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DWS Bulletin
JANUARY: News & Updates
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JANUARY 8
Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice Meeting
@ 12 PM, On Campus
JANUARY 11
Board Meeting
@ 7:00 PM, Zoom
JANUARY 13
Kindergarten Info Night
@ 6:30 PM, On Campus
JANUARY 17
NO SCHOOL:
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
JANUARY 19
Parent Council Meeting
@ 6:30 PM, Zoom
FEBRUARY 1
Lunar New Year
First Day of Black History Month
FEBRUARY 4
All School Open House
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Click to HERE to view the
full website calendar.
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Burning the Old Year
BY NAOMI SHIHAB NYE
Letters swallow themselves in seconds.
Notes friends tied to the doorknob,
transparent scarlet paper,
sizzle like moth wings,
marry the air.
So much of any year is flammable,
lists of vegetables, partial poems.
Orange swirling flame of days,
so little is a stone.
Where there was something and suddenly isn’t,
an absence shouts, celebrates, leaves a space.
I begin again with the smallest numbers.
Quick dance, shuffle of losses and leaves,
only the things I didn’t do
crackle after the blazing dies.
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Click "View entire message" at the bottom of this email to make sure you see all news and updates.
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COVID-19 Community Update
The Davis Waldorf School is committed to keeping our community healthy in the ongoing pandemic. The DWS administration will continue to monitor changing county, state, and national health guidelines as we weather the current holiday surge in C-19 cases. We appreciate our community's abundant caution and urge families to remain mindful of C-19 symptoms.
Any student or staff member who experiences symptoms of COVID-19 is required to isolate off campus until a negative C-19 test result is obtained and symptoms have improved. So far our students and staff have experienced only a handful of positive cases, and the office is conducting careful contact tracing so that we can stay ahead of and prevent any internal transmission within our community.
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Re-Enrollment for the 2022-2023 School Year
Greetings current DWS families! Re-Enrollment is just around the corner, and so we wanted to start sharing important information and deadlines as soon as possible.
WHERE Can You Re-Enroll?
We will be transitioning our Enrollment Contracts and Student Information Services away from BigSIS and to Blackbaud - the same company that manages SMART, our tuition management service.
By transferring to a single company for these multiple services, our families will be able to access all of their important documents, payments, and records through one portal. More information on this transition will be shared in the coming weeks.
WHEN Can You Re-Enroll?
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Re-Enrollment Contracts will be available digitally through Blackbaud on Monday, February 7th.
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The deadline to sign these contracts and pay a reduced enrollment fee is Wednesday, February 16th.
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IMPACTED CLASSES
Many of our classes are impacted this year, meaning they are at capacity and/or we expect to receive more applications than available spots.
Impacted classes are as follows: Preschool (All Programs), Kindergarten, rising 1st Grade (Class of 2030), rising 2nd Grade (Class of 2029), rising 4th Grade (Class of 2027), rising 5th Grade (Class of 2026), and rising 7th Grade (Class of 2024).
Enrollment spots are considered reserved for currently enrolled students until February 16th. After that date, we will not be holding spots without a signed contract. Enrollment will open to siblings of enrolled students and newly accepted families starting on February 17th. Applications for 2022-23 are currently being accepted.
WITHDRAWING
If your family's plans change after signing the Re-Enrollment Contract, you have until June 30th, 2022 to inform the office by written notice of your withdrawal for the coming school year. Tuition payments for the 2022-2023 school year will begin in July. If the office receives notice of withdrawal after June 30th, 6 weeks of tuition will be required (tuition weeks are weeks school is in session).
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Tuition for the 2022-2023 School Year
At the December Board meeting, after consultation with faculty and the community, the Board of Directors approved a 3% tuition increase for the 2022-23 school year. This will enable DWS to:
- Provide a cost-of-living salary increase for all employees and annual teacher salary increases of approximately $36,000
- Manage our rising operational costs due to inflation
- Continue to offer our students an inspirational, varied Waldorf program and invest in redeveloping our campus
- Maintain a robust tuition assistant program
If you are concerned about financial hardship for your family, we want to support you. Please see the section below for information on our Tuition Assistance Program (TAP).
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| GRADE / PROGRAM | SY: 22-23
ANNUAL TUITION
(3% Increase) | CLASS
FUND FEE | TOTAL TUITION
(w/ Class Fund Fee Included) | Monthly Payment on:
11 MONTH PAYMENT PLAN*
(Includes Class Fund Fee) | | Preschool
(2 Day) | $4,973 | $300 | $5,273 | $479 | | Preschool
(3 Day) | $7,255 | $300 | $7,555 | $687 | | Preschool
(4 Day) | $8,910 | $300 | $9,210 | $837 | | Preschool
(5 Day) | $11,135 | $300 | $11,435 | $1,040 | | Kindergarten | $12,278 | $300 | $12,578 | $1,143 | | 1st Grade | $13,363 | $300 | $13,663 | $1,242 | | 2nd - 4th Grade | $14,043 | $300 | $14,343 | $1,304 | | 5th - 8th Grade | $14,043 | $350 | $14,393 | $1,308 | | |
*The 11 Month Payment Plan is the default tuition payment schedule, with payments starting in July 2022. Other payment schedules (annual, biannual, etc.) can be arranged through the business office. | |
Additional Fees
SMART Tuition Processing Fee: $50, one-time payment for the year.
Enrollment Fee (non-refundable):
- BEFORE Feb. 16th deadline: $300 per family, ($200 for preschool-only families)
- AFTER Feb. 16th deadline: $500 per family, ($300 for preschool-only families)
Class Fund Fee*:
- Preschool: $300
- Kindergarten: $300
- Grades 1 - 4: $300
- Grades 5 - 8: $350
*Class Funds are used to cover class field trips, additional class materials, and any other class needs that arise over the course of the year.
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Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
Our goal at DWS is to make Waldorf education accessible to all families who wish to have it. We recognize an independent, socially- and environmentally-conscious education requires a significant financial commitment.
Each year, DWS budgets a set amount of financial assistance through our Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) to achieve that goal. DWS utilizes a third party company called Tuition Aid Data Service (TADS) to gather financial data, put together reports summarizing this data, and to calculate a family’s ability to pay. For the 2021-22 School Year, we have 29 families utilizing the TAP program with a total of $152,503.79 in tuition assistance being provided.
The application process includes several steps, which include submitting tax returns and current pay stubs, along with other financial documents. TAP Awards DO NOT roll over, so current families who wish to utilize this resource for the 2022-23 School Year must apply AGAIN and submit updated financial records. Using TADS helps our school ensure consistency and objectivity in evaluating financial data. To learn more about TADS, click HERE to visit the website.
Once the TAP deadline is confirmed, another email will be sent out to all current families with dates and more information about the process.
If you have questions, please contact our business manager Gabrielle Walton at: finance@daviswaldorf.org.
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Welcome to our New Early Childhood Assistants! | | | |
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Grayson Dietrich
Grayson is joining the DWS Team as an Aftercare Assistant, and we are so excited for him to share his experiences in dance, theatre and childcare with our community. Grayson has previously worked at the Camellia Waldorf school in their aftercare program, and he continues to work for the Mirror Image Dance Company as a hip-hop instructor. Welcome Teacher Grayson!
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Megan Fulmer
Megan will be transitioning into the Early Childhood Aftercare Coordinator position. In addition to her experience as mom to her own two kiddos (students at DWS), Megan has been working with children for over 7 years as a nanny, preschool teacher, and swim instructor. Megan is currently working to complete her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Literacy / Child Development at Sacramento City College. Welcome Teacher Megan!
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UPDATE: June Bug Aftercare Program
After some staffing changes during the winter and fall, we are happy to share that our Early Childhood aftercare program (June Bug) is fully staffed. We would like to thank the parent community and staff for all the patience and support while we searched for new staff members.
Our preschool aftercare program has 2 nap rooms and 2 nap anchors, Teacher Alyssa and Teacher Megan. Our kindergarten aftercare program rests in one room (the Climbing Rose classroom this semester), and is led by Teacher Grayson. Teachers Lindsy, Mira, and Rebeccah will continue in the nap program supporting meal preparation and serving. With our current staffing we are able to offer drop-in care again.
Please contact Ms. Shellie at: office@daviswaldorf.org OR stop by the office if you are interested in drop-in care.
Should you have any questions about the aftercare program please email:
Junebug@daviswaldorf.org. Our school director, Jennifer Slater, currently monitors this email, but in time it will be passed to Teacher Megan, who will be our June Bug Coordinator.
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UPDATE: Hot Lunch Order Forms
New Forms for Spring!
A new set of Hot Lunch order forms are now available for January through June 2022. If you would like your student to receive hot lunch, please make sure to fill out these forms ASAP. Please use the table below to access the order forms for each day.
All individuals involved in the preparation and delivery of the food will be wearing gloves and face coverings in addition to other COVID safety precautions.
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| DAY | FOOD | PRICE | ORDER FORM | | MONDAY | Rice Bowls
w/ Veggies
(Chicken or Tofu) | $6 per bowl | Click HERE to order Rice Bowls. | | TUESDAY | Burritos
w/ Chips & Salsa
(Bean & Cheese or Bean & Rice) | $6 per burrito | Click HERE to order Burritos. | | WEDNESDAY
| Baked Potato
w/ Vegan Chili and Toppings | $6 per potato | Click HERE to order Potatoes. | | THURSDAY | Pizza
w/ Carrot & Celery Sticks and Ranch Dressing
(Cheese or Pepperoni) | $6 per slice | Click HERE to order Pizza. | | FRIDAY | NONE | NONE | NONE | | | |
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Staying Warm this Winter...
Winter is upon us, and there are some rainy days ahead. Weather-appropriate clothing is a key component of being prepared for school. We want to make sure every child has everything they need to stay comfortable, engaged, and active. Provided here is a basic guide for dressing your child for cold weather, including lists of suggested items and materials.
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Kindergarten Information Night
Thursday, January 13 @ 6:30 PM
Join Teacher Casey and Teacher Emily to learn all about the magical Waldorf journey that begins in Kindergarten! Through story, movement, music and more, Waldorf Kinder students build a strong foundation for later academic and social success. Our two-year kindergarten program surrounds our students with a home-like environment where play and imagination are allowed to thrive!
Masks are required at the event.
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Auction Volunteers Needed!
The auction team is looking for volunteers to make this year's auction better than last year. We are going to need more helpers than ever! Check out the signup link below and see what tasks still need volunteers! Some require only a few hours commitment.
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Parent Child Classes
Sign up for the Winter Session today!
Looking for a community of parents? Trying to find a safe, home-like space for your toddler's first forays into peer socialization? Join instructor Danielle Murphy this winter for one of our fun and engaging Parent Child Classes. DWS will be offering three classes grouped by age (6-15 Months,16-23 Months, Old Class, 2-3 Years).
Classes will meet on Saturdays during the months of January, February, and March, and are hosted in an indoor classroom carefully curated for creative play. Class size is limited to 8 families, and masks are required for all adult participants. Visit our website to learn more and register today!
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Winter Concert 2021
What a wonderful night of music!
Our strings and band performed traditional winter songs to the delight of our community, while each grade, from 2nd through 8th, presented their own special performance. The night ended with a rendition of MaMuse's "We Shall Be Known" by our incredible faculty, accompanied by our talented, ukulele-playing 8th graders. Special thanks to our music subject teachers, Angela Kost and Gerry Rheault, and congratulations to our amazing students!
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DWS Strings Orchestra, Directed by Angela Kost | |
DWS Band, Directed by Gerry Rheault | |
SUPPORT THE DWS COMMUNITY | |
Mask & Sticker Fundraiser
Earnings benefit the Class of 2022's
8th grade trip.
Face Masks $12
- 100% High Quality Cotton,
- 2 layers, plus filter pocket,
- Your choice of 3 logos (or none)
Vinyl Stickers! $2
- 2-inch stickers,
- Your choice of 3 logos
3 Ways To Pay:
1. Pay in-person with Cash or Check
2. Pay by mail with a Check
3. Pay Online, by credit card
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Do you have a submission for our Newsletter?
If you have an item to include in an upcoming newsletter,
email Eden Tomich at dwsassistant@daviswaldorf.org.
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