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| News from the Minnesota Waldorf School |
September 21, 2009 |
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Michaelmas Festival for Grades 1 - 8: Friday, October 2nd
Autumn brings a new feeling to the earth: the glorious colors and abundance of harvest give way to the more subtle and inward tones of winter. In our own lives, we experience that same turning inward as we ourselves move from the exuberant and outward-focused activities of the summer season into a more contemplative winter mood. While summer demands our physical energy, winter calls for inner strength. This is the strength we need to face our inner challenges, a strength that grows through the practice of courage, compassion and steadfastness.
At MWS, we celebrate this change of mood through our Michaelmas Festival. This festival includes healthy doses of challenging outdoor work, play, theatre, and harvest food. In the grades, all of the students take part in a play, Saint George and the Dragon. The slaying of the dragon represents the struggle that we all face: the overcoming of our own personal 'dragons': fear, greed, thoughtlessness and apathy. In preparation for the Michaelmas festival, the first and eighth grade students make a great pot of soup, and the fourth graders bake a beautiful loaf of dragon bread. The festival begins with work at 10:45, the Michaelmas play at 12:20, followed directly by 'the feast.' Families are welcome to join us!
1st and 8th Grade- on Thursday, October 1st: Send 2-3 individual items from the following list: onions, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, rutabagas, OR celery stalks, along with a cutting board and securely wrapped knife.
2nd and 6th Grade-Friday A.M.: Sliced Cheese, 3/4 pound or so.
3rd and 5th Grade- Friday A.M.: Send 1 pan of apple crisp. 11x13" pan or equivalent- Use your favorite recipe or get one from Amy Stephens.
4th and 7th Grade- Friday A.M.: Bread-a loaf per child, sliced is nice!
Michaelmas is a work and play day, so children should wear comfortable clothes that can withstand wear and are appropriate for the weather. Parents, grandparents, and well-supervised siblings are welcome to come, particularly for the play and meal. Please bring your own blanket and a bowl, spoon, cup and plate for everyone in your family and send place settings with your grades student.
Contact: Festivals Committee
Kindergarten Harvest Festivals:
Miss Brenda's- Wednesday, October 7th
Miss Eileen's & Miss Mary Lou's- Friday, October 9th
The Kindergartens will celebrate the change of seasons with a small Harvest Festival in their classrooms. Parents are invited to attend. They will begin at 8:30 and finish by 10 am. Your child's teacher will provide additional information.
Contact: Kindergarten Faculty |
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Welcome Eliot!
We'd like to welcome Eliot Skinner to the 6th Grade with Ms. Riehle. He was inadvertently left off the list in last week's Update.
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Thank You Kevin! Welcome, Tom!
Many thanks to outgoing Board Chair Kevin McGrath (father of Vika, grade 4) for his positive leadership and wisdom in guiding the Board and helping the school in myriad ways over the past two years. His integrity,warmth and enthusiasm have truly made a difference at our school. Kevin will continue on the Board, as a member at large.
Welcome to former Finance Committee Chair and new Board Chair Tom Halverson! Tom has served as finance committee chair for the past 3 years, and has been an active parent volunteer in our community for 8 years. He is the parent of Ella (8), Bea (5) and August (3) and is a Professor of Mathematics at Macalester College. Tim Kane -- long-time Finance Committee Chair and Head Controller of Holiday Fair finances as long as anyone can remember -- replaces Tom as Finance Committee Chair. Tim is the parent of Andrew (7). Thanks, Tim, for your continued commitment! |
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Eurythmy with Claudia Fontana
Oct. 19 to Dec. 11
We are pleased to announce that Claudia Fontana will return to teach an 8-week block of Eurythmy classes this fall. She will teach Kindergarten through 8th grade. Ms. Fontana will also teach an adult Eurythmy course through Novalis (see the Community News section for details). Parents wishing to experience this unique art form are encouraged to attend.
Host Family Needed
We are seeking a host family to provide room and some meals (shared dinner) for Ms. Fontana. We can arrange housing with one family for 8 weeks or two families for 4 weeks each. Please contact Mary Lou Bala at school.
Transportation Needed
We are also hoping to borrow a car for Ms. Fontana to use while she is here. Please contact Mary Lou Bala if you are able to help.
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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, 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades. Interested? Please join us.
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Kindergarten Orientation & Parent Mtg: Sept. 26th
All parents of Pre-K and Kindergarten students are invited and encouraged to attend an Orientation and Parent Meeting on Saturday, September 26th from 10 am until noon. The Kindergarten teachers will share information about the school, the Kindergarten year and each will have some time to meet with her class for discussion and questions. This will be a wonderful opportunity for parents to meet and mingle and begin to form a Kindergarten Community. There will not be child care at this meeting. We hope that one parent from each family will be able to attend. Please join us! |
Balance and Budding Strength-- The Striving in Adolescence
Parent Workshop: Sept. 26th 1-3 pm
All Are Welcome
Please join us in a Saturday afternoon's nod to the joys and complexities of Adolescence this Saturday the 26th of September from 1pm - 3pm.
We will share views and observations on the upper grades and the adolescent in the following short topics:
Fruits - the transition to high school by Debbie Kane
Fertile Ground - the role of parents in student success by Kirsten Riehle
Growth - the uniqueness of adolescent development by David Maier
Seeds - the arts as a balm for future health by Ben Sibley
...and providing experiences of the curriculum in the following workshops:
Form drawing with Debbie Kane - the challenge of art and precision
Juggling with Kirsten Riehle - exploring dynamic awareness
Clay Modelling with David Maier - meeting one's self
Water Color Painting with Ben Sibley - the many-layered experience of color
We will then gather for a short question and answer session after the workshops.
Childcare will be available during this workshop from 1-3 pm. Our Beforecare teacher, John Burrell, will lead a team of 8th grade students in supervising children. All donations will go to fund the 8th grade class trip.
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Visit the Parent Lounge!
Our Parent Lounge is located to your right, at the top of the stairs, just off the Festival Hall. In it you will find:
- A binder of Weekly Updates
- A Parent Lending Library of Waldorf and parenting books
- Local magazines of interest to our families
- Brochures and Business Cards for childcare, music lessons, real estate, etc.
- A bulletin board for community announcements and classfieds.
- Children's books for entertaining young children while they wait with you.
- Drop-off spot for box tops, milk caps, printer cartridges, etc.
- Last, but not least, the LOST & FOUND baskets.
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It's So Easy Being Green
We can feel good about the new home we've built for our early childhood programs! The new Kindergarten & Early Childhood building includes many 'green' features, such as:
- Geothermal heating and cooling
- Heat recovery ventilation - brings fresh air in to maintain air quality but recaptures 80% of the heat from the outgoing air.
- No VOC - no paints, stains or other finishes used contain volatile organic compounds
- Urea formaldehyde-free cabinets
- Marmoleum linoleum floors made from all natural, recyclable materials. They're not only beautiful, but also low maintenance and durable.
- Double-paned insulated windows with Low E glass
- Insulation values in the walls, roof, and foundation which are 5x higher than required for commercial buildings
- Abundant day lighting
- Fiber cement board facing on the exterior walls made from waste wood fiber. Low maintenance, durable and recyclable!
- Rainwater catchment areas to capture rainwater on site and prevent run-off
- Native landscape planting which will require less maintenance, water and fertilizer
Thanks again to the Building Committee and architects who made the efforts necessary to research and plan these 'green' elements for our new building!
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Donate Perennials to the Kindergarten Cottage!
At our Kindergarten & Early Childhood Cottage dedication ceremony, more than 100 plants and one shrub were donated to create a beautiful landscape for the new building. We'd love to plant 1,000 native perennials and we need your help to purchase seedlings. Drop off a donation at the table in the main lobby. See Sara Homstad or Liz Lacey-Gotz with any questions or to get a receipt for your tax-deductible gift. Donations can be made in any amount -- $8 allows the school to buy a 6-pack of native perennials, and $25 buys a beautiful shrub.
To date we've raised $348, enough to buy about 205 native perennials and 3 shrubs. It's a great start toward our goal of 1,000 plants!
Thanks to Josh Reid and Prairie Restorations for generously donating labor for planting of up to 1,000 seedlings plus various shrubs. The more seedlings and shrubs that are donated this fall, the more we will get planted for free!
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Kindergarten Parents' Knitting Group
Starting September 23rd
8:30 am to 10:30 am on Wednesdays
Location: Parent/Toddler Classroom
Additional Information:
- You are welcome to come and go at any time.
- Particularly for beginners or those who would like to try out knitting, there will be knitting needles to borrow and limited yarn to use for first projects.
- If you don't want to knit but still want to join us, please feel free to bring some other handwork or just visit with us.
- Also feel free to bring relatives or friends whom you would like to be part of our community.
- Any location or schedule changes will be emailed, if possible, and posted on the kindergarten classroom bulletin boards.
Questions? Contact Ting Ting Cheng at 651/492-9107 or tinglcheng@gmail.com.
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Substitutes Sought
We need substitutes for the 09-10 school year. In many cases, our subs cover recess or other non-academic periods. We offer training and an hourly wage. Substitutes choose the days and times they are available (including Beforecare and Aftercare)! If you or someone
you know would like to apply for a substitute position, complete an application and return it to Melinda Lopes or Amy Stephens.
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Holiday Fair & Marketplace 2009
Friday evening, November 20th, 6-10pm &
Saturday, November 21st, 10am - 4pm
The Holiday Fair is fast approaching and we welcome new and returning vendors to apply for space. Friday evening is a shopping-only event aimed at adults, with simple food, beverages and raffles adding to the excitement. Saturday features shopping all day plus our family-oriented fair, including plays, children's activities, puppet shows, great music and food - attracting families from all over the Twin Cities looking for handcrafted and artisan-quality gifts, toys, and other natural or green products.
Basic booth space 4'x8' is $40 plus 15% of gross sales.Vendor space is limited, so apply soon. Download an application! This year's deadline is Oct. 9th.Contact: Volunteer Vendor Chair Ellen Fiorito |
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 an application and fax it to 487-6800, or contact Development Director Liz Lacey-Gotz at 651-487-6700 x244.
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Buy a 2010 Blue Sky Guide from the 8th Grade
Proceeds Support Our Class Trip
ONLY $20 gets you hundreds of dollars in coupons for all the places you're shopping and eating already!
Three ways to get your copy:
1) From any 8th Grader (they each have 10 to sell, and the class makes $10 for each book sold!)
2) During afternoon lobby sales 3:15-3:40pm:
Wed, Sept 23
Thur, Sept 24
Fri, Sept 25
3) Signup & pay at the display on the entry table; pick up your book from Liz
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School Store News
Thank you!!! Many thanks to Amy Grove, Andi Guy, Denise Harrison, Deirdre Murnane, Dawn Peterson, Kelly Ponto and Phyllis Schmit for volunteering at the school store! We're still looking for afternoon cashiers to run the store from 3:15-3:45pm. If you're interested in this fun volunteer activity, please email Teresa Reid reidteresa@hotmail.com.
Reserve your copy of Kim John Payne's book Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier and More Secure Kids. As the pace of life accelerates-- with too much stuff, too many choices, and too little time-- children feel the pressure. Internationally renowned family consultant Kim John Payne uses his twenty years' experience to help teach parents how to worry and hover less-- and how to enjoy more. For those who want to slow their children's lives down but don't know where to start, Payne offers both inspiration and a blueprint for change. Let the school store order a copy of this eloquent guide for you! Visit us this week and leave your contact information with any store cashier!
The school store is open every morning from 8:30-9 am and afternoons from 3:15-3:45 pm. |
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Help get the word out about MWS
We know more families would love our school if only they knew about it! We need everyone's help to get the word out about our wonderful school.
- Talk to friends and share your enthusiasm for our school
- Take some flyers to put up at neighborhood coffee shops, libraries, co-ops, community centers, restaurants, yoga studios, etc...
- Take a few postcards and keep them handy - you never know when you'll meet someone who wants to learn more about MWS. (All of our enrollment events are listed on the back.) Posters and postcards are in the lobby. See Liz if you need larger quantities or if the supply has run out. Thank you so much for your help!
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Alumni News
Congratulations to Danielle Cole (class of 2007), currently at Mounds View High School. She was inducted into the National Honor Society last week, and made the varsity cross-country team, too!
Lauren Cole (class of 2005) successfully finished her second semester study abroad in England at the University of Sussex, Brighton, and is now back at Clark University in Worcester, MA, as a junior. She volunteers for the local Heartland Hospice program, playing her harp for dying patients. She is also starting a free, college-volunteer-led music program for the students of the on-campus high school because their curriculum did not include music (http://www.clarku.edu/departments/education/upcs/). Lauren is majoring in Philosophy and Pre-med.
Thanks to proud alumni parents, Scott & Stephanie Cole, for this fabulous news!
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 News
We are full of lovely anticipation as this Friday marks the beginning of our first class, Parzival. Our class lists are growing with friends, parents and training teachers.
For those of you who are new to Novalis or the community, we invite you to consider Biography, starting Oct. 3rd. We especially recommend it for individuals seeking deeper connections to those around them, insight to their own life path, guidance during times of transition, deeper understanding of human & child development or beginning Waldorf teacher training. Participants have described this course as "pivotal" and "transformational." If this description moves you, please see our flyer for the class details.
Please note that the dates for our Fall Eurythmy course with Claudia Fontana have changed. The new times are:
Saturdays, October 24, 31 November 7, 14, 21
Time: 10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
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
9/22 Tue 7 pm
Parent Council Mtg.
9/23 Wed 8:30 am
Kdgtn Parent Knitting Group
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
9/26 Sat
Wolf Howl Barbecue Great Gathering
9/29 Tue 6:30 pm
4th Gr. Parent Mtg.
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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Pizza Day
Remaining Pizza Days for this session are:
Sept 23
Sept 30
Oct 7
If you pay by the week, please have your order in by Monday at 8:30 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 Labels & Ink Cartridges in the Parent Lounge anytime.
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School Store Hours
Monday - Friday
8:15 to 8:45 am
and
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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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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