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On the first — and very lovely — day of May, our nursery and kindergarten children danced around the maypole on our campus, their ribbons bright against the spring sky. Across town at Historic Huguenot Street, students in Grades 1 through 8 took their turns on the lawn, each grade offering the dance that belongs to them in that moment of their growing up.
To watch these dances is to witness the wonder of time passing. The 6th graders working their way through the Morris Dance — the same children who once sang "Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley" in Kindergarten, small and delighted, not yet knowing what was ahead of them. The 8th graders forming the star, stepping into something intricate and earned, though not so long ago they were 3rd graders belting out "Jolly Rum Ba Low." The dances grow with them. Each year they return to the maypole a little taller, a little more capable of the steps that once seemed out of reach.
These dances grow in complexity as the children do, and the teachers spend weeks in preparation — learning what each grade is ready for, practicing through missteps and breakthroughs, coaxing their students toward something they didn't yet know they could do. What you see on May Day is the result of that patient, devoted work.
It is one of the most moving things about a Waldorf education — this long arc of becoming, tended year after year by dedicated hands.
The teachers who hold that arc deserve our deepest gratitude. This spring, our Teacher Appreciation Campaign has raised almost $4,000 toward salaries, with additional pledges coming in. We are so moved by the response — and we're not done yet. If you've been meaning to give, or if May Day moved you the way it moved us, this is a beautiful moment to make that gift. Every dollar raised through the end of this school year goes directly to the people who show up for our children, year after year, dance after dance.
| | WORDS FROM RUDOLF STEINER | | The joy of the child, in and with his environment, must be reckoned among the forces that build and mould the physical organs. Teachers he needs with happy look and manner, and above all with an honest unaffected love. | | CLASS BY CLASS AROUND THE MAYPOLE | | |
ONCE UPON AN EIGHTH GRADE
The Graduating Class of 2026 filled Boughton Place with laughter and wonder across four performances of Sleeping Beauty: Briar Rose, written by Max Bush and directed and adapted by Lydia Pidlusky, who guided the students with skill and care from first rehearsal to final bow. The performance was simultaneously funny and enchanting — made all the more magical by a small troupe of second grade fairies who joined the cast, along with their teacher Ruth Lawson, who stepped into the act herself. For students who have been performing plays together since the early grades, this felt like a true culmination: all that hard work, all those years of growing up on stage together, gathered into one radiant final performance!
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CELEBRATING EID AL-FITR WITH OUR COMMUNITY
Last month, parents from Mountain Laurel families shared the traditions and meaning of Eid al-Fitr with the whole school. Representing families with roots in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Jordan, they offered a rich look at Ramadan — a 30-day period of fasting, intention-setting, and community observed by 2 billion Muslims worldwide. Students learned that Ramadan follows the lunar calendar, with its start determined by the sighting of the new moon, and that Eid al-Fitr marks the celebratory end of the fast with prayer, family visits, special foods, and gifts. In the spirit of Eid's emphasis on generosity and community, each student wrote, drew, or colored one kind act they could do for someone else — and decorated a crescent moon to contribute to classroom garlands. A beautiful reminder of what we share across traditions.
| | SIMPLICTY PARENTING CORNER | | |
Saying, Feeling and Doing Sorry
In this podcast, Kim John Payne explores the difference between asking children to say sorry and helping them genuinely make things right. While acknowledging that saying sorry has value, Kim cautions against forcing apologies, which often leads to defensiveness, shame, or empty words. Instead, he invites parents to look beneath the apology and focus on what truly matters: a child recognizing that something crossed a family value and taking responsibility in a way that feels real and restorative. When children feel pressured or shamed, Kim explains, they are far more likely to deny or resist rather than reflect.
Kim introduces the idea of “doing sorry” as an alternative and often more meaningful path. This might include repairing harm through actions, offering something meaningful to the other child, or simply showing genuine remorse through presence and emotion. He describes three forms of apology: saying sorry, feeling sorry, and doing sorry, and emphasizes that any combination of these can be appropriate. By giving children time to calm down and guiding them gently toward repair, parents help them develop empathy and accountability without humiliation. The episode reminds listeners that true reconciliation grows from connection, not coercion.
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SUMMER DAYS AT MOUNTAIN LAUREL
Space is still available in our Summer Program for children ages 3–12
Running June through mid-August, Summer Days offers outdoor play, crafts, building projects, storytelling, and water play in a nurturing, rhythm-filled environment. This summer we're also offering two specialty two-week programs for ages 9–12: Studio Verde (June 29–July 10), in which beloved Spanish teacher Marta Porras leads children through the plant kingdom via botanical sketching, herbal cooking, and a sprinkle of Spanish; and Visual & Literary Arts (July 20–31), a creative intensive with alumni parent Liv Galesi weaving together short story writing, bookbinding, printmaking, and mixed media into a finished take-home project.
We'd love to have your child join us — and if you know a family in the area who might be interested, we have fliers ready to share for younger kids and older kids. Pass them along to neighbors, post them at the library or co-op, or share on your neighborhood social pages. Every share helps us spread the word.
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WE'RE HIRING: ENROLLMENT & PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Mountain Laurel is seeking a warm, organized, and community-minded professional to join our team as Enrollment & Program Director. This full-time, year-round role is at the heart of how we welcome new families to the school — managing the full enrollment journey from first inquiry to first day — while also overseeing our auxiliary programs including After School Clubs, After Care and our Summer Program. If you know someone who loves Waldorf education, is great with people, and has a background in admissions, outreach, or communications, we'd love to hear from them.
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FOOD DRIVE BRINGS OUT GENEROSITY
Thanks to the generosity of families across the school, the Spring Food Drive collected 32 bags of food — 17 donated to Family of New Paltz and 15 delivered directly to St. Joseph's Church. Middle Grade students visited St. Joseph's to learn about their food pantry, which has served the community for 50 years and supports 150 to 200 families every month. Hearing how the pantry's point system allows families to choose what they truly need made the effort feel that much more meaningful. Thank you to everyone who gave.
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MOUNTAIN LAUREL SPRING SWAP
Registration is open for our first-ever Mountain Laurel Spring Swap, organized by Parent Council. On Saturday, May 16 from 10:00 – 11:30 AM in the school play yard, our community will gather to exchange homemade, homegrown, and foraged creations – think jams, ferments, spice blends, baked goods, teas, balms, saved seeds, honey, ceramics, handknits, sewn dolls, and beyond. It's a moment to give, receive, and delight in the creativity and care of our community. Quantity details will be shared with registered participants. Learn more here.
| | UPCOMING EVENTS
APRIL & MAY | | |
VOICES FOR INCLUSION & EQUITY (VIE) GROUP
Tuesdays, May 5 & 19 and June 2
7:00 - 8:00 PM via Zoom
The VIE Group is dedicated to fostering a diverse, equitable, inclusive, just, and welcoming school environment. Email vie@mountainlaurel.org for more information.
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PARENT COUNCIL MEETING - LAST OF THE YEAR!
Friday, May 15
2:00 - 3:00 PM
2nd Floor at 7 Innis Avenue (enter at back of building)
All MLWS parents and caregivers are welcome to participate in a meeting designed by and for parents and caregivers. Email parentcouncil@mountainlaurel.org for more information.
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SPRING MUSIC SHARE
Friday, May 15
7:00 pm at New Paltz High School
Music is an integral and thriving part of the MLWS curriculum. Music Shares are special opportunities for students in 1st through 8th grade to share the music they’ve been working on in our school’s various ensembles, choirs and orchestras. Family and friends are welcome!
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MOUNTAIN LAUREL SPRING SWAP
Saturday, May 16
10:00 - 11:30 AM
Play Yard at 6 Elting
Exchange homemade, homegrown, and foraged creations. Learn more.
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5TH GRADE PENTATHLON
Thursday, May 21 - Friday, May 22
Saratoga Waldorf School
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NO SCHOOL - MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
Friday, May 22 - Monday, May 25
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8th GRADE PRESENTATIONS
Thursday, May 28
7:00 PM @ Rosendale Theater
Our 8th Grade students will be showcasing a wide variety of interests and skills carefully honed over the course of the school year. The students are thrilled to share their personal accomplishments with our community. All are invited!
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HALF DAY & LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: NURSERY & KINDERGARTEN
Wednesday, June 10
Dismissal at 12:00 pm
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WORKSHARE GRADES 1-8
Thursday, June 11
10 AM - 12 PM @ St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 34 S Chestnut St., New Paltz
Join us to see what the children in grades 1-8 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.
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HALF DAY & LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: GRADES 1-8
Thursday, June 11
Dismissal at 12:15 pm
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8TH GRADE GRADUATION
Saturday, June 13
11 AM - 12 PM @ Redeemer Lutheran Church, 90 NY 32 S, New Paltz, NY
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FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 2026-2027
Grades 1-8: Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Nursery & Kindergarten: Thursday, September 3, 2026
| Please note that we are working on the 2026-2027 calendar and will share it shortly! | | CLASSIFIEDS & COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS | | New Paltz Office Share Available. Lovely private village office available on occasion or set days (W, F, and both weekend days). Ample off street parking, waiting room w/ desk, b/r, and session room. Currently set up for massage. Contact Rebecca at rrlarsen79@hotmail.com. | |
Submit your listing
To have your classifieds or community announcements listed in our next issue of The Laurel, please submit entries here by May 15th. Thank you!
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