Dear Colleagues,

I think we are all feeling that January has been a long month, marked by challenges for many. We are picturing all of you in your very different locations. Last week, it was colder in Florida than in Anchorage. Some of you are buried in snow. Fires continue to challenge Los Angeles. Spring bulbs are blooming in Northern California. For all of us (except in Kona, Hawaii), the days are getting noticeably lighter and February is almost here. We at the Alliance would like to add a little support for your work. We were really sad to cancel our conference, although it was clearly the right decision. Its content and innovative structure were important for the work we are all engaged in and there is tremendous value in coming together to enrich our work. Our annual conference existed before the Alliance was formally established. It provides so many formal and informal chances for professional and personal development and building connections within what can at times be lonely work. 

We decided to take this cancellation or postponement as an opportunity to step back and ask our schools what works best for them. We sent a survey to school leaders yesterday regarding options and needs – thank you in advance for filling it out and returning it to us. For example, we are wondering if, with sufficient advance notice, we could have a couple of “universal” in-service days for all schools. This would achieve two goals: remove the burden of substitution for those attending a conference; and provide professional development for each school. Let us know! Please take a moment to fill out the survey here.

Meanwhile, as we conduct the survey and gather information, we are working with several of our conference presenters to provide some virtual opportunities. David Sewell McCann’s storytelling in emergencies is already underway - thank you, David, for generously providing this. We wanted everyone to have a taste of eurythmy at either the in-person or virtual conference; Mary Ruud has kindly stepped up and this will be available as a virtual session in February. Watch for the date and time and discover for yourself why eurythmists seem to be timeless! We will also have a watercolor painting workshop with Rick Tan to inspire our artistic work. For school leaders, board members, and administrators, we will have the two promised legal workshops with Lisa Corr and Cassandra Bridge, made possible by Young, Minney and Corr. There will be more to come - watch for announcements in our e-news and on our website. These sessions will be provided without charge out of a desire to fill a piece of the gap left by the conference and to add wind to our sails for the second half of this school year. 

We wish you smooth, or at least smoother, sailing.

Liz Beaven

Executive Director

Reminder for School Leaders:

Please be reminded that due to the recent change of administration it is a good time to check your school's policies and procedures, such as requests for student demographics from government agencies, and Title IX. We recommend that you have your policies reviewed by your legal counsel and as part of regular training, ensure that staff understand your policies.

Upcoming Virtual Workshops – Free to Attend

Dates, Times, and Zoom Links to Be Announced – Stay Tuned!

Upcoming Professional Development

and Teacher Preparation

WECAN :  Love the Skin They Are In

Two part series- Jan. 29 & Feb. 5, 2025: Online

https://waldorfearlychildhood.org

Waldorf Handwork Educators: International Handwork Teacher Development Programs

Jan. 2025: 2-year program: Synchronous Program, Online (live attendance)

Jan. 2025: 2-year program: Hybrid Program, Online (video recordings & live discussions)

waldorfhandwork.org/teacher-development

WECAN: Parent and Caregiver Events

Jan. 2025-May 2025, Online

https://waldorfearlychildhood.org/news-and-events/

Leading with Spirit: Training programs: The Art of Facilitation, Prepared to Serve, and The River Raft and You

Winter -Spring 2025 offerings: Online

leadingwithspirit.org/

Center for Anthroposophy- Starlight Rays in Darkened Times: Seminars on Contemporary Topics

Jan. 25, Feb. 8 & Feb. 22, 2025: Online, Saturdays 3-4:30 pm ET

centerforanthroposophy.org/starlight/

Sunbridge Institute: High School Teacher Education

Feb. 7-8, 2025: Online

https://www.sunbridge.edu/event/high-school-teacher-education-weekend-february-7-8-2025/

Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training: Speaking Your Way to Health Speech Workshop

Feb 8, 2025: In-Person, El Sobrante, CA

https://mailchi.mp/bacwtt/new-workshops-for-2025

Woodland Star Charter School: Parent Education Series

Feb. 26 & Mar. 12, 2025: In-Person, Glen Ellen, CA

https://conta.cc/4fT0v8V

Kairos Institute: Healing in a World of Need

Feb. - Mar. 2025 offerings: Online and In-Person

https://centerforanthroposophy.org/programs/kairos-institute/kairos-institute-emergency-pedagogy/

Sunbridge Institute: The Art of Storytelling

Apr. 4-5, 2025: Online

https://www.sunbridge.edu/courses-workshops/summer-series/

Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training: Weaving Wonder into Everyday Life with Toddlers

Apr. 27, 2025: Online

https://events.humanitix.com/taster-day-weaving-wonder-into-everyday-life-with-toddlers

Sunbridge Institute: Summer Series

Leadership, Early Childhood & Grades 1-8

Jun. & Jul. 2025: Online

https://www.sunbridge.edu/courses-workshops/summer-series/

Great Lakes Waldorf Institute: High School Summer Professional Development

Jun. 30-Jul. 3, 2025: Online

Jul. 7-11, 2025: In-Person, Milwaukee, WI

https://www.greatlakeswaldorf.org/high-school

Journey School: Summer Renewal 2025

Jul. 7-11, 2025: In-Person, Aliso Viejo, CA

https://www.journeyschool.net/renewal/

Center for Anthroposophy: Waldorf High School Teacher Education Program

Class of 2027 enrolls this summer, July 2025. Online & In-Person

https://centerforanthroposophy.org/programs/waldorf-high-school-teacher-education/whistep/

New Adult Learning Institute: Grounded in Practice: A New Waldorf Foundation Year

Aug 18, 2025 - April 30, 2026: One Week In-Person (Vancouver Island, Canada) & 8 months Online (bi-monthly)

https://haven-wood.ca/nalinstitute

Gradalis: Understanding Waldorf Education (UWE) Program

Sept. 2025-April 2026: Online

gradalis.edu/uwe-mentorship,/

Center for Biography & Social Art

In-Person or Online

Flyer

Awakening Connections; Creating Community

Jennifer Militzer-Kopperl: Renewal of Literacy

On-demand support courses for literacy and language arts in the grades; access for 6 months or 1 year, Online

renewalofliteracy.teachable.com/

Ashley Radzat Consulting: Comprehensive support for educators and school communities

On demand In-Person or Online sessions & workshops

radzatconsulting.com/school-services

Upcoming Conferences:

WECAN Early Childhood Educators Conference: A New Path: Transforming Conflict Through Destiny Learning

Feb. 7-9, 2025, In-Person, Spring Valley, NY

Feb. 22, 2025, Online

https://web.cvent.com/event/

WECAN Pacific Northwest Regional Conference: Living in Right Relationship, Remembering the Sacred: Bringing Healing Education to the Land and All Beings

Feb. 14-16, 2025, In-Person, Portland, OR

https://web.cvent.com/event/

Waldorf Handwork Educators February Conference, Growing Together: The Power of Community Handwork

Feb 15, 16, 17 2025, Online

waldorfhandwork.org/teacher-development

Please visit our website to find out about job postings at our member schools.

https://www.publicwaldorf.org/job-postings

For more information:

Liz Beaven, Executive Director 

Carly Fedor, Administrative Assistant

Alliance for Public Waldorf Education

1000 River Rock Drive, Suite 218

Folsom, CA 95630

Public Waldorf is a service mark of the Association of Waldorf Schools

of North America and is used pursuant to a license.

STAY CONNECTED