TABLE OF CONTENTS

• School Calendar
• Back to School Packet Information
• A Message from the Director
• A Message from the Board
• A Message from Parent Council
• Members of the Board 21 - 22
• Financial Report 21 - 22
• Thank You to Our Auction Sponsors
• Thank You to Our Annual Giving & Auction Donors

 Back to School Packet Information

The Back to School Packet will be be released mid-August. The Packet will be shared with all enrolled families digitally. The individual documents and sections will also be made available online in the DWS Blackbaud Portal.

The following information and documents will be included in the Back to School Packet:

A Message from the Director

We did it! I think back towards the beginning of the school year and it feels so unbelievable how much progress we have made and the changes we have weathered.

Rhythm is an integral part of Waldorf Education. There is rhythm in each lesson, block, and in the school year as well. The students can look ahead of them to the grade above them and know what to expect. With Covid canceling many events in the prior two school years, that was not always the case this year, and the faculty had the opportunity to look at festivals and reimagine something new. From adding additional roles to Michaelmas, providing all classes with parts, to our 8th grade class acting as angel guides for the protected path, it was so nourishing to have a blend of tradition and new ideas. It was also beautiful to be able to invite our whole community to the May Faire festival and to watch the 8th graders dance with new, brightly colored ribbons. New beginnings were a hallmark of the year - with a reignited basketball team and many classes experiencing field trips or overnights for the first time. 

There were also new beginnings in the teacher realm. The Waldorf movement has not been immune to the teacher shortage, and a reflection of the year would not be complete without mentioning the teacher need and changes that occurred this year. I feel very grateful for how the classes, students, and parents supported one another during that difficult time. As a parent shared in one of the many meetings I had with parents this year, the children learn not only when things go right, but they also learn by how we put it together again. With the support and patience of the community, we found the right people to complete our faculty team and to shepherd the students in the coming school year. While I know it was challenging, I am so thankful for our community and colleagues who stepped in.

There were also many goodbyes this year that in some respects marked the end of an era. While goodbyes are always hard, they give an opportunity to start anew. After over twenty years at our school, dear Teacher Mary will be enjoying a much-deserved year off. She has given so much of herself to our school and to her students. I look forward to seeing her growth and development with her newly found free time. Mr. Critchfield will be passing on his carefully developed program and the wood shop to Mr. Reza. Mr. Critchfield has developed such a special program and I know it is in good hands. Ms. Roos and Teacher Jenny are both moving on to new adventures: a new school for Ms. Roos and, for Teacher Jenny, time with her first grandchild. How wonderful that our DWS family can expand and grow. It is such a unique experience to nurture a school together over many years. A bond develops that isn’t easily broken. I know I will be able to call on them when needed. Ms. Toy is finally transitioning to semi-retirement and we look forward to her joining the school as a mentor and support to teachers. The support of Ms. Borrego has been immeasurable to the 5th and below grades and I am so thankful that Ms. Toy will be able to support our new middle school teachers. 

The 2021-2022 school year was Davis Waldorf’s 35th school year, our 5th seven-year cycle complete. Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf Education, described development in seven-year phases or cycles. Each seven-year cycle has qualities and challenges that relate to that time in one’s life. The 28 to 35-year cycle is marked by a settling down, after the freedom and adventure typically found in one’s twenties. The 4th life cycle is characterized by rational thought and reason. The 35 to 42-year cycle is a time to do. We work through our will to find meaning in life and to act in a worthwhile and responsible way. 

I look at our school’s development over the last year and see how it was marked with reason and rational thought, from shoring up our reserve funds to completing a much-needed handbook update, and let’s not forget the many Covid updates that were necessary. In many respects, the 2021-2022 school year necessitated reason and practicality. As I look toward the next cycle as a time of doing, I can’t deny my excitement. I look forward to the doing and all the good work that lies ahead as we develop our site to meet our current and future needs. I look forward to doing this work with our amazing community.

Jennifer Slater

Director

director@daviswaldorf.org

A Message from the Parent Council

We made it through another year, riding the pandemic waves with grace and fortitude. Many appreciated a slow easing of great tension and the restrictions of the year before. Parent Council continued to hold monthly meetings, including some meetings in-person at the school. The meetings served as a platform to disseminate important information about COVID updates and providing updates on school activities such as Annual Giving, Benefit Auction, class fundraisers, clothing swaps, and other important school functions. 

Parent Council also hosted several parent education speakers at meetings this year:

• Jennifer Slater (DWS Director and former DWS kindergarten teacher) spoke about the importance of chores for children.
• Alisa Haller (DWS Garden Teacher) spoke about the gardening program, how she teaches love and gratitude for the earth and how it ties into the curriculum of the different grades. 
• Dahlia Haberman (DWS Handwork Teacher) spoke about the Waldorf approach to handwork and how it changes through the grades, describing several of the different projects. 
• Ben Critchfield (DWS Woodworking Teacher) spoke on his approach to teaching woodworking and the benefits it gives to the children through the grades.
• Misty Johnston (DWS parent and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community) held a discussion for families related to Pride month and supporting families with LGBTQ+ youth.

Parent Council took the lead during Teacher Appreciation Week to ensure our devoted faculty were showered with appreciation, and we continued that show of appreciation by organizing light snacks once per month during the weekly faculty meetings. Parent Council also showed our appreciation to the faculty and staff of the school by providing cakes and cookies during the quarterly birthday celebrations throughout the year. 

In the next year, Parent Council plans to continue its work to support school festivals and events, foster and maintain community within the parent body, strengthen communication and partnership between parents and faculty, and provide educational opportunities for the parents and the community at-large. Please contact us at parentcouncil@daviswaldorf.org to learn how you can get involved!

Holly Nichols, Outgoing PC Chair

Kristin Sesser, Incoming PC Chair

Financial Report 2021-22

At this time of the year, we would like to share a picture of where our school’s money comes from, and how we spend it in order to operate the school responsibly. Please see a summary below of our income and expenses from the 2021-2022 fiscal year, which ended on June 30, 2022. The data is unaudited at the time – our annual audit is scheduled for October. We ended the year with a budget surplus. 

If you have any questions, contact our Business Manager, Gabrielle Walton, at finance@daviswaldorf.org.  

Best Regards,

Gabrielle Walton

Business Manager

finance@daviswaldorf.org

A VERY BIG THANK YOU

Thank you to all who contributed to our Annual Giving campaign and Auction. We could not have reached our goals without you.

THANK YOU TO OUR AUCTION SPONSORS

FROM ALL OF US AT DWS

THANK YOU!