Windows into Waldorf Nov. 21, 2025
THIS WEEK’S ISSUE INCLUDES
Note from (Past) Board Chair
Key Dates and Happenings
Get your Tickets to the Winter Fair!
Dear Waldorf Community,
At Wednesday’s AGM, outgoing Board Chair Andrea Van Leeuwen gave a heartfelt speech, elements of which are shared here:
It’s wonderful to see so many familiar faces: parents, teachers, staff, and community members who share a deep commitment to nurturing the whole child. Thank you for being here, and thank you for the trust you place in this school with what matters most.
As I look around this room and reflect on the year behind us, I’m struck by how much our children need what this school offers, perhaps now more than ever.
Our young people are growing up with the pressures of the constant pull of screens and social media, the erosion of unstructured play, anxiety about an uncertain future, and a culture that too often rushes childhood itself.
Yet here at Waldorf Academy, there is space for something different, something essential.
This school believes in the power of wonder. The faculty and staff work to protect time for imagination, for hands working with real materials, for stories that feed the soul. They teach us that childhood is not a race to be won, but a journey to be honored.
This approach isn’t simply tradition. Waldorf education is uniquely positioned to meet the moment, offering children not a retreat from the modern world, but a foundation for meeting it with wisdom, creativity, and a deep sense of self.
The work that happens here matters. And it takes all of us working together to make it happen.
To our faculty: You are the heart of this school. Your dedication, creativity, and deep care for every child transforms education into something truly meaningful.
To Conor and our administrative team: Your leadership behind the scenes and in front of the scenes keeps this institution running smoothly. Thank you for your tenacity in the big and small improvements to help us thrive.
To our parents: You are our partners in every sense. Your choice to embrace Waldorf education and your involvement in our community make everything possible. A special call out to all of those parents who represent your classes in Community Council and to Charlotte, Amrit, and Rachel for your work in building this community and sense of belonging.
And to my fellow board members: Thank you for your wisdom, your time, and your unwavering commitment to the integrity of our governance and the long-term health and stability of this school….
What I’ve come to appreciate is how much the work that happens here matters. Every teacher who prepares a lesson with care, every parent who chooses this path, every board member who stewards this institution, every administrator who keeps things running: you are offering children something rare and precious.
As I close my opening remarks, I would like to recognize our Board members completing their term and those joining the board. I want to thank you for the privilege of serving on the board, including this past year as your chair. As my 3 year term comes to a close, the board has elected new leadership, and I’m very confident in the path ahead for Waldorf Academy.
Andrea Van Leeuwen
KEY DATES & HAPPENINGS
The school-wide Calendar of upcoming events can be found here.
Saturday, Nov. 22: Kinder Campfire Playdate
Sunday Nov. 30: Community-wide Winter Fair (get your tickets!)
Winter Fair
Sunday November 30th. General admission is from 10am-2pm. Families with kids under 4 years old can get early entry starting at 9am.
The ticket purchasing website is now live here.
Puppet show tickets tend to sell out fast, we suggest you secure your tickets for the event as soon as you are able!
You can also purchase tickets for our 50/50 draw as a ticket add-on. Another great way to help support our school!
Community Council is still looking for wonderful volunteers!
Have you checked out the Silent Auction yet?
The accompanying Winter Silent Auction started on November 16, 2025 at 06:00 PM and will end on December 02, 2025 at 06:00 PM. Lots of wonderful contributions from the community and great gift ideas!
Call out for unconventional ‘Playground toys’ - Can you help us fill the play bin in the recess yard with cool implements that spark imagination and play? Questions on what’s appropriate? Ms. Gerrard can help!
Why are the teachers looking for:
sieves
muffin tins
pans
wooden spoons
buckets
wooden bowls etc. ?
Because everyone enjoys creating with “stuff.”
DISPATCHES FROM THE CLASSROOM
Grade 7 / 8 Parents, ask your children about their ‘Banquet in Florence Italy’ to debate what it means to be human.
The Florentine Platonic Academy met in Grade 7 & 8 Class to talk about what it is to be human.
With each student assigned a role, monks, seafarers, da Vinci acolytes, Astronomers, Poets, Bankers and Doctors all gathered for a feast of olives, grapes, honey, bread and cheese to debate and explore what it means to be human.
Playing their parts, da Vinci’s ideas sparred with Michelangelo’s, while religion and astronomy grappled with mathematicians and poets.
In the renaissance period, and under the patronage of the Medici family, these gatherings moved away from medieval scholasticism towards a more humanistic focus on beauty, spiritual ascent, and the dignity of humanity.
Thank you Ms. Bender & Ms. Gerrard for prompting such an intellectual conversation and for the lovely spread
“The best way to learn about life is to live in it.”
IN THE COMMUNITY
GOT A LANEWAY THAT NEEDS A REFRESH? Community Laneway that needs some loving attention in your neighbourhood? Our friends at Laneway Project need you for a ‘CoLab’! Sign up for their info session.
November 27, 6 pm - 7:30 pm - Next Laneway coLabs Info Session (link to join)
