Weekly Update from the MN Waldorf School

Your Weekly Update

News from the Minnesota Waldorf School

September 27, 2010

Michaelmas Festival for Grades 1 - 8: Friday, October 1st

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 a healthy dose 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," e.g. 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 time at 10:45, the Michaelmas play at 12:20, followed directly by 'the feast' and an all-grades game time. Families are welcome to join us!

What To Bring & Send:

1st and 8th Grade- on Thursday, September 30th: 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 the front desk.
4th and 7th Grade- Friday a.m.: Bread-one 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 a place setting with each of your grades students.

Contact: Festivals Committee

Volunteers Needed to help with soup preparation in the fire pit (you will be trained to lead next year's soup preparation as this is Juliet's last year as lead volunteer)

Contact: Soup prep lead

Kindergarten Harvest Festivals:

Miss Brenda's- Wednesday, October 6th

Miss Eileen's & Miss Mary Lou's- Friday, October 8th

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

Celebrate Community: All-School Meeting

October 8th, 7pm to 9

Come celebrate Minnesota Waldorf School's 30 year anniversary!

First, Lael Nelson, MWS Alumni and current MWS Board member, will speak on "The Gift of Childhood". You won't want to miss this inspiring young woman, so try to arrive a few minutes early.

Next, Liz Lacey-Gotz, dedicated MWS volunteer and former Development and Marketing Coordinator, will be giving us a "30 Year Retrospective".

Ben Richards, Parent Council chair, will follow with an always interesting update on Parent Council happenings.

Then, on to business. There will be a financial overview by our new Finance Chair, Bruce Dunlop with time for questions. And an accreditation engagement process with Board Chair, Kevin McGrath.

Coffee, tea and cookie social to follow (provided by the Parent Council).

Because the content of this meeting is so important for all families, we ask that at least one parent from each family attend this event. This meeting will start on time with Lael Nelson, so try to arrive a little early.

This event is for adults only.

Dress the Children for Warmth

As the old North Wind and Jack Frost make their way back to Minnesota, please remember that MWS students spend some portion of each day outside and need to be dressed appropriately. Children attending Extended Care before and after school may need extra layers for these brisk mornings and early evenings. If your child has an extra clothes bag or box in the classroom, be sure to swap out summer apparel for autumn layers!

Childcare Option for In-Service Day - Nov 1

Childcare is available for the Fall Faculty In-service meeting on November 1st. Please sign up as soon as possible so that we can have adequate coverage. Pre-registered rate is $5/hr. Drop in is available for $6/hr.

To sign up contact: Amy or Vicki or call 651-487-6700 Please indicate which hours you will need and names and grades of your child/ren.

Pizza Wednesdays Have Started!
(available to all grades and kindergartens)

Last week, the 8th grade sent home order forms for the first round of Wednesday pizza days. You may order slices of cheese pizza from Paisanos, cookies from Community Homestead and organic carrots for your child (and get a reprieve from packing lunches on Wednesdays). Proceeds to go to the class of 2011 8th grade trip.

Order forms will be due by the Monday prior to the Wednesday pizza day. Order forms and a collection box are located in the front entry of the school. You may order for seven weeks or by the week.

Contact: David Maier

Eurythmy with Claudia Fontana

Oct. 11 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.

Adult Eurythmy Class

Ms. Fontana will also teach an adult Eurythmy course (see the Community News section for details). Parents wishing to experience this unique art form are encouraged to attend.

Transportation Needed

We are hoping to borrow a car for Ms. Fontana to use while she is here. Please contact Kristi Fackel if you are able to help.

Contact: Kristi Fackel

A Glimpse into Handwork

Handworkers in all grades have been busy already! The 1st grade plant-dyed & fingerknit wool. Soon they will learn to knit with help from the 5th grade. 2nd and 3rd grade students are finishing up projects from last spring before beginning their new projects. They are eager to see what they'll learn next!

The 4th grade has been thinking hard about color and what it can tell us. They carefully drew patterns for a decorative panel and now are learning how to cross-stitch their designs onto their handwork bags-- whew!

In 5th grade, the students are learning to knit in the round and just last week, dyed the wool they'll use to knit their socks. 6th graders are in the early stages of doll-making while 7th graders are sewing and embellishing a secret project for another class! Soon, they'll begin felting.

Finally, the 8th graders have learned all about the sewing machine and its history within the context of the Industrial Revolution: a savior to homemakers, the beginning of the end for professional tailors. The class looks forward to buying fabric for their quilts next week.

Buy a 2011 Chinook Book (Formerly Blue Sky Guide) from a 7th Grader

Proceeds Support Our 8th Grade Class Trip

ONLY $20 gets you hundreds of dollars in coupons for all the places you're shopping and eating already! There's even a coupon for $5 off activity tickets at the MWS and CLWS holiday fairs.

Three ways to get your copy:
1) From any 7th Grader (they each have 5 to sell and the class makes $10 for each book sold!)

2) During lobby sales coming soon
3) Signup & pay at the office (checks payable to MWS Class of 2012)

Start Seeing Gnomes!
Holiday Fair & Artisan Marketplace 2010
Friday evening, November 19th, 6-10pm &

Saturday, November 20st, 10am - 4pm

Start Making Gnomes!

It's not to early to start making gnomes for our Gnome Cave. You may pick up instructions and materials from the Front Desk starting Thursday, September 30. Completed gnomes need not be stuffed.

Holiday Fair Parent Handwork
If you are interested in leading this year's Holiday Fair Parent Handwork effort, please contact Ting Ting Cheng at tinglcheng@gmail.com or 651/492-9107.

This year, the handwork will be sold at its own table rather than being incorporated in the school store. Several one-of-a-kind items have already been created by parents and a grandparent, but we can use a lot more. Please consider making an item for sale at the Holiday Fair fundraiser. A handwork item may be made with yarn, felt, paper, clay, metal, glass, wood--the sky's the limit! You may make whatever you wish or ask for a suggestion. All items made with tender loving care will be accepted.

Let Ting Ting know if you are planning to create something for the handwork table. She will overlook Holiday Fair Parent Handwork until someone else steps forward to do so.

Looking for Sponsors
Is your specialty wine, cheese, chocolate, soups and salads... well we're looking for you! Our Friday evening Shopping & Social is a great place to show off your culinary talents with samples and tastings. Our Saturday Fair is fun for the whole family, and everyone looks forward to the unique and tasty lunches that provide kids and adults alike the sustenance to keep going!

Contact: 651-487-6700

School Store News

Highlight of the week: Fall has arrived!

Acorns, walnuts, pumpkins and pine cones! 100% pure, raw beeswax candles, hand poured and plant-dyed by Bee Happy Candles! Each one-of-a-kind piece adds a natural addition to your Fall nature table! Bring color to your table with a Golden Yellow, Orange, Brown or Red play silk by Sarah's Silks!

Now Here: Just in time to for fall clean-up...Bamboo rakes for small hands, perfect combined with a set of gardening gloves! And, Mara K's aromatic Play Clay in 7 different scents has arrived. 100% natural ingredients, scented with essential oils.

Now at the Store: Laughing in a Waterfall, by author and previous MWS parent Marianne Dietzel, is a poignant memoir offering insights into how to create a new culture around the sacred threshold of death and keep a living connection to those on the other side. Learn more about Marianne and her book at: www.mariannedietzel.com.

$5 Coupon for new families
Welcome new families! Visit us at the school store and receive $5 off your purchase! We invite you to browse our unique inventory of toys, books, school and art supplies, handwork items, and seasonal gifts for your home. Looking for a particular item, but can't find it? Let us special order for you!

Thank You Volunteers! Many thanks to the school store cashiers: Freida Bensing, Ting Ting Cheng, Amy Grove, Andi Guy, Deirdre Murnane, Dawn Paulson and Jen Pavich!! We appreciate the service you provide to the store and MWS families. THANK YOU!

We Need Cashiers!
Looking for a fun way to get involved at the school? Volunteer as a cashier at the school store! (Particular needs include: Tuesday and Friday afternoons

Store Hours
Monday-Friday, 8:30-9:00am and 3:15-3:45pm. Additionally, Wednesdays at noon.