The early childhood class had our Michaelmas celebration at the same time as the grade school.   Many family members joined us to watch the pageant, then went back to our classroom for circle time,  and to wash, peel, and chop apples to make sauce for our winter snacks; prepare garden beds to plant bulbs; and tie herbs in bundles to dry for tea.

Children helped with different tasks and played actively together, happy to have so many busy parents on their playground and very proud to show them around our extended yard. We went on our customary hike: down to the creek (all dried up), up a steep, rocky hill, around and down again before the "jumping off" rocks and the field. We sat in the warm sunshine, watching the grade school children board the school bus, waved them goodbye, and ate lunch in the upper field.

It was a very busy, social, and lovely time. Thank you to all who participated!

- Marianne Bockli

Early-childhood teacher

This week the fifth and sixth graders went to the beehive. Watching the beekeeper take apart the hive was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. To complete the experience, we saw a queen bee!
- Abbie Ames Grade 6

A Selection of Facts about Bees
Bees' wings vibrate 11,400 times per minute.
Drone bees are male and they don't have stingers. Their purpose is to mate with the queen.
The queen bee's stinger is not barbed, so her stinging power is limitless.
Bees have three stomachs.
Worker bees only live about six weeks.
- Melissa Lavi, Grade 5

We learned about the different kinds of bees. There are the queen bee, the drones, and the worker bees. There is only one queen bee. She is much larger than the others. She has no hair (black stripes) on her abdomen because she is groomed so often that nurse bees groom off her hair. She can sting more than once because her stinger doesn't have a barb on it. She also lays many eggs each day to keep the hive healthy and strong. Worker bees first become nurse bees. They take care of the queen. When they get older they become field bees and collect pollen and nectar. The last type of bee, drones, are my favorite because they don't sting. Drone bees mate with the queen. They are larger than the worker bees.
- Lily Mott, Grade 6

Thank you to our master beekeepers, Mr. Lammert and Ms. Jacobs!

- Jeremy Clough

Class teacher

Ashwood Waldorf School offers a festive All Hallows' Eve celebration each year for all families with school age children. The event is an imaginative, protected alternative to traditional trick-or-treat activities. For one magical evening, our campus and woodlands are transformed into a place of enchantment.  
This year's walk will be on Friday, October 27, from 5:00-6:30 p.m.

Parents from each class have specific assignments. Your class parents will be in touch with details.

We heartily invite alumni, parents, and friends to get involved; working behind the scenes is a lot of fun! As well as the assigned roles, above, we'll need trail guides, parking attendants, and entertainers.

If you'd like to pose in the woods as a character, we can help with costuming. 

Please contact me by October 20 if you'd like to help make this annual gift to our community a very special one!

-J udith Soleil
Enrollment and Outreach

Dear Ashwood Families,
Parent-teacher conferences will be held Thursday, October 19 and Friday, Oct. 20.  Please use the links below to schedule conferences with your child(ren)'s teachers. If you have any trouble with the links or have questions, please don't hesitate to call.

DEADLINE FOR SIGNUPS IS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18.
EC

Grade 1-2
Grade 3-4
Grade 5-6
Grade 7-8
Grade 8 Math
Strings
Handwork
French

-Sarah Ewing

Get your party hat on for a good cause!
Love to party? Love Ashwood? If you've been wanting to help out, but don't want to make a year-long time commitment, the dance committee may be just the ticket! Serve-A-Thon committee members are busy planning our big fundraiser for the spring, and the big launch will be a fabulous dance party.  We need a few willing souls for a short-term volunteer committee. Dance committee members will meet once a week to brainstorm and execute ideas for a theme, decorations, food, etc. from February through mid-March. If you're interested in helping out, contact Sarah Ewing in the main office!

- Amy Thompson

Sexual Assault Services of Midcoast Maine, (SASSM) has come to our school in previous years to speak with middle school students, parents, and teachers. The organization lost the funding that allowed them to run this program for schools. However, they still run a hotline for those in need. The number is 1-800-822-5999.

- Jody Spanglet

School Director