Chalk Basket / Roy Gumpel
News from the Parent Council Photo: Roy Gumpel
April 12, 2018
Hello MLWS Families!

Warmer temperatures and wetter weather are upon us, as Spring indisputably arrives. Please read on to learn more about what is blossoming within our school community! We are pleased to share this issue of the newsletter with the community, which includes a Parent Council update, highlights activities of various classes and other school-related topics, offers Classified listings and provides information about upcoming events in the community.


PARENT COUNCIL UPDATE
Highlights of current projects in the works are as follows: 

  • The Welcome Committee has been established and held its first open Q&A forum geared towards supporting new families in their first year at MLWS; 

  • A workshop for parents on the topic of the Four Temperaments is in development for late April/early May; 

  • How-To Guide to inform parents about the various events and activities that occur as they move through the grades (such as Work Shares, Music Shares, Michaelmas, Clothing Sale, etc.), and their roles and responsibilities in relation to these events and activities, is in development.If you have any information you’d like to share in this effort, please contact Amy at amyideleon@gmail.com;

  • Welcome to MLWS Packet for new families is also in development and will be ready for new families in the upcoming 2018/19 school year.

Parent Council will hold our May meeting  Wednesday, May 11, 3:15-4:15pm
Please consider attending the May meeting, which will be our last meeting of the school year, to share your thoughts, ideas and concerns, and to learn more about the various Parent Council initiatives in the works. Help our community thrive. Many hands make light work!

**Please note that contrary to the schedule announced at the start of the school year (which indicated meetings would alternate between 3:15pm and 5:15pm start times), for the rest of the 2017/2018 school year, Parent Council meetings will be held from 3:15pm until 4:15pm, based on attendance during the first four meetings. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

In this issue:
Upcoming Events
Did You Know...
A Peek Into the Classroom
Community
Classifieds

Calendar of School Events

Saturday, April 14, 6-10pm
Annual MLWS Spring Gala Fundraiser 
Buffet Dinner, Contradance with live music and caller, Silent Auction. Ages 21+. Proceeds to benefit MLWS and Family of New Paltz. (This event is sold out).

Wednesday, April 18, 8:30-10:30am
Community Craft Circle  
Led by Amy DeLeon, meeting in the Handwork classroom. For more information, please contact Amy at  amyideleon@gmail.com .

Saturday, April 21, 10am-12pm
MLWS Open House 
Who do you know who might like to attend? 

Wednesday, April 25, 8:30-10:30am
Community Craft Circle 
Led by Amy DeLeon, meeting in the Handwork classroom. For more information, please contact Amy at  amyideleon@gmail.com .

Tuesday, May 1
Community Mayday Celebration
Please mark your calendars and save the date!

Did you know…
QUESTION : I often hear references made to “the College.” What is “The College”?

ANSWER At the first Waldorf School in Stuttgart, Germany, Rudolf Steiner encouraged the original core of teachers to work into the future within a form based on a spiritual beholding of one another. This group was to aim for consensus, and to make conscious attempts to align through disciplined meditative practice. 

At MLWS, The College meets weekly to study the works of Steiner, participate in child studies, and guide instructional theory and practice—the pedagogical life of the school. The College is responsible for the education of the students and the educational vision of our school. The College shares governing responsibilities with the Board of Trustees and the Administration.
Members are faculty and administration who have made a long-term commitment to the principles of Waldorf education , anthroposophy, and the well-being of Mountain Laurel. The College can be reached at  college@mountainlaurel.org .

One question and the corresponding answer will be featured in each issue of the newsletter. If you have a question you would like answered, please submit it to  dana_rudikoff@yahoo.com . Please be patient if your question is not responded to immediately. Thank you!


A Peek Into the Classroom
From Mrs. Workman :

With the arrival of Spring, the First Grade-ready children in the Kindergarten class are preparing for their transition to the First Grade. They have started with their Red Queen Journey and are working hard on their sewing projects. The MLWSEarly Childhood program has experienced some positive changes this year. Our lovely Nursery class has been re-established, and Mrs. Fridlich and Mrs. Angelica are the teachers for that program. We have also welcomed several new families into the Kindergarten and Nursery classes. Both classes are starting to prepare our Spring songs for the May Day Festival and we are very much looking forward to it!

From Ms. Jee: 

Before spring break, the Fifth Grade concluded their play block with two lively performances of "Persephone and Demeter." Ms. Jee and Biscuit made guest appearances and the class was supported by actors and actresses from the 7th, 6th, 4th and 1st grades! As we return from vacation, we will be diving back into decimals and continuing our exploration of Ancient Greece through the Adventures of Odysseus and freehand Geometry. As Persephone makes her way back from Hades, and the world comes back to life, we will return to Botany in our final block of the school year.

Community
MLWS PARENTS IN THE COMMUNITY

Sunday, April 29, 3:00pm-4:30pm:
KAIROS: A Consort of Singers Spring Concert

Callie Hershey, Eighth Grade MLWS parent, is pleased to announce that she will be performing with KAIROS: A Consort of Singers in their Spring Concert.

"In The Spirit" features a cappella works based on the spiritual, the ghostly, and the mystical, featuring works by Monteverdi, Lasso, Wolf, Josquin, and more. Holy Cross Monastery, 1615 Broadway (Rte. 9W) West Park, NY. Tickets: $20 general admission; $15 senior; and $5 youth/students with valid Student ID Visit  kairosconsort.org to purchase tickets. 

•••

Tuesday, May 1, 2018, 7:00pm-9:00pm:
Attention and Distraction: Digital Technologies and Us

Samrat Pathania, Sixth Grade MLWS parent and former software programmer, is hosting a talk and conversation as part of the Elting Memorial Library’s Science Series. ‬ ‬‬

Attention and Distraction: Digital Technologies and Us: In our global, interconnected world, it is critical that students have the skills to harness the incredible power of digital technologies to enhance human potential for creativity and communication. However, this requires us to be aware of obstacles to learning that they may encounter as a consequence of their use of digital technologies. This presentation looks at some of the deleterious effects of digital tools on cognition, memory, and attention and thus challenges the assumption that Technological Progress = Human Progress.


MLWS MUSIC TEACHERS IN THE COMMUNITY

Saturday May 5, 7:30pm  (6:30pm: Shacklett concert preview) :
Restive Reverie

Aaron Bernstein and Donna Kushner , two of our MLWS private music lesson teachers, will be performing with the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra, Russell Ger, Music Director.

Restive Reverie will feature  Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor with soloist: Kariné Poghosyan and  Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 6, ‘Pathétique’.  Aquinas Hall, Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, NY. Youth and students with college ID are admitted free of charge to our Open Seating area only.   To purchase tickets, click here.


AND A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY IN THE WIDER REGIONAL WALDORF COMMUNITY
Development Corner
Classifieds
Seeking Help Completing MLWS
Song & Verse Book
With the help of Judy Jaeckel and Steve Bernstein, Third Grade parent Lisa Hansen has been gathering songs and verses of the MLWS community. These songs and verses, along with brief descriptions of the celebrations and festivals at which they are shared, are being compiled into a book. The volume will be illustrated with student artwork. Lisa is looking for a parent with an artistic eye to assist with the layout and completion of this project. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Lisa at  sunsnake@optonline.net
REQUESTS
We are the village. This is a listing of Mountain Laurel families navigating difficult times who need our community’s support and practical help with meals, rides, and more. To make additions to the list for future newsletters, please submit details to Meredith at verderosa@gmail.com

STUFF (For Sale, For Free, ISO…)
ISO Boys Hiking Boots Size 4 (possibly a half-size smaller or larger would work). Text Lisa at 845-430-4633 or email sunsnake@optonline.net

For Sale: Land in Stone Ridge, NY Three Individual sites, each with B.O.H approval for a 3-bedroom single family home. Underground electric to each lot already in place. Great location -- private but close to Stone Ridge amenities. Please see link below and email us directly if you need more information - email: land4salestoneridge@gmail.com


LEARN
Tutoring: Ms. Greta Jee, M.Ed is available for tutoring this summer and next school year. If your child could benefit from individualized instruction, support in gaining literacy skills or assistance completing school work, Ms. Jee would love to help. With sliding-scale rates, she aims to make tutoring accessible to all who are interested. Contact her at (610) 420-3856 or  gretajeemail@gmail.com .

Traditional Figure Drawing for Teens Offering 14 to 19 year olds an opportunity to hone their figure drawing skills at the 10 Horse Art Center (five minutes outside of New Paltz). The 12-week class covers anatomy, proportion, composition and perspective, with the goal of creating accurate drawings of the clothed human figure from direct observation. Contact Alex Canelos at 845 255-7612 or  alex@thesevenfoldstudio.com . For details, visit www.sevenfold.school/figure-drawing-for-teens/  . Adult classes also available. ( www.sevenfold.school/figure-drawing-1/ )

Traditional landscape paintings in oil – Tim Smith
Offering private tuition for adults and 8th grade students in classical oil painting method. To organize a session around your or your child's specific schedule and needs, 

Guitar and mandolin lessons  with Mr. Steve Bernstein at his home in Gardiner, NY. Children, teens and adults are all welcome. Please call: 845 255 0822 or drop a note in his mailbox (2nd floor) at school.

Private Drum-Set Lessons Amir Ziv (Head of the Drum Department at the New School University's Jazz & Contemporary Music Program) is now offering students of all ages private lessons from his home studio in Kerhonkson. Serious students only. For more details and to set up a time to speak on the phone or in person, please email:  az_prod@yahoo.com To view Amir’s bio: http://www.newschool.edu/jazz/faculty-az/?id=4e6a-417a-4f51-3d3d

Music Composition with ‘Famous Waldorf Alumna’
Have you ever wanted to write a piece for recorder? Maybe a piano sonata? Or even a symphony? My name is Stephanie Ann Boyd, I’m a symphonic composer in New York City, and I went to the Rudolf Steiner School of Ann Arbor. You can find me on the list of Famous Waldorf Alumni, and my music is being played all over the world. I teach music composition lessons via Skype and I have helped over 100 people write their first pieces. I charge $100 an hour, and I have financial scholarships for those who need them. You can read more here: http://stephanieannboyd.com/teaching and you can contact me at: stephanie@stephanieannboyd.com

Tutoring Ashley Sapir Lathrop is offering tutoring for children in reading and literacy skills. She holds dual master’s degrees in elementary education and literacy, with certification in both areas. Whether it is decoding, phonics, comprehension, fluency, or simply finding more comfort with literacy skills, Ashley finds fun and meaningful ways to help children shine. Ashley is available year round for tutoring, at an hourly rate of $60, and can be reached at (845)519-5067 or ashley.sapir@gmail.com

SERVICES
Jason Boyd Contracting   Quality craftsmanship with an artistic edge, 25 years experience, Free Estimates, www.jasonboydcontracting.com , 845-616-6365

Valentine and Wilder's Pet-Sitting Service
Experience with cats, fish and guinea pigs, but open to other pets as well! (917) 309-7790 or seanaskye@me.com

Photography for All Occasions Roy Gumpel has been a photographer for more than 40 years. He has done assignments in many different areas, including travel, corporate, environmental portraits, cd covers, studio portraiture, still life, fashion, architecture, documentary projects and film stills. He also shoots video. Roy and his camera were featured in a National Geographic Explorer film about Rt.66. He has traveled extensively and is open to assignments of all kinds. Contact: roygump@gmail.com , 845.544.5373 

FREE Sustainable Living Consultations Would you like to live a more sustainable lifestyle? Do you need help determining what personal actions have the biggest impact? We offer consulting to help you tread lightly on the Earth and mitigate climate change. This is a free service because we truly believe in building a viable future for all of our children. Samrat Pathania (Waldorf parent) and Dan Guenther are the Climate Consultants. For more informarion, email samratpathania@gmail.com or call/text 631-848-1599.

Home Inspections : emfs, dirty electricity, radio frequency
Concerned about children’s cell phone or lap top use? Get protection from new electric meters. Get emf readings on prospective new homes. Learn about router signals. Create an emf free sleeping environment. Teach children about safe wireless use. Decrease overall field exposure. Measure offices, cars, dorms. Learn about resources. Public talks. Harrison Barritt, selfkindness@yahoo.com , 256-0446

Permaculture Home and Property Designs : installed and maintained by Andrew Faust and Adriana Magaña. We help you to adapt your vision to the ecological and geological realities of your site. We have more than twenty years of experience in the region offering the following services: Real Estate Assessment and Land Selection, Installing and Maintaining Ponds and Solving Water Problems, Creating Biodynamic Orchards and Farms, Organic Vegetable Gardens, Off-grid Natural homes and communities, Native Landscapes, Permaculture Forest Gardens, Contact us at 917-584-4588 or see our portfolio and get a quote here: http://www.permaculturenewyork.com/design-consultation

HEALTH & WELLNESS
Wellness: Holistic, Drug-Free Asthma and Allergy Relief. Buteyko Breathing Method is the most effective drug-free approach for the management of asthma, other breathing related problems, anxiety and panic attacks. Technique can be practiced by children and adults. Anna Yashayeva, RN, Dip BBM. yaanna1@gmail.com . 917-750-2652 

Naam Yoga Classes with Renée at The Living Seed in NP: 10:00-11:30am
All levels welcome! Call 917-655-2540 for more information.

Welcome Wellness MLWS parents Liz Duncan-Gilmour, Callie Hershey and Nancy Hoose invite you to experience Ondamed® PEMF therapy. Liz and Callie founded Welcome Wellness after our children achieved remission from neurological Lyme Disease with the help of Ondamed® therapy. Our team has seen the benefits from Ondamed® therapy with issues including stress management, sleep disorders, sports injuries and surgical rehab, Lyme disease and other chronic and degenerative issues. A one-hour session generally costs $75, but MLWS families will receive a special “friends and family” discount. We are located across the street from MLWS at 29 South Chestnut St., Suite 201. Please call to learn more. Liz: 845-616-2709, Callie: 914-456-5406, Nancy: 518-269-6357.

TRAVEL
Waldorf-Anthroposophical Tours in Europe
Two European tours with Waldorf/Anthroposophical themes are being offered by Sarnia Guiton of Sophia Services for 2018.

In Search of Knights Templar in Portugal  The Knights Templar are well known for their activities in Jerusalem and the Holy Land in the Middle Ages following the First Crusade. Their demise in 1307 is also well known. What is not so well known is the belief that their activities in Portugal, working with Bernard of Clairvaux and Portuguese Templar Kings over several generations, formed a Kingdom of Conscience with laws that are echoed in Rudolf Steiner’s Threefold Social Order.  FULL

In Search of the Future - in Hungary, Romania & Bulgaria Anthroposophy was planted in these Eastern European countries early in the last century. Communism kept it underground prompting it to grow strong roots. At the end of that era, it grew strong and firm above ground and blossomed with joy that it could now be free. We have known none of that in the West. On this tour we will explore what has been happening anthroposophically in Eastern Europe in the last 25 years, and if we have anything to contribute or to bring back home from our experience.

For more information, please contact: Sarnia Guiton, 604.740.0676, sarnia@sophiaservices.ca