Congratulations to all of our Ashwood musicians and to Ms. Miller and Ms. Finlayson! We had a wonderful evening of musical performances with contributions from our second through eighth graders at the spring concert earlier this month. Stringed instruments, recorders, vocals, and dance rounded out an evening of joyous sounds. Thank you to all who performed, and to our most appreciative audience.

- Jody Spanglet
School Director

Vote Yet? Please Do!
It's time for Down East Magazine's Best of Maine 2017! We'd love to see Ashwood place (or win!) in the Best Private School, Elementary, category. Please click the icon and cast your vote today for Ashwood, the little school that could!

This year, Ashwood's annual May Fair will be on Friday, May 5, from 3:00-6:00 p.m. Along with the traditional dancing, music, willow crowns, puppet play, face painting, and games, we'll be featuring some special culinary treats:
gourmet, wood-fired pizza from the Uproot Pie Company, and fresh strawberry shortcake baked and assembled by school director Jody Spanglet, grade 6-7 teacher, Elizabeth Doshi, and their grade 4-5 and 6-7 helpers. Do join us, and bring your friends! No need to cook dinner that night; Jess Shepard of Uproot will provide pizza for here and to go! RAIN CANCELS. Check our Facebook page to confirm.
 


-Judith Soleil
Enrollment and Outreach

Spring is here
Here is Spring
Let us all rejoice and sing
Birds are dining in the air
Butterflies are everywhere!

Spring has certainly sprung in the kindergarten. We are enjoying more time outside and our stories and circles are reflecting the slowly changing season. This week the teachers are offering a table puppet play, "The Red Sheep," while the week before vacation the children enjoyed "The Brave Little Rabbit" (also a a puppet play). It is always touching  to see the children's faces so rapt and engaged as the story is told.

Outside, crocuses  and daffodils are peeking through, and the sandbox has returned to its glorious original state. No longer an ice rink, it is now the focus of moats, rivers, and dams. Much digging and hauling of water takes place as entire worlds are created.

Happy spring to all!
-Ms. Beth
Early-Childhood Teacher

We invite you to join us and view a wonderful film at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland on Saturday, May 6, at 2:00 p.m. "Let's Get the Rhythm" features "girls' handclapping games from inner city playgrounds and across the world... from every continent... and islands in between. Girls from diverse cultures - from Brooklyn to Tanzania - charm us as they learn and share while expanding their experience."

I'd venture that Ashwood students could hold their own in this handclapping extravaganza! See for yourself!

- Judith Soleil
Enrollment and Outreach

A representative from SASSMM, Sexual Assault Supports Services of Midcoast Maine, will offer a presentation for parents about internet safety on Monday, May 8, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. This organization has met with parents, teachers, and students at our school in other  years, and their presentations have been helpful and enlightening.

SASSMM's internet safety curriculum focuses on recognizing, protecting people from, and intervening in online harassment, sexting, and exploitation. They will review some of the online platforms commonly used by adolescents, discuss some common scenarios, and brainstorm ways parents and caregivers can best protect children in this technological world. There will be ample time for questions.

This event will take place in the community room and is open to public. Please join us if you can.

-Jeremy Clough
Grade 5-6 teacher

Ashwood will be offering four summer camp sessions this year. You can download a form online, or pick one up in the office!

Here's the lineup:

Nature Explorers
for children 4-7 yrs. old, June 26-June 30.
Leader: Rose Swan

Ultimate Frisbee & Archery Camp
for children entering grades 4-8, July 17-21.
Leader: Jeremy Clough

Jump for Joy!
for children entering grades 1-4, July 17-July 21.
Leader: Rose Swan

French Cooking
for children entering grades 2-4 , July 24-July 28.
Leader: Sarah Trapani

Click the icon and read the April issue of Inform, the newsletter of the Association of Waldorf Schools in North America.