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THE LAUREL

June 2025

AN INSIDE LOOK

8TH GRADE WOWS WITH THEIR CREATIVITY

This year’s graduating class amazed a full house at the Rosendale Theater on Thursday, May 22nd, with their inspiring yearlong project presentations. These creative, dedicated, and hardworking students each selected a personal project, found mentors, and committed themselves to learning a new skill or pursuing a passion over the course of the year.

Their projects included crafting a bowling ball, blowing glass, raising a calf, building an airplane, designing a pop-culture zine, illustrating a fairy tale, baking, creating a stop-motion film, cooking food from around the world, walking to NYC, and designing and sewing a dress.

The culmination of their efforts was a series of multimedia oral presentations delivered in front of their families, classmates, and the wider school community.

Congratulations to the 8th grade for all they have learned and shared—we are so proud of you!

7TH GRADE PLAY: ROMEO & JULIET

WORDS FROM RUDOLF STEINER

All of nature begins to whisper its secrets to us

through its sounds..

SIMPLICITY PARENTING CORNER

This month, we’re pleased to share a five-part podcast series from Kim John Payne focusing on the importance of sleep in a child’s healthy development - from birth through adolescence.

The fact that this topic spans five episodes speaks to how foundational good sleep is for our children’s well-being. Each episode is rich with insight and practical wisdom, offering gentle guidance as we support our children in finding rhythm, rest, and renewal.

We hope these reflections offer encouragement and inspiration as you nurture healthy sleep habits in your home.

Part 1: Preparing the Physical Environment

Part 2: Rhythms & Night Time Rituals

Part 3: Decompression

Part 4: Quietening the Information

Part 5: Other Common Issues

We are pleased to share an update on our strategic planning process related to Priority 2: Inclusivity & Belonging. (Click here to view the 2024-2027 Strategic Priorities.)

Last Winter, Alma Partners conducted an extensive DEIJ audit of Mountain Laurel Waldorf School to help us improve our ability to serve all members of the community. The audit included onsite visits, meetings with focus groups and a survey to current families, faculty/staff and alumni families. The results included recommendations and commendations in 3 areas: Curriculum, Community Life and Policies & Procedures. We anticipate the Alma Audit will continue to inform our work across the board and we look forward to sharing more.

In response to Alma Partners’ Community Life recommendations, the Voices for Inclusion & Equity Mandate Group (VIE) (formerly known as the DEIJ Mandate Group) envisioned and is spearheading a new initiative that addresses Alma Partner’s Community Life recommendation that Mountain Laurel better connect with the larger community in and around New Paltz.

This collaborative initiative brings our community together in celebration, creativity, and purpose: a student-created puppet show honoring Black History Month in February 2026 in collaboration with the Margaret Wade Lewis Center and developed through our after-school programs.

Students will create original puppets using fiber, found, and upcycled materials. They will compose an original score and live music for the production; craft set pieces and props, infusing every scene with student imagination; and bring movement and spirit to the non-speaking characters and prop creations, learning to convey emotion without words.

To bring this vision fully to life, the school will seek collaboration with the Black Studies, Art, and Theater departments at SUNY New Paltz—inviting mentorship, deeper cultural context, and intergenerational exchange.

Together, we will build toward a meaningful, magical, and memorable Mountain Laurel-sponsored community event!

Interested in learning more or getting involved? Feel free to contact vie@mountainlaurel.org.

DID YOU MISS THE YEARBOOK DEADLINE?

There are a few extra yearbook available for order. Yearbooks are $30 each and must be paid for in advance. Yearbooks will be distributed during the final week of school. Click here to place your order.

SUMMER PROGRAMS

Up to eight full weeks of fun and adventure for children ages 3-10. Our Summer Program runs on a weekly basis from June 23 – August 15. You may enroll your child for as many weeks as you’d like. We also offer a daily rate. Please note: If the session you want is full, you can still click on it to get on a waitlist. Registration and details here.

There are also a limited number of spots in our Parent & Child Summer Sessions, with meet-ups on Mondays and Wednesdays from July 7 - August 27. For children 0 to 3 years old. $320 per class.

UPCOMING EVENTS

END OF YEAR GATHERING (HOSTED BY PARENT COUNCIL)

Friday, June 6

3:30 - 5:30 pm at Twin Star Orchard

Please join Parent Council to celebrate the 2024-2025 school year with community, pizza and children's laughter. We welcome all faculty, staff, students and caregivers to come join in the fun!

LOST & FOUND TABLE

Fridays, June 6 & 13

12:00 noon - 3:30 pm

Outside Jaeckel Hall beneath the Bulletin Board

Please come peruse the Lost & Found Table to reclaim lost items. You are also welcome to visit the Reception Office during school hours to look through the Lost & Found bin. We'd love for every lost item to find its way home again. We recommend labeling your children's clothing with their name, so we can immediately return it to your child. Items not claimed after 30 days will be donated.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR NURSERY/KINDERGARTEN (HALF-DAY)

Thursday, June 12

Please note that it is a half day of school. Dismissal is at 12:15pm.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR GRADES (HALF-DAY)

Friday, June 13

Please note that it is a half day of school. Dismissal is at 12:15pm. There is no Aftercare.

SPRING WORK SHARE

Friday, June 13

10:00 am - 12:00 pm at St. Joseph's Church

Work shares are an opportunity for parents to see what their child’s class has been working on, including but not limited to verses, circle, songs, skits, foreign language songs or verses and eurythmy. Handwork from each grade is displayed for parents and children to view. All are welcome!

8TH GRADE GRADUATION

Saturday, June 14

11:00 am at Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal Church, New Paltz, NY

All are welcome!

The true cost of sustaining our school is greater than what we receive in tuition and fees, which cover only 80% of our annual operating budget. We rely on your financial acts of kindness to ensure that every student, every day, benefits from a comprehensive and dynamic curriculum. Your tax-deductible gift helps keep tuition more affordable for many families and ensures the continued vibrancy of Waldorf education for our children.