Windows into Waldorf Feb. 12, 2026
THIS WEEK’S ISSUE INCLUDES
Director’s note
Key Dates and Happenings
Dear Waldorf Community,
It is lovely to have our hallways filled with parents chatting with each other as they cross paths during Parent Teacher interviews.
What is a stressful event at other schools appears as a social get together here. Our emphasis on community is on full display as we connect in the classrooms and hallways where our children learn and play. We are happy to have this opportunity to meet and talk about your child’s progress.
I wish you a wonderful Family Day weekend.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Conor
PS. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, have you read our blog on the joy of receiving a handwritten letter and why it is important to learn to write in cursive?
KEY DATES & HAPPENINGS
The school-wide Calendar of upcoming events can be found here.
Tuesday(s) February, 8:30AM - 10:00AM, All Parents knitting circle in the Art Studio Space. Beginners welcome!
Monday, February 16 - Family Day- No school and no camp - enjoy time with your families!
Wednesday, February 18, 7:00 – 8:00pm - Board Meeting
Thursday, February 19, 6:30 PM - Grades 5/6 Parent Evening
Sunday, February 22, 11:00am – 2:00pm - Community Skate Day
Please see all of these details on our community calendar: Waldorf Academy Toronto School Annual Calendar
From the Admin Office:
Entering the school BEFORE 8:15am or AFTER 5:00pm - FOB required
To help with the flow of pick ups and drop offs, you will need a FOB to gain access to the school if you arrive at school before 8:15am or after 5:00pm . If you do not have a FOB or require a second one please see the office manager - Ms. Monica and she will be happy to assist you.
Thank-you for helping with the smooth operation and safety of the school!
Notes From Child Care Centre
Childcare Receipts
Childcare receipts
As we enter tax season, our accountancy department is pulling together all the information required and working on getting your childcare tax receipts to you in due time. We will get all the information you require to your family shortly.
Dear Families,
Please find a list below of dates that the Childcare Centre is closed, including our March Break and Summer closing dates. Our closing dates do not always match those of the grade school. Please take note.
DISPATCHES FROM THE CLASSROOMS
JK - SK
“When you see them - the chickadees and cardinals - on our daily walks through the parks and ravines, you start to greet them as your friends.”
Did you read our Blog story about our birding Kindergarteners?
Specialist Teachers are on a roll! The Arc of Learning
Ms. Gerrard stitches up a drawing
Be it Handwork, Responsible use of AI, or Nature Studies with Ms. Grainger, Gym and Woodworking with Mr. Ankamah, French with Mme. Moir, Developmental Movement with Ms. Yu, Art and Music with Ms. Hilts the arc of learning in this Specialist update below really highlights the joy in education.
Grade 4
Music - Ms. Hilts
Grade 4 students have received their violins! Some of them are rentals, some belong to the school, and three students are bringing their own instruments from home. You have likely noticed that violins have been sent home! They must be returned on all music lesson days (Mondays and Thursdays). Students are encouraged to practice their violin bow holds over the long weekend. Charlene has added “pinky houses” to each of the bows to help the students place their pinky fingers in the correct spot. In our next lesson (next Thursday), students will learn to rosin their bows and practice holding and playing open strings. If you notice a problem with your child’s violin or bow, please let me know right away.
Games - Mr. Ankamah
Our Grade 4 students are nearing the close of a dynamic movement block focused on awareness, agility, and thoughtful interaction within shared space using the variety of Dodgeball games! Through these lively games, the class has grown (and is continuing to grow) in confidence and cooperation; while the ability to move together is displayed with greater care and intention.
French - Madame Moir
This week, we will begin a new block where we learn to write the names of the months. We will review the names of the seasons, months, and clothing items (such as a hat and coat in winter), while learning seasonal activities such as skating or tobogganing.
Grades 5/6 class
Music - Ms. Hilts
The Grade 5 and 6 students are working the instrumental version of “Edelweiss” (Sound of Music) in the Tuesday/Friday classes, and working on a South American recorder duet “El Tortillero” (Trad. Chilean) on Thursdays. There is often time on Thursday to also review music theory and ear-training.
Gym - Mr. Ankamah
Grade 5/6 students are deepening their understanding of basketball by exploring teamwork, and the role of setting screens to create space for others to get open - teamwork at its finest! As they learn to move not just for themselves but in service of the group, their sense of cooperation and shared responsibility continues to strengthen.
Gr. 6 Handwork (Sewing Elephant Stuffies) - Ms. Grainger
We have begun our Grade 6 handwork study of elephants by carefully observing and drawing two-dimensional elephants, focusing on accurate proportion and form. Students are now working with modeling clay to create a well-proportioned three-dimensional elephant, deepening their understanding of structure before moving into the sewing phase of the project. Developmentally, this work meets the Grade 6 child in a significant way. As students begin the physical changes of puberty, there is often a shift in bodily structure and coordination. In the academic curriculum, this is also the year physics and geology are introduced, studies concerned with forces, structure, and the “physical body” of the earth. In handwork, constructing a three-dimensional animal offers a parallel experience of structure, precision, and transformation. The act of turning a project inside out and shaping it can meaningfully reflect students’ growing efforts to express their inner life more outwardly.
Woodwork - Mr. Ankamah
Our Grade 6 students are bringing their woodworking block toward completion, refining and finishing their pieces with patience and attention to detail, while the Grade 5s are just beginning their spoon work! They are carefully learning the basics of carving, shaping, and tool care.
French - Madame Moir
Our study of adjectives continues in French. Students have learned about common patterns of adjective agreement, which is challenging as it is something that doesn’t occur in English. We have also touched on the placement of adjectives. In French, most adjectives follow the noun, however, “BANGS” adjectives, which describe Beauty, Age, Number, Goodness, and Size precede the noun. We are now reading a story called Pourquoi la mer est salée (Why the Sea is Salty) and practicing these concepts by identifying adjectives in the story and determining whether the adjective is masculine or feminine and singular or plural. We then relate the adjectives we find in the story to the patterns studied in class.
Art - Ms. Hilts
The Grade 5 and 6 students are working on a group project with tree rings on a large canvas. Students are also working to complete their value scale. Most, if not all, students have made good progress on their paint mixing, understanding how much or how little white or black to add. When all students complete their value scales, the group project will become our main focus. Students are continuing to submit weekly sketches.
Grades 7/8
Music - Ms. Hilts
The Grade 7 and 8 students are working on two pieces. They’ve pretty much learned the instrumental version of “Blackbird” (Beatles) and now they are working on an arrangement of “Titanium” (Sia). Wednesday morning choir continues to focus on part-singing, vocal/physical warm-up, and unifying our sound. We have been working on “Shosholoza” (S. African anthem) and “On top of the world” (Imagine Dragons) most recently.
Woodwork - Mr. Ankamah
The Grade 8s are completing the finishing touches on their paddles with care and pride, while the Grade 7s are beginning the early preparation that will carry into next year’s Grade 8 journey. Working side by side, the class is experiencing both completion and beginning. They will develop perseverance, craftsmanship, and responsibility through shaving, rasping and cleaning!
French - Madame Moir
Over the past few weeks, we have been studying the irregular verbs vouloir (to want), pouvoir (to be able to/can), and devoir (to ought to/should). We have learned how to conjugate these verbs. Additionally, we have discussed and practiced how to use them in sentences. We had our block test on these verbs today. Next week, we will begin practicing the past (le passé composé) and future (le futur proche) tenses.
Art - Ms. Hilts
The Grade 7 and 8 students have just had an introduction to their projects. They are drawing a city corner in 2-point perspective; all aspects of their picture - buildings, alleys, sidewalks, windows, doors, letters - need to follow the laws of perspective. The Grade 8 students have had more practice with this and were given the option of trying 3- or 4-point perspective. Students are continuing to submit weekly sketches.
Gym - Mr. Ankamah
The students are fully immersed in the fast-paced, challenging rhythm of basketball, meeting its intensity with growing focus and strategic awareness. The movement and decision-making complement the teamwork required to help one another build character and confidence, which provides a joyful, engaging environment on the court.
Cyber Civics- Ms. Grainger
This term in Cyber Civics, students are learning what algorithms, artificial intelligence, and generative AI are, how they work, and how to use them responsibly. To begin, students learned what an algorithm is by creating a paper airplane, which was clearly a favourite activity! Students also explored Artificial Intelligence (AI), learning that AI is the ability of a machine or computer to perform tasks that have historically required human intelligence.They discovered that AI does not actually “think” but it makes predictions based on patterns in the data it has been trained on. This week, we examined some of generative AI’s serious shortcomings and limitations. Ask your child to describe a few of these and explain why it is important to understand. Thank you for your continued support.
Grade 1-4 - Eurythmy for everyone!
Music made visible - "well-proportioned" or "harmonious rhythm" Many families who are new to Waldorf education wonder, “What is Eurythmy?” when they hear it is part of the curriculum:
At its heart, eurythmy is the practice of intentional movement. Through age-appropriate exercises, patterns, games, and stories, children learn to move with awareness, purpose, and care for one another. These movements grow in complexity through the grades and support important capacities such as coordination, balance, spatial awareness, listening, and cooperation. Eurythmy also strengthens motor skills and midline crossing, which supports healthy brain development.
Eurythmy is often described as “music made visible” or “speech brought into movement.” When children move together in this way, something more than physical skill is taking place. They learn to listen, to wait, to adjust themselves to the group, and to find their place within a shared rhythm. In this way, eurythmy supports not only the body, but also social growth, inner balance, and a sense of belonging.
Eurythmy is for Adults too! Join Us!
Over the next four Mondays, students in Grades 1–4 are fortunate to experience this art form as part of their school rhythm, supported by piano accompaniment. These weeks offer a meaningful opportunity for children to deepen their connection between movement, music, and community in a way that is both joyful and nourishing.
….but! It’s not only for students. Parents who are interested are also invited to join!
Clubs and a Community Council Invitation
After School Chess Club for Grades 4-8 - Tuesdays 3:30 - 4:30
Our inaugural Waldorf Academy Chess Club ran this fall. It was so successful that we are extending the after school club for an additional 5 weeks. The club will run on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 4:30, beginning Tuesday, February 3 to Tuesday, March 3.
Waldorf Academy Chess Club is led by Mr. Bharati (dad to Kairav and Talen), Mr. Buchbinder, and Mr. Jones. All skill and experience levels are welcome. Chess Club is a great way to build spatial imagination and logic while practicing fair play, patience, and most of all, it will be a chance to have fun with friends in a relaxed environment once a week.
Spaces are limited, please email Monica to reserve a space for your child.
New students are asked to pay $20 for the 5 weeks - these funds will be used to purchase additional chess boards as required. There is no charge for returning students.
Please e-mail the Community Council for a link to the Sign-Up sheet and access to the Skate Lending Library WhatsApp page.
A huge thank you Sybil for spearheading this wonderful event. Lace up!
In the Community
The Toronto Branch of the Anthroposophical Society of Canada - Mondays to June 15
Extend a warm invitation to parents and members of our community who are interested in exploring anthroposophy. Please see the details below as provided by Robert McKay, who will be leading this study group.
Invitation to an Anthroposophical Study Group
You are cordially invited to participate in an anthroposophical study group. The group will meet every second Monday evening from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at (TBD) starting on Monday, January 19 and continuing until Monday, June 15. (Note: The group will skip holiday Monday's and the Monday in March break.)
Each week, the group will read from one of Dr. Rudolf Steiner's books or lectures and discuss it section by section. Study groups are an excellent and supportive way to get to know anthroposophy. No prior understanding is required. Questions and reactions are encouraged.
We will start with Theosophy in which Dr. Steiner explains what we are as human beings, how we journey through various incarnations, and provides insights into the purpose of life that anyone can apply to their own evolving story.
Participation is free but as space is limited so please register with Amrit at amritmum@pm.me. Please let her know if you want a free copy of the book as they will be provided courtesy of the Toronto Branch of the Anthroposophical Society in Canada.
Share The Love!
So many families discover Waldorf through the stories you share. Our community is one of the most important ways new families find their way to us—thank you for spreading the word. It takes a village, and we are grateful for our community of amazing Ambassadors. To any of your interested friends, we are happy to give them a tour of your great school.
