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The Wave | April 2021
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April Upcoming Events
Click here to view WSSD Public Calendar
3/29 - 4/9- Spring Break | NO SCHOOL!
4/12- School Resumes
4/12- Board of Trustees Meeting
4/12- Ramadan (4/12-5/13)
4/19-23- Waldorf Week
4/21- Parent Association Meeting
4/21- Waldorf 101
4/22- Earth Day
4/26-4/30- 10th Grade Class Trip- Camp Stevens
4/30- Arbor Day
Each month we love to feature various celebrations and holidays that are living within our community. Now, we need your help! Please share any and all celebrations and holidays that you observe and any details you think would be helpful for us. Send photos, links, recipes, etc.
National Poetry Month

Whenever you see a tree


Think
how many long years
this tree waited as a seed
for an animal or bird or wind or rain
to maybe carry it to maybe the right spot
where again it waited months for seasons to change
until time and temperature were fine enough to coax it
to swell and burst its hard shell so it could send slender roots
to clutch at grains of soil and let tender shoots reach toward the sun
Think how many decades or centuries it thickened and climbed and grew
taller and deeper never knowing if it would find enough water or light
or when conditions would be right so it could keep on spreading leaves
adding blossoms and dancing
Next time
you see
a tree
think
how
much
hope
it holds

Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month reminds the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters. 
Get Ready for Waldorf Week 2021!
April 19 - 23, 2021

We are excited to announce our inaugural “Waldorf Week” celebrating all things Waldorf and highlighting initiatives for our school’s goals to thrive. You'll hear from WSSD teachers, families and friends in special videos, blogs, and useful tips as we embrace the arrival of Spring, fresh ideas, and entering into new beginnings. Stay tuned!

Thanks!
Andrew
Andrew R. Holets, MA (he/him/his)
Director of Development
Office: 619-280-8016 x312
Mobile: 610-504-4904
'Never again,' uttered after the Holocaust, has come to mean 'over and over again." Genocide continues today in many parts of the world, as millions of people are exterminated based solely on who they are.
Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month is recognized in Minnesota, California, Ohio, New Hampshire, and Texas.

To learn more about getting involved and how you can help bring awareness to Genocides past or current, CLICK HERE
April marks many genocides:
April 3- the Darfur genocide
April 5- anniversary of the siege of Sarajevo, Bosnia
April 7- Rwandan Genocide Remembrance Day
April 12- Holocaust Remembrance Day
April 17- anniversary of the Cambodian genocide
April 24- Armenian Genocide Remembrance day
Celebrate Arbor Day
National Arbor Day is April 30, 2021. While in years past this was a time for volunteer opportunities and community events for all ages, current CDC recommendations for COVID-19 make this year very different. But that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate!

In the spirit of Arbor Day, Earth Day and with gratitude for our Gardening Teacher, Amanda Womble, the Admin team is pleased to present a Gift Certificate for Madame Womble to pick out the Anna Apple Tree of her choice. (from City Farmer's Nursery of course!)
The Waldorf School of San Diego Receives Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Grant for School-wide Training
San Diego, CA: The Waldorf School of San Diego will undertake a school-wide Equity, Inclusion and Diversity professional development training thanks to a recent grant award from The Michael Foundation. 
 
“This work in diversity, equity and inclusion is such a live question in our world today and nowhere is it more important to awaken than in the Waldorf Schools,” stated Edward Hill, Trustee for The Michael Foundation. “Thanks to the Waldorf School of San Diego for taking this initiative.”
 
The Waldorf School of San Diego will work with Alma Partners, an association of trainers and educators whose goal is to help schools and other organizations operate with soul, supporting and leveraging current social, cultural, and political moments to strategize, transform and thrive while more deeply aligning practices with an organization’s fundamental values.

To support and learn more about this and other school initiatives, please contact our Director of Development, Andrew Holets
aholets@waldorfsandiego.org or 619-280-8016 x312.
We are very excited to share that Summer Camps are back! More information will follow, including dates, types of camps, cost, and registration information in the next few weeks. All of this will be posted in Parent Square.
Homeschool Family Appreciation
On March 26th at our Altadena Campus we said thank you to our families studying at home this year with a drive-through parade. It was wonderful to see them in person with parents, siblings and even some pets!


Spring projects in Grade One:
Daffodil paintings and felted tree blossoms. 

Handwork simply means creating beautiful things for the purpose of developing fine or gross motor skills, coordination, motor planning, & patience. It also enhances math skills through counting rows and stitches, measuring out patterns, and creating three-dimensional items. Children learn to correct their mistakes and value quality, utility, and hard work
Woodworking is BACK in the Grades!
We are thrilled to welcome back Mr Joaquin and Mr Sean to the new woodwork space, which has been creatively "carved out" on the Altadena Campus.

Woodworking helps develop focus, creativity, perseverance, three dimensional thinking and patience. Endurance, accuracy and confidence skills are strengthened as the student gradually brings forth a purposeful object from the wood.
“Children who learn while they are young to make practical things by hand in an artistic way, and for the benefit of others as well as for themselves, will not be strangers to life or to other people when they are older. They will be able to form their lives and their relationships in a social and artistic way, so that their lives are thereby enriched. Out of their hands can come technicians and artists who will know how to solve the problems and tasks set us.”
-Rudolf Steiner
High School Cabaret- VIDEO
Special thanks to everyone who "attended" our virtual Cabaret before Spring Break and to those who donated to our students activities and Waldorf School of San Diego! What an amazing display of talent, creativity and encouragement by our High School students.


You can still support our CABARET event and Waldorf School of San Diego activities by making your online donation here:


Congratulations to the High School Robotics Team!

As many were heading off for spring break, the high school robotics team was heading into competitive qualifying matches with other San Diego robotics teams. In a remote event, WSSD played in six timed matches and was one of nine teams from their league that qualified for the San Diego Regional tournament to be held on April 25th. They were one of two rookie teams that advanced! Aside from the event itself, students were interviewed by regional judges about the robot design, outreach, and challenges along the way. From these interviews the team also won the Motivate Award. Congratulations!

Please feel free to check out the Robo Waves Youtube Channel, Instagram, and Website listed below. All developed and maintained by students. 

Instagram: @robowaves18236
Welcoming Our Newest High School Faculty Member
 
The High School is proud to welcome Vidhya Aravamuthan as the newest member of our faculty. Vidhya is a trained Waldorf teacher (via our local WISC program) who holds twin masters degrees from Penn State University. She will be teaching our non-advanced math tracks in grades 9 and 10 for the remainder of the year, taking over those classes for Ms. Amelia Vance and Mr. Johnson respectively. 

As we shared in our most recent town hall with the community, we are beginning a "return to normal" in terms of our high school faculty teaching loads after a few months of creative stretching; Vidhya's hire is a great first step in this direction.
Quality raw honey by Home Grown in the City - from local East County beekeepers*. 

This is the same honey that has been in the Snake & Lily for years. It TASTES amazing and is super healthy.

Contact Nancy Bjork with any questions:

*Bees are primarily in citrus fields with no wheat or gluten.
WSSD Admissions

We are available for any questions or inquiries regarding enrollment for the 2020/21 school year, please complete the Inquiry Form on our Tour page (Inquire Here) or email admissions@waldorfsandiego.org to connect with our Admissions team.
Plus, we are now offering bi-weekly virtual Waldorf Q & A sessions with our Pedagogical Director, Clare Knauss.
Check out the new Virtual Tours on our website!
News from the Snake & Lily!
Hello Friends! 
Please check it out if you haven't already! www.waldorfschoolstore.com

We are officially shipping all over the US! Please feel free to share the school store link www.waldorfschoolstore.com on your social media pages. 60% of the sales we had came from Facebook so we know it really works!

Thank you! 
The Snake & Lily Crew (Candy McGrady & Liza Ferraro). 
619-280-8016 x 202

Scrip Doctor is In! 
Are you reaching your full scrip potential?

How it works:
Our families buy virtual and physical gift cards online at www.ShopWithScrip.com or on the RaiseRight App on their smartphones, or through the WSSD school store, The Snake & Lily to use in place of cash, checks, or credit cards for their regular everyday shopping. The Snake & Lily buys the gift cards from Great Lakes Scrip Center at a reduced cost to sell at full face value. The difference is immediate fundraising for our school!

Please visit our website for more info!

Stay the course my friends, scrip can be a lot of fun and provide huge funds for the school, your class trips and even tuition credit! For more details, contact Liza Ferraro 619-318-8460 lferarro@waldorfsandiego.org

In Huge Gratitude,
Liza Ferraro
WSSD Development Events Coordinator
Waldorf Alum Connections

AWSNA is extremely excited to host a new continental Alum business directory. Support Waldorf Alums in a host of fields from finance to graphic design. Please click here and share broadly!

In April, we will focus on highlighting our alums' endeavors, achievements, and actions. Join us by using the hashtags #WaldorfAlum and #WaldorfAlumni.
 
Post about your students' shining accomplishments or let AWSNA do it by filling out our alum spotlight nomination form
 
Online or Outdoor Middle School Math Tutor
My name is Donovan Wilcox and I am a 10th grade student at WSSD. I am currently available for hire as a math tutor for 6th-8th grade students. I am available most afternoons of the week and my rate is flexible. I would be able to help your student with homework assignments, classwork, and any questions they have about math or middle school homework in general. Middle school math is my specialty, but I can also work with younger students. Please reach out to me if you are interested. I am available on zoom or in an outdoor setting with distancing and masks. I can be reached at donovanglacierwilcox@gmail.com and through my dad's cell phone at 619.962.8194
How to Talk About Race - RISE Center for Racial Justice

This 6-week course is offered to raise awareness about difference, equity and racial justice. This course was designed to help prepare, support and empower teachers and parents to engage in dialogues with youth and other adults about race and...

Read more
riseforracialjustice.org
Now more than ever we want to support our community!


All businesses listed will have a WSSD family connection. This is an opportunity to expand, increase and grow your business and a great way to support our community. Think of our community any time you shop, use professional services or dine out!


Our Directory is officially up on our website, under the Community Page!

We’d love to hear from you. We value your opinion, and that’s why we want you to share your thoughts about your Waldorf experience! It would mean the world to us if you took a brief moment of your day to leave a review by clicking this link.
Thank you!
The Waldorf School of San Diego earned a Niche grade of A for 2021!

Only 10% of schools across the U.S. receive an A or higher, so this is a huge accomplishment for you and your team! Waldorf School of San Diego also ranked #20 in Best High Schools for the Arts in CA.
Support WSSD
Shop to Support Us

Support WSSD by using Amazon Smile for your shopping.
Select "The Waldorf School of San Diego" as your charity of choice and a percentage of eligible purchases goes to the school.