Windows into Waldorf April 9, 2026
THIS WEEK’S ISSUE INCLUDES
Director’s note
Key Dates and Happenings
Dispatches from our Classrooms
Dear Waldorf Community,
My paddle’s clean and bright, flashing with silver
Dear Waldorf Community,
Quick flurries, sun, rain and flowers poking up from the forest floor. Spring is here.
You can feel it in the air and in the bustle from the students.
Kindergarteners are off to tap Maple Syrup and Mayfair preparations are underway (Save the Date! May 2).
The classrooms are busy too. From learning about soils to telling time in French, making paddles, and letter writing, our teachers are providing lessons that give your children agency and spark their creativity.
Enjoy the images and stories in this Windows into Waldorf showing a school in full swing.
With respect,
Conor
KEY DATES & HAPPENINGS
The school-wide Calendar of upcoming events can be found here.
Friday, April 10 - There will be no morning Parent Song Circle on Apr. 10 (tomorrow)
Friday, April 10 - Kindergarten Field Trip to Kortright - Maple Syrup Festival
Tuesday, April 14 - Grade 5/6 Parent Evening (6pm)
Friday, April 17 - Grade 3 Play @ 11:20 - All invited!
Wednesday,April 22 - Earth Day Activities!
Please see all of these details on our community calendar: Waldorf Academy Toronto School Annual Calendar
SAVE THE DATE! MAYFAIR
What: Mayfair!
When: May 2 from 9 am - 3 pm - Mayfair!
Where: Hillcrest Park
Who: The whole Community! All Welcome
Details Forthcoming
Summer Camp Registration is Open
As we look forward to sunshine and endless fun, we’re excited to announce that registration is now open for Summer camp!
We invite the children to connect deeply with the natural world through storytelling, and exploration. This immersive, nature-based program will combine practical forest skills with collaborative storytelling and leadership development. From nature walks and art projects to storytelling under the trees, every day will offer a chance to observe, have fun and appreciate the living world around us.
Camp will run for 7 weeks starting on June 15th and ending on July 31st.
Coffee House raised how much?!
Your epic snack stand during Coffee House raised over $600! Since then, Ms. Bender’s class has met with the Outdoor Adventure tour group to make plans for their September trip, and the Grade 7 students have been busy working on their paddles!
Thank you parent volunteers (Ms. Levine and Dr. Tischer) for the breath of Spring Air you bring into the school with your beautiful artwork and supporting our classroom learning!
DISPATCHES FROM THE CLASSROOMS
Happenings in Grade 2
We have started a language arts block titled Tricksters and Helpers and have been enjoying the stories of Hiawatha and the
Peacemaker, Anansi and Turtle, and Kind Francis of Assisi. The children are now beginning to retell the stories on their own and delight in writing, and then reading, what they have written. We are also deep in the story of Rendi and the Village of Clear Sky—a wonderful tale about belonging and the transformative power of caring for one another.
Painting- Ms. Hilts
Painting lessons are continuing in much the same way as before, with an emphasis on the approach to painting, rather than the outcome itself. Focus is placed on the direction of brushstrokes, how to rinse and change colours properly, how to adjust the ratio of water to pigment, and so on. Students are familiarizing themselves with primary and complementary colours, answering questions such as: “If this part of my page is green, how do I make it brown?” This week, we painted new shoots and flowers pushing out of the ground.
Language Arts - Mme. Moir
In Language Arts, we are learning a new poem about light from stars and candles. We have started reading with readers. Students have been put into pairs or small groups of students with a similar reading level. They then take turns reading to each other.
French - Mme. Moir
In French, we are learning a fable called La cigale et la fourmi (The Grasshopper and the Ant). A song called Pauvre Cigale (Poor Grasshopper), which is sung along with the Quebecois instrument les cuillères, complements the story. Additionally, we have two new poems for spring.
Happenings in Grades 5/6
Letter Writing: The students have been learning about different types of letters: letters of gratitude, letters of friendship, and letters of persuasion. We are writing one of each type, and on Friday we will drop off the ones we have completed at the post office.
Soils: Beginning with a story about George Washington Carver's biography, we are briefly learning about soils. This connects to our previous Geology block, conversations that were had on our Outdoor Day, as well as the power of writing Letters of Persuasion.
Artemis 2: The collaboration between the United States and Canada to send human beings farther into space than ever before in history is happening right now! There are so many inspiring things about this mission; it is a model of individual heroism supported by complex collaboration.
Olympiad - The Olympiad is coming! Every year, Grade Five students practice and prepare to participate in a celebration and competition with students from other Waldorf Schools across Southern and Western Ontario. This year, the festivities will begin on Thursday, May 21 and go until the evening of Friday, May 22.
Grade 8 has it all sewn up!
It starts in SK. From finger knitting to crochet, cross-stitch to leatherwork, to operating sewing equipment, handwork develops fine motor skills, creativity, and right-brain-left-brain coordination.
Students also develop confidence that they can be adaptive and self-sufficient, thereby gaining a sense can-do agency needed to carry through life.
Grade 7, 8 invited to high school application and successful acceptance support
Wednesday May 13th at 7:00 here at the school.
Educational Consultant, Sarah Claydon, OCT will present the process for high school application and successful acceptance.
This event is open to all but focussed on the parents of next years grade 7 and 8 students (current grade 6 and 7 students).
More details to come.
IN THE COMMUNITY
Calling all Creators! Invitation from our Friends at Wychwood Barns to Exhibit at their EcoMarket
Market Date: May 24, 10 AM – 4 PM
Location: Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie Street, Toronto
Our friends Jane’s Walk are hosting their annual Walk Festival May 1-3
Since we are ‘Jane’s neighbours in the Republic of Rathnelly and we are a community of armchair urban planners who like to explore our city,
Tour routes to Janes Walk Festival will be listed here. Check out if there is one in your ‘hood!
Spadina Museum offering history themed summer camp
Our cherished Spadina Museum will be hosting summer camps this year. So if you are looking to mix it up a bit, information on their history centric camps can be found here.
Looking for Parent Testimonials to Update: Hear From Waldorf Parents Stories
Dear Parent,
We’re are looking to record short parent interviews to highlight what makes Waldorf unique — from your child’s favourite part of school to those moments of growth and wonder that happen along the way.
The conversation will be informal and story-driven, about 20–30 minutes. We’ll guide it with a few simple questions (for example: “What’s one moment that made you think, ‘Wow, that’s such an interesting life skill for my child to learn’).
Thank you for helping us share the spirit of Waldorf education — your voice makes all the difference.
The World Needs More Waldorf
