Dear Colleagues,

Kia ora from Aotearoa New Zealand. Despite decades lived away, this land of my birth and upbringing is still “home,” and I am soaking in everything as I enjoy a visit that is a mix of work and family and am benefitting from a different view of the world. 

International travel is remarkable for its gift of perspective, which seems particularly needed and valuable right now in a time of fixed viewpoints and tremendous conflict alongside a constant of change. Travel to New Zealand from the US involves crossing the international dateline - you either lose a day or arrive back before you leave! Once upon a time, if you crossed the dateline, you received a certificate; now it has become commonplace. It remains a great reminder of the arbitrariness of clock time (think of our twice a year time changes!) compared to the reality of natural cycles of seasons and light and dark. I was treated to a most glorious, lengthy view of dawn breaking from almost 40,000 feet as we approached land here. Knowing that we are crossing vast expanses of ocean, I always think of the early Polynesian explorers charting a path into the unknown, guided solely by their connection to the currents, the wind, and the stars. According to the dominant world map, I am now at the end of the earth, or perhaps upside down! The question is, which way is up? A perfect challenge for 8th graders! 

The Artemis journey beyond the moon afforded us an amazing gift of perspective. The extraordinary images of Earth from space evoked wonder and awe, a glimpse for those of us on earth of a sensation that is termed the overview effect. Astronaut Christina Koch commented on the brilliance of earth and the incredible darkness all around it. “You don’t see borders, you don’t see religious lines, you don’t see political boundaries. All you see is Earth and you see that we are way more alike than we are different.” Insights drawn from the overview effect have been a common experience for those few who have viewed Earth from space: Rusty Schweickart reflected after his voyage on Apollo 9, “You realize that on that small spot, that little blue and white thing, is everything that means anything to you. All of the history and music and poetry and art and war and death and birth and love, tears, joy, games - all of it on that little spot out there that you can cover with your thumb. And you realize that that perspective has - that you have changed. That there is something new there.” 

The Artemis voyage brought other reminders of the beauty and fragility of our planet and our interconnectedness. There were Indigenous connections, with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen wearing a patch designed by First Nation artists reminding us of the web of life and traditional First Nation teachings. His preparations for a journey into space included sitting with Elders and Knowledge Keepers and a spirit quest: he spoke of being in integrity with Indigenous knowledge and traditions, exploring the Seven Sacred Laws, respect, truth, honesty, humility, courage, wisdom, and love, each corresponding to an animal. Hansen commented: “For me, being in integrity is walking in accordance with these Seven Sacred Laws.” The crew named their capsule Integrity! The science of space flight and Indigenous ways of knowing were connected.

Earth from Artemis II. Image credit: NASA

For us on Earth - wherever on Earth we find ourselves - our challenge is to hold and sustain a sense of wonder and Christina Koch’s conviction that we are more alike than we are different. This is part of the mission of Waldorf education and our task as educators. Although we cannot physically take our students into space, we can help them develop and shift perspective, employing images, stories, interest and inquiry. Education has its own overview effect: building our capacity to see life from a different perspective, to develop capacities for wonder and awe, to see our interdependence and interconnectedness. What a remarkable voyage! 

Liz Beaven

Executive Director

Summer Professional Development

The Alliance’s Summer Professional Development offers a rich opportunity for educators and school leaders to grow in both skill and community. Week One provides orientation and foundational knowledge for those new to our work, while Week Two offers in-depth professional development for teachers and leaders working within the Core Principles of Public Waldorf Education. New this year: a one-day symposium, Acceleration and Wisdom in the Age of AI.  

Registration is now open!

Learn More | Register 



2026 Dates :

Week #1: July 7–9 | Fundamentals of Public Waldorf Education

Symposium: July 10 | Acceleration and Wisdom in the Age of AI

Week #2: July 13–17 | Preparation Tracks for:

• Early Childhood
• Grades Cohorts for Grades 1–8
• Leadership

2026 Pricing :

Symposium Only: Alliance Member: $60 | Non-Member: $75

Week #1: Alliance Member: $250 | Non-Member: $315

Week #2: Alliance Member: $410 | Non-Member: $515

Both Weeks: Alliance Member: $525 | Non-Member: $660

Single Session: Alliance Member: $40 | Non-Member: $45

School Rates :

• Week #1: 3–5 attendees: $600 | 6–9 attendees: $1,200 | 10+ attendees: $2,000
• Week #2: 3–5 attendees: $985 | 6–9 attendees: $1,970 | 10+ attendees: $3,280
• Both Weeks: 3–5 attendees: $1,260 | 6–9 attendees: $2,520 | 10+ attendees: $4,200

For more information:

Liz Beaven, Executive Director 

Carly Fedor, Administrative Assistant

Alliance for Public Waldorf Education

40 4th St., # 274

Petaluma, CA 94952

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

of North America and is used pursuant to a license.

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