Weekly Bulletin - September 4, 2019
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50 years ago the first Washington Waldorf School 1st Grade convened for their first class.
This year's 1st Grade students each brought a flower to be joined with their classmates' flowers in a beautiful bouquet. The class was introduced and warmly welcomed on their journey in the grades by the students and faculty.
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We have updated our email platform to allow you to better manage your communication preferences. Use the "Update Profile" option at the bottom of the email or contact
Alia Goodyear
to make changes.
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Join Us for Our 50th Anniversary Party
this Saturday!
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Join us for a festive evening with food trucks, live music, games, and fun. Bring a picnic blanket and please remember that children must be supervised throughout the building and grounds.
When: Saturday, September 7th - 5-8pm
Where: The school blacktop
Who: Anyone with a connection to the school is welcome!
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Honoring our Beginnings on the First Day of School
How serendipitous that the first day of school this year was 50 years to-the-day that our school began in a classroom on the second floor of Shepherd Park Christian Church. In the morning assembly Jennifer Page (Faculty Chair and Head of School) welcomed the students and spoke about the history of our school. The students were delighted to hear about the first class of ten first graders—Kerry, Robin, Becky, Danny, Edward, David, Michael, Guisseppe, Tony S, and Tony R—and their teacher, Carl Hoffman. We were fortunate to receive a letter from Martha Kelder with her remembrances of the school opening ceremony on September 3, 1969, for which she played the flute. Jennifer read an excerpt from the letter and we were treated to a cello and flute duet just as the students were 50 years ago. Thanks to our music teachers Diana Flesner and Cornelia Florescu for the tribute performance.
Just before dismissal students and faculty gathered on the blacktop to sing Happy Birthday to the school and enjoy cupcakes!
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From Martha Kelder's remembrances of the Washington Waldorf School opening ceremony
"It was a warm, sunny September morning when we all gathered in the rented church classroom for the event. Through several tall windows, I could see many tree leaves glistening in the sunlight. On the first day of school, [the] students sat at their desks facing the front of the room. The young man who played the cello and I, sat off to the side, while in the back of the room, were a number of adults, probably parents and friends.
The ceremony began with the sonorous sounds of flute and cello, as we played a short classical piece of music Then, Carl Hoffman, the new grade school teacher, dressed formally in a white, long-sleeved shirt and tie, stood before the gathering and began to speak with his soft German accent. As I reflect on this today, what has remained with me all these years is the essence of what he expressed; he conveyed to me a feeling for the great significance of that moment, for all those present and for all those in the years to come."
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September
6/ Friday Rose Ceremony, 2pm (G1 & G12 parents invited)
7/ Saturday 50th Anniversary Party, 5-8pm
8/ Sunday G12 leaves for Hermit Island (Sun-Fri)
10/ Tuesday
- Craft & Conversation in the WWS Foyer, 8:30-10am - all are welcome!
- G1 Parent Evening, 7-9pm
11/ Wednesday G2 Parent Evening, 7-9pm
12/ Thursday
- G4 Parent Evening, 7-8:30pm
- G8 Parent Evening, 7:30-9pm
16/ Monday G3 Parent Evening
17/ Tuesday G7 Parent Evening, 7-9pm
18/ Wednesday G6 Parent Evening
19/ Thursday
- Waldorf100 Anniversary
- G5 Parent Evening
24/ Tuesday Whole High School Parent Evening
25/ Wednesday Coffee with Jennifer Page (Faculty Chair), 8:30-9:30am
27/ Friday Michaelmas Celebration (rain date Oct 4th)
30/ Monday
NO CLASSES – Rosh Hashanah
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Sign up for Lunches
Volunteer in the Kitchen
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Parent volunteers are an essential part of the WWS lunch program! Contact
Chef Eron Picus to join in the culinary fun.
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How Does the Faculty Prepare for a New School Year?
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Over the summer (my first as an employee here) I was fascinated to see what went into preparing for the new school year. There are, of course, the practical concerns of closing out one fiscal year and transitioning to another. Large scale building and grounds projects are given priority - have you seen the new auditorium floor? Once summer camps are done the focus shifts to making sure each space is ready and waiting for the adventures to come in the fall.
I was most interested to learn what went into preparing a classroom for a new year. I spoke with a few of the lower school class teachers to learn a bit about the process and their own special practices to prepare themselves and the classroom for the next grade. Each teacher has their own approach to preparing and preference for where to begin - lesson planning, ordering materials, and setting up the room and desks in a way that reflects the dynamic and needs of that specific class.
I was struck by one teacher's description of placing the new tools that each student will use on their desks so they were laid out waiting for the student - welcoming them to new studies and challenges ahead. This teacher also described taking time at each desk to think about the student who would sit there and to see the room from that student's perspective.
Another teacher shared how her own reflections throughout the preparations helped her to find joy regardless of the task.
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"...the energy and excitement I had for sometimes mundane tasks of washing paint jars, scrubbing desks, and making sure each pencil roll had the correct pencils. Each task was intimately tied to the work I would do with my class and my hopes and goals for learning and growth that would unfold during the school year. Each small effort was preparing the way for some aspect of new growth in my students, and thus infinitely worth doing."
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As you might imagine, the week before school starts is a busy time at the school. This week is called "Work Week" and the faculty come together to learn, share, and prepare.
Again there is the practical side - updates to the employee handbook, changes in policies and procedures and such. But then, we dug into the deep work of Waldorf education. We spent mornings delving in and discussing a lecture from
The Child, the Teachers, and the Community
by Jörgen Smit. I can only report from my small group, but the discussions were in-depth and sometimes intense - particularly focused and the dynamics of freedom (what is it even?), and considering the individual in relation to "the group," and how "education towards freedom" manifests in practical ways.
As a whole faculty we were asked to participate in a clay workshop led by Warren Cohen (Waldorf teacher and former director of the Toronto teacher training program). Through clay modeling, we considered our school experiences and the ways in which we work both as individuals and as colleagues. Over a few days our small pieces were responded to, changed, and brought together into larger pieces that grew and ultimately became symbols of our hopes for the school.
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We welcome submissions of community news, items for sale, want ads, etc. Please keep notices to 500 characters or less (with spaces). We reserve the right to edit listings as needed. Please
submit listings
by COB Tuesdays. Bulletin Board notices can generally run for 3 weeks - if space allows - unless other arrangements have been made. There is no charge for listings.
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Nanny Available
Our beloved nanny of over 4 years, Nubia, is looking for a new position as our son has started kindergarten. She is a gift beyond measure! She’s been an angel to our family.
Nubia is one of a kind – highly involved, incredibly trustworthy and infinitely patient and loving. I trust her implicitly. We feel like we’re losing a member of our family. I’m happy to answer any questions or just chat more about our experience.
Laura McCoy
301-816-3175 h | 954.790.2797 c
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International Waldorf Alumna Seeks Local Room For Jan-Feb 2020
acquaintance of Gabriele Schilz and Drew Joseph
Charlotte Hahn is finishing her bachelor’s degree in International Relations with an internship at the German Embassy in DC Jan-Feb 2020.
Charlotte grew up on a small farm in Germany, went to a Waldorf school, and has lived many places like Russia, Central America, and Lebanon. She is particularly interested in Human Rights, Refugee Law, and the Middle East. She is independent and organized.
Looking for:
- max rent $850/mo
- location < 30 minutes by public transport from the Embassy (in Foxhall).
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Published by the Washington Waldorf School
Copyright © 2019 All rights reserved
We welcome your comments and submissions. Contact
Alia Goodyear
if you would like to be added to our mailing list, or if you have submissions, questions, or suggestions. Please email submission by COB TUESDAY with the subject line "Bulletin Submission."
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Washington Waldorf School
4800 Sangamore Road,
Bethesda, MD 20816
301-229-6107
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