In This Issue
In the News
Goodness, Beauty & Truth
Community Events
Save the Date
School Events
From the Office
School News
In the News

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FACULTY IN-SERVICE DAY

April 1

NO SCHOOL

 

SPRING BREAK

April 15-19

NO SCHOOL

  
Goodness, Beauty & Truth: Connecting Students through Art in the Waldorf School

  by Peter Sheen

 

To wonder at beauty,

Stand guard over truth,

Look up to the noble,

Resolve on the good.

 

This leadeth us truly

To purpose in living,

To right in our doing,

To peace in our feeling,

To light in our thinking.

 

And teaches us trust

In the working of God,

In all that there is,

In the width of the world,

In the depth of the soul.

 

The first and last lines from this verse by Rudolf Steiner serve as potent reminders for me as a teacher, as to the importance and value of the artistic work in the Waldorf curriculum during the grade school years. Goodness and all that is good lies at the heart and is the bedrock of the early childhood teachers' work during the first seven-year phase of a child's life. Entering the grade school years and the second seven-year phase, the teachers strive in all subjects to bring beauty and all that is beautiful into their lessons and work with the students. This happens throughout the curriculum in many different and unique ways.

 

In my work with our upper grades students, I feel it is most important not only to guide and help them to produce beautiful artwork, but to work with, pay attention to, and recognize the value of the process and all that went into the act of creating a finished piece. Whether we are working with color in painting or pastels, or with black and white in drawing, many techniques and principles are explored. This allows both for skill development and, albeit less consciously, for the student to live into the work on a more inner level. Engaging the students through their feeling life can awaken and provide opportunities for objective and truthful expression from the very depth of the soul. Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but it can also be in the heart of the creator.

 

Working thus, out of a real sense and feeling for beauty, we can catch a glimpse of the continuation of the Waldorf curriculum into the high school years and the third seven-year phase, where truth and the search for all that is truthful imbues and stands at the forefront of teaching the adolescent.

 

It must continually be our aim and our highest goal to help the children and students in our care to connect ever more strongly with the people, the earth, and the world in which they live through goodness, beauty, and truth. I believe that the arts, in the broadest sense, have a crucial role to play in this continuing quest and journey.

Earth Day Is April 22
(and Every Day)!

 

Screen-Free Week

Is April 19-May 5

Click here for ideas and resources, or to find events in your area.

 

Thank You

to all who brought food

for faculty and staff

during parent-teacher conferences; your generosity is greatly appreciated!

  

 

WSP Employment Opportunities:

 

Director of Development

(Part-Time)

 

Grade School

Aftercare Teacher

 

Camp Health Director

 

See the website for more details.

  
Community Events

 

Diversity Talks

Green Meadow Waldorf School

Chestnut Ridge, NY

Free and open to the public (no registration required)

 

-Tue., April 2, 7:30 p.m.

Why Should We Talk About Race? With Dr. Shelly Tochluk

 

-Wed., April 24, 7:30 p.m.

Gender Diversity With Joel Baum of Gender Spectrum

 

For more information, please see the attached flyer, or contact Vicki Larson at 845.356.2514 x311 or

[email protected].

 

Princeton Common Ground Presents "Social Media Tutorial: From Facebook to Twitter and Beyond"

Thu., April 18, 7:30-9 p.m.

The Lawrenceville School

The digital world is an evolving landscape that parents have to learn to navigate. Facebook is just the tip of the iceberg; have you heard of Bebo, World of Warcraft, or Second Life? How are our children using the Internet, and what impact will it have on them today and in the future? Privacy settings, sexting, texting, cyber-bullying, and online social networks will be discussed.

 

This practical tutorial will be chaired by Bill Freitas, technical director of the Lawrenceville School, accompanied by IT experts from Princeton Common Ground member schools. Free and open to the public.

 

Arts Council of Princeton's

Communiversity 2013

Sunday, April 28, 1-6

Waldorf School of Princeton's Morris Dancers are scheduled to perform! Come support our students, visit our booth, or volunteer to make twisty-twirlies with interested passersby.

Bird Trades


 

The swallow is a mason,

And underneath the eaves
He builds a nest, and plasters it
With mud and hay and leaves.

Of all the weavers that I know,
The oriole is the best;
High on the branches of the tree
She hangs her cosy nest.

The woodpecker is hard at work-
A carpenter is he-
And you may hear him hammering
His nest high up a tree.

Some little birds are miners:
Some build upon the ground:
And busy little tailors, too,
Among the birds are found.


"Bird Trades" is from The Waldorf Book of Animal Poetry, coming out soon.

The Waldorf Book of Animal Poetry is the sequel to The Waldorf Book of Poetry and is the largest collection of poems about animals ever published.

  
Save the Date

Third Grade Play

May 9

 

Grandparents' &

Special Friends' Day

Friday, May 10

 

May Fair

Saturday, May 11

Join Our Mailing List
April 2013

These WSP alumni recently returned to campus for a little community service, helping Ms. Cunningham plant seeds, among other things.  

"If it is stressed that every school could use these [Waldorf] methods and that a model school could demonstrate how fruitful they are, and if things are worked out neatly, then I believe that something could be achieved ...." 
-Rudolf Steiner 

Dear Friends, 

 

Every spring when the coats and boots come off, I am shocked by how much our students have changed. Of course, the changes in their height and facial features are the first thing we notice, but there is also something in their look to let us know they are changing inside, too. Children change regardless of our intervention, but this quote from Rudolf Steiner reminded me of the magic of Waldorf education: the packaging may vary, but the methods are sound.

 

Pondering the children near the end stretch of the year, we see firsthand the impact of these methods. Every child is deeply engaged in every subject. I have had the good fortune of watching several years of class plays for the Class of 2017. I smiled at their first grade efforts, but marveled at how far they have grown in stature and ability when I saw this year's fourth grade play. Whether it is language arts, mathematics, dramatic arts, eurythmy, sculptural arts, or handwork, the children are changed through their engagement in the curriculum over the years.

  

When graduation arrives in a few months, we will all comment on how unique yet similar the children are to those who have graduated in the past. It is honestly a wonder to see the education at work!   

  

Sincerely,

 

Nancy Lemmo

School Administrator

SCHOOL EVENTS

 

Waldorf 101: Free Classes for Adults in Waldorf Education Grade School Building

  • Tuesday, April 2 & Monday, April 8, 7-8:30 p.m.
     
    Eurythmy and Child Development is the topic of these two sessions. Susan Eggers will explain the curriculum in terms of Eurythmy movement and how it is created out of the principles of child development. This will be presented in theory and through the experience of moving in Eurythmy.
     
  • Tuesdays, April 23 & 30, 7-8:30 p.m.
     
    Circle - Purposeful Activity in the Morning Lesson is the topic of these two sessions. Peter Sciarretta will talk about Circle, a daily aspect of the Morning Lesson. Why do the children engage in this morning activity daily? How does the teacher create the Circle? How does it serve the child and the whole class? Participants will have the opportunity to learn about Circle and experience it through the grades.

Open to all; contact [email protected] to reserve a place in either class, or for more information.

 

Communications & Outreach Group

Inaugural Meeting

Friday, April 5, 8:45 a.m.

Community Kitchen

This group will meet 3 times before the start of the next school year to discuss, brainstorm, and evaluate communications for our 30th anniversary, as relates to marketing and outreach. We are seeking individuals who want to share their experience and ideas, an artistic eye, or a flair with words! Just drop in, or RSVP to Jamie Quirk to receive a copy of the agenda.

 

Sixth Grade Class Trip to Hawk Circle

Monday-Friday, April 8-12

 

Parent Council Meeting

Tuesday, April 9, 8:45-9:45 a.m.

Hagens Hall

Movement and games with Peter Sheen is featured this month. We may move outside if the weather permits, so please dress appropriately.

 

Board Meeting

Monday, April 22, 7 p.m.

Grade School Building

 

Fifth Grade Class Play: "Gilgamesh"

Evening Performance Thursday, April 25

Time TBA

 

Summer Camp Open House & Tour

Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m.

We will begin with a brief info session; tour departs at 10:15. Contact [email protected] for more info.

 

Clowning Class

Monday, April 29, 3:30-5 p.m.

Grades 6-8; Cost: $60

Angie Foster has been bringing the art of clowning to other Waldorf Schools across the country, working in plays and workshops with adolescents. She has also been incorporated into several of the Waldorf teacher training colleges to develop new capacities. Meets April 29, May 20, and June 3. Contact [email protected] to register or for more info.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FROM THE OFFICE

 

Annual Fund Update 

Together we've raised $100,000

in gifts and pledges toward our $120,000 goal for the 2012-13 Annual Fund! (This includes the $13,000 challenge pledge by our Board of Trustees to be paid only when every class achieves 100% parent participation.)

 

Three months left to raise the additional $20,000 needed by June 30!

 

Thank you to parent and alumni callers Scott Albert, Christa Bruneau-Flynn '01, David Campbell, Jennifer Curtis, Brunda Moka Dias, Matt Eldredge, Mark Hornung, Susie McCoy (pictured with baby Peter), John Miller, Penny Foss Miller, Sharon Mizels, John Pearson, Bob Phinney, Heide Ratliff, Nick Rumin, and Cindy Vega for calling people to request their gift support during our annual phonathon last month. And thanks to all who have already generously participated with a gift to our Annual Fund!

 

Congratulations to the Rose Class for being the first to achieve 100 percent participation!

 

Total parent participation stands at 63 percent. Class participation is as follows:

 

75% - Grade 8, class giving rep: Jennifer Curtis

60% - Grade 7, class giving rep: Karleen Aghevli

75% - Grade 6, class giving rep: Penny Foss Miller

80% - Grade 5, class giving rep: Makiko Kato

59% - Grade 4, class giving rep: Mary Langeron

63% - Grade 3, class giving rep: Jennifer Murray

90% - Grade 2, class giving rep: Makiko Kato

62% - Grade 1, class giving rep: Beth Patchel

100% - Rose Class, class giving rep: Bill Bauer

50% - Sunflower Class, class giving rep: Judy Chin

50% - Lilac Class, class giving rep: Sha'ree Berkhout

55% - Buttercup Class, class giving reps: Curtis & Margaret Lee

33% - Morning Glory PC, class giving rep: JoanMarie Zetterberg

 

To make your gift, please visit our website! And remember that once every class reaches 100 percent participation, our school will receive a gift of $13,000!

 

To make your pledge, please contact the Development Office. Pledge payments are due by June 30.

 

Annual Grandparent's and Special Friends' Day

Friday, May 10

Please note the date change from last year! Our Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day invitation will soon be mailed to grandparents and special friends of Grade School and Children's Garden students. The copy for the invitation will include the following:

      

Please join us for our annual

Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day

Friday, May 10, 2013

 

Waldorf School of Princeton

1062 Cherry Hill Road

Princeton, NJ 08540

 

Lilac, Rose, and Sunflower

Children's Garden programs 9-10:30 a.m.

 

Grade School program 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

 

Children's Garden guests are invited to the Grade School Reception and Assembly following their program.

 

RSVP to Jamie Quirk by May 1:

(609) 466-1970, x112 or [email protected]

 

This invitation will be mailed to all who are on our database. If you have not provided us with information about your child's grandparents or special friends, or are not sure, please contact Jamie Quirk.

 

The Buttercup Class does not meet on Fridays, so it has made different arrangements and will contact its families directly. Their grandparents, parents, and special friends will be warmly invited to visit on Wednesday, May 8.

 

Educational Support Plans 
Some families will be receiving an Educational Support Plan (ESP) before Spring Break. These plans will outline recommended support for your child for next year. If you receive a plan, please sign and return it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to ensure services for the fall. In an important change from previous years, all plans will be due BEFORE THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. Once you have received your plan, contact your class teacher or Maureen Gold, educational support coordinator, at x142 with any questions or concerns.
    

Tuition Assistance Deadline Nears!

Reminder to all tuition assistance applicants: 2012 tax forms for families receiving tuition assistance for the 2013-14 school year are due to TADS on May 1, 2013. If the tax forms are not submitted by May 1, you will be invoiced based on the full tuition. The tuition assistance grant will then be prorated based on the date your late tax return is received by TADS. Submit your 2012 tax return now.

 

2012 Tax Returns and Re-Enrollment Agreements Due

All re-enrollment agreements for the 2012-13 school year are due now. Any agreements received after May 15 will be subject to a 2.5% administrative fee. Please call x114 or e-mail Solveig Pearson with questions.

For Those on Monthly Payment Plans
Please consult your last coupon, or contact the Business Office for your final payment amount: Julie Martin, x113.
SCHOOL NEWS

  

 

Winners of the 4th Annual Waldorf Dads Beeswax Bowl

Congratulations to the winning team: Jordan Kotick, Peter Wasem, Jeff Trent, John Orrok, and Peter Sheen! The new trophy, created just for this year's event on March 23, will be displayed in the lobby of the grade school, followed by the lobby of the Golden House. The night drew a great turnout of Waldorf dads, Waldorf dad/teachers, and even an alumni bowler, Elliott Wasem!

 

WSP Trading Post

The Parent Council is happy to announce the WSP trading post. For those of you familiar with Freecycle, this is a Freecycle site for WSP families, faculty, and alumni. For those of you who are not familiar with a Freecycle site, it is a website where individuals can post items that they no longer need but which are still useful. Members can also post "wanted" items. Please e-mail Beth Miller or Sha'ree Berkhout for more information or if you would like to be added to the site. 

 

Looking for Communiversity Volunteers

Waldorf School of Princeton will have a booth once again at Princeton Communiversity, this year slated for Sunday, April 28, from 1 to 6. We are looking for parents and students to sign up for 1-hour time slots to man the table, chat with guests, or make twisty-twirly giveaways! Contact Jamie Quirk for more info or to volunteer.

 

Educational Support News/Care Group

The Care Group would like to thank Dr. Karnow and Linda Larson for their March 7 presentation to the community on therapeutic eurythmy and the healing benefits it can provide.

 

For those of you not able to attend the evening, therapeutic eurythmy, along with the pedagogical and artistic applications of eurythmy ("beautiful rhythms"), have been developed from the work of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of the Waldorf School initiative. The therapeutic eurythmist introduces, guides, and practices movement exercises for a series of seven weeks. Working with gestures based on the sounds of speech, vowels and consonants, and combining elements of rhythm, geometric forms, and many others, exercises are coordinated to fit each person's particular needs. Practicing this form of movement therapy has the potential to bring balance where there is imbalance, ultimately awakening the natural healing forces in each person.

 

If you would like more information on therapeutic eurythmy: www.therapeuticeurythmy.org. For a personal conversation you can contact WSP therapeutic eurythmist Linda Larson at 610-933-2822 or [email protected].

 

WSP Summer Camp Update

Plan for summertime fun today; Summer Camp runs from July 1 through August 9! Information, including a registration brochure, is available on our website and in the Golden House foyer; register before May 1 to receive a WSP student discount and other savings. Please e-mail [email protected] with inquiries.

 

Windy Hill School Store

Visit us in the Multipurpose Room upstairs in the Golden House on Tuesday mornings from 8:15 to 10:00 a.m. Stop by for fun spring items, discounted winter SmartWool socks, and more!

 

Community Meal Program

A message to the WSP community at large:

Individuals are attempting to organize a meal program to support our community for interested family members. The concept is that cooks would offer meals to our community in exchange for points that could be used to receive prepared meals from someone else. The purpose would be to help alleviate the home-cooked meal burden but also to cater to our many special eating needs: egg-free, nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan, etc. In order to make this work, we would need enough interested cooks. If you would be interested in joining in a program such as this, please send an e-mail to WSP parent Tineke Thio at [email protected].

 

Board of Trustees Seeks Nominees

The Board of Trustees is seeking nominations for the 2013-14 school year. If you feel you or someone you know would enjoy serving the school in this way, please e-mail the name, phone number, e-mail address, and why you nominate this person to [email protected].

 

May Fair Update

Preparations for a wonderful celebration are well under way; these include a program of events with advertisements from our favorite businesses. If you have a business you think would like to advertise in the fair program (including your own!), please take them a form and tell them what a wonderful opportunity this will be! Over 500 people visit the fair each year. The deadline for ads is April 19; contact Jamie Quirk for more details. 

Waldorf School of Princeton   1062 Cherry Hill Road   Princeton, NJ 08540
(609) 466-1970   www.princetonwaldorf.org