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 | | Sunday, May 8, 2011 | Volume MMX-XI, Issue 29 | |
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Socks on Eurythmy Days |
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Now that the warmer weather has finally arrived, summery shoes such as sandals are also making an appearance. Please take pity on our trusty eurythmy shoes and remember to send a pair of socks to wear on days your child has eurythmy. |
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Coffee House Open Mic |
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The last Open Mic Coffee House of the year is almost here! Please join us on Friday, May 13, at 7:30 p.m. in the Café. Bring your guitar, your voice, or just your ears--it's a cozy place to share music with a friendly and relaxed group. There will be snacks and songs to keep you happy! Please contact Megan Curtis with any questions. |
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Waldorf Dad's Connection |
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The PCA-organized Waldorf Dad's Connection is meeting again on Friday, May 13 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Village Forge Tavern of the Colonial Inn in Concord. Drop in for relaxed conversation with other Waldorf parents. We hope to see you there. Contact Juleby Hirsch for questions or directions. |
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New Hot Lunch Menu |
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There's a new menu for May and June Hot Lunch meals. For a PDF of the menu, please visit the Lunch Program section of our website, or pick one up in the kitchen or Main Office. |
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Upcoming Events at Waldorf |
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Monday, May 9
Morning Glories class evening, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, May 10
Board Officer Committee meeting, 5:30 p.m.
Finance Committee meeting, 6:30 p.m.
4th Grade class evening, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 11
Waldorf Park in Arlington, 9:30 a.m.
Foundation Studies, 5 p.m.
Stone Building Renovation Information
with Town officials, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 13
5th Grade Olympics
Waldorf Park, noon
Monday, May 16
1st Grade class evening, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 17
2nd Grade class evening, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 18
Waldorf Park in Arlington, 9:30 a.m.
Sweet Peas class evening, 7 p.m.
Julia's Nursery class evening, 7 p.m.
Buttercups class evening, 7:30 p.m.
Mary Beth's Nursery class evening, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 20
Waldorf Park, noon
Eighth Grade Musical, 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 21
Eighth Grade Musical, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, May 24
Board Meeting, 7 p.m.
7th Grade class evening, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 25
Waldorf Park in Arlington, 9:30 a.m.
3rd Grade class evening, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 27
Waldorf Park, noon
Monday, May 30
No School
Memorial Day
Wednesday, June 1
Waldorf Park in Arlington, 9:30 a.m.
Friday, June 3
Last Waldorf Park, noon
Saturday, June 4
Julia's Nursery Class Picnic
Mary Beth's Nursery Class Picnic
Monday, June 6
Board Officer Committee, 5:30 p.m.
Finance Committee, 6:30 p.m.
PCA Meeting, 7 p.m.
Friday, June 10
Last Day of School
Early Dismissal
Saturday, June 11
Eighth Grade Graduation, 2 p.m.
Saturday, June 18
Board Meeting, noon
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Events in the Larger Waldorf Community  |
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There are many anthroposophical events in and around the Boston area, and beyond, that support and enliven what we do here at school. Please click "read more" above for frequently updated information and resources from the Anthroposophical Society of Greater Boston, AWSNA, The Pfeiffer Center, and others. |
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Community Classifieds |
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Remember to check the Community Classifieds page on the school website every week for information about any items of more general interest, such as music lessons, professional services, real estate, items for sale, workshops or events in locations other than the school. Advertisers are advised that the Community Classifieds are published via the school’s website for the benefit of members and friends of the school community and can be accessed on the worldwide web.
You can easily access the Classifieds on the school's website in the Community section, where you will also find the submission form and guidelines. Please contact Luana Preston with any questions. |
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In this week's edition: |
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 Fifth Grade Olympics Next Friday
- The School Announces Opening of a Third Kindergarten
- 10 Year Accreditation and our 2011-12 Calendar
- Renovations by the Town of Lexington to the East Lexington Library
- Visit to the Konditermeister Bakery
- Eighth Grade Musical
- Dress Code Awareness
- Super-easy Clothes Donations for the PCA Waldorf Boutique!
- Alumni News
- The Creativity Crisis
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Fifth Grade Olympics Next Friday |
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Next Friday, May 13, the Waldorf School of Lexington will once again act as host to the annual Fifth Grade Olympics. Our own fifth graders will be joined by peers from several other nearby Waldorf schools--as well as our friends at Ecole la Vie from Montreal--in a reenactment of the original Greek pentathlon. The community is invited to support this joyful celebration of the Greek history curriculum by coming out to the back field to watch the competition. The Olympics help the students to practice elements of both beauty and strength, ideals held highly by the ancient Greeks.
 We hope you will come to cheer on the many students who will be taking part in the events, but we would like to remind everyone to be respectful of the events and the people involved by remaining in the designated areas to enjoy the activities.
Order an Olympic Lunch
During the Olympics, the Seventh Grade traditionally offers lunch to students and parents as a fundraiser for their eighth grade class trip. This will take the place of pizza lunch. If you are interested in ordering for your children or yourself, please return your completed forms with payment to the Main Office no later than this coming Tuesday, May 10. Thank you for supporting the Seventh Grade! Please click "read more" above for a copy of the order form you can print out at home.
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The School Announces Opening of a Third Kindergarten |
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 Due to increased demand for enrollment in our kindergarten program, the school announced this week it will be adding a third kindergarten in the 2011-12 academic year. The hiring process for a kindergarten teacher and kindergarten assistant are underway. We are very excited by the growth in our kindergarten program, and we hope parents and friends of the school will spread the word. Please click "read more" above for more information. |
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10 Year Accreditation and our 2011-12 Calendar |
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The 2011-12 Calendar is now available (please click "read more" for a link to the calendar). Our schedule adds three early release Thursdays for grades 6, 7, and 8 to support us in our work to renew our accreditation with AWNSA (Association of Waldorf Schools of North America) and NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges.) Accreditation with these bodies takes place every 10 years. It is a deep process requiring study and reflection by teachers and staff throughout the school, and AWSNA and NEASC both recommend that whole-school (e.g. all faculty and staff) accreditation meetings be built into the school schedule for the most thorough and efficient process. The calendar also includes two professional days to support professional development goals. These days will be used by faculty and staff for site visits at other schools, training and conferences, etc. Several school days are added in June to ensure student learning is fully supported while professional development and accreditation goals are met. |
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Renovations by the Town of Lexington to the East Lexington Library |
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There will be renovations by the Town of Lexington to the East Lexington Library “Stone Building” in front of the school beginning tomorrow, Monday, May 9. The construction site will be contained by a perimeter fence, and the Town is treating the site as part of a school campus, given the proximity to our buildings. The renovations include lead paint abatement by application of a removal product that eliminates any sanding or dust. See the attached letter from the Town for more information (click "read more"). Pat Goddard, Lexington's Director of Public Facilities, will be at the school next Wednesday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium to address any questions you may have about the project. We are grateful for to the Town for providing this forum to field questions from our community. |
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Visit to the Konditermeister Bakery |
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 On Tuesday, the Waldorf School eighth grade was treated to a visit to the Konditermeister Bakery in Braintree, MA. The bakery prides itself in providing authentic European pastries and wedding cakes for its customers. In fact, the direct translation of Konditermeister is “the cake master.” Eighth grader Shaheen Bharwani interviewed the owner and wrote about the class' experience. Please click "read more" above for the whole story. |
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Eighth Grade Musical |
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 The Eighth Grade is very excited to invite the entire community to their production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Roald Dahl's timeless children's tale follows Charlie Bucket, one of five lucky winners of a Golden Ticket, as he explores the fantastic world inside the eccentric Wonka Chocolote Factory. Come meet the imaginitive characters, listen to the catchy music, and have a wonderful time. There will be performances on Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21, both at 7 p.m. Students, parents, and alumni of all ages are welcome. |
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Dress Code Awareness |
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Dear Parents,
Spring has sprung, so we would like to give you some essential dress code reminders. We need all children to dress appropriately while attending school. All students must wear:
- Supportive and secure footwear
- Solid or overall print clothing (stripes are fine)
- Shirts with shoulder straps that are at least 2 inches wide. (No tank tops or spaghetti straps)
- Clothing that covers the back and belly
- Shorts and skirts must be long enough for the wearer's extended fingers to touch the bottom hem.
Items to be avoided:
- Children must not wear sports attire for the school day. (They can bring sportswear for gym class, but it should not be worn all day). This includes soccer shorts and basketball shorts.
- Clothing should not reveal cleavage or pectoral area.
- Please do not have children come to school wearing excessive jewelry, make up, extreme hairstyles, or nail polish on fingers or toes.
For more details on the official school dress code, please refer to the Community Handbook, which can be found on the Parent Pages. It is important to help the children remain focused on schoolwork as the weather warms. Thank you for supporting a productive learning environment. Warmly, Your Waldorf Teachers |
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Super-easy Clothes Donations for the PCA Waldorf Boutique! |
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Have you been gathering gently used clothes and Waldorf and wooden toys for the Waldorf Boutique, but you just can't seem to make it down to the Café or nursery to deposit them in the drop-boxes? On Thursday, May 19 we'll make it even easier! From noon to 1:30 p.m., volunteers will be in the horseshoe ready to take things directly from your car as you go about your routine of picking up your children. You might not even have to leave the driver's seat if you pop the trunk for us. |
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Alumni News |
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 Alumna Performance NewsJoy Powers, (Mr. Bloomquist's class of 2003) will be performing Circus in a Trunk with her clown group, The Piccolini Trio, in Framingham on Saturday, May 21, for one show only at the Amazing Things Arts Center. There will be live music by the legendary circus band Cirkestra. The show is appropriate for all ages. For more information, follow this link.
Alumnus Accomplishment
Miika Voutilainen (class of 2002) has recently gone through a vigorous violin audition process for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, making it through to win the final round of auditions. He will begin as a member of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra on September 1. Congratulations, Miika! |
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The Creativity Crisis |
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You might be interested in reading the Newsweek article entitled The Creativity Crisis. The article, in summary:
American creativity scores are falling. Kyung Hee Kim at the College of William & Mary discovered this after analyzing almost 300,000 Torrance scores of children and adults. Kim found creativity scores had been steadily rising, just like IQ scores, until 1990. Since then, creativity scores have consistently inched downward. “It’s very clear, and the decrease is very significant,” Kim says. It is the scores of younger children in America—from kindergarten through sixth grade—for whom the decline is “most serious…. It’s too early to determine conclusively why U.S. creativity scores are declining. One likely culprit is the number of hours kids now spend in front of the TV and playing video games rather than engaging in creative activities. Another is the lack of creativity development in our schools. In effect, it’s left to the luck of the draw who becomes creative: there’s no concerted effort to nurture the creativity of all children." |
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