Windows into Waldorf Nov 1, 2024
DIRECTOR’s NOTE
Last year Trevor and Charlene, Waldorf parents, gave me a lovely card. I have this card taped to the wall near my desk. I read it every day and it continues to resonate with me. It reads,
The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit.
As a teacher, I happily imagine my lessons bearing sweet fruit for the children in years to come. I admit this is a bucolic image and a simplistic read of the line, though it is pleasant. If I plant a seed I cannot expect immediate results, the harvest is ahead, and it will be sweet. It reminds me to be patient and to be intentional with my actions so good things will grow. Planting a seed is an exercise of hope.
I also reflect on those who planted seeds for me, many who had no expectation of being there when the fruit would ripen.
Wishing all in our Community a wonderful weekend.
Conor
KEY DATES
A quick reminder that there is NO SCHOOL for K to 8 on November 7th, 8th and 11th. As always, you can check the school calendar here:
https://www.waldorfacademy.org/school-calendar
PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES & CAMPS
PT Conferences for K to 8 take place on November 7th and 8th. Please be sure to write down your meeting times as the Signup Zones will be closed and removed on Monday evening. Sign-up for the Camps will also close on Monday, November 4 (please see email from Michelle dated October 29 for further details):
November 7th and 8th Camp- Registration Form
30 WISHES CAMPAIGN
Many thanks to Board Member Diana Spacca and parents Alex Almeida and David Quast for spearheading our 30 Wishes Campaign for our lower level renovation. You can be part of this initiative e-transfering your gift to donations@waldorfacademy.org towards any of the items still in need on the list:
https://www.waldorfacademy.org/30-in-30
PARENT KNITTING CIRCLE - change of date next week
A reminder that Knitting Circle will NOT meet on Monday, November 11th next week, and will meet on Tuesday, November 12th. The following week, the ‘bees’ are back to Mondays. Please drop in and enjoy some coffee and company with fellow parents at 8:45am, at Creeds Coffee Bar.
SUPPORT & PARTICIPATE in OUR OPEN HOUSE - November 16, 2024!
We are hosting a Kinder Morning and Grade 1-8 Open House on Saturday, November 16th from 10am-1pm. We are inviting our own families to do two things:
JOIN US!
This is a community event. There will be games in the gym, science experiments, art, and other activities. This is also an opportunity for you and your children to be ambassadors for the school. Please add your names here: https://signup.zone/uxhK2pXeKNDGxpbkM
SPREAD THE WORD!
a) There are postcards in the foyer. If you did not receive one in the mail, it means your neighbourhood was not part of the drop zone, so you can take a few and pop them in your neighbours’ mailboxes to increase awareness and drive attendance.
b) Post flyers at your local grocery, health food store, dentist, yoga class, park, library, hockey practice, etc. Please see the pdf attached and/or pick up some flyers in the lobby at pick-up:
OPEN HOUSE FLYER
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION for KINDERGARTEN
All preschool families are offered the opportunity to apply for our coveted Kindergarten spots before registration is opened up to the general public. Application forms can be found here:
https://www.waldorfacademy.org/how-to-apply
You are also welcome to join our Kinder Morning on November 16th to start building your new Kindergarten community!
https://www.waldorfacademy.org
https://www.waldorfacademy.org/upcoming-events
WINTER FAIR - December 1st
Our beloved Winter Fair is fast approaching; save the date! Winter Fair preparations in the intervening weeks are a wonderful way to build community within and across grades. Please be on the lookout for an email from your class representative to participate in one of the Fair’s magical rooms or events, from Woodland Pond to Sleighbell Boutique. Tickets will soon go on sale!
HALLOWE’EN & FESTIVALS
Hallowe’en is said to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off ghosts. At Samhain, the world of the gods was believed to be made visible to humankind, and the gods played many tricks on their mortal worshippers, hence “trick or treat”. Samhain also marked the new Celtic New Year, the end of summer, and the end of the harvest season.
Last year, Ms. Lennox expressed the importance of festivals:
Celebrating festivals can bring us consciously to what we all experience instinctively in our daily lives, the changing cycles of the seasons and of life itself. Through various festivals and rituals we acknowledge and celebrate our connection to and our responsibility toward each other and the world. For example, we can experience autumn in a natural way as we watch the colorful changing of the leaves, feel the crispness in the air, and taste the tartness of a newly picked apple. We can experience it also, in a spiritual way, if we begin to perceive the beauty around us. The awe of a special sunset can quicken a sense of reverence, stir us to voice a few poetic lines, or feel an inner peace. A common experience of joy and reverence is what allows a festival at a particular time of year to unite a whole community.
In keeping with Waldorf Grade 5 curriculum of ancient civilisations as students move from mythologies to histories, the class recently marked Diwali, the Indian Festival of Light, learning and re-telling the story behind the tradition. Ms. Swati also brought in delicious celebratory sweets for the faculty and staff. Thank you!
On October 31st, the school (and the city!) was abuzz with communal Hallowe’en energy, and a sense of something mysterious in the air. Today is the more quiet and reverential Dia de los Muertos. We have a beautiful ofrenda table set up in the Eurythmy Room to pay respects, to honour memories, and to practice accepting all the seasons of life. We send best wishes to any of you who have recently lost someone in your family or community, or who are currently caring for family members in serious illness or palliative care. May these images bring some joy.
