Windows into Waldorf Dec. 12, 2025
THIS WEEK’S ISSUE INCLUDES
Director’s note
Key Dates and Happenings
Dispatch from the classrooms
Dear Waldorf Community,
Do you remember the first play you saw?
Waldorf Academy Students stepping through the wardrobe
I remember we all had wet socks. It was winter and we had taken off our coats and boots before walking down the wet hall and up the slushy stairs to the library. We sat on the carpet, hemmed in by rows of parents on plastic chairs. Then we waited with nothing to do but stare at wooden boxes painted black. Ms Nagel was shushing often and louder than usual. I had no idea what was going on. Students a few years older, wearing odd clothes, walked in and took their places. With the first words, spoken in a fake British accent, we all jumped into a world of pretend.
I didn’t know such a thing existed. A shared pretend world? One actor, (something Stamcoff? - she was in my sister's grade) stumbled over her lines. She shook her head, closed her eyes, took a breath, and started over. How was this possible? It was live. Anything could go wrong, it did, it got fixed. My first experience of the show must go on. It was mesmerizing. I forgot about my wet socks.
On Thursday sixty-five Waldorf Academy students attended Soulpepper Theatre for a live performance of Narnia, a musical based on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis. The play illustrates that virtues such as courage, forgiveness and loyalty are essential to overcome darkness. I might add generosity to that list as the experience was funded with a generous donation from a member of our community. As the students returned I called out from my office, how was it? The response, Awesome! Thank you kind donor for your thoughtful gift that provided an experience with great acting, costumes, set, seating, and warm dry feet.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend as we head into the last week before Winter Break.
Conor
KEY DATES & HAPPENINGS
The school-wide Calendar of upcoming events can be found here.
Friday Dec. 12: Thank you for joining our Parent song circle 8:30 - 9:15 today. Our next one is scheduled for January 9 (all welcome to this beautiful gathering of voices lifted in song!).
Thursday, December 18: Winter Spiral Walk (read about the symbolism of the Winter Spiral in our Blog)
Friday, December 19: school ends at 1:00 p.m.* Period 2 will finish at 12:45 p.m. - details below. *Please note that Child Care Centre is full day and is open until 5:30
January 13 at 4:30: SK Parents, please join us for our Grade 1 info session sign-up here!
January 13 at 7:00: Community Council
Winter Break Dates & Dismissal Time
As we approach the holiday season, a reminder about our upcoming schedule:
Last day of school before Winter Break:
Friday, December 19 – early dismissal at 1:00 p.m. (*Please note that Child Care Centre is still ‘full day’ and open until 5:30 )
We are closing early to allow classes to finish the term with a gentle, unrushed morning together and to give families and staff time to begin their winter break and any holiday travel in good time.Professional Development Day (no school for students):
Monday, January 5Students return to school:
Tuesday, January 6
We wish you and your families a peaceful and restful Winter Break, and we look forward to welcoming the children back in the new year.
Parent Festival - an evening of fun and ‘wow!’
Wednesday night, Waldorf Academy students got the chance to show friends and family some of what they have learned this Term. The result was an evening of fun and ‘wow!’.
Perhaps the largest take-away is that whether it’s a combination of music and math, or french and theatre, experiential activities and meaningful connections provides that ‘stickiness’ (and enthusiasm!) to learning.
From salutations to the dawn, to the very funny French Play and the delightful 7/8 musical number ‘Revolting Children’, please enjoy our highlight reel of our joyful evening.
Grades Two - Eight enjoyed a beautiful adventure yesterday stepping through the Wardrobe to visit Narnia
Winter Fair Highlight Reel (NEW!)
Still feeling that sense of wonder from Winter Fair? We invite you watch our highlight reel celebrating the highlights of the day!
Silent Auction Winners - Pick Up
For those of you who placed the “winning bid!” and have not yet done so, please come pick up your loot that can be found in the meeting room of the Administration offices.
Lost and Found - Parents come get your kid’s stuff!
While that lonely rubber boot we posted about earlier has been returned to its rightful owner, there are many articles in the lost and found! We get it, seasons change.
Parents have until Dec. 19th to pick up their childrens’ items from the lost and found. During the winter break anything that is left will be donated to a good cause.
The lost and found is at the bottom of the stairs en route to the lower ground Art and Woodworking space.
Dispatches from the Classroom
Grade One exploring the 4 ‘kingdoms’
This time before winter officially begins is also a wonderful time to reflect on the 4 seasons and the 4 kingdoms that exist in nature - the mineral, plant, animal, and human kingdoms. Through stories about these kingdoms and how they make up our world, the children can find their relationships with the world around them and also gain perspective for their place in the world as stewards of the earth and members of humanity - large existential concepts that they are already asking many questions about! We invite you to visit our display case by the entrance and ask your children about all the ‘kingdoms’ on the bottom shelf!
Tuesday, January 13 @ 4:30, Kindergartener Parents, Join us for our Grade 1 Information Session
Panta Rhei in seasons and water - Lake Ontario Unsalted
"Our nature studies class will be doing a number of exercises in the spring around our relationship with water. Clean water and sanitation is one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
This snowfall provides a perfect example of how what we do has downstream ramifications. As talk of increased salinity levels in our Great Lakes increases, we can consider how our work can impact the environment. With regards to salt use, city guidance says that about:
one tablespoon of salt per 10-foot sidewalk square is sufficient, or a
12-ounce coffee mug of salt for a 20-foot driveway or 10 sidewalk squares.
Apply salt sparsely and evenly, with granules spaced out, and remember that more salt does not melt ice faster; use it sparingly to avoid waste and environmental harm. Mixing it with sand for traction is better for the environment we depend on for our lives and livelihood."
Letter from Toronto Public Health:
As the respiratory illness season gets underway ahead of the holidays, Toronto Public Health is recommending all eligible residents to get vaccinated against influenza (flu), and COVID-19. Infants and seniors can also receive protection against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Vaccination is an important step residents can take to reduce infections that can lead to severe illness, complications, and strain on the health care system.
We encourage you to continue to promote the resources in our recent Digital Toolkit for School & Child Care Partners with your communities. In addition to vaccination, there are simple steps everyone can take to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses.
Sincerely,
Toronto Public Health
