News, Notes & Updates

Summer 2014, Vol. 1

Imbue thyself

Housatonic Valley
Waldorf School
  
40 Dodgingtown Road
Newtown, CT 06470
203-364-1113
 


In This Issue
Rose Garden Renovation
Donate
Jack Petrash
Board of Trustees
Summer Camp
Send us your photos!
Why We Love Waldorf
Spring Benefit Survey
Foundation Studies
iDevice Needed
Poster Distribution
Class of 2016
Class of 2010
Gratitude
Lost & Found
Articles
Mission
 
 
Important Links
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
Visit the 
Gallery page 
of our website 
to see more photos!
 

Scenes from the School Year...


After-School Program,
Circus Arts











































Last Day of School:
All-school Picnic 


















Last Day of School: Kindergarten Crossing the Bridge Ceremony

















Sixth Grade Play:
The Braggart Soldier



































We are excited to announce that the next step in our growth has begun. Furniture and materials in the red Early Childhood building, now known as "Rose Garden," have been packed up and renovations are underway.

 

This project has been years in development, and the Board of Trustees felt the time was right to launch a renovation that will offer important updates to the building's use, access, security, and aesthetic features.

 

Spearheaded by the able Capital Assets Strategy Team (CAST), with support from the Board, College, and Early Childhood teachers, this project will optimize our students' daily experience and will also attract new students with a fresh, clean look.

 

We would like to thank the generous contributors to the Spring Benefit's Call From the Heart, who made possible landscaping features which will showcase the renovation and present an attractive, warm, and welcoming environment to our children.

 

Please see the following renderings to get an idea of what you will be seeing beginning in September.  We look forward to giving you details and project reports during the summer. We also invite you to call the office to see how you can assist during various phases on a volunteer basis.

 

Enjoy your summer adventures, and celebrate the satisfaction of knowing that on the dawn of our 25th year, we are making HVWS better than ever and looking forward to the next 25 with enthusiasm!

 

On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the College of Teachers, we look forward to our summer of renewal and growth.

 

Warmly,

 

Tom Storrier, President, Board of Trustees, HVWS

Carol Reznikoff, College of Teachers, HVWS

 


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Submissions to News, Notes & Updates are due the 1st and the 15th of every month. 
For a full calendar listing, please visit the Calendar page of our website.
 
 
News
 
 

Rose Garden Renovation

 

 We are thrilled to have Mabbott Seidel Architecture working on this project! 

 



Would you like to provide financial support to the Rose Garden renovation? Please consider a secure donation through PayPal.
 

Fall Speaker: Jack Petrash

October 17 & 18

 

We are thrilled to announce that educator and author Jack Petrash will come to HVWS to speak this October. On Friday the 17th he will offer an evening lecture for all interested adults, and on Saturday the 18th, a daytime workshop for fathers. Save the date!

 

Watch his TEDx talk, Educating Children for the Journey, here:

Educating Children For The Journey: Jack Petrash at TEDxRockCreekPark
Educating Children For The Journey: Jack Petrash at TEDxRockCreekPark

 
2014-2015 HVWS Board of Trustees
 

The HVWS Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the slate of officers and membership for the 2014-2015 fiscal year:

 

President: Tom Storrier

Vice President: Rich Strilowich

Secretary: Laura Selleck        

Treasurer: Mark Ancona

 

Janelle Beardsley: Faculty/College Liaison

Nathalie Bennett

Jeff James

James McFarland

Carrie Reilly: EC Liaison

Diane Rockwell: Administrative Liaison

Laura Stotz: PTA Liaison


 
 
Now Hiring
 
For Employment Opportunities at HVWS, please visit the Employment page of our website.
 
 
 
Notes
 
 

Register now for Summer Camp at HVWS!

Camp begins JULY 7.

 

Secure your child's space today!

Group 2: Circus Arts, space limited; Intro Archery, full

 

For Week 1 only, Group 1 and 2 will BOTH run on the Grades Campus,

1 Jacklin Rd.


 

Send us your 2013-2014 school year photos!

 

Do you have photos from the past year that you'd love to share?  E-mail us your five favorites! Send photos to: [email protected].


 

Why We Love Waldorf

 

As we begin to celebrate 25 Years of Waldorf Education in Connecticut, we would love your input. Please share with us what you love about Waldorf Education in general or HVWS in particular. Stop by the Administrative Cottage and sign our Why We Love Waldorf Education book, located next to the copy machine, or send us your thoughts online: http://www.waldorfct.org/25Years.
 
Thank you!

A sample from our book...
 

 
 

2014 Spring Benefit Survey

 

Thank you to all who have completed our 2014 Spring Benefit survey.  If you have not yet provided feedback, please take a moment to do so--it is a quick survey!

 

Spring Benefit Survey 


 

Interested in Foundation Studies?

 

The Foundation Studies Program in Anthroposophy and the Arts allows individuals to gain new perspectives on life and renewed impulses in their own personal and professional work. The program provides an opportunity for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of the sources of Waldorf Education and learning more about Rudolf Steiner's Science of the Spirit. For some participants, it can prepare the way for entering Waldorf teacher training programs.

HVWS hosted this program several years ago, and if there is enough interest we could do it again next school year.  Please contact Melissa Merkling,
[email protected], if interested.

"No day should pass in our human life without our receiving at least one
thought that alters our nature a little,
that enables us to develop instead of merely to exist." 

~Rudolf Steiner
 
 

Looking for an iPad/Phone/Touch

 

The front office is looking for an iPad/Phone/Touch (recent enough to include a microphone) for credit card processing.  If you have an old device with which you are ready to part, please e-mail Alex Exley at [email protected].
 
 

Poster Distribution Volunteer Needed

MONROE

 

Do you live in or around Monroe and would you be willing to distribute posters for HVWS events to local businesses?  If so, please e-mail Allison Valentino at [email protected].
 
 
 
Updates
 
 
Class of 2016 Handwork
This past year our Sixth Graders worked diligently to create a beautiful gift for their teacher's first grandson! The students all participated in knitting some aspect of the set: booties, hat, jacket, and blanket.

Leo Rufus Koga, born May 19th; 
son of Charlotte Koga (HVWS class of 2002); 
grandson of Janelle Beardsley, Rising Seventh Grade Teacher 
 

 

 
Class of 2010, where are they now?

Alicia Bauer: Job-hunting before starting Medical Assistant studies

Benjamin Bratter: George Washington University, DC

Maggie Disbrow: Eastern Connecticut State University, majoring in Music Therapy

Caitlin Hanrahan: University of Kentucky, Equine Management Program

Christina Jenkins: Parsons The New School for Design, New York

Percy Gale Kelleter: American University, DC

Ian Lew: University of Rhode Island

Elizabeth Knudsen: Roanoke College, Virginia

Hunter Moore: Maryville College, Tennessee

Jared Parker: Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston

Isaiah Tsangaris: Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston

 

 

 
Our Gratitude
 

A big thanks to the HVWS Puppetry Committee--Nancy Disbrow, Beth Anesi, Aliz Mihok, Jessica Khoshabo, and Isabel Gandara--for bringing many beautiful puppet shows to our community over the past year. 

 

Thank you to Devin Frost, Beth, Christopher and Elizabeth Anesi, Ryan Greguski, and David, Samantha, Dylan and Ian Lew for help clearing out the Rose Garden building in preparation for renovation!

  

Thank you again to all of the parents who prepared such lovely meals for the faculty dinners throughout the year!

 

 
Lost & Found
Please call or visit the office to claim lost & found items.

Found after the All-School picnic: 

 

  

 

 

Found after the Spring Benefit: 

 

 

Articles/Links

 

Here are the most recent articles posted on the HVWS Facebook page. If you haven't already, Like us on Facebook ...so you'll never have to wait to read the articles we post!

  

Suggested Links:

 

Why Crafting Is Great For Your Brain: A Neuroscientist Explains 

MindBodyGreen

 

Why Free Play Is The Best Summer School 

The Atlantic

 

The Case for Dedicated Dads 

The Atlantic

 

WHY CHILDREN FIDGET: And what we can do about it 

TimberNook

 

THE CASE FOR BANNING LAPTOPS IN THE CLASSROOM 

The New Yorker

 

What's Lost as Handwriting Fades 

The New York Times

 

Connecticut makes plan to change kindergarten cutoff date 

News Times

 

Top 10 skills children learn from the arts

The Washington Post

 

Finns beat U.S. with low-tech take on school

Politico


Mission
     
The mission of the Housatonic Valley Waldorf School is
to develop each child's unique capacity
 to engage meaningfully in the world.
    Guided by the principles of Waldorf education,
the faculty inspires in our students
creative thinking, moral sensibility, and a passion for learning. 
We offer a classical education that integrates
experiential and artistic learning, in an environment emphasizing
academic excellence, respect for diversity,
and reverence for the natural world.
    Our faculty, board of trustees, and parents work together,
with dedication and warmth, to support our school community.