Powell from Anchor Bank, for investigating and seizing an opportunity to refinance and make this project possible.
Finally, thank you to Ms. Riehle and the 6th grade, for creating beautiful thank you cards, and for drawing lovely 'welcome' cards for each of the kindergarten classrooms. |
Advertise in the Parent Directory!
This year's Parent Directory will once again include 'Pastel Pages' -- our version of a business directory. If your business appeals to Waldorf families, or you would like to make your services known to our community in an uncluttered environment, this is a great opportunity. Deadline to apply for advertising is Sept 30th! For more information, download a form and fax it to 487-6800, or contact Development Director Liz Lacey-Gotz at 651-487-6700 x244.
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Parent Council Meeting Sept 22nd
All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend the Parent Council meeting Tuesday, September 22nd at 7 pm in the Handwork room. Join us for engaging discussions, hands-on education, important school news & refreshments. We are actively seeking class representatives for: K-EM, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades. Interested? Please join us.
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Bravo, Baristas and Coffee Cart News
Thank you to the brave and wonderful early-risers who have volunteered to brew coffee and prepare tea for our morning coffee cart in the Festival Hall. We already have a full week of baristas on board: Dan Storey on Mondays, Bruce Peterson on Tuesdays, Ben Richards on Wednesdays, Kerry Speed on Thursdays, and Michelle Haglund on Fridays. Welcome to our new recruit Dan, a parent in Miss Brenda's Kindergarten!
At the cart, TeaSource loose leaf teas are available by the cup, and this year's coffee is an organic, fairly traded dark roast (reg and decaf) from Equal Exchange. On Wednesday, Ben & Liz will continue their Chai tradition, and on Thursday, Kerry will be selling Equal Exchange chocolate bars as a fund raiser for the 8th grade trip. Fridays are traditionally 'Treat Day' at the cart, so stay tuned or stop by... All beverages (tea, coffee, chai) are $1.50 and proceeds go to MWS. Chocolate bars (Thursday) are $4 and proceeds go to the 8th grade trip. Discount cards are available, and you get 25 cents back when you bring your own mug!
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Visit the School Store...
The school store is open and ready for business! We are a volunteer-run shop of marvelous things from school supplies to birthday gifts! The store is a great place to buy Waldorf inspired art supplies, adult and children's books, toys, handwork supplies, cards and more. It is convenient and all proceeds benefit the school.
...Become a Cashier
Are you looking for a fun volunteer opportunity at school? Work in the store! We need morning and afternoon cashiers.
Contact: Teresa Reid |
Volunteer Opportunities
Contact Liz Lacey-Gotz in the Development Office or email her for more information.
Holiday Fair Chair/Co-Chair
This position oversees and helps motivate all the chairs from the various class assignments, plus handles logistics for the Fair, including layout and rentals. This is a fun position for two people to share, and having a Chair or Co-Chairs in place is necessary for the event to happen in 2009!
Pocketeer Chair/Prize-Makers
The most popular people at the Holiday Fair (apart from the Bake Sale volunteers!) are certainly the Pocketeers. These festive folk stroll through the fair, distributing small gifts from their many-pocketed capes to any child with a ticket to spend. We need a Chairperson to coordinate this merry band of bestowers and a few more volunteers to help create small and wonderful pocket-sized gifts.
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Ms. Fackel would like to thank Jonny Zygomatic of Accolades Salon & Spa in St. Paul for donating marigolds for a 1st grade wool dyeing project. Without these beautiful blooms, our golden crowns would be white! |
| Alumni News
Hooray for Jasmine (class of 2009)!
Congratulations to alumna Jasmine Jamila-Wuerth (class of '09), who made the varsity cross country team at Osceola High School.
Do you have news to share about a Minnesota Waldorf School alum? We always love to hear about our graduates.
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| Community News & Events
Novalis Fall Courses Beginning Now: Parzival: Biography through the Power of Story, Eurythmy, Biography, Biography and Watercolor: The Life Stages of the Human Being, Living A Spiritual Year
Please register as early as possible for all courses. Payment arrangements are available. For dates and additional registration details please visit http://novalisinstitute.org or call 651-489-2060 . You may also sign up for an eNewsletter by clicking on the eNewsletter tab on the welome page of the website.
Michaelmas Festival at Philadelphia Community Farm
Sunday, September 27 from 3-7:00 PM
Join us at Philadelphia Farm's annual celebration of the harvest and honoring the courageous deeds of Archangel Michael! The festival includes garden and craft activities, gathering and chopping vegetables for a "stone soup", music (perhaps dancing), a powerful Michaelmas play, and a potluck meal. Please bring your own plates, bowls, and silverware and a dish to share. Soup, bread and beverages will be provided. If you haven't been out to "the farm" yet now is the perfect time. The gardens are beautiful, the waterfall continues its peaceful flow, and the people and animals have open hearts eager to meet you. The address is 599 280th Street, Osceola, WI 54020 or call 715-294-4048 for more information or directions.
Dr. David Walsh Lecture Dates
Dr. David Walsh is a dynamic speaker and author highly recommended by MWS faculty. We have posted his Twin Cities' lecture dates on the bulletin board by Amy Stephens' office. His lectures and books Say Yes to No and Why Do They Act Like That? are perennial favorites. His books are available in or may be ordered from the school store. | |
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Upcoming Events
9/16 Wed
Pizza Day
9/16 Wed 6:30 pm
1st Grade Parent Mtg.
9/18 Fri 4:30
7th/8th Gr. Soccer
9/19 Sat 9:30 am
2nd Gr. Parent Mtg.
9/22 Tue 7 pm
Parent Council Mtg.
9/23 Wed
Pizza Day
9/23 Wed 6:30 pm
3rd Gr. Parent Mtg.
9/25 Fri 4:30 pm
7th/8th Gr. Soccer
9/26 Sat 10 am
Kindergarten Parent Orientation
9/26 Sat
Upper Grades Parent Workshop
9/29 Tue 6:30 pm
4th Gr. Parent Mtg.
9/30 Wed
Pizza day
9/30 Wed
8th Gr. Field Trip & Sevice Project
10/2 Fri
Michaelmas Festival Gr. 1-8
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Minnesota Waldorf School
Office: 651-487-6700
Fax: 651-487-6800
Aftercare:
612-309-1663 |
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School Store Hours
Monday - Friday
8:15 to 8:45 am
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3:15 to 3:45 pm
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Coffee & Tea Cart Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00 to 9:00 am |
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Parent Council Meeting Dates All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend. Refreshments served.
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Tuesday, Sept 22
Tuesday, Oct 20
Tuesday, Nov 17
Tuesday, Dec 15
Thursday, Jan 14
Thursday, Feb 11
Thursday, Mar 11
Thursday, Apr 15
Tuesday, May 18
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Every little bit helps! Take a look at the list below and help us raise money for the school. You may drop-off Box Tops, Milk Caps, Soup Label, & Ink Cartridges in the Parent Lounge anytime.
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Lost & Found
The Lost and Found basket is located in the Parent Lounge (top of the lobby steps and to your right).
Please check it regularly-- unclaimed items are donated to charity monthly. Your child's teacher may maintain a classroom Lost & Found.
Items which are labeled with your child's name will be returned to your child or placed in his/her classroom Lost & Found.
PLEASE LABEL EVERYTHING! | |
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