Education for the 21st Century |
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“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh
Dear families,
Roman statesman Cicero said that gratitude is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues. It is true that a foundation of gratitude sets the tone for how our day (our year, our life) unfolds. I feel immense gratitude toward our community, for supporting one another through unprecedented challenges in the past two years. I felt gratitude at our recent DEI parent evening, where community members shared their truths, their ideals, and their personal experiences as we navigate what it means to "belong." I felt gratitude as I recently visited our two dwarf goats and our new sweet brood of hens on campus.
When I first arrived here in the 2007 to join Playgroup, we had two feisty goats and several bunnies in the kindergarten play yard. The goats were supposed to be miniature, but their owner told Ms. Holly (as she was known at the time) a whopping fib and the animals kept growing. Parents took turns caring for the goats on campus in the summer, and my kids got butted more than once as we tried to corral them back into their pen. But we persevered, and they still couldn't wait to come back and help again. It was definitely a highlight for us as a new Waldorf family. It's so wonderful to see our children getting the privilege once again of caring for other sentient beings, to lavish them with love and care and to receive it back tenfold with the adoration of the animals.
Please scroll down to enjoy our latest happenings on campus, and please save the date for a special surprise in your inbox on Nov. 19. Hint: Grandparents and Special Friends Day is virtual this year! Also, we are so excited that WinterFest is back on campus and in person on Dec. 4. Details below.
We at WSOC wish you (in advance) a very Happy Thanksgiving- please enjoy your friends and loved ones over the break, and we will see you back on campus on Nov. 29.
And don't forget, our 30-day Annual Giving campaign begins on Nov. 30- see below for details!
Warmly,
Alyssa Hamilton
Communications Coordinator
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Leadership Circle Updates |
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Dear families,
Last week, we were privileged to participate in the first DEI community forum and felt fortunate as we were able to start coming together again as a community to be able to hear and share each other’s experiences about what it means to feel welcomed and to feel that you belong. It was gratifying to have so many from our community sitting in circle together, including parents, faculty, staff, Board members, and the members of the high school student’s DEI Club.
The strategic priorities for this year’s work of the school’s DEI Committee were introduced by Committee chair Kristen Kuczenski as community building, communication and collaboration and all of these were immediately present in the evening’s sharing. Diversity of thought and sharing of perspectives is so important in the work that is being undertaken by our school and the wider Waldorf community.
I was immediately reminded of the Rudolf Steiner verse that begins and ends each WSOC Board meeting: “The healthy social life is found when, in the mirror of each soul, the whole community finds its reflection, and when, in the whole community, the virtue of each one is living.”
We look forward to joining in as this important work continues throughout the year and beyond, and welcome the participation of everybody in the community.
For those of you who don’t know, the Leadership Circle at WSOC consists of our Board co-chairs Amy Rasmussen and James Gaor, our College of Teachers chair Brooke Natzke and me, the School Administrator.
For the Leadership Circle,
Kevin McDuff
School Administrator
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Annual Giving Campaign Begins on
Giving Tuesday, Nov. 30:
An International Day of Giving
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Dear WSOC Community,
For those of you who have not met us, we have the privilege of serving as your Board of Trustees co-chairs. We are parents at the school and are devoted to its success and well-being not only for our own children, but for the children of generations to come.
We write to you today with an appeal to support our school in a very specific way - through our Annual Giving Campaign.
Like so many other private, non-profit institutions, WSOC’s sole source of revenue is tuition. Here at WSOC, the Annual Giving funds play an important role in supplementing that revenue to support our school’s annual operating budget. Combined with our school’s long history of solid financial planning, these Annual Giving funds contributed to strong cash reserves, allowing the school to fully operate in person without any cuts to our faculty, administration, and staff during the pandemic. This fund has historically supported improvements to our campus infrastructure such as air conditioning in the Eurythmy Hall, expansion efforts as seen in the growing Nursery program, and investment in our future.
Last year, due to the pandemic, our usual Annual Giving campaign was replaced by a short, one-day, Giving Tuesday campaign. We were thrilled to see an outpouring of support from the community, despite the many challenges people were facing during that time. With those funds, we focused on the Adaptive Tuition Program and the variety of needs which kept us teaching in-person. Our primary goal was to keep our community together and our children here to benefit from this extraordinary Waldorf Education, which we all treasure and hold dear. We are so grateful to have weathered that storm and to have come out stronger as a community.
It is with gratitude for this effort and a renewed focus on the financial strength and growth of WSOC that we come to you to share that our Annual Giving Campaign is back this year – with a goal that mirrors our community’s historical support of our school: raising $100,000 with 100% participation from all stakeholders within our community and abroad.
This year’s Campaign launches on Giving Tuesday – November 30th – and runs through December 31, 2021, which allows us all time to make a tax-deductible gift to the school before year’s end. Our Launch Day - Giving Tuesday – is a wonderful marker for kicking off this year’s Campaign. Giving Tuesday is recognized as a global day for communities around the world to give to those organizations that represent and support the missions we value.
We ask that you consider making a one-time gift -- or to make a pledge that can be fulfilled through the end of July 2022 -- that is meaningful to you. We recognize that for each of us, what is a meaningful gift looks different based on our personal circumstances. For some, it’s a $50 gift, for others it could be $500, $5,000, or more. Our goal is simply to have each and every member of our community participate, and join in this effort as a reflection of our shared commitment to the well-being of this school which gives one of the greatest gifts to each of us year after year.
Waldorf Education is unique. It ignites in each student a passion for integrity, intelligence, and compassion for themselves and the world. Our teachers recognize each child as a spiritual being, and guide each student through the critical phases of childhood intellectually, physically, spiritually and artistically. We know that what we are receiving is unlike any other education.
We are confident that with a gift from every member of our community – the Board of Trustees, College of Teachers, Faculty members, Parents, Grandparents, Alumni, and other treasured members of our community – WSOC will reach its goal. Thank you for your generosity and support of this effort.
Sincerely,
James Gaor & Amy Rasmussen
Co-Chairs, Board of Trustees
Alone we can do so little; together, we can do so much.
-Helen Keller
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Annual Giving: Myth Vs. Fact
Myth: My donation is not that important or needed because WSOC has sufficient income from tuition and fees to cover the school’s annual operating expenses.
Fact: Tuition and fees cover only a portion of the annual operating expenses of the school. The Annual Giving fund is the primary source of unrestricted funds that supplements tuition income to cover the school’s annual operating expenses. Like fellow independent schools, WSOC relies solely upon tuition revenues and philanthropic gifts to meet our operating and capital expenses.
Myth: My participation does not make a difference because I don’t have the means to make a large donation.
Fact: Gifts of every size help the school achieve its $100,000 goal. You can make your tax-deductible gift as a one-time donation or can distribute it into multiple payments over the remainder of the school year.
Your participation is also a key indicator to other donors that we have consistent support from those we serve, both past and present. When 100% of those who benefit from our organization donate, this sends a powerful message which can help obtain outside grants and gifts.
Myth: Donations to Annual Giving are put in the school’s reserve fund and are meant to cover a “rainy day.”
Fact: The funds raised through Annual Giving go into the school’s operating account and are invested right back into our school to pay for things like: recruitment, training and retention of outstanding teachers; classroom supplies, transportation and trips; facilities improvements; and tuition assistance.
WSOC’s Annual Giving Campaign runs from Nov. 30 through Dec. 31, 2021. Make your tax-deductible donation by Dec. 31!
WSOC thanks you from the bottom of our hearts for your support.
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Our Gift of Thanks to the Community |
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High School Visit Day for WSOC's Grade 8 |
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Middle school basketball led by our own school administrator and seasoned coach Kevin McDuff.
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Student-to-student knitting tutorials are a frequent happening on campus! |
We love our Wildcat Mascot! |
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Students in Teacher Jenell's Grade 2 class's Main Lesson utilized bean bag exercises to add rhythm, support memory retention and supply much-needed movement for young energetic bodies. |
Ms. Richards sharing a story with her rapt Playgroup audience. |
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Please follow us on Instagram and Facebook to enjoy photos and excerpts of what your students are learning and participating in here at WSOC. Click here for easy Social Media links. Like our posts, comment and share! By doing so, you help to introduce our beautiful school to new friends.
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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Maria Morioka: Nursery Teacher
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Maria Morioka is the new WSOC Nursery teacher. She has lived and worked in Japan, Brazil, Germany, and the United States. She holds a B.F.A. with honors from the ArtCenter College of Design and worked at Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo before beginning her path as a parent and a Waldorf teacher. She received her Waldorf Certificate in 2015 from the Waldorf Institute of Southern California and completed her practicum in Early Childhood, Grades, and Subject Class. She has taught in Early Childhood, Grades, Subject Class, and High School in Waldorf and non-Waldorf settings.
You have lived all over the world. Did your travels inspire you to want to become a Waldorf teacher?
Hmmmm, I have never thought of that but I think learning about Anthroposophy has helped me find the constant in my experience of always being on the go and moving. I have always found a divide between my Eastern background and Eastern upbringing but Anthroposophy has helped me to see the relationship between the two, while honoring the unique differences. I love living in the unknown, hearing languages I have never heard before, being on my toes, and learning new skills. And being a Waldorf teacher is like that and making connections with children and families is what I love to do!
What do you feel are some of the more important issues facing parents of babies and young children today?
I think the challenges children, parents and every one of us face today are the existence of so many choices to choose from, being in a world full of temptations and conveniences that may be in the way of practicing healthy habits. Commercials, movies, Instagram, and the headlines all seem to want to define for us what happiness is or what it should look like and it's hard not to be tempted by that. Also, many families don't have a family nucleus to lean on for help and support. My hope is that we can be of support to each other here, through our school.
You teach a Parent Enrichment class once a week: what are a few of the most common questions parents have about Waldorf in the early years? Greatest challenges?
The most common questions parents have in the Parent Enrichment workshops are about what to do with challenges that arise at home. Each situation is unique but what is the saving grace in Early Childhood is that the needs of the child are clear and simple as long as we can be persistent in providing what the children need. And it is easier said than done, I know. But if we keep our lives simple, predictable, and free from media usage for these formative years and provide our children our full presence, clear and loving boundaries, I assure you that the same gaze with the same attention, devotion, love and care we give them, will gaze back at us in the same way when they have left our nest. We also have to remember to give our children enough opportunities to struggle, fall, figure out for themselves and get back on their own two feet again as they did when they were learning to walk. We all have to do the work on our own! The greatest challenge is not scooping up our children from opportunities to learn on their own, and to allow them to be resilient!
Click here to keep reading!
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Upcycling: What is it, and Why is it Important?
by Sabrina Knauss, WSOC High School Senior
In 2020, researchers from Harvard and the National Resources Defense Council got together to better define what upcycled food actually could mean. They founded an Upcycled Food Foundation and an Upcycled Food Association. Why did they do this?
Over 30% of food that is grown and produced goes to waste and ends up in
incinerators, landfills, or is simply plowed into the ground again. (62.5 million tons annually, of which 52.4 million tons goes into landfills/incinerators and 10.1 million tons is wasted on farms). Over 8% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from food waste. This is why it is a relevant topic when we consider climate change.
Upcycled foods use ingredients from food production that would have normally gone to waste. Upcycled food captures that lost monetary value, and uses it to create a sustainable food system. It also reduces the impact of food waste on the environment. In the future you will see many more products labeled as “Certified Upcycled.” People who are conscious about the environment will support this new initiative. Many food companies have begun to support this work and have included the new Upcycled Food Logo on their products. A few examples are: Shameless Pets with their cat and dog treats, Lost and Found Distillery with their alcohol and ethanol products, Del Monte with blue lake cut green beans, Grain 4 Grain with Keto pancake and waffle mix and other foods.
In the future, people will become more aware of upcycled food. Think about supporting and buying products such as upcycled pet food, cosmetics, and other goods. Be part of the change!
Note: The Upcycled Food Association is currently seeking pre-market approval from the USDA FSIS.
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WSOC Alumna Kyra Slutzky Wins National Horse Show Championship |
Congratulations to WSOC alumnus Kyra Slutzky (class of 2021 and currently a freshman at Wesleyan) who recently won the National Championship for the 3’3” Junior Hunters at Harrisburg National Horse Show in Pennsylvania! In order to compete at Harrisburg, you have to be in the Top 25 for the division from all horses competing in that division across the country. These top 25 compete in four classes - each class challenges a particular aspect of their skill. The horse and rider that do the best in those four classes win the Championship.
"Hunters" is a type of competition. Horse and rider have to compete over a course of jumps and execute them in the most effortless and graceful way. A good comparison would be figure skating. After each course, judges assess the performance with a numeric score: the higher the score, the better.
Kyra started riding in the Hunter division two years ago. She has been riding with Paddington, a hunter, for two years. She found that they meshed in personality and temperament, resulting in a win at the prestigious Harrisburg National Horse Show.
“Finding Paddington was the really one of the best things that has ever happened to me," she said. "I’ve been so lucky to have him and ride him throughout high school!”
“It has always been a dream and a goal of mine just to go to The PA National Horse Show," Kyra added. "I was just so happy and lucky to be competing there. Being champion was the cherry on top. It was the perfect ending to my junior riding career and it really highlighted all of the work and time I have put into horseback riding.”
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It's Holiday Time at The Company of Angels |
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Mon 11/15 • Newsletter
Mon 11/15, 4:30p - 5:15p • Nursery Parent Conference
Mon 11/15, 6:00p - 9:00p • Board Meeting
Wed 11/17, 6:30p - 7:30p • Grade 2 Parent Meeting
Wed 11/17, 6:30p - 7:30p • Grade 9 Parent Meeting
Thu 11/18, 11:30a - 12:30p • Parent Enrichment for Early Years parents
Fri 11/19 • Virtual Grandparents and Special Friends Day 12:30 staggered dismissal
Sat 11/20, 9:00a - 4:00p • RIE class
Mon 11/22 - Fri 11/26 • Thanksgiving Break
Mon 11/29 • Newsletter
Mon 11/29, 6:30p - 7:30p • Grade 3 Parent Meeting
Tue 11/30, 6:00p - 7:00p • Playgroup/Bridge Parent Meeting
Adult Education/Foundation Studies. Click here for more information on how to join.
Fri 11/12, 5:00p - 9:00p • Adult Education Program Grades (Foundation Studies: 7pm-9pm)
Tue 11/16, 6:30p - 9:00p • Adult Education Program (Foundation Studies: 7:30pm - 9pm)
Sat 11/13, 8:30a - 4:30p • Adult Education Program (all)
PARENT HANDBOOKS
AFTERCARE
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Community News and Events |
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Trees and Wreaths for Troops is a wonderful organization that gifts active military personnel and their families wreaths and trees each holiday season. A portion of sales benefits Grade 8's fundraising for their 8th Grade trip. Please click on the image to order. Click here for details!
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Click here for WSOC College of Teachers, Board Members and Administrative Rotation
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Waldorf School of Orange County
2350 Canyon Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92627-3948
(949) 574-7775
wwww.waldorfschool.com
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