Every month, our dedicated Parent Guild creates time and space in their schedules to build community, brainstorm new ways to support our teachers, parents and campus, and re-enliven their connection to Waldorf Education in general and our school in particular. At the beginning of each meeting, after we speak a verse together but before getting down to the business of servant leadership, we speak into the circle the names and deeds of those in the community whom we wish to formally recognize for their acts of kindness and support over the past month. Those names are taken down, and then our own dear Ms. Heather from the office writes to each person or family a letter of gratitude on behalf of the guild and greater CSWS community. It's a simple ritual, but an important one, and as I sat in the meeting, I thought back to earlier in the week during a sweet visit to the First Grade classroom. At a certain point in the main lesson, the children's teacher, Ms. Dion, had the children come to a quiet stillness, asked them to close their eyes, and then walked them through a meditation.
It seems the children - as is not uncommon with youngsters still developing their social skills - had been having some ups and downs during play as of late. So with that in mind, she asked them to think of something that made them happy, that filled them with a "golden light." She then asked them to imagine sending that light from inside themselves to a friend in the class whose company they had been enjoying (a sweet gesture). But it's what she did next that caught me up. She had them then repeat the imagination, but this time she asked them to send their golden light to a friend with whom they'd been struggling. She didn't say any more about it, but left it at that: just sending love and light to someone who had hurt or upset them.
Wow.
Lucky are the children who are immersed in such an exercise of love and compassion as this one from a tender age. How much easier it is to pour out our thanks and warmth to those whose choices and actions we feel meet our needs and support our well-being? How much more difficult is it to send that same loving light to those in our family or community who we find challenging, or who we feel have hurt us or let us down?
Ultimately, it seems important to be able to do both, and seeing a teacher of such young children working actively to build that capacity in them just re-enlivened all over again for me how unique and precious is the work we do here, how important it is that as many children as possible get to experience and bask in that light, love and intention that lives and breathes through Waldorf Education.
So, thank you for all that
you
do to make that work possible, and to spread the word and deeds of our school to the wider community and world.
Sending light, love and blessings on your weekend.
In spirited community,
Nicole Deutsch
Director of Community Development
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Yearbook Order Deadline is Next Friday! Don't Miss your Chance!
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Next Friday is the last day to order your child's Cedar Springs Yearbook. Included with each yearbook purchased are 2 customized pages that parents can tailor for their child. To take advantage of this free option, please complete your purchase and page design by
next Friday, April 12
.
You can pre-order your child's yearbook by clicking
here
and entering our school's code: 1015351359213522
After purchasing your child's yearbook, you can customize their pages
here
:
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All-School Assembly and Early Dismissal Next Friday
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Please join us in the outdoor amphitheater next Friday at 11:30 a.m. for our spring assembly. Afterward, we will have an early dismissal at 12:30 p.m. Hot Lunch (pizza) will
not
be served that day, but extended care will be offered on its normal schedule.
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CSWS Summer Camp Something for Everyone!
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Violets Baby Group
New day & New time!
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Tuesday, April 30th
1:00-2:30 pm
Cedar Springs Waldorf School and
Ms. Inge
are delighted to invite parents of infants to a "FREE" Parent & Child/ Infant playgroup
Tuesday afternoons from 1:00-2:30 p.m.
This class will provide parents with an opportunity to learn more about the principles of Waldorf Early Childhood education and how they can be applied in the home as well as learning simple songs and hand games that you can use anywhere with your infants.
The atmosphere is one of warm and supportive companionship with other like-minded families, facilitated by a Waldorf educator to form a beautiful experience for both parents and children alike.
Children come to ...
- Experience social interaction in play that stimulates their speech and language development.
- Engage with other children at their stage of development, while developing social capacities.
Parents come and ...
- Delight in the joy of sharing songs and games with their children that support speech and language development.
- Meet other parents and find a community of sharing and support.
The Violets Baby Group will begin on Tuesday, April 30th, at 1:30 p.m. in the Morning Glory classroom.
Please contact Donna Soldano, Director of Enrollment at enrollment@cedarspringswaldorf.org or
(530) 642-9903 if you are interested in joining the group or if you have any questions.
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Art Show Welcomes
Waldorf Community Entries
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Entry forms available
here
.
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Captures from Beneath the Oaks
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This afternoon we welcomed two new members to the CSWS family - resident goat Adeline's two kids. Amazingly, the birth took place while many of the students were in the vicinity, so they got to see nature in action!
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Adeline beginning to birth the kids ... with a big, excited, extended CSWS family to witness the sweet event!
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Close ups of the new goat babies.
Check back next week for the gender and name reveal!
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What a colorful welcome awaits our Kindergarten students just outside their playground!
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Morning Glory Kindergarten children with their "Garden for the birds."
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A helpful reminder outside of the Third Grade classroom
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Advertisements and Opportunities
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Weaving Art and Life Workshop
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Scholarships are available for this important educational event. Interested CSWS parents are teachers are encouraged to apply. For more information, please contact Nancy Poer at
nancyjewelpoer@gmail.com
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CSWS Positions Available
Our school is much in need of an early childhood extended care assistant. We are seeking a warm, responsible individual to help supervise this program. Experience with young children and knowledge of Waldorf pedagogy is preferred, but not required. The extended care position hours are Monday through Friday, 12 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. To meet state licensing requirements, applicants must have 12 ECE units, and be willing to comply with current CPR and First Aid training, clear a Livescan background check, a TB test, and a health screening and comply with current California vaccination requirements. Please send inquiries to: Veronica Gunasekara at
veronicalaverne@gmail.com
The College of Teachers is seeking individuals who can act as substitute teachers. With our pedagogical chair position now vacant, we no longer have a go-to for when our teachers are ill or need to be away for the day for personal or family needs. With the cold and flu season approaching, the College would like to begin compiling a list of people, especially those with a teaching credential or experience working with children, who can support our faculty in this way. Please contact Amy Roehl at
classof2023@cedarspringswaldorf.org
if you can help with this.
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Interested in advertising in our Community Update? Special rates available for current community members and alumni students. Complete ad guidelines available
here
.
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April 11
----- Board of Trustees Meeting, 6:30 p.m.(Open to CSWS Community)
April 12
-----All School Assembly, 11:30 a.m., Early Dismissal, 12:30 p.m.
April 15
----- Spring Break begins, No School
April 29
----- School resumes
May 3
------- MayDay Games
May 4
------- Sixth Grade Play and MayFaire Festival, 10 a.m.
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Inspiring our students to reach their highest potential as free-thinking, creative human beings who have a life-long love of learning, Cedar Springs offers Waldorf education to families and their children, infants through Eighth grade
. - CSWS Mission Statement
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Have you been inspired by what you've seen and read here? If so, consider making a financial contribution to our non-profit school to support Waldorf Education in El Dorado County.
Our students thank you!
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Cedar Springs Waldorf School | 6029 Gold Meadows Rd. Placerville, CA 95667
530-642-9903 | www.cedarspringswaldorf.org
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