Dear Colleagues,

Some schools farewelled their students last week for the summer or, with their oldest students, as they graduated, ready to move on to the next step in their education. Many others will close out the students’ year this week, with others over the next couple of weeks. To borrow from a commonly-used end of lesson verse, for now our time has (almost) ended; what we have learned (and taught and given) will rest. When we have done our very best, wisdom, strength, and love will grow, and we will bless all those we know. I was reflecting on these words, which I said many times with younger students as we wrapped up our morning lesson and prepared for all-important snack and recess before the rest of the day unfurled. This verse, and many others have a permanent home within my head, ready to be called up if needed. (I have managed to shock a few grandchildren and young friends several times by reciting a familiar verse: “How come you know MY school verse?”) Verses, poems, and songs provide markers through our days, easing transitions, allowing us to avoid raising our voices (at least for much of the time), signaling endings and beginnings, and quietly yet consistently imparting messages of hope, aspiration, expectation, delight, sorrow, and joy - the rich, diverse tapestry of being human. The poetry and song I acquired on my journey through the days and cycles of the year and across the grades gifted me a much deeper appreciation of the richness of language and imagery than my long-ago undergraduate studies in Literature, and I suspect that this store will sustain me for the rest of my life. We have all heard stories of people in captivity or other situations of deprivation who were sustained by their remembered cache of words committed to memory. This aspect of Waldorf pedagogy is a gift for life; strengthening our memory, inspiring our imagination, and firing our thinking. 

Returning to that simple end-of-lesson verse, let’s unpack it a bit from the perspective of the end of another school year: an ode to a year now ending.

For now our time has ended. Let’s make sure we pause during the busy-ness of wrapping up the year to look at the big picture; take time to go back over all that has happened since the first day of this school year: the remarkable growth, learning. celebrations, challenges, colleagues, and communities. 

What we have learned will rest. The school year has cycles of breathing in and breathing out. Now it is time for a big outbreath as we release our students for the summer. We work with the principles of rhythm and sleep, bringing things to life then allowing them to rest before they are brought back to renewed consciousness. Summer break supports and strengthens this cycle, allowing us to digest and make space for new insights and inspirations before the cycle begins anew.  

When we have done our very best. There is no need for further explanation here, just heartfelt gratitude for the dedication and daily energy and striving you, our teachers, school leaders, and parents bring to our schools every day. Every school visit affirms this, with creative, resourceful, loving teachers and administrators at work. 

Wisdom, strength, and love will (can) grow. Waldorf education is a constant process of gardening and tending with confidence in our ability to grow. It is truly creating for the future. You have engaged your students with head, heart, and hand, planting seeds for later harvest, imparting knowledge, shaping the ability to think clearly, to act responsibly and follow through, and to care and connect with self, others, the earth, and the world. 

And we will help - or bless - all those we know. We see some immediate fruits of our work, but many are not immediately visible. A school’s work ripples outward like a pebble cast into a pond: the daily, repeated work to build a caring, respectful community of class and school carries outward and forward, a worthy antidote to the challenges and depersonalization of modern life. 

From all of us in our Alliance, heartfelt thanks for this past year. If your year with the students is over, make time for reflection and appreciation. If you are not quite there yet, we wish you strength as you hurtle to the final day of school and a few moments to savor the garden you have been tending!

Liz Beaven

Executive Director

Summer Professional Development



Solving the challenge of one-size-fits all!



Fun facts to start the week: Did you know that there are now 60 Public Waldorf schools in 15 states? Each state has its own conditions, requirements for licensure, curriculum, assessment and other factors. Our schools range in size from 34 to 640 students. Twenty-one have over 300 students. They include charters, district schools, and consortiums. 

Our challenge: how to address and support such a rich diversity of schools and local contexts?

Our answer: professional development that is designed by and for our schools and taught by individuals with direct, extensive knowledge of Public Waldorf education. We have gone wide this year without losing sight of the roots of our Core Principles.

Our presenters (in Fundamentals, Early Childhood, Grades, Leadership, and our Symposium) are drawn from 18 schools in 11 states! They will build our understanding of our shared core as they demonstrate how to adapt and innovate to meet local, current needs. 

2026 Summer Professional Development Dates:



Week #1: July 7–9 | Fundamentals of Public Waldorf Education

Symposium: July 10 | Acceleration and Wisdom in the Age of AI.

Week #2: July 13–17 | Preparation Tracks for:

• Early Childhood
• Grades Cohorts for Grades 1–8
• Leadership

2026 Summer Professional Development Pricing:

Symposium Only: Alliance Member: $60 | Non-Member: $75

Week #1: Alliance Member: $250 | Non-Member: $315

Week #2: Alliance Member: $410 | Non-Member: $515

Both Weeks: Alliance Member: $525 | Non-Member: $660

Single Session: Alliance Member: $40 | Non-Member: $45

School Rates :

• Week #1: 3–5 attendees: $600 | 6–9 attendees: $1,200 | 10+ attendees: $2,000
• Week #2: 3–5 attendees: $985 | 6–9 attendees: $1,970 | 10+ attendees: $3,280
• Both Weeks: 3–5 attendees: $1,260 | 6–9 attendees: $2,520 | 10+ attendees: $4,200

For more information:

Liz Beaven, Executive Director 

Carly Fedor, Administrative Assistant

Alliance for Public Waldorf Education

40 4th St., # 274

Petaluma, CA 94952

Public Waldorf is a service mark of the Association of Waldorf Schools

of North America and is used pursuant to a license.

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