Dear Friends,

Fall kicks off festival time at Waldorf schools everywhere; first, Michaelmas, followed by our Martinmas lantern walks. Winter Garden and Shepherd's Play are now just weeks away, and in between, there are the festivals of Diwali, Halloween, and Thanksgiving--enough to keep us bustling toward New Year's. These and other celebrations allow our community to come together and build on what the children are learning in school, and this autumn we have much to celebrate.

The secret is out about Waldorf education-recent articles in the New York Times and other publications are shining a welcome spotlight on our unique and time-tested approach to education. It is important to remind ourselves during this hectic season that our children are not the only ones who benefit from personal connections: relationships are our greatest treasures.

I invite you to be a part of spreading the word about Waldorf education and the Waldorf School of Princeton. Invite a friend or relative to one of our upcoming community events-you will find enough in this month's newsletter to fill your calendar to capacity (as if you needed help!).

From our nights at Nomad Pizza to this year's pre-holiday shopping event in downtown Princeton, there are ample opportunities to get together. Don't forget to tell folks about our online auction this year, which will go live on Black Friday and for which we still need donations.

Looking forward to seeing you at each event!

Warmly,

Nancy Lemmo

Enjoy the company of other WSP dads plus dinner. To RSVP, contact Doug Jackson. To read last year's letter about the event, click here.

Come meet our teachers and learn more about the journey from early childhood through eighth grade. Want to help out at the event? E-mail Diane Barlow, director of admissions.

Get a leg up on your holiday purchases and have some fun too during this month's Pre-Holiday Shopping Event! From Sunday, November 6, through Saturday, November 12, save 10% on purchases while you support local vendors and raise funds for our school. Present coupons at participating stores during checkout on the designated days/times printed. Customers will receive a discount on sales when accompanied by a coupon, and our school will earn a profit on each of your sales. Spread the word, pass out the flyers, bring a friend, and shop with a purpose; multiple visits to these vendors are welcomed!

Mark your calendar and join us for a private toy store opening, exclusive to Waldorf families and friends, at jaZams on Tuesday, November 8 from 6 to 9 p.m.; light refreshments will be provided to keep up your shopping stamina! Our weeklong participating vendors will include WSP parent-owned greendesign, WSP alumni family-owned CoolVines, Jane consignment, and Milk Money children's consignment. Feel good about your purchases; bring wine for Thanksgiving dinner, update your winter wardrobe, and buy toys, holiday gifts, and eco-friendly home goods all week long! Two copies of the flyer will be sent home with students, and additional forms are located in our building foyers, or may be downloaded here. Please see flyer for more details; some exclusions may apply. E-mail inquiries to jalexander@princetonwaldorf.org.

Threshold Farm will be back at dropoff to sell apples and beef for your fall menus. Order forms are in the community kitchen in the Golden House; you can also find them on our homepage. Thanks for supporting the third grade farm trip with your purchase!

Tuesday, Nov. 15

Missed Pizza Night on Nov. 1? Or just crave more delicious Nomad Pizza? Eat-in or take out, Nomad Pizza will donate a portion of all proceeds to WSP. And while you are in Hopewell, stop in to TWINE, a new shop just behind Nomad at 10 Broad Street. TWINE will open especially for us during the same hours as Nomad and will give 10 percent of the sales that night to our school. TWINE sells wares for the home, vintage bits and bobs, cards, and gift wrap.

For new families with children at least 2 years old. Registration is required; contact Diane Barlow for more details.

"The Soul of Discipline: Raising Respectful Children 

Lecture: Friday, November 18, 7:30 p.m.

Workshop: Saturday, November 19, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

$45 / $10 lecture only ($25 / $5 for WSP families);

RSVP: events@princetonwaldorf.org

Know a business or other location that might like to display a promotional poster? Contact Jamie Quirk.

Deadline for the Online Auction Is At Hand!

We are excited that our Holiday Auction is just a month away! As a reminder, we are asking each family to obtain two donations for the auction, which will be exclusively online this year starting the day after Thanksgiving. A big thank you to those who have already submitted their items! We have received some beautiful and interesting things as well as a variety of gift certificates. However, many donations are still needed in order for the auction to raise enough to meet the $15,000 goal. These monies will be used to fund professional development for our wonderful faculty.

The donation deadline is November 4. Please take an hour this week to determine what you can donate. Your efforts are greatly appreciated! Auction donation forms can be downloaded here. Also, a list of local vendors will be available in the Golden House community kitchen; please help keep our list up to date so we do not double-ask vendors. Questions? E-mail Amy Krause at amykrause@verizon.net.

Holiday Arts/Crafts Showcase

In December we are presenting the 2nd Annual Community Art and Crafts Show in the foyer of the grade school and looking for participants from our community to sell their art/crafts. Matted paintings work best for display, and smaller objects are locked in the showcase. The ledge opposite the front doors can also display items. Pamela Shafer will be available in the mornings through December to sell the work. Jessica Alfaro at the front desk will also help with transactions. If you are interested in selling your work with us, please contact Pamela at  pshafer@princetonwaldorf.org. A percentage of the proceeds will be contributed to our school.

Fifth Grade Offering Soup for Supper

Order forms here. 

Windy Hill School Store

Hours are Wednesday mornings, 8:30-10; SmartWool and Hauschka orders being assembled.

Holiday Shoppe at the Windy Hill School Store!

Wednesday, December 7, the school will offer a Holiday Shoppe in the foyer of the Golden House, where parents can purchase interesting holiday gifts. In addition to general store wares, we hope the shop will include home-crafted items from parents in the community. If you are an interested craftsperson, please contact Jean Alexander to register and learn more.

We are also seeking individuals to man the store during this time. All attendants will receive a store discount of 20% for the day.

Holiday Shopping with Scrip

As the holiday season approaches, scrip is a great way to shop for family and friends while also raising money for our school! With so many retailers and restaurants available, it is easy to find something for everyone on your list. Visit www.glscrip.com to view participating retailers. Our school receives 3-20% back on sales of scrip gift cards. To ensure delivery before winter break, your order must be received by December 12.

You may e-mail orders to scrip@princetonwaldorf.org. Alternately, find an order form in the lobby of the Golden House or here on the school's website, and leave it with payment in the lockbox. We accept cash and check. Credit cards are accepted for orders over $500. Or stop by the Golden House kitchen to purchase Grab-and-Go scrip gift cards and submit orders on Mondays (8:30-9) and Wednesdays (8:30-9:30) during school store hours.

A growing number of WSP families are using www.shopwithscrip.com to purchase ScripNow! e-giftcards and to reload spent gift cards. It's a convenient and easy way to use the scrip program. Send any questions or inquiries to me at scrip@princetonwaldorf.org.

Thanks to all our participating families!

Stop and Shop's A+ School Rewards Program

Another way to raise money for the school while you shop! From now through March 29, 2012, each time you shop at the store and use your Stop and Shop card, our school earns money. In order for this to work, simply register your Stop and Shop card online: Go to stopandshop.com/aplus; click on Register Your Card; when you need to select a city and state, select Princeton, NJ, and then you'll be able to choose our school.