6th Grade:

Squire Pledge Ceremony

The Squire Pledge Ceremony is a rite of passage ceremony acknowledging and celebrating the sixth graders coming of age. In order to fulfill this pledge, each child was asked to work on a virtue at home and another virtue at school for a month. They also had to complete a 12-hour vow of silence during an overnight on campus. During the ceremony, Ms. Pérez presented each child with an area of strength and a virtue to bring more focus to, as each child moves forward into their tween years. Additionally, each child did a brief presentation about the adult they hope to become and what they leave behind from childhood. Each child also shared with each one of its parents a few words of appreciation. The parents in turn, presented their child with a few words acknowledging their child's areas of strength at home.

6th Grade:

Medieval Games & Knighting Ceremony

On May 10, the sixth grade joined seven other schools at the Jacobson Dude Ranch to participate in a festival of spirit and adventure hosted by Yuba River Charter School. The day began with each school parading in their handmade medieval tunics while carrying their school banner and performing a short piece for everyone. The students were grouped into “shires” which included students from all of the schools. Each shire traveled together to participate in a series of ten knightly and courageous challenges that included ax throwing, pontoon crossing, archery and a reflection pond. At the end of the day, the shires were challenged to tug-of-war. The closing ceremony included the knighting of all participants. However, our sixth graders were knighted in a hurry as we needed to get back promptly to the Spring Concert.

4th Grade: Sutters Fort

On May 13th, The 4th Grade went to Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park which sits in Midtown Sacramento. This area is the homeland of the Nisenan people but, from 1839 to 1849, Sutter’s Fort was the economic center of the first permanent European colonial settlement in California’s Central Valley. The discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma in 1848 started the gold rush that ultimately led to exploitation of Native people across California. The 4th grade students learned about the fort's history while participating in 1840 style candle making, cooking, laundry, rope making, spinning and weaving. Experiencing the daily activities of a person who lived at the fort during this time allows the students to engage with the material they are learning.

1st Grade: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Reading

The first-grade class delighted their eighth-grade buddies with a charming performance of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" in Spanish. After the show, the eighth graders surprised each first grader with a beautifully hand-drawn version of the book. The celebration continued with a feast featuring all the delicious foods mentioned in the story, generously provided by the parents. It was a joyous event that brought both grades together to make memories for life.

The 8th Grade: Rafting on the San Juan River

At the Davis Waldorf School, our 8th grade class trip is a truly magical experience designed to tie together everything we have brought to the children over the years, from academics such as science and language arts, to our reverence for the natural world, to learning to honor and support each other in community.  The trip serves as a rite of passage as students face and overcome physical and mental challenges, affords time to honor and celebrate the social bonds formed over years together as a class community, and provides the opportunity for each student to be of service to the wider world.  This year’s eighth grade class will fly to the Four Corners and then raft for four days down the San Juan River to a Navajo reservation in Arizona.  There, their teacher, Ms. Carollo, and trip leaders will guide them in community service projects as well as carefully designed opportunities for thoughtful reflection looking back on their grade school years and looking forward to who they are becoming as human beings. This ten-day long adventure offers them a deep experience in the development of trust, friendship, independence, gratitude, and reverence for the self, the other, and the Earth.  The trip provides them with a sense of closure for this part of their life and readies them to face the new challenges the future will bring.

May Faire

Our May Faire celebration was a beautiful example of our Waldorf community and values. A week of warm sun was followed by a day of nothing but rain on our May Faire and we didn't let it stop us! This beautiful day celebrates each class as it marks the day equidistant from both winter solstice and summer solstice. This celebration of spring is hallmarked by the 8th graders may pole dance where they braid ribbon on the pole as they dance while the kindergarten classes sit underneath. the 7th grade performed 2 puppet shows while other festivities included flower crown making, a petting zoo, jump rope making, a sword dance, flute performance, face painting, and many more.

Spring Concert & 8th Grade Solos

The Spring concert is a time for each class to showcase everything they have learned throughout the year. Each class chooses a song special to them and performs them for the whole school. The soon to be graduating 8th graders get to showcase their special interests and talents as they each have a solo they get to arrange their unique performances. Some 8th graders chose music while we had our first karate performance ever.

Suggestion Box

The DWS We Hear You Suggestion Box is in full swing! We now have an online version to promote equitable access! Make a suggestion here Thank you for your suggestions, affirmations, and ideas. We read your suggestions each week and have taken action steps! Please keep your suggestions coming. WE HEAR YOU!