The Pentathlon Is Coming To Ashwood This Year and Volunteers Are Needed
All across North America during the month of May, Waldorf school fifth graders gather for the annual pentathlon.
This year it's our turn to host the regional gathering,which will take place at the Snow Bowl in Camden, and we will need help from the entire school community to make this event a success. We are looking for volunteers to help organize food for the athletes and guests, set up the field, and help with judging and translating (French). Please let Jeremy Clough know if you would like to help. There will be more information about how you can help as we get closer to the date.
On May 19, 86 fifth graders from six Waldorf schools (from Maine, New Hampshire, and Quebec) will join us for a day of friendship, athletic determination, and fun.
This bilingual festival of Greek games is a celebration and culmination of the study of Greek mythology and history, an integral feature of the Waldorf fifth-grade curriculum.
This unique aspect of Waldorf education integrates five athletic components including javelin throw, discus throw, long jump, wrestling, and an all-participant relay race, along with music, verse, dancing, performance art, and a Greek feast.
Students train for this event either throughout the entire year in movement classes, or for more intensive blocks of time. They are judged on grace, form, speed, and strength. Our fifth graders are mixed with students from each school into city-states such as Sparta, Corinth, Ithaca, Athens, or others. Friendships are formed, and there is a tremendous spirit of support and good sportsmanship for all.
Prior to the event, each child writes an ode to a favorite Greek god or goddess, asking for help in the day's competition. A flame is lit to start the games and each student burns their ode in the flame as part of the opening ritual. Classes share an artistic performance the evening before the games, and each class contributes a beautiful nature offering such as a moss garden, flowers, etc.
If your child has already participated in the pentathlon you know how wonderful the experience is. If your child has not yet had this opportunity, they will!
-Jody Spanglet and Jeremy Clough
School Director and Grade 4-5 Class Teacher
|
Love Ashwood!
 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!
|
Save the Date!
Saturday, April 8
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
For the first time, our 8th graders' student projects will be displayed at the Open House, and students will be present to discuss their work with you.
Enjoy fresh pancakes with maple syrup; learn a French song; see a puppet show; learn to throw the discus or javelin; create a colorful geometric drawing; model with beeswax; and visit the sugar shack! Ashwood's teachers will lead these activities and will be on hand to answer questions about the school. Students' work will be on display.
Did I mention pancakes? School director, Jody Spanglet, will be flipping flapjacks and serving them with real maple syrup throughout the morning.
Everyone is welcome! Please come, and bring your friends! This is a great opportunity to socialize, to experience highlights of the Waldorf curriculum, and to introduce our school and all its wonderful resources to your friends and family.
-
Judith Soleil
Enrollment and Outreach
|
Our Lively Days
This past week, Ashwood graduate, Grace Kemberling, joined the early-childhood class as part of her senior project at the Watershed School. The children loved having her there, as did the teachers! It was a pleasure to have you with us, Grace.
St. Patrick's week brought a puppet show, "Old Gnome and a Leprechaun," which includes instructions for how to build a leprechaun trap in case one should happen to trick you.
We've had so much snow! Of course, the children are joyful at each and every snowfall, even when adults have had enough by late March!
Last Friday, we made beeswax and lavender furniture polish. The children were very engaged, polishing with soft rags. It was wonderful to observe, even if some were a little over zealous! The room smelled delightful after their work.
One child forgot to take his potatoes out of his backpack for "stone soup" day on Thursday. No problem! The next day, we transformed them into crispy, oven-baked potato slices. They disappeared very quickly at snack time!
We look forward to our parent evening tonight. Our guest speaker will be Rose Swan, our extended-day teacher, who will be sharing her special "pony shop" activity. The early-childhood teachers will speak about our final months of school, and we will offer a craft project: wet felting an Easter egg.
Springtime blessings,
-Ms. Beth
Early-Childhood Teacher
|
|
|
|
"Before" photo of Sylvan Eichenlaub's restoration project.
|
Grade 8 Projects: Not to Be Missed!
Ashwood Waldorf school's 8th grade students will be presenting their senior projects on Thursday, April 6, at 6:30 p.m. at the Camden-Rockport Elementary School cafeteria. The event is free of charge and all are welcome.
Students in Ashwood's graduating class complete significant independent projects as the culmination of their Ashwood education. These projects give students the opportunity to have a truly independent learning experience based on their individual interests and inspirations.
Students combine the academic, artistic, and intellectual capacities fostered by their Waldorf education to research, develop, and present a project of their choosing. The maturity and self-motivation required to accomplish such a project is a prerequisite for moving on to secondary school. The eighth-grade project requires the students to find a mentor, research their topic, complete the work, and share this experience with an audience. They spend many hours, above and beyond their regular academic schoolwork, developing their independent eighth-grade projects.
Projects this year include:
|
Jasper Berryman Moore
Restoring a 1940's Dinghy
Isaiah Doble
Attuning My Spiritual Awareness: Reiki Massage
Caleb Edwards
Recording and Mixing an Original Composition
Sylvan Eichenlaub
Rebuilding a 1980's Cimatti Moped
Morgan MacDougal
Writing a Novel
Jacob Mills-Lightner
Learning the Art of the Chocolatier
Eli Moore
Metal to Masterpiece: Jewelry-Making
|
Sofia Mott
The Art of Fused Stained Glass
Ocean Rancourt
Fairy Tales Do Come True: Making Costumes Based on Children's Stories
Daniel Snider
The Art and Craft of Woodturning
Acer Van Dis
Building a Trailer from Scratch
Yonah Wienges
Cookbook of North-South Family Recipes and a Pop-Up Dinner
|
|
The Service Part of Serve-A-Thon
We are fortunate to live in an area where there are many wonderful organizations committed to helping the people, environment, history, and creatures of our region. Ashwood is partnering with a number of them during the Serve-A-thon. Read on to learn what we have planned for April 28 & 29.
Friday, April 28, will be an all-school service day. After main lesson, students, faculty, and parent volunteers will engage in service projects from Cushing to Belfast. Class parents will be coordinating rides and volunteer placement.
Early-childhood students will join grade one in the morning to clean up around Ashwood's campus. EC families will also be holding a clothing and supplies drive for the
Maine Syria Relief Project. Donations of infant clothing are especially welcome, as are lightly-worn clothing for all ages, crayons, pencils, medical supplies, toys (non-electronic), etc.
Grade 1 will travel to Belfast after their morning campus cleanup to play music and perform their play for residents of Penobscot Shores retirement community.
Grade 2-3 is going to George's River Land Trust's
Langlais Sculpture Preserve in Cushing to help get the preserve ready for its pubic opening this summer.
Grades 4-5 will help sort clothes, toys, and supplies for the
Maine Syria Relief Project
, and perhaps cut boat shrink wrap for use as refugee tents. Location: Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Rockland.
Grades 6-7 & 8 will be split into two groups. One will work at the
Knox County Homeless Coalition, painting a small chapel for use as a meditation space (fair-weather project), or sewing cushions for the chapel (foul-weather project). The other group will go to the
Camden-Rockport Historical Society to help clear and install a garden and help clean a barn where artifacts are stored.
Saturday, April 29, is our final Serve-A-Thon day of service. This will be a fantastic opportunity for families, alumni, alumni families, and our friends and sponsors to join us in helping our community. We've worked with many organizations to line up great work projects. Sign up for service work on Saturday
here.
We hope that with many hands working together, our greater Ashwood community will make a meaningful difference.
-Sarah Ewing
Fundraising Coordinator
|
Yes!
Ashwood will be offering four summer camp sessions this year. Enrollment forms will soon be on our website, or pick one up now in the office!
Ashwood will be offering camps this summer. 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
|
|
|
Wednesday, March 29
Early-Childhood Parent Evening
6:00-7:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 30
Grade 8 Parent Evening
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Board of Trustees Meeting
6:00 p.m.
Friday, March 31
Imagine That! Puppets & More "Spring Bulb Story" at Belfast Free Library
10:00 a.m.
Tuesday, April 4
Knitting Circle
Early-Childhood Center, Buttercup Room
9:00 a.m.
Thursday, April 6
Grade 8 Project Presentations
Camden-Rockport Elementary School Cafeteria
6:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 8
Ashwood Waldorf School Open House
10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 11
Serve-A-Thon Pizza Benefit
Flatbread Company, Rockport 5:00-9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 12
Spring Concert
Lincoln St. Center, Rockland
6:30 p.m.
|
Handcrafted Teas
I hand-blend organic herbs to create unique tea blends. Some of you have tasted my teas, which are served in Ashwood's early-childhood classroom.Please
email Andi Gaylor for a complete list of teas, their prices, and ingredients. Thank you!"
|
Seeking a Dog
I would like to adopt a curly/shaggy adult dog of medium size. If you hear of someone who can no longer care for a beloved pet, or any other leads, please let me know!
Judith Soleil.
|
We publish community-service announcements from and for Ashwood community members at no charge (50-words max.). Send to: Judith Soleil.
|
Why Waldorf?
|
|
|
Waldorf 100: Learn to Change the World!
|
Waldorf education will have a milestone anniversary in 2020! This video shows the wonders of this growing movement in schools around the world.
|
Be a Sponsor
Display or text ads appear here, in the right column of the
Leaflet, and link to your website. The cost is $5/edition for a square ad (170 x 170 pixels) and $10/edition for a long ad (170 x 340 pixels). Discounts are available for long-term ads. The
Leaflet appears every other week except in July. For more information, email
Judith Soleil.
|
Do you have a story to tell about Ashwood? A review of a book or an event? A reflection on Waldorf education? Photos you've taken?
A question about the Leaflet?
Send us an email! We would love to hear from you. The next Leaflet will be published on Wednesday, April 12, 2017. Deadline for submissions is Monday, April 10, at 9:00 a.m.
|
|
Support Waldorf education in midcoast Maine. Make a tax-deductible donation today by clicking the button below.
Thank you!
|
|
 |
|
