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REMINDER:
First & Second Grades Have Half Days Sept. 4 & 6
NO Early Childhood Afternoon Sept. 4
NO SCHOOL
Thursday, Sept. 5
Rosh Hashanah
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| This and That |
Former WSP gardening assistant Piers Duffell is working as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Swaziland, trying to establish a low-cost Raspberry Pi computer lab in order to increase access to information and skills training at minimal cost in a developing part of the world. You can help support the project here.
WSP alumni parent Jane Martin is facilitating a Teen Support Group on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Click here for more details. To register, please call Volition Wellness Solutions
at 609-688-8300 or e-mail info@volitionwellness.com. Registration is required.
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Pre-Care
for All Ages
from 7:30 a.m.
Starts Sept. 9
Drop-in Flat Fee: $12/day (Parent must sign child in)
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Peek into the Classroom: First Lesson Blocks
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First Grade: The first grade will begin the year with a language arts block. As we learn to form the letters, so too will the first grade begin to take shape as a class. ~Miss Beatty
Second Grade: In the second grade school year we will continue with stories and having the children retell. The children will gradually be led to write down what has been and will then be able to reproduce small compositions. Multiplication and division tables will also be introduced, as well as place values to the thousands place and time. ~Ms. Cardenas
Third Grade:
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth
And the earth was without form, and void;
And darkness was upon the face of the deep
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters
And God said, Let there be Light:
and there was Light ...
With these words we will begin our third year of grade school and embark on a journey along with the Old Hebrew people.
~Mr. Martinez
Fourth Grade: The epic story of Finland, the Kalevala, will provide a dramatic background for grammar studies of the fourth grade. ~Miss Benson
Fifth Grade: The fifth grade will ring in the new year with a block of math. The students will review their previous work with fractions, then meet an entirely new breed of fractions: the decimals. During this time, the students will hear tales from ancient India as we prepare to study ancient cultures in upcoming blocks. ~Mr. Heberlein
Sixth Grade: The sixth grade will begin the year with math. The focus for study will be percent and business math to start us out, and then we will revisit common fractions and decimal fractions.
~Mrs. Motter
Seventh Grade: The seventh grade will begin the year with the study of perspective drawing. The spread of perspective laws during the Renaissance marked a turning point in European consciousness, and will serve as a touchstone for the seventh grade's studies throughout the year.
~Mr. Hilgerdt
Eighth Grade: The eighth grade will begin the year with Anatomy and Physiology. A highlight of this block will be observations of the human skeleton through black and white drawing and forming various bone structures through clay modeling. ~Ms. Rosenstein
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Have You Met Neptune?
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Mrs. Alfaro has a new office assistant; aside from working the occasional security detail, Neptune will be dispensing a bit of wit and wisdom each month in the Willow. Right now, he's just getting his bearings.
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 | | A flock of smiling faculty strike a pose during Work Week. |
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Dear Friends,
For the last several weeks, my daughter has been counting down the days until she begins first grade. As I watch her, I recognize that familiar mixture of excitement, anticipation, and wonder, with just a twinge of nervousness, which I myself so often feel when standing on the threshold of something new. I noticed that same breathless mix of emotions in the air during work week, as final preparations were made for the arrival of the children and the start of a new school year.
The sight of the new first graders stepping through the arbor to shake the hand of their teacher is one of my favorite moments in each school year. As the new first graders embark upon their journey in the grade school, so are we, the school community, transported across the threshold. This is a time of wonderful new beginnings. All of the children and their teachers are starting a new grade or new early childhood year, eager to build upon their capacities. There are new families, new faculty, and new members of the administration who are embarking upon their own journeys with the school, eager to add their voices and gifts to help our community continue to grow. In addition, this year the school itself crosses a significant threshold as it celebrates its 30th anniversary and strengthens its ability to share the benefits of Waldorf Education with a broader audience.
Any new beginning is made easier by the presence and support of a circle of friends. I, for one, feel incredibly lucky to be a part of the warm, supportive community that we have built here at Waldorf School of Princeton. This strong community supports the children, parents, and other newcomers as they begin their journey, carrying the school forward into its 4th decade.
What is my birthday wish for WSP? Simply that we all continue to receive its gifts: all the many opportunities to grow, not only as individuals, but together, and that we are able to meet the challenges of being a "mature" school with the same openness and curiosity I observe in the new first graders.
Blessings on the year!
Janine Cleland
School Administrator
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FROM THE OFFICE
Link to Business Listing for Parent Directory
Attention, business-owning parents: if you would like to have a free listing in the back of the 2013-14 school directory, please complete this form online. It takes only a minute! Questions? Contact Jamie Quirk at x112.
Revised Forms Available on Website
Please remember you can access and print many forms from our website, by clicking on Current Parents and the current year.
Staff and Faculty News
A warm welcome to new members in our community, and not-so-new members in new roles.
- Laura Beatty, First Grade Teacher
- Efrain Martinez-Zuviria, Third Grade Teacher
- Niko Hilgerdt, Seventh Grade Teacher
- Karrin Pearson, Movement & Games Teacher
- Pamela Shafer, Fine & Practical Arts Teacher
- Lori Ann Pedersen, Pre-Care and First Grade Assistant
- Kimberly Salinas, After Care and EC Assistant
- Andy Smith, Gardening Assistant
- Lilian Sampaio, Handwork Assistant
- Tami Denette, EC Assistant
- Lisa Farajollahi, EC Assistant
- Bella Jaikaria, Educational Support Provider
- Heide Ratliff, Educational Support Provider
- Janine Cleland, Administrator
- Nancy Lemmo, Interim Faculty Chair
- Beth Miller, Development Director
Parent Handbook
Remember this is available online. Find all of the facts you need here. An early childhood supplement is located here. Don't forget to refer to the packet that you received in early August for highlights!
Summer Camp Recap
Camp went very well this year! We had 18 different alumni, 13 current and past WSP staff members, and 4 WSP parents work at camp. We served over 200 campers from various schools in the community, and many different countries (Guatemala, Sweden, Taiwan, France, and more)!
Board of Trustees/Faculty/Parent Council Board Retreat
Saturday, September 21, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Cross-Country Season Begins
Come support our Wildcats at home or away meets; find the schedule here. Practices begin Monday, September 9.
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SCHOOL EVENTS
Children's Garden (Early Childhood) Opening Day
Wednesday, September 4, 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Friday Morning Garden Parent-Child Classes Begin
Friday, September 6, 9:00-11:30 a.m.
Thursday Morning Garden Parent-Child Classes Begin
Thursday, September 12, 9:00-11:30 a.m.
New Parent Orientation & Welcome Tea
Tuesday, September 10, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Multipurpose Room, Golden House 2nd Floor
We extend our warmest welcome to new families attending our school this year. Please join us after dropoff. Members of our faculty, board, parent council, and administration will be on hand to chat about the many facets of our vibrant community. Young siblings are welcome to attend.
Grade School Photo Day
Tuesday, September 17
Look for order forms to come home with your child the first full week of school.
Parent Council Meeting
Tuesday, September 17, 7:30 p.m.
Third Grade Classroom
Handwork Circle with Ms. Daley
Tuesdays beginning September 17, 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Multipurpose Room, Golden House
Meet new friends and connect with others who share a love of handwork. This weekly gathering is open to parents of all skill levels; bring a work in progress, start a new project, or finish that one piece once and for all!
Grade School Michaelmas Celebration
and Waldorf One World Day
Friday, September 27
Michaelmas is explained through the story of Sir George and the Dragon, a legend depicting the bravery of Sir George, who battles the dragon to save the young princess and is elevated to Saint George. Our day at the grade school involves cooperative work and athletic challenges, and culminates on the lower field. Stay tuned for an upcoming e-mail with more info.
Celebrating 30 Years: A Birthday Bash for WSP
Saturday, September 28, 5:00-8:30 p.m.
Join us on the front lawn as we honor our community, past and present! Featuring a homemade lasagna dinner, contra dancing, and a big 30th birthday cake. Please look for your invitation via e-mail, or RSVP to events@princetonwaldorf.org by September 18.
Early Childhood Michaelmas Celebration
Monday, September 30, 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Board Meeting
Monday, September 30, 7:30-9:00 p.m.
For details of school events, please contact events@princetonwaldorf.org.
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SCHOOL NEWS
Fall Fundraiser for WSP: Howell Farm MazeDays
September 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 & 29
17 Valley Rd., Lambertville, NJ 08530
Help support WSP! All you have to do is print out this coupon and bring it to the maze; half of the admission price will be given to the school.
Lasagna Chefs Needed!
Attention ALL lasagna makers - we are looking for some Italian Chefs at Heart to get creative and bake some delicious varieties of this classic dish. These will be for the lasagna dinner offered at our September 28 Birthday Bash for WSP! Sign up here until September 14, or contact Beth Miller at bmiller@princetonwaldorf.org for more details.
Waldorf Wednesday: Celebrating WSP's 30th Anniversary
Holiday Online Auction
Welcome back! Plans are already under way for our third online holiday auction opening the day before Thanksgiving, November 27. Skip the shopping lines on Black Friday and join us online for Waldorf Wednesday! Parent Amy Krause will continue to lead the effort. Everyone's participation is needed to make this a success; it's easiest to ask for donations from businesses you patronize, but you can also offer a service or donate an item that you made by hand. Mark your calendars for December 8, when the auction ends, to make sure you place a winning bid!
Click here to download a donation form, or visit the table in the Golden House foyer to pick up a copy. Please contact Amy Krause at amykrause@verizon.net with questions. Thanks so much, and good luck!
Annual Fund
We did it!! Every WSP family made a gift to last year's Annual Fund Campaign and we met our $120,000 goal! Our new 2013-2014 campaign will get under way very soon. If you have ideas or would like to be involved, please contact Beth Miller at bmiller@princetonwaldorf.org.
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