Weekly Bulletin
October 12, 2021
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Scenes from Grade 3 where many of their main lesson blocks this year are grounded in stories of Indigenous People (read more below) |
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Snippets from Indigenous Peoples' Day Observances at WWS |
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Last week's Bulletin includes a piece from our Leadership Council for Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice (LC4DESJ) where you will find the Land Acknowledgment mentioned below and more information about how our teachers approach these concepts with students through the development stages. The below snippets provide some examples of that work particularly in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day.
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From Gabriele Schilz, HS Chair & German Teacher
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From Kate Knuth, Grade 8 Class Teacher
On Monday, Grade 8 began a new morning lesson block in modern history (an element of the Grade 8 curriculum which, over the course of three blocks, will takes them from the early 1600's to the modern day). We spent the morning learning about the Mississippian settlement of Cahokia, and looking at a detailed map of native nations of North America. We then considered various images of America's 'discovery,' such as "Landing of Columbus" (which hangs in the Capitol rotunda) and actively considered what messages such paintings are meant to convey. This vibrant discussion laid the groundwork to begin our reading of Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz's book, "An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People."
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From Suzanne Tapia, LS Spanish Teacher
In Grade 7, the students read about how the day is celebrated in North, Central and South America. We spent time figuring out what each country calls the day of observance. For example, in Chile it is called Day of the Meeting of Two Worlds, in Argentina Day of Respect and Intercultural Dialogue and in Guatemala Indigenous Resistance Day.
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From Laura Cox, Grade 3 Class Teacher
Indigenous People’s Day is a yearlong celebration in Grade 3. Six of our blocks this year will feature stories of Indigenous People. In the block begun last week, we are focusing upon how to live on the Earth in this region. We began by hearing the creation story of Skywoman Falling, and continue to hear tales from the Haudenosaunee people. We are learning from the wisdom, history and traditions of the tribal nations who lived close to the land, although we are also discussing that, today, the Piscataway and other Algonquin speaking people live in modern ways familiar to the children.
The gifts of the Earth, our natural resources, are abundant in our area. Since these Eastern Woodlands provide much wood that can be used for creating shelter, we are learning about longhouses and the cooperative, communal lifestyle of the original inhabitants of this land. Last week the third graders began to go out in the woods to experience the challenges of using what we can find in our environment to create our own shelters. Earlier in the year, they wove mats from cattails gathered locally.
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From Lauryn Morley, Grade 2 Class Teacher
After the morning lesson, the Grade 2 children and I acknowledged Indigenous Peoples Day. I asked the class to remember and reflect back to the land acknowledgement shared during our opening assembly. As a class, they recalled many details, including that there were people who lived on this land for thousands of years before us. They remembered that the indigenous people were caretakers of the land and it is still their homeland today. Many of the children knew about Christopher Columbus and asked questions about why this day is recognized as Indigenous Peoples Day. I explained that Columbus was an explorer and the class agreed that you can’t discover a land that is already inhabited. They noted that calling the indigenous people of the land “Indian” did not seem accurate. It was a very matter of fact discussion, as is appropriate for 7 and 8 year olds.
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From Yulia Kriskovets, Sunflowers Lead Teacher
This week, I am telling a traditional Seneca story "Turtle's Race with Beaver" as written by Joseph Bruchac and James Bruchac. The author observes in the book notes that "The story of a weaker but wiser animal winning a race is one of the most common motifs in the animal tales of Native America. In fact, such stories are found all around the world...."
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Staying Up to Date With Our School Calendar
* Current Parents can find Zoom information for meetings in ParentSquare
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October
13/ Wednesday
- G8 Parent Evening (online), 7pm
- Seedling Parent Evening (online), 7:30pm
14/ Thursday
- Craft & Conversation, 7pm
- Sunflowers Parent Evening, 8pm (online)
20/ Wednesday
- Rising 1st Grade Parent Evening (online), 8pm
21/ Thursday
- G7 Parent Evening, 7pm (online)
22/ Friday
- Lunch with Lelia & the Parent Leadership Group, (online), 12pm
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Craft & Conversation
Thursday, October 14, at 7pm
This week's session is Thursday, Oct. 14, from 7-8:30pm at Anja's house (7711 Glenmore Spring Way). We'll be needle felting toadstools and sewing wolf finger puppets.
ALL skill levels are welcome; no experience is necessary! Please know that we will be following the school protocols for masking and distancing.
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Our new school counselor, Jess Gottlieb, has been busy integrating herself into the WWS community. She met with grades 6-12 class-by-class to introduce herself to students, explain her role, and show them her office. Mrs. Gottlieb shared the heart of her work with the students: “I provide a confidential space for you to work on social, emotional, and academic stuff that is getting in the way of you feeling ok and being able to concentrate on your school work.”
Mrs. Gottlieb is in the process of introducing herself to grades 1-5 along with observing these classes to help her get a stronger sense of Waldorf education and implicit learning in the younger grades. To meet with her, students in grades 6-12 can knock on her door, leave her a note, or email her to set up an appointment. Teachers in grades 1-5 can refer students to Mrs. Gottlieb at this time. Students are invited to knock on her door or leave a note during recess, lunch, and other scheduled breaks between classes. Walking by her office, you can feel the gestures of welcome extended to the students...
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"Knitting" Our Community Together |
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Imagine the columns in front of our school and the trees that line our parking lots decorated with bright colors and fanciful patterns representing the rich vibrancy of our community. As an act of togetherness, we invite everyone to participate in "yarn bombing" our campus (with apologies for the expression).
How it will work:
Starting next week, there will be a bin in front of the school where you can drop off donations. We will accept:
- Yarn panels to be included in the project.
- Any excess yarn, knitting needles, or crochet hooks to pass on to others who wish to participate.
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Note: Please put name and contact info with any donations so we can compile a comprehensive list of participants for acknowledgement.
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FAQ:
What should the panels look like?
There is not a set size, shape, or color for the panels; having varied sizes should help us as we piece together the puzzle. Panels can be crocheted or knitted. Finger knitting is also welcome as we can use it to attach the panels to each other. Colors and patterns are up to you!
**If a group or class wants to coordinate a collection of panels to be displayed together, please let us know your concept and we'll try to find a dedicated place for your work!
How will it come together and how long will the yarn stay up?
The plan is to keep adding panels as they arrive over the next couple of months and to keep the display up through the winter holiday season. At that point, our hope is to repurpose as many of the panels as possible into scarves and blankets to donate.
Who can participate?
You! Your family! Your friends! Anyone who wants to be a part of the project is welcome to participate. We encourage alums to participate even if they are out of the area!
Need help getting started?
There is a wealth of handwork experience in our community. There are innumerable guides and resources to be found online. If you are new to knitting/crochet, you might consider using a pattern for a knit or crochet dishcloth as a place to start. If you are more advanced and just want some inspiration, here are some knit panel patterns to explore. You can also look up images of "yarn bombing" to get your creative juices flowing.
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Annual High School Evergreens Fundraiser |
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Order now through Nov 8.
Every year we work with a family owned supplier to offer high quality, sustainably harvested evergreens. We will again offer all direct-ship items with delivery right to the door (yours or that of a gift recipient) within the two weeks following Thanksgiving. All payments will be handled online, using PayPal. As we did last year, we will send all net profits to the wonderful Lakota Waldorf School on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. We invite you to join us in decorating your homes for winter, sending gifts to others, and supporting the work of our friends at the Lakota Waldorf School.
Thank you from the High School.
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Undoing Racism Working Group |
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Announcing the formation of an Undoing Racism Working Group for WWS community members who have participated in the Undoing Racism Community Organizing Workshop, the flagship offering of the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond.
If you have participated in the workshop in the past and would like to join the working group, or are interested in learning more about the workshop in order to join, please connect with us!
Contact:
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How to Submit a Listing
- We welcome submissions of community news, items for sale, want ads, etc. Please keep notices to 500 characters or less. There is no charge for listings.
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Please submit listings by COB Tuesdays with the subject "Bulletin Submission."
- If you are sending images or flyers, a link to an online version is preferred.
- Bulletin Board notices generally run for 3 weeks - if space allows - unless other arrangements have been made. Please let us know if listing information is no longer accurate. Listings may not be accepted and will likely be edited.
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These notices are from the WWS community, the greater Waldorf community, and occasionally from our school neighbors. The information and views in them belong to the individuals who submit the notices and do not necessarily reflect the views of WWS. |
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Classifieds & Events from the Community |
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MD Water Monitoring Council to Host Student Career Chat (Online)
Monday, October 25 at 7PM
from Robin Leake (WWS Parent)
Learn more about this virtual student career chat and networking session with local leaders in the environmental science and planning fields. The panel will share insights on their career paths, helpful courses, methods for finding internships and jobs, and pros and cons of different focus areas and sectors of employment. The career chat is targeted toward high school, college, and graduate students and will be a relaxed atmosphere primarily focused on Q&A. We encourage student attendees to come with questions for our panelists.
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Farm Fresh Products Delivered Near WWS
from Torie Gorges (WWS Faculty and Parent)
Whiffletree Farm delivers orders monthly (first Tuesday of the month) to the home of a WWS family, just around the corner from the school. They offer meat, eggs, cheese, and a variety of other farm products. Items are local (Warrenton, VA), pasture-raised, non-GMO, raised with sustainable land practices.
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Monday, October 18 at 8pm
from Sarah Vakkur (WWS Parent)
Smartphones, social media and video games are at the center of the biggest parenting challenge in our homes today. Come and learn the science behind healthy childhood development, how screens impact your child/teen's brain, and solutions to prevent and reverse dependency. (Live Q&A to follow)
If you have any questions about ScreenStrong.com, non smart phone options like the Gabb phone, why ScreenStrong recommends delaying all, feel free to e-mail Sarah Vakkur at vakkurstudio@me.com with the subject “ScreenStrong”.
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Montgomery County Children's Environmental Health Webinar: Wireless and Children’s Health
Thursday, October 21, 2021 at 7:30pm
from Theodora Scarato (WWS Parent)
US safety limits for wireless are 25 years old and the Environmental Working Group found these limits are hundreds of times too high. A WWS parent was part of a federal case where the court just ruled that the FCC- the agency responsible for these regulations ignored the science on children and long term exposure.
The Montgomery County Coalition is hosting a webinar featuring WWS parent Theodora Scarato MSW - petitioner in the case- for a deep dive into what the court ruling means for children’s health—and specific ideas on what families can do to support safer technology, vibrant communities and healthy kids.
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Two Free Film Screenings
from Theodora Scarato (WWS Parent)
October 7-14, 2021 “Standing on Sacred Ground”
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Lead Prevention Week “MisLEAD” Film Screening
October 28, 2021 at 7:30 PM Live Q and A with "MisLEAD" Director Tamara Rubin where you can ask questions about how to reduce lead exposures in your home
Films are part of Environmental Health Trust’s Jackson Hole Virtual Film Festival.
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FiberArt.Studio After School Classes
from Anja Caldwell (WWS Parent)
Registration is now open online for my after school handwork classes Tuesdays and/or Thursdays 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm for October and Nov/Dec. Classes are max 6 kids from regularly tested households only. Studio has lots of room and fresh air.
WWS families enjoy 10% off with Code WWS
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WWS Parent Sharing Information About Non-Smart Phone Option
from Sarah Vakkur (WWS Parent)
Does your child have a phone or are you thinking about getting them one?
ScreenStrong.com recommends switching a child/ teen’s smart phone to the Gabb phone as gaming, internet and social media are not possible on these phones. I welcome any parents to contact me as to why I highly recommend you delay buying your child a smart phone (i.e. a supercomputer in the pocket) as well (Sarah at vakkurstudio@me.com). See ScreenStrong.com or the same group on Facebook for more information on why they highly recommend Gabb phones that are talk / text only. https://gabbwireless.com
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Wooden Play Stands, Cradle, Trucks, Toys and Stokke Chair
from Theodora Scarato (WWS Parent)
Beautiful wooden toys gently used for sale. Playstands, cradles, American door wheelchair, red Stokke high chair and more! Our family will donate all funds from raised to WWS Annual Fund and the Jane Goodall Institute/Roots and Shoots. Please see the list of items at this link. If you are interested please contact Theodora Scarato at theodorams@aol.com.
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WWS Family Looking for a Nanny
from Christiam Camacho (WWS Parent)
We are looking for a caring, responsible nanny for our toddler to help with all aspects of childcare as well as developmental activities (crafts, puzzles, music, etc.). Must speak either Spanish or Russian, as well as working-level English. Looking for someone fully vaccinated, with their own car, with good references from previous employers. Experience as preschool teacher/assistant and CPR/First Aid certificates would be an advantage.
Around 30-33 hrs per week on weekdays. Additional hours on weekends possible by mutual agreement. If you have any recommendations, please let me know at christiam@hotmail.com.
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Published by the Washington Waldorf School
Copyright © 2021 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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Washington Small Schools Association
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