SEATTLE WALDORF All-SCHOOL NEWS  |  OCTOBER 16, 2019
CONTENTS
On the grade 11 forestry trip, students flag the health of restored native plant species
Environmental Stewardship at Seattle Waldorf School

"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature -- the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter."
-Rachel Carson, Silent Spring

Love of Nature

At Seattle Waldorf School, one of the greatest gifts each child receives is time spent in nature. The curriculum derives strength from the changing seasons, and academic and artistic work is supported by the beauty of the natural world that surrounds us. The notion of a classroom expands beyond walls and buildings. All of our campuses -- Meadowbrook, Magnuson, and Woodland Park -- act as outdoor learning spaces where our students first develop an understanding of the environment in which they live. Building this early love for the natural world later translates to a cerebral knowledge of what it means to care for our environment; and even later, how to truly work to protect it. The hours spent collecting chestnuts, observing worms and slugs, walking through the changing seasons, and tending to gardens and animals imbues in our students an understanding of the interconnectedness of our world.

When a structured gardening curriculum starts in grade 2, students witness the direct impact of their work and learn the importance of the soil by planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables. There is a tangible outcome. As students progress through the grade school, they begin to see the larger environmental impact of humans on our planet. They participate in community projects that benefit the greater good and study the effects of local pollution and habitat destruction. In middle school, the introduction of outdoor education trips that directly relate to academic learning become standard and continue throughout high school. The trips combine a service component, support the curriculum, build character and resilience, and enhance the social aspects of the class community. Many students recall these trips as being one of the most memorable parts of their education, and what they learn sticks with them in a way that sometimes classroom academics do not (read more about high school trips later in this newsletter).

Passion for the environment doesn't end with outdoor education trips and service projects. In support of the Global Climate Strike held on September 20, SWS families across the grades attended local walks and events. The love and respect for nature that is cultivated in the early years of a Waldorf education easily translates to more direct action in protecting our planet and helping ensure that the next generation of voices are heard.

For more about our curriculum in action, continue reading in our blog.

HOW TO GET MORE INVOLVED

Photo courtesy of Jay Waltmunson
Get Inspired: Plant Trees

November 16 & 17   |  9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Meadowbrook Pond or Magnuson Park

As part of our 2019 Inspire gala, our community donated almost $1800 toward the purchase of trees to plant on and near our campuses to offset the carbon use from our school transportation for the 2019-2020 school year. The native trees were selected in consultation with park ecologists. The trees we plant will capture carbon, and the more trees we plant, the better it is for our planet. This community event is for all ages and everyone is welcome! To get us inspired, we recommend parents read the book, The Parents Guide to Climate Revolution by Mary DeMocker. It's a practical resource for parents, and both the PA and SWS Library have made copies available in the parent book collection at the front desk at the Meadowbrook campus. Sign up here to help!

Sponsored by Parent Association and SWS Library and funded by INSPIRE 2019 with gracious support from Green Seattle Partnership.
Join the Restoration Rangers!

Sunday, October 20  |  10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Meadowbrook Campus

The vibrant colors of autumn have returned to our deciduous trees this autumn, and the return of the rain is making the ground perfect for removing invasive plants and planting natives on the Meadowbrook campus. To be good stewards of our campus and to support our local flora and fauna, join Dr. Charlotte Rasmussen and the Restoration Rangers this fall to participate in some habitat restoration work on the Meadowbrook campus. We will continue work in previous and new areas to remove invasives, add wood chip mulch, and plant natives.


Search committee pictured left to right: Erika Lindsay, Jennifer Haakenson, Cathy Simon (standing), Mark Perry, Curt Eckman, Andy Hoag, Bonnie Freundlich, Steve Roos, Brigitte Bertschi (Standing), Anouk Tompot
Head of School Search Update

The Head of School Search Committee met this past weekend to interview the seven semi-finalist candidates. The list has been narrowed down and more information about the finalists will be shared soon. The first opportunity to hear from one of the candidates will be Monday, October 28, 6:30 p.m. Stay tuned!

Link to more information about our Head of School Search
Community Fund Update

Thank you to those who have already given to this year's Community Fund! There is still time to join in and lend your support. 

Our teachers work from the premise that each child is inherently curious, inviting their students to explore, discover, and find joy in learning. Throughout our classrooms, students are provided with opportunities to explore the natural world, play, and imitate the best qualities of their teachers and classmates. These activities build social awareness and support creativity and imagination, which remain important tools for life-long learning.

Your support of the Community Fund helps to ensure that our students receive these formative aspects which support not only their academic development, but all their capacities as humans. Please join us today by pledging or donating a gift that is meaningful for you and your family.

Seattle Waldorf School is changing the conversation about education. Please make your gift today. We count on support from each of our families to reach our goal. Thank you!


For more information, contact Bryan McGriff, Development Manager.
REMINDERSREMINDERS & UPCOMING EVENTS
Reminders

SWS Tours and Open Houses

Grade School Tour: Tuesday, October 22, 8:30 a.m. (Meadowbrook Campus)
High School Tour: Thursday, November 7, 8:45 a.m. (High School Campus)

Visit our website for a schedule of upcoming tours and open houses, and to RSVP.

Financial Aid Information Night

Join Jessie Beyer from the SWS Business Office for an overview of our financial assistance program and application process on Tuesday, October 22, 7:00 p.m. in Huckleberry Hall (Meadowbrook campus).

DEI Book Club

Join Carla (parent of grade 4 and grade 7 students) and Martha, Marigold Preschool teacher at 7:00 p.m. in the library at the Meadowbrook campus on the following dates: October 23, November 20, January 27, and March 2. The first book under discussion is So You Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo.

Call for Winter Faire Vendors and Musicians

Interested in being a vendor or sharing your musical talent at the annual Seattle Waldorf School Winter Faire on Saturday, December 14? Please contact sws.parent.association@gmail.com.
DEI COMMUNITY CONVERSATION - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Cracking the Code: The Systems of Racial Inequity
with Dr. Pamela Taylor
Hosted by the SWS Equity Advisory Group

ARTWORK CREATED BY LI WINNINGHAM
Thursday, October 24   |  7:00 p.m.
7777 62nd Avenue NE, Seattle, WA

You are invited to a special conversation to explore how, together, we can work toward healing the pervasive social problems caused by racism. The evening will feature the documentary, Cracking The Code, along with lecture and group discussion to take a deeper look at social dynamics. Together, we will create a dialogue where we can rekindle our connection to one another and discover ways to create a world that works for everyone.


Dr. Pamela Taylor
Dr. Pamela Taylor
Pamela Taylor, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Leadership and Professional Studies department at Seattle University (SU). She holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Social Work, and a Master of Arts and Ph.D. in Education with specializations in Multicultural Education and Curriculum and Instruction. Her organization The Circle Works provides social justice-based training, consultation, and coaching for individuals, educational institutions, community groups, nonprofit and governmental agencies, faith-based communities, and more.

Link to flyer

To participate in ongoing Racial Healing Circle work with Dr. Pamela Taylor, Seattle Waldorf School will be sponsoring a series beginning in January 2020.


Contact Flora McEachern for more information and the access code.

SPECIAL GUEST LECTURE - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

The School of the Future
with Dr. John Medina

Tuesday, November 5   |  7:00 p.m.
Patron Reception (requires patron ticket)   |  6:00 p.m.
Mountaineers Club, 7700 Sand Point Way, Seattle

$12 advance, $15 door, $25 patron

Dr. John Medina will share his vision for next-generation schools and how the principles that support them, and therefore healthier children, could manifest in current educational models. With a focus on time spent in nature and healthy movement, Dr. Medina makes the case that student success can be bolstered by factors that too often are missing from modern educational institutions.


Dr. John Medina
Dr. John J. Medina, a developmental molecular biologist, has a lifelong fascination with how the mind reacts to and organizes information. He has authored more than ten books, including Brain Rules for Baby and Attack of the Teenage Brain. Medina is an affiliate Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Founding Director of the Talaris Research Institute. He lives in Seattle, Washington with his wife and two boys.

Link to flyer

NO SCHOOL - ALL CAMPUSES

Monday, November 11 (Veteran's Day)

HIGHSCHOOLNEWS HIGH SCHOOL NEWS

UPCOMING HIGH SCHOOL PARENT MEETINGS

Optional social time starts at 6:30 p.m.; meetings run from 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Grade 9 ::  Tuesday, October 29
Grade 10  ::  Tuesday, November 19
Grade 11  ::  Thursday, December 5
Grade 12 :: Tuesday, November 19

Grade 10 students form the SWS logo using rocks
Fall Trips

Our fall trips help ease the transition from summer to the more regular rhythms of the school year. They provide each class with the opportunity for students to reconnect with one another, and to intimately explore the diverse environments of the Pacific Northwest. Our trips brought students up to alpine meadows nestled in the Cascade crest, to the wild and rugged beaches of the coast, to the vibrant rainforest, and to the peaceful coves and rolling hills of the San Juan Islands. We built strong shelters to cover us from one of the rainiest Septembers in years, and cherished the glorious warmth of the sun when it finally broke through the clouds.

Grade 9 students carry all they need to live outdoors for a week
Grade 9 students begin the journey of high school by backpacking in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. In many ways, this trip is a metaphor for high school -- it can be incredibly challenging but along the way you learn a ton and discover you are capable of so much more than you thought. You learn to take more responsibility for yourself, and ask for what you need. But most of all you learn about the people that you are going to be on this journey with. You learn to support one another through the challenges, and celebrate the triumphs. You learn that being kind and generous toward one another can make the difference between suffering through an ordeal and finding joy in the adventure. Link to more grade 9 images.

Grade 11 students observe the 100th anniversary of Waldorf education at the beach
During grade 10 and grade 11 trips, we celebrated the 100-year anniversary of Waldorf education. On the tenth grade trip, we gathered in a circle to honor the occasion and I asked the students to share what Waldorf education means to each of them. What a gift to hear their answers! The word most commonly spoken was "community." Looking around the circle, I could clearly see the results of 100 years of Waldorf education in front of me. A circle of rosy-faced teenagers, who have spent four days learning outside in nature, earnestly sharing in a group, led by a circle of committed faculty trip leaders (half of whom are Waldorf graduates themselves!). The sense of gratitude for this community was palpable. At 9:19 a.m. on September 19, we joined the thousands of other Waldorf schools across the world in saying our verse, our voices reverberating up into the trees. Follow these links to more grade 10 and grade 11 images.

Grade 12 students from SWS and Vancouver Waldorf School combined classes for their zoology trip
Grade 12 celebrated our larger Waldorf community by joining forces with the Vancouver Waldorf School to create a combined Zoology trip. Students and faculty from both schools worked alongside one another at a Natural Horsemanship farm and in the renowned University of Washington lab facilities in Friday Harbor. It was a wonderful exchange that fostered many new connections. Link to more grade 12 images.

Emily Busse, High School Outdoor and Experiential Education Director
Grade 9 students perform scenes in Commedia dell'Arte
Grade 9: Dante Comedy and Tragedy

As part of their first block of the year, Comedy & Tragedy, grade 9 students created original masks and devised short scenes in the style of Commedia dell'Arte. Commedia dell'Arte was a form of improvisational theater that was immensely popular throughout Europe in the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries. Key aspects of Commedia included a highly physical, acrobatic performance style, low-brow humor, spoken gibberish known as grummelot, and stock characters (the lecherous old man; the crafty yet stupid servant; the learned, yet idiotic, old doctor; and more). 

Working in groups of two or three, students developed and performed short scenes which included use of their masks, comic bits called lazzi, basic tumbling, and unarmed stage combat. The stage combat work in particular requires keen attention to one's scene partner; it is an intensely collaborative process, one which asks students to engage physically with each other with responsibility and care. These students took up the work with enthusiasm and creativity, and developed some incredibly hilarious scenes, which they presented to parents and faculty in the outdoor amphitheater in Magnuson Park.

Annie Paladino, Drama Teacher and High School Adviser

High school students celebrate Michaelmas with challenges (donuts, anyone?) and an assembly.
GRADESCHOOLNEWSGRADE SCHOOL NEWS
SWS Library Donations

Looking to donate books to the SWS library? Check out our recently curated book list on Amazon. Purchase books using Amazon Smile, and support SWS in multiple ways! Just click ship to Seattle Waldorf School Librarian, and the books will be sent to the Meadowbrook campus.

Prefer not to shop on Amazon? Then check out the list and head to your neighborhood bookstore instead, and drop the book off at the school office.

Thank you so much for supporting the growing SWS Library!

Cen Campbell, SWS Librarian
Middle School Dance
Grade 7 & 8 Annual Fall Dance

Hosted by Seattle Waldorf High School on October 18 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m., the annual Fall Dance is held for students currently enrolled in regional Waldorf schools. Students have the opportunity to mingle with their peers from other Waldorf schools and, of course, to practice the art of social dance! For many students, this event is their first school dance -- a fun social milestone.

The dance is chaperoned by regional Waldorf faculty.
Feast your eyes on fall colors by visiting Grade 2 felted pumpkins on display in the Meadowbrook campus lobby

GRADE SCHOOL GRANDPARENTS AND SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY

Friday, November 22  |  8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Grade 1 through grade 8 students are invited to share grandparent names and contact information for invitations with Bryan McGriff.

More details and volunteer sign-ups coming soon!

Michaelmas at Meadowbrook

Mother Nature shone brightly on the grade school as students completed their Michaelmas challenges, enjoyed a feast, and performed in a special assembly. Red was the color of the day, and courage abounded!

(Left) Students practice courage and trust, led blindfolded through the forest. (Center) Dragon bread arrives! (Right) Grade school students perform a Michaelmas play.
Link to more images (courtesy of David Werk)
EARLYCHILDHOODNEWSEARLY CHILDHOOD NEWS
Huckleberry kindergartners help to prepare a meal for their class
Three Ways to Inspire Generosity in Young Children

"Try to be a rainbow in someone else's cloud."
-Maya Angelou


Being part of a family is one of the first settings in which we -- and our children -- learn about generosity. When my second child was born, my mother came into town to help take care of my two-year-old son. She would take him out for little adventures and bring him back to me in the afternoon. Every day, he would come home with something for me -- a little shell, a stone, half a cookie... his gifts were so sweet to experience at a time when I wished I had more energy to give to him.

Here are three ways we can help support this kind of generosity in young children:
  • Model generosity. Children learn through imitation. We can show them the value of generosity through everyday encounters, especially in our interpersonal interactions with them and with others. Children can be our inspiration to be more generous -- both in our actions and in our simple expressions of gratitude. It is an act of courage in modern society to find truth in the saying, "The world is good." This belief enables our children to feel a sense of trust, joy, and abundance.
  • Give age-appropriate chores. Chores are an opportunity for children to share in the work and responsibility of family life. They give our children an opportunity to help not only themselves, but also contribute to meeting the needs of others. Often children want to help. Helping gives them a sense of belonging and a feeling of competency. It is wonderful to find meaningful work for children to participate in at home.
  • Allow time for generosity to unfold. Of course, the little boy who so generously gave me half his cookie at times also struggled to share me with his new baby brother or to share toys with another young friend. Sharing is not an easy task for young children. It is tempting in these moments to encourage our children to share through praise, rewards, and sayings, such as, "Sharing is caring." The reality is that it takes time for children to authentically learn how to share. As Janet Lansbury said, "Children share when they begin to feel empathy for others, empathy modeled through a parent's patience and trust in them."
One evening soon after the birth of my third child, I was nursing her as I said goodnight to my boys at bedtime. My middle child asked me to hold him, so I made room on my lap for him. Then my oldest child wanted to be held, too, so I made a little more room. I wanted to prove there was enough of me for all three of my children. My middle child wiggled and squirmed. The baby started to cry because she was getting squished. The oldest one fell back on the bed, frustrated and upset. I felt defeated. Just a moment passed and my oldest son looked at my middle child and asked, "Do you want me to hold you?" My middle son laid down on the bed and the boys held onto each other as my husband and I sang our goodnight song. In that moment, I felt the generosity that is available to us in a family. To be generous doesn't mean giving everything all the time -- but giving what you can and trusting that there will be enough.

Vanessa Kohlhaas, SWS Early Childhood Pedagogical Chair
Applesauce-Making in Marigold Preschool

For Marigold Preschool, the return of autumn rain was a sign that it was time to make applesauce! Families gathered on a cool Saturday morning at Kinderhaus in late September. Children alternately played and helped parents to grind apples, and then everyone enjoyed a delicious treat. 

Marigold families celebrate the harvest season with freshly made applesauce and muffins
Link to more images (courtesy of Casey Hagen)
SPORTSNEWSSPORTS NEWS
High School Boys Ultimate places seventh in Seattle Invite!
Seattle Invite Highlights

The Seattle Waldorf High School Boys Ultimate team had a very successful weekend at the 2019 HS Boys Seattle Invite hosted by DiscNW on September 28. We finished seventh, a satisfying result, but we are extremely hungry for more. We fought hard all weekend, including getting a crucial win over our rivals Lakeside in pre-quarters, which was our fourth game of the day. We also got a win over the team that eliminated us last year in the state semifinals, Nathan Hale. Players improved immensely up and down the roster, and we got a peek at what we can achieve when we fully commit to one game, and bring everything we have. Come out and support us in the next couple of weeks, hopefully deep into the post-season!

Declan, Grade 10 Student

Link to more images (courtesy of Dean Rowe)
PARENTASSOCIATIONPARENT ASSOCIATION
Grade 10 pastel
SWS Parent Association Meeting

We invite all parents to attend the first Parent Association meeting of the year, to be held on Monday, October 21 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in Huckleberry Hall on the Meadowbrook Campus. We will provide hot soup, free childcare (please RSVP to sws.parent.assocation@gmail.com), and we'll be raffling a surprise gift to two attendees, so be sure to come! Our big agenda item will be kicking off the Winter Faire planning. 
  • Volunteers make our community thrive, and the PA is seeking PA Liaisons and Winter Faire Volunteer Coordinators. For more information please email sws.parent.association@gmail.com.
  • Interested in PCC Scrip cards? Purchase PCC Scrip cards at the Meadowbrook school office and help support the PA!

DEI LOGO
DEI RESOURCES

Get involved with the Parent Equity Committee -- attend our upcoming meeting on November 14 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in Huckleberry Hall, Meadowbrook campus.

The DEI Book Club has formed and is scheduled to meet next on October 23. Our first book is So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo.
Questions? Contact Flora McEachern.

SWS Service Committee

As is the case with most feasts, our grade school Michaelmas feast had leftovers -- and our leftovers did not go to waste! Instead, they were taken to the Northlake Tiny House Village for residents to enjoy. The donation was much appreciated. Thank you to Kathy DeWitt for help with organizing, and Piper Hackett for picking up food and delivering it to the village.

We still need volunteers to help deliver donations from the Amazon Fulfillment Center to Northlake Tiny House Village. Please follow this link to sign up.

Hunger Intervention Program (HIP) packing parties are an ongoing community service opportunity occurring the first Thursday of each month at the Lake City Presbyterian Church (3841 NE 123rd St. -- about a five-minute drive from the Meadowbrook campus). You can simply show up on the first Thursday of each month (3:15 to 4:30 p.m.) and the third Wednesday of each month (5:00 to 6:30 p.m. except the week of Thanksgiving).
INTHECOMMUNITYIN THE COMMUNITY
Seattle Waldorf School Unveils Cosmic Mural

Waldorf 100 Anniversary Celebration on  September 19, 2019

Many families find their way into Waldorf schools through their children, and artist John Jacobs is no exception. John and his wife, Nancy Pfeiffer (also an artist), found their way to a Waldorf preschool with their daughter, Robin -- an event that launched a decades long Waldorf journey for the whole Jacobs/Pfeiffer family, and has cultivated their deep interest in its underpinnings, anthroposophy. Collectively, their three children Robin (2006), David (2011), and Peter (2016) have attended the Whidbey Island Waldorf School, Seattle Waldorf High School, and Hazel Wolf High School through its transition into Seattle Waldorf School. Today, both Robin and Nancy teach practical and fine arts at the Seattle Waldorf High School campus in Magnuson Park.

Nancy Pfeiffer, John Jacobs, and Peter Jacobs
Four years ago, head of school Tracy Bennett asked John if he would be willing to create a mural for the school. The newly renovated Meadowbrook building called out for artwork, and Tracy wanted to support artistic endeavors within the community. Says Tracy, "John thought for a moment, I saw his eyes light up, and I knew his creative imagination was already at work." With input from Robin and David, John started to brainstorm concepts for the piece. Then, as adult children do, they got busy with their own lives -- Robin with teaching, Peter at university, and David traveling the world. But John proceeded with the project, knowing that he wanted to incorporate the threefold aspects of anthroposophy, which he has studied extensively over the years.

Evolving concepts for the piece resulted in the work entitled Waltz of Time, a tryptic that depicts warmth, motion, and an otherworldliness saturated with colors that shine even on the grayest of days. Featuring three celestial entities -- Earth, moon, and sun -- it invites the mind to embark on a fantastical journey representing the passage of time. The lemniscate threads capture both a feeling of movement and an everlasting presence.

For John in his creation process, painting in acrylic added its own challenges. The colors are harder to mix and blend over a large surface. Acrylic colors are difficult to mix, because they dry darker than when mixed wet. In response, John experimented with pointillism, to great success. The colors blended visually, and the end result gave the effect of vibrancy, depth and warmth.

John's ultimate hope was to create a painting that students of all ages could enjoy -- and when the artwork was unveiled at the 100th Anniversary Celebration of Waldorf Education on September 19, 2019 to a chorus of oohs and aahs, delight was palpable.

Now, even the youngest students gaze upward to glimpse a glorious sun, unconsciously drawn in by vibrant colors, floating orbs, and curious blue-green spirals unraveling across a sparkling galaxy. Those who have studied anthroposophy may have a deeper appreciation for the layers of symbolism depicted by the planetary evolution of humanity through time and the many aspects of threefoldness.

Waltz of Time, a mural painted by John Jacobs, was unveiled at Seattle Waldorf School (Meadowbrook Campus) on September 19

John W. Jacobs studied sculpture and painting at the Art Institute of Chicago. Though he has been a woodworker, builder and general contractor for most of his working life, art and design have always been major foundations in his work. Though he loves painting, he sees himself mostly as a sculptor.

Link to SWS Waldorf 100 Celebration images (courtesy of David Werk)
Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza

Hosted by Aegis Living at Ravenna
Thursday, October 31   |  3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
8511 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115 (Residential street parking only)

Children ages 10 and under, parents, and caregivers are invited to meet elderly residents at Aegis Living as they share some spooky sweets! Costumes are encouraged. If you plan to attend, please call 206-696-7940 or email ravenna.concierge@aegisliving.com.
Annual Halloween Festival at Licton Springs Park

Thursday, October 31   |  4:30 to 6:00 p.m.

Spearheaded for years by Betsy Weill, SWS faculty member and parent, this wonderful family event is being carried on by Melanie Davies, SWS alumni parent and Licton Springs resident, and the Licton Springs Community Council. Organizers invite all families with little ones who would like to trick-or-treat along the paths of the park and meet the Friends of the Forest who have sweet treats to share. Meet at the playground for music and warm organic cider. Licton Springs Park is between N95th and N97th Streets, bordered by Densmore and Ashworth Avenues.

Organizers are looking to recruit Friends of the Forest for Licton Springs Halloween -- do you, or does anyone you know, like to dress up and give out treats? (The treats are provided.) Are your kids older and you miss seeing the young ones dressed up? Did you enjoy trick-or-treating at Licton Springs and would like to pass out treats? Groups are welcome. You must be at least 12 years old or a parent to be a Friend. Please contact Melanie at 206-227-9155 or melaniedavies81@gmail.com if you can volunteer. The time commitment is from 4:15 to 6:00 p.m.
Seattle Waldorf School  |  206.524.5320  |   seattlewaldorf.org