Early this week, Grade 6 trekked to southwest Virginia for two nights of camping at Spikenard Farm and Bee Sanctuary. By day, they learned about the bees and the farm from Alex Tuchman, resident beekeeper and farm manager, who provided a hands-on extension of their Entomology main lesson block.

Learning how incredible honeybees are!

Mealtime and teamwork! Each tent group was assigned meal setup and clean up.

Learning about honeybee family trees.

The students loved the opportunity to name some of the hives. Ask them what they chose!

Watching with quiet reverence as Alex, Spikenard Beekeeper, opened a hive.

Spreading milkweed seeds in the field for the spring!

Last week, Grade 4 enjoyed a wonderful field trip to Glen Echo’s Adventure Theatre to see Beatrice Likes the Dark. Ms. Dsouza, G4 Class Teacher, reported that the children enjoyed the actors’ performances and the story of a unique child who appreciates the darkness and helps her younger sibling work through her own fears. The play offered a lovely opportunity to reflect on the importance of being true to ourselves, finding balance, and learning how to support others with understanding and compassion.

WWS regularly advertises in the programs for Adventure Theatre shows, so when they had a school-day show with extra space, they offered WWS a complementary field trip. What a treat!

Beatrice Likes the Dark runs through Nov 1.

Parent Volunteer Signups – Now All in One Place!



The PFO has organized all of our volunteer signups for the year in one place, so you can easily see where and when help is needed.

Check out the signups page!

We will keep this page updated throughout the year as we add new events. We are grateful for whatever amount of time you can offer and look forward to building events with you that celebrate our special school and community.

Please reach out to us at pfoexec@washingtonwaldorf.org with questions or ideas. 

Save the Date! PFO Open Meeting on November 12



Please join us for the first PFO open meeting of the year on Thursday, November 12, at 8:45am. Hear important updates from PFO leadership on this year's Bazaar and Gala as well as some exciting new events we are planning. Mary Vitale will share information about her role as WWS rep to the Parents Council of Washington, and Adam Mutschler will share his work as an AWSNA board member and an update on a media-education framework for digitally resilient kids in Waldorf schools. We will meet in the entrance hall – with coffee and snacks!

All are welcome!

Fall Bazaar & Seasonal Market

On Saturday, November 21, our campus will transform into a wonderland, filled with live music, crafts, delicious food, enchanting children’s activities, and a spectacular collection of artisan vendors. 

Bazaar

Best of all, Saturday’s Bazaar is free to attend, and no admission ticket is needed! If children want to participate in the activities, you can purchase activity tickets beforehand or when you arrive. Please let your friends, family, and neighbors know to mark their calendars.

And the fun begins on Friday night! Our adults-only Preview Night on November 20 is the perfect opportunity to gather with friends, enjoy live music, and get first dibs on unique items from more than 35 incredible vendors before the Bazaar. 

What makes this event so special, though, is that it is truly ours. The Bazaar comes to life because of the creativity, generosity, and hands-on spirit of our families, faculty, and students.

Explore the volunteer opportunities to find a spot that feels right for you.



New to the Bazaar and not sure how you fit? We’ll have an overview of all activities and volunteer responsibilities next week! And, as always, you can email pfoexec@washingtonwaldorf.org with questions.

The WWS Gear Shop has a new look and is now a fully functional online storefront!

Shop anytime at wwsgearshop.org. To get started:

• Log in with the one-time code WWS-4800 and create your account
• Add items to your cart
• Submit a pickup request

Donate your gently used OUTERwear, sizes Early Childhood through Grade 8, in the Gear Shop bin in the vestibule.

Many thanks to WWS parent David Hanke for spotting an opportunity to improve the Gear Shop and generously volunteering his time to build the solution!

Beginning the first week of November, we will offer another selection of clubs, including two NEW clubs:

• Creative Mending for Grades 6-12, led by Annie Kramer who is one of our Early Childhood assistant teachers 
• Indian Dance for Grades 1-3, led by Tejas Gupte Beeharilal from ZIND Academy 

Find out more about our clubs and register.

Questions? Reach out to Natalie Rehberger, Director of Auxiliary Programs at clubs@washingtonwaldorf.org.  

From Coach Dan Hill

Cross Country has pushed into championship season. This past week, the WWS teams ran in PVAC Championship races.

On Tuesday, the middle school team raced at St Anselm’s. Three runners set personal bests. Patrick (G7) finished 19th, with a time of 12:25. Two runners had huge jumps in their personal bests, Maisie (G7) coming in at 17:38 and Coco (G7) finishing at 20:49.

On Wednesday, the high school team raced at Sandy Spring. Peter (G9) finished with a personal best of 21:58.

The hard work I've seen the runners putting in this season is paying dividends.

Up next, the final races of the season for each team will be at the Maryland Private School State Championship in Poolesville. Join us on Oct 29 for middle school and Nov 5 for high school.

GO HAWKS!

Fall Festival - TOMORROW!

Friday, Oct 23

• 2:45-3:15pm - Grades 1-3 Classroom Visits
• 3:15-3:45pm - Grades 4-8 Classroom Visits & High School Parent Gathering
• 4pm - Grades 2-12 Sharings in the Auditorium

We are excited to offer parents/guardians a window into student life at WWS. This will be a time of sharing based on class activities and learning in Grades 2-12. It is an opportunity to see what your child has been up to and what is in store for them in years to come.

Students will stay with their class and staff from dismissal until their performance time. Once a class has finished their performance, they will return to their classrooms until the festival is over. We ask that all families please stay until the festival is completed before picking up students from their respective classrooms.

Alum Family Playdate

Saturday, Oct 24 at 9am

RSVP for the Alum Playdate

You are invited to join us for a fall playdate on Saturday, Oct 24 from 9am to 11:30am featuring breakfast snacks, simple activities for the kids, and plenty of time to reconnect with old friends. Bring the whole family—we’d love to see you back on campus!

Parents Council of Washington Virtual Speaker Panel:

"Growing Up in the Age of AI: What Parents Should Know"

Tuesday, Nov 17 from 7-8:30pm

Join fellow Parents Council of Washington (PCW) community members to learn from the following experts:

• Russell Shaw (former Head of Georgetown Day School), adopting AI in a school environment
• Angela Virtu (American University), leading large scale AI transformation in higher education
• Rebecca Winthrop (Brookings Institution), seeing the global AI education landscape from 30,000 feet

All PCW member school parents, administrators, faculty, and staff are invited. There will be time for live Q&A.

To participate live and/or view a recording, register today! 

October

23/ Friday

• School Tour for Prospective Families, 9am
• Fall Festival (see above for times)

24/ Saturday

• Alum Family Playdate, 9am
• Seedlings Parent/Guardian Meeting, 11am

26/ Monday

• Craft & Conversation, 8:30am

30/ Friday

• No School - Parent Teacher Conferences

November

2/ Monday

• No School - Parent Teacher Conferences

3/ Tuesday

• No School - Election Day

4/ Wednesday

• G1-12 Virtual Tour for Prospective Families, Noon

If you are a current family - first, check ParentSquare for posts from your teachers, departments (Early Childhood, Lower School, Upper School), and the administration.

If you cannot find the information you are looking for on ParentSquare, please contact:

• Early Childhood & Lower School (G 1-5) Coordinator - Esther Probst
• Upper School Coordinator (G 6-12) - Bonnie McClelland
• Operations Director - Laur Garner
• Director of Auxiliary Programs - Natalie Rehberger

How to Submit a Listing

• We welcome submissions of community news, items for sale, want ads, etc. Please keep notices to 500 characters or less. There is no charge for listings.  
• Please submit listings by COB TUESDAY with the subject "Bulletin Submission."
• If you are sending images or flyers, a link to an online version is preferred.
• Bulletin Board notices generally run for 3 weeks - if space allows - unless other arrangements have been made.
• Listings may not be accepted and will likely be edited.

A Waldorf Welcome in Italy: Finding Home Far From Home

Thanks to WWS Alum Parent & TC Member, Anne Wotring for sharing a recent article from the Waldorf Today newsletter.

You can read the article online. It chronicles a Waldorf family's experience visiting a small Waldorf summer camp in rural Italy.

Furnished Bedroom & Private Bathroom for Rent – Cabin John, MD

From Virginia Ibarra (Alum Parent) posting for a neighbor

Fully furnished bedroom with a private bathroom available in a quiet, welcoming single-family home in Cabin John. Convenient location near Bethesda, shopping, parks, and major commuter routes.

$1,500/month – All utilities and Wi-Fi included!

Ideal for a working professional or student. Background/credit check required.

Text 202.596.1688 for details or to schedule a viewing.

Thanksgiving Turkeys from a Local Regenerative Farm

From Eben Kaplan, Parent G4 & G6 and TC Member

Whiffletree Farm in Warrenton, VA, uses humane, regenerative farming practices to raise poultry and livestock. They are a fantastic source for sustainable meat and eggs. They make monthly deliveries near the school and will be delivering Thanksgiving turkeys the Friday before Thanksgiving.

Preorder online!

First Fridays Concert Series Curated by WWS Guitar Teacher Sven Abow

Ethio-Fusion artist Zedicus featuring Abyssinia Roots unplugged are up next at Brentwood Arts Exchange. 

Friday, Nov 6 from 8-10pm

Learn More

Unplugged, and in an intimate art gallery setting, experience Zedicus & Abyssinia Roots, who have crafted a sound that defies boundaries, fusing reggae, rock, alternative, and world music into an irresistible sonic tapestry.



Location: Gateway Arts Center, 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood, MD 20722 (just three blocks north of the Rhode Island Ave. circle, close to the DC / MD line). Free parking at Mixt Foodhall and at Mint Dentistry!

Tickets are $20 at the door or online: Learn More

Neighborhood Dog Missing

Five-Day Creative Speech & Storytelling Retreat in Costa Rica

Led by Debbie Spitulnik, Former WWS Faculty & Alum Parent

February 12–18, 2027

In the cloud forest of Monteverde, we will spend five days immersed in storytelling, Creative Speech, and the living landscape around us.

Using the Four Pillars of Creative Speech™ (Imagination, Movement, Sound, and Breath), we will explore how a story comes to life through its speaker and how our own inner capacities shape the way we meet our listeners.

The cloud forest itself will become part of our study. We will listen to the movement of water and wind, live into the gestures and rhythms of the landscape, observe color, form, and atmosphere, and experience silence. We will bring these into our work with language and story.

This is more than a storytelling workshop. It is a sojourn for the soul: a time to deepen your artistic practice, renew your relationship with your own voice, and experience storytelling in conversation with one of the world's extraordinary ecosystems.

We are all storytellers. This retreat is for all who seek to deepen their connection and kinship to nature, their inner self, and the spoken word.

Learn More & Register

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