Thanks to all from our community who gathered to celebrate our senior basketball players, their talent, and the dedication of their families in supporting our teams. Congratulations Class of 2024 athletes!

The Grade 7 students studied the six simple machines during their recent Mechanics block, then put them all together to create Rube Goldberg machines.

These "machines" were designed by the students, with the requirements that each machine:

• involve at least ten interactions (a rolling ball down a ramp, a chain of dominoes, a pulley, a lever, etc.)
• perform a task upon completion



This lesson is always a time of trial-and-error and trial-and-success in the classroom. Great work, and a great lesson in physics!

Auditioning for All State is the culmination of a process that can span a student’s entire school career. Through participation in ensembles and intentional development of their technical and expressive tools, students develop critical thinking, self-reflection, and problem-solving skills which will serve them in their future life pursuits, whether or not those pursuits are musical.

Several students from WWS in Grades 7 - 12 were nominated among the nearly 3,000 Maryland students participating in the All State auditions, and Sophia-Alessandra Gutierrez (G12) was selected to sing in the Maryland All State Treble Ensemble. The concert at Morgan State University was an accomplishment in musical excellence and we are so proud of Sophia and all of our WWS musicians. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Faculty Appreciation Luncheon! 

It is a joy to see and hear how appreciative the faculty are of this event, and it is possible only because of the delicious food and staffing help provided by the Parent/Family Organization -- thank you for making it happen!!

Wednesdays Are Pizza Days

Thank you to everyone who has ordered meals through the lunch program! If we’re able to demonstrate viability through strong demand, we can lay the foundation for bringing back a full-time in-house program, offering the wholesome, nutritious food that we’ve heard our community desires. Your participation, new or continued, is much appreciated. Thank you!

• Next week 3/6 no lunch service (G1-G6 dismissal at 12:30 for Day of the Languages)
• Service resumes on 3/13, ordering deadline Sunday 3/10

February

29/ Thursday

• G7 & G8 Dance, 7pm

March

1/ Friday

• First 24-25 Admissions Notifications Sent

6/ Wednesday

• 12:30pm Dismissal, Grades 1-6
• Day of the Languages (G7-12), 1pm
• G7-12 Post Day of the Languages Reception

7/ Thursday

• David Barham "Why Waldorf" talk for current and newly admitted families, 7pm

9/ Saturday

• CG-G6 Community Snack & Family Play Date, 3pm

View the Calendar of School Days for the 2023-2024 School Year

Simplicity Parenting Family Life Course

STARTS TONIGHT - Walk-ins are welcome for the first session!

Thursday Evenings 7-9pm at WWS

February 29 - March 21

Register

To help families find more balance, more harmony and joy, and a shared sense of purpose and meaning, WWS is pleased to be able to offer WWS families the opportunity to join this session of Simplicity Parenting Family Life course for just the $30 materials fee.

Rooted in evidence-based research and the clinical experience of family counselor Kim John Payne, the course provides effective and doable practices and techniques for enjoying a more peaceful and connected home life. Best of all, it's done with a group of other WWS parents who share similar challenges in parenting and desires for their families. 

Contact Drew Sample with questions or learn more on the website. 

Day of the Languages Performance & Reception (Grades 7-12)

Wednesday, Mar 6 from 1-3pm

Our annual Day of the Languages is next week! This wonderful afternoon program for grades 7-12 will showcase the Spanish and German classes skits -- students have been designing their skits for the past few weeks and are excited for the production. Designing costumes, making props, learning lines, and working out timing with their classmates all require a lot of patience, collaboration, and courage!

It is a student-driven day, including any surprises we might experience. It comes out of a long tradition at our school -- at the beginning, it was directly related to the end of winter and chasing away the cold, and it has kept its carnivalesque elements to this day. Please come to see our skits and enjoy the sounds of Spanish and German. It is definitely an afternoon of laughter at the end of winter!

View photos from last year's Day of the Languages.

All parents are invited to come to the event. No one younger than Grade 7 (except for babies) will be admitted to the auditorium due to potentially irreverent content.

We will also be inviting newly-admitted families to this event, please keep an eye out for them and extend a warm welcome.

Reception Following Day of the Languages Performances

Grade 7-12 families are welcome to join us for a reception after the Day of the Languages performances. We will have refreshments and social time in the library.

RSVP requested, but not required

David Barham Talk "Why Waldorf"

Thursday, Mar 7 from 7pm-8:30pm

Please join us for a talk with David Barham, on "Why Waldorf" on Thursday, March 7, 7pm-8:30pm. David is the director of the Waldorf High School Teacher Education Program, a longtime Waldorf teacher, and a guest teacher in the high school at WWS. The talk will touch on Waldorf education throughout the years, and we hope it will appeal to many of you! We will also be inviting newly-admitted families to this talk, and hope that you will join us to meet our new families and to learn a bit more of what happens within the walls of a Waldorf school. 

RSVP welcome but not required. 

Children’s Garden - Grade 6 Snack & Family Play Date Gathering

Saturday, Mar 9 from 3-5pm

Join us on the Playground & in the Gym. The school will provide some simple snacks, and you are welcome to bring a snack to share. We hope that many of you will take advantage of the opportunity to be together and to foster your ties to each other and the community at large. Middle/high school families are also welcome.

We will also be inviting newly-admitted families to this event, please keep an eye out for them and extend a warm welcome.

RSVP requested, but not required

March Mentoring from Waldorf Alums

Wednesday, Mar 6 from 7:30 - 8:30pm

This event is designed to support students in Grades 11 and 12 looking ahead to college and university. Our stellar panel of Waldorf alums currently attending or recently graduated from college will give advice, guidance and great tips. Hosted by the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA).

Learn More & Register

SquadLocker Online Stores

• Visit our online school store to purchase gifts and essential spirit wear.
• Visit our Red-Tailed Hawks mascot gear store for team spirit items. Go Hawks!

When you purchase items through SquadLocker, your order will be shipped directly to your delivery address of choice.

Is there a particular type of item you are looking for that isn't available in our stores? Let us know and we'll see what we can do!

10% off $99+ Code: LEAPYEAR10

15% off $149+ Code: LEAPYEAR15

20% off $199+ Code: LEAPYEAR20

Valid TODAY only 2/29/2024 until 11:59pm EST. 

Washington FAMILY "Best for Families" Nominations Are Open

Please take a few minutes and nominate WWS for Washington FAMILY magazine's "Best for Families" awards. This is a simple way to help us spread the word about WWS. Nominations close March 11.

Nominate WWS today!

If you are a current family - first, check ParentSquare for posts from your teachers, departments (Children's Garden, Lower School, High School), and the administration.

If you cannot find the information you are looking for on ParentSquare, please email your department coordinator/administrator or our Operations Manager:

• Children's Garden Coordinator - Cecilia Berg-Benson
• Lower School Chair - Janet Dunwoody
• High School Administrator - Bonnie McClelland
• Operations Manager - Laur Garner

Building Bridges Program - Starting Next Week!

We are delighted to announce the start of our Building Bridges Program in the Baltimore/DC region starting on March 8! Building Bridges sessions are designed as engaging and inspiring in-person learning experiences consisting of a series of workshops designed to introduce the anthroposophical foundations of Waldorf education through study, group discussion, and the practice of the arts. With in-person long weekends, supplemented with some virtual learning, participants in Building Bridges will earn the equivalent of the first semester of teacher education and, upon subsequent entry in Antioch University, can be awarded 7 graduate credits in advance standing.

Who should consider Building Bridges?

1. Part-time teachers already in a Waldorf school who might want to move towards full-time work as class teachers, subject teachers, or a high school training through CfA.
2. Parents in area Waldorf schools who are considering Waldorf teaching and see BB as a “try us out” opportunity.
3. Public school teachers looking to make a career change.

Participants need to have completed our Explorations (formerly Foundation Studies) Program or demonstrate equivalency through life experience and/or willingness to do the online courses simultaneously with the face-to-face BB courses. Tuition and schedules are on the website. We offer group discounts for three or more from one school.

Learn More & Register

Brookmont Farm Market - Wednesdays Near WWS

From Madelaine Johnston, WWS family

Brookmont Farm Market is a great place and shop, eat, and play after school on Wednesdays! It's a 15 minute walk from Washington Waldorf, or a 5 minute drive.

Open year round every Wednesday 4 - 7:30pm. We offer live music, and at least one free kids' activity each week (yoga, face painting, petting zoo, goat yoga, fairy hair, rope swing, and playground). We host a variety of food vendors including hot food trucks (easy dinner!), Twin Springs Farm produce, Bryant Meats, Nicole's Bakery (gluten free options!), Great Harvest Breads, Black Horse Kettle Corn, Dimitri Olive Oil from Greece, and many others. Our mission is to create fun and real community, and to promote small women and minority owned businesses. Come on down!

Located on the Brookmont Village Green opposite 4000 Virginia Place, Bethesda 20816

website: https://www.brookmontmarket.com/

email: brookmontmarket@gmail.com

Community Service Hours Opportunity

From Tamara Minor, WWS Family

USA Gymnastics Youth Meets

March 9-10 & April 4-7

PG Sports Complex, 8001 Sheriff Rd, Landover, MD 20785

Volunteers needed in many roles, including timing & hospitality/sales. Sign up to work one, two, or all three meets. Bring a community service form, check-in at the ground floor volunteer table. All volunteers get free meals during the meets. Parents, other family, and friends are also welcome to volunteer.

Contact Tamara Minor to sign-up: t.minor30@yahoo.com or 202-498-2764

Fiber and Fire Camp (Grades 10-12)

A camp of self reliance, empowerment, and art run by Waldorf educators.

• Camp Dates: June 15-23
• Location: Hawley, Massachusetts (We will offer a shuttle from Boston Logan Airport)
• For students in Grades 10-12. Space is limited to 12 participants 
• Price: $2600 (Current Promotion: $200 off if you register by March 1)

Learn More & Register

Join us this summer for a nature-based experience deeply rooted in early crafts of self-reliance. We offer a modern take on timeless techniques attractive to a newer generation of self-empowering artists. At this camp, you will learn to sew clothing (from beautiful, sustainable materials) that fit your unique body. You will hone the art of lighting primitive fires using classic methods and cook nourishing and delicious meals over an open fire...to include fire pies!

We will spend our time atop a high meadow in northwest Massachusetts on a family-owned organic farm with expansive vistas and dark night skies. We will stay in a lovely lodge built with timber from the land in a peaceful, wild setting. Artists in the group will have plenty of time to absorb inspiration from the natural world. In contrast, those seeking a more active experience will have opportunities to explore the vast trail system as we immerse ourselves in nature on this 450-acre property. 

This camp is a collaboration between Cassie of Morning Rove and Adria of Empowered Threads Studio, seasoned teachers with years of experience in Waldorf Education. Adria and Cassie are passionate about self-reliance, art, and sustainability; they feel inspired to bring together like-minded students from Waldorf Schools across the country for this unique and powerful experience. 

Please check out this video highlighting some of our past capstone trips!

Published by the Washington Waldorf School

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