2012 May November heartbeat inside 2 From The School Chair 3 Screen Free Week 4 Senior Play & a Teacher’s trip to Dornach 5 Are Waldorf Schools religious schools? 6 Summer at PWS 7 Library & Simplicity Parenting 8 Community Events & Store 9 May Calendar PORTLAND WALDORF COME ONE, COME ALL to May Faire Saturday, May 5 th from 11 AM to 4 PM by Owen James Flowers are blooming, trees are blossoming, grass is being mowed, and I can’t stop sneezing. It must be Spring! Spring at Portland Waldorf School means one thing for certain: May Faire. Grade 2 cordially invites the PWS community, family, friends and neighbors to the 2012 PWS May Faire on Saturday, May 5 th from 11 AM to 4 PM. As usual, this year’s event is full of exciting, engaging and fun activities for all ages. In addition to the May Queen Procession and Maypole dance, revelers will enjoy live music and folk dancing, purchase hand-made goods in the vendor marketplace, take part in hands-on activities, and eat great food. The day will conclude with a circus performance in the gymnasium, featuring PWS’s own Circus Class! While the second grade serves as the host for this event, everyone can play some part in the festivities. The May Queen is chosen from among the young women of the eleventh grade, the seventh grade cont. page 2
Transcript
2012 May
November
hear
tbea
t
inside2 From The School Chair 3 Screen Free Week 4 Senior Play & a Teacher’s trip to Dornach 5 Are Waldorf Schools religious schools? 6 Summer at PWS7 Library & Simplicity Parenting 8 Community Events & Store 9 May Calendar
PORTLAND WALDORF
COME ONE, COME ALL to May FaireSaturday, May 5th from 11 AM to 4 PMby Owen James
Flowers are blooming, trees are blossoming, grass is being mowed, and I can’t stop sneezing. It must be Spring! Spring at Portland Waldorf School means one thing for certain: May Faire. Grade 2 cordially invites the PWS community, family, friends and neighbors to the 2012 PWS May Faire on Saturday, May 5th from 11 AM to 4 PM.As usual, this year’s event is full of exciting, engaging and fun activities for all ages. In addition to the May Queen Procession and Maypole dance, revelers will enjoy live music and folk dancing, purchase hand-made goods in the vendor marketplace, take part in hands-on activities, and eat great food. The day will conclude with a circus performance in the gymnasium, featuring PWS’s own Circus Class!While the second grade serves as the host for this event, everyone can play some part in the festivities. The May Queen is chosen from among the young women of the eleventh grade, the seventh grade
cont. page 2
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FROM SCHOOL CHAIR
(May Faire cont. from page 1)
provides the food booth, the sixth grade parents occupy the scrip tent, the sixth grade students perform the Maypole dance, and the fourth graders have been busy making the masks they will wear for the procession. The fourth grade will also be collecting flowers to be used for decorations, so keep an eye out for instructions on where and when flowers will be collected.
The energy and excitement surrounding May Faire make it the highlight of the year for the PWS community and one of the most important outreach event for the community at large.
Additionally, the Spring Creek Store will be open from 11 to noon and 1 to 3 PM, with big discounts on many hand-made and Waldorf-inspired items.
Beyond the fun and games, May Faire is also a wonderful opportunity for parents, staff and faculty to join forces and work together for a purpose we all believe in. If you would like to contribute your time and effort for set-up or break-down, please contact Owen James, [email protected], event coordinator, or Christopher Gikas, [email protected], volunteer coordinator.
The Magnolia Mazeby Christine Wolf
I have been watching our beautiful magnolia tree over the last month and a half. I see it when I stand on the front steps each morning, and it is in view from my office window. I’ve watched as the leaves have filled out, the buds formed and then bloomed. Returning from Spring Break, the tree was in full blossom and the spring winds have been tossing the petals about, forming a soft pink carpet around the base of the tree. Tuesday was a grey and rainy day, except for the bright pink petals around the magnolia tree. In between meetings and emails, I’d glance out the window to take in its beauty. And then that afternoon when I looked outside again, I was amazed by what I saw…. The 6th grade had made a form drawing in the petals! Wonderful doesn’t even begin to describe it…
In Memory of John Kahlby Lesley Cox & Anne-Marie Bley
John Kahl passed away this past week. John served as the PWS Administrator for three years, and in that capacity exuded great warmth and enthusiasm. He creatively and competently orchestrated and oversaw the transformation of what had once been the Milwaukie Middle School and was instrumental in bringing to birth our school as we know it now. John’s family farm was neighbors with a nursery and while here, he coordinated the planting of many trees, including the 2 Ash in the Monroe lot parking islands, 3 Forest Pansy Redbuds around the Monroe lot and the row of maples along the north side of our property along Harrison St
The trees twill stand as a loving reminder of his time with us.
Screen-Free WeekSave the Dates!April 30 - May 6by Lily Kindergarten
Screen-Free Week is a national celebration where children, families, schools, and communities spend seven days turning off entertainment screen media and turning on life. It’s a time to unplug and play, read, create, explore, enjoy nature and spend time with family and friends.
Screen-Free Week isn’t just about snubbing screens for seven days; it’s a springboard for important lifestyle changes that will improve well-being and quality of life all year round.
Time with screens is linked to poor school performance , chi ldhood obesity, and attention problems. And it is primarily through screens that children are exposed to harmful marketing. Regardless of whether they are consuming “good” or “bad” programming, it’s clear that screen media dominates the lives of far too many children, displacing all sorts of other activities that are integral to childhood.
Screen-Free Week is a fun and innovative opportunity to improve children’s well-being by reducing dependence on entertainment screen media, including television, video games, computers, and hand-held devices. It’s a chance for children - and their parents - to examine their relationships with entertainment media and rediscover the joys of life beyond the screen.
Though for many of us at Portland Waldorf School, every week is Screen-Free Week, this is an opportunity for all to experience the gift of a screen free home. Mark your calendars for this specia l observance as we encourage other non-media activities. Watch for fun things to do in the Early Childhood hallway at 1:00pm pick-up time and take a look at the Screen-Free Week display in the hall for ideas and suggestions that can inspire and equip your family to have a great Screen-Free Week together.
Give yourself and your family a break from the stress of screen media's influence, but most of all, remember to slow down and have fun! Together!
Thanks to Vivian Hansen, 11th Grader, for creating our logo for us!
Resources and Reading
The Child and the Machine by Alison Armstrong and Charles Casement Endangered Minds - Why Children Can’t Think and What We Can Do About It by Jane M. Healy, Ph.D.Fa i lure to Connect : How Computers Affect Our Children’s Minds - for Better or Worse by Jane M. Healy, Ph.D. *Set Free Childhood, Coping with Computers and TV by Martin LargeWho’s Bringing Them Up? “How to Break the TV Habit” by Martin LargeFour Arguments for the Elimination of Television by Jerry ManderEvolution’s End, Claiming the Potential of Our Intelligence by Joseph Chilton Pearce *Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil PostmanA is for Ox, The Collapse of Literacy and the Rise of Violence in an Electronic Age by Barry Sanders *The Plug-In Drug by Marie Winn *Unplugging the Plug-In Drug by Marie Winn *
There are many, many books that offer stories, crafts, seasonal and outdoor activities and ideas sharingways to create fulfilling days and family life without screen media. These are just a few...Alternatives to TV Handbook, Engaging Activities for Ages 1 -12 by Marie McClendon, M.S. Ed.Heaven on Earth, A Handbook for Parents of Young Children by Sharifa Oppenheimer *
(Titles with an (*) are available in the PWS Library.)
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OCCUPY ...CLASS OF 2012, SENIOR PLAYby Jeffrey Levy In this year of political rhetoric, Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men is the senior 2012 class play. Loosely based on the career of the fascinating Louisiana governor/U.S. Senator Huey Long, the play examines the cost of social change. In order to build roads, broaden access to education, and represent the poor, the Huey Long character, Willie Stark, resorts to threats, bribery and every sort of manipulation to overcome the power and complicity of the wealthy elite. In the course of his achievements, he loses his family and his soul. The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel on which the play is based was first produced for film and then adapted in 1959 as an excellent ensemble piece. It will perform at the Warner-Pacific Cellar Theatre, May 31, June 1 & 2 at 7 p.m. and June 3 at 5 p.m. (Appropriate for grades 7 and up.) Tickets will be available at the Spring Creek store. Sunday shows often sell out, so you are encouraged to go to one of the previous evenings.
Teacher's Conference Reportfrom Cyndia Ashkar
I recently attended the World Early Childhood Educator's conference at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland, where representatives from early childhood programs in over thirty countries were present. There were over one thousand participants! To open the conference, each representative introduced the doll he or she had made. At the end of the conference, by a raffle, each doll found a new home, in a new country. This raised over $4,000 to help support Waldorf and Steiner early childhood initiatives world-wide. It was my first time to be in the Goetheanum, the amazing building created by Rudolf Steiner. There were many parallel events happening as well, and it was reassuring to see so many people of all ages interested and engaged in the wisdom Steiner helped bring forth for the world.
The conference happens every seven years, and is organized by the International Association for Steiner and Waldorf Early Childhood Educators (IASWECE). One highlight was an evening musical performance by the nearby Camphill community (for people with different abilities) that included rock and roll so lively that we kindergarten teachers were out of our seats dancing. The MC (who happened to be a clown) came in at the end and tried to hush us all, imploring-through mime-that we assume a reverent demeanor in this hallowed space!
It was a lot of fun as well as insightful and inspiring. To the right a photo I took of the main auditorium.
5th Grade Completes the Architects in the Schools Programby Alynn Nelson
PWS has had the fortunate experience of working with this program for the past several years. This year “our” architect was Michael Arellano, a structural engineer. After seven wonderful weeks working, our final projects
focused on sustainability and tree houses. These beauties will be on display downtown for the month of May. Feel free to join us at the opening reception for the exhibit on Friday, May 3rd from 5-8pm in the lobby of the US Bancorp Building (111 SW 5th Avenue). This wonderful event is sponsored by the Architecture Foundation of Oregon.
IN AND AROUND THE CLASSROOMS
Religion in Waldorf Schoolsby Kathleen Taylor, 2nd Grade Teacher
Many people come into our school; see the third grade pictures from the Old Testament stories and wonder, “What kind of a school is this anyway? Is it a religious school?” I have been asked many times if I teach religion in school. No, I always tell them. I am not qualified to teach religions. I do, however, teach about religions in the context of the history of people. It is true that the festival life in Waldorf schools is rooted in Christian culture, and we do share a belief in the spiritual nature of human beings. We do begin each day with a verse that includes a reference to God and thankfulness for the gifts of human kind. These aspects of Waldorf education are cultivated not as theology, but to instill in children a reverent attitude toward life. In the third grade, we teach the story of the Hebrew people as written in the Old Testament. This is the first written history of a people as they are cast out of Egypt and must make their own way through the desert and build themselves a home. The third grader likewise is having an inner soul experience of being cast out of early childhood where they were a part of everything around them. Around nine years, children find themselves feeling alone, recognize themselves as a separate individual that really must make their own way in the world. It can be a traumatic time for many children, and they can find support through these stories of people going through a similar experience and finding their way through it. These stories along with learning the practicalities of how people live on earth- house building, work, gardening and cooking- help the children feel that they too can confidently find their way. The Norse Gods and Goddesses meet the fourth grader. Visitors never bring up concerns about paintings of Thor and
Odin, Freya and Iduna- no one considers this religion! Yet these are the stories of the belief systems of the Norse people. Then in fifth grade we bring the stories of five ancient cultures- India, Persia, Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece. History can be taught as a collection of events. Here, we are more interested in the human impulses behind those events. To understand those impulses, we must understand the world view, or religion, of the people who carried them out. So, we learn about the Hindu Gods and Goddesses, Ahura Mazdao, Isis and Osiris as well as Zeus and Hera. Sixth grade brings the study of the Middle Ages and the births of Christianity and Islam. We teach about the lives of Jesus and Mohammed. It was the inspiration of these individuals and their followers that shaped the world that we live in. No one went on the Crusades because they wanted to see the Middle East- they were driven by their beliefs. That Islam is found throughout North, West and East Africa is due to the fervor that filled the followers of Mohammed in the Middle Ages. In the Renaissance, the exploration of the world was also motivated by people’s belief systems. Waldorf students come from all walks of life and many varying world views. We work to honor all of those belief systems by cultivating reverence for life, respect for all people and a deep appreciation for culture. Teaching children the underpinnings of many religions that have created and shaped our world can only give them a deeper understanding of its many inhabitants. I hope that it also enriches their experience and gives them the seeds they need to determine freely their own system of beliefs in later life.
These images are from Main Lesson books from our current 4th, 5th and 6th Grades.
Music CampFor students 3rd -8th Grade
Orchestra, choir, and Jazz band for students entering grade 3-8. August 13-17, 2012. 9 am-1 pm, camp. 1-5 pm, aftercare. Camp includes choir, string orchestra, band, stories, music games, individual and group practice, music composition, music appreciation, outdoor activities, and performance on Friday. The camp is taught by the PWS Music Department teachers.
Questions, contact Corey Averill 503-654-2200 x216 or [email protected]
Curious about Portland Waldorf School and how it might be a great fit for your whole family?
Join us for a tour. Thursdays during the summer we’ll host tours for prospective families.
Please call ahead to coordinate a time that works for you. 503. 654.2200 ext 209 or 207. To learn more about the school, please visit or to send us an email, [email protected]
This fun and craft-filled camp follows a daily rhythm, familiar to
Waldorf schools. Each week’s theme features activities inspired by the
summer season and plenty of time outdoors. The children will be able
to experience a relaxed pace during our summer camps, work on crafts
projects, and play alongside children of different ages.
We offer a wholesome mid-morning snack daily. The children bring
their lunches, and we eat outside in the school’s courtyard area. During
the week, we will care for the garden, storytelling (for grades children),
and story and rest time for kindergarten children.
Contact the Camp Director at 503-654-2200 x460.
Register by June 1 for the discounted rate of $150 for whole days and
$100 for half days.
Summer CampFor children ages Kindergarten -5th Grade
JOIN US AS WE INVESTIGATE OUR ENVIRONMENT EACH WEEK A DIFFERENT THEME
W E H A V E S O M E T H I N G F O R E V E R Y O N E H E R E A T P W S T H I S S U M M E R !
NEW SIMPLICITY PARENTING GROUPS forming in SEPTEMBER by Michelle Marcyk
If you are curious about joining a group that will meet for 7 weeks to support you in taking action on all those great ideas you've read about in Kim John Payne's book Simplicity Parenting. The intention of this work is to help you in . . . . . .Becoming More YOU: Finding Your Family’s Voice“When you act to limit what you don’t want for your family, you clarify what you really do need, what is important to you. Your values clarify. Simplification is a path of self-definition for the family.It is quieter when the insistent noise of popular culture, competition, and consumerism are turned down several notches. Just as a singer has to shut out ambient noises to hear her own voice, simplification allows a family to “tune in” to their values, to what works for them, what defines them. The voice that can be heard, as the noise diminishes, is your own, your own true voice as a parent.” – Kim John Payne
Central to the Simplicity Parenting movement is this idea, that, when we cut out the clutter in our schedules and in our thoughts, we have new, open space, where something more beautiful can emerge – where we find our voices and begin to experience life as the people we were made to be. Within this movement are many examples of families expressing their new found “voice” – some families have chosen a quiet and very beautiful Sabbath routine, some find joy in baking together, some delight in serving others, in gardening, in family walks or bike rides, some have meaningful bedtime or dinner rituals, others enjoy hiking or playing music together. Each family, when they open their schedules, finds their own unique ways of connecting and enjoying one another. These things bring us far more joy than the scheduled activities, the television programs or nightly meetings which often used to fill that space. These things have become so valuable to parents who've learned to guard their simplified schedule carefully, knowing this open time at home together has become a greater priority. Sometimes we can get so inspired by another family’s unique expression of themselves, you might feel that your family should imitate it, that your family’s traditions should look the same. But it is never long, with this way of thinking, that you'll find yourself exhausted! Exhaustion is a sure sign that you are trying to be someone you are not. When you simplify, your family will naturally find new ways of connecting. Your new family traditions may look nothing like your best friend's, and they shouldn’t. The beauty of this journey is that when you simplify and have that open space, your family will find its own unique voice – you will have your own beautiful ways of finding connection as a family. Simplifying in the areas of
home environment, schedules, and filtering out media are all great ways to turn down the noise of popular culture so that you can discover what makes your family tick, what inspires you, how you will live in a way that blesses one another and everyone around you. The beauty of living with less – less stuff, less on the schedule, less influence from media – is the freedom to fill that open space with what is most true for you. When you find it, you will also find all the energy you need to continue on this journey, for it is a treasure far more valuable than anything traded to receive it. -- Adapted by Michelle Marcyk, from blog written by a sister Simplicity Parenting Leader, Tracy McGrath
Details about group coming soon -- please contact Michelle Marcyk NOW ([email protected] 503-872-8648)
LIBRARY CORNER
Our used book sale was a huge success! Thanks to everyone who donated books and shopped at the sale. We earned almost $400 in cash, added 57 books to the library’s collection, added 25 books to add to classroom collections, and we have 12 books to bring to Powell’s for trade credit. All proceeds will be used to purchase new books for the library. A special thank you to the following volunteers who gave so generously of their time: Sandra Burch, Grace Evans, Kelly Tidrick and Sam and Luca, and the 6th graders who helped to transport many boxes of book donations.
Volunteers Needed! If you love to read and hang out in the library we could use your help. There are many ways to help: shelving and checking-in books; processing new books so they can begin circulating; working on our on-going data entry p r o j e c t . P l e a s e c o n t a c t E l l e n M a l i z i a a t [email protected] or leave a note on the library desk if you are interested in volunteering.
Reminder…Please fill out the check-out card with your full name and the due date before removing a book from the library. We are missing several books including Stellaluna, Drawing and Painting in Rudolf Steiner Schools, and the Spring and Summer board books by Gerda Muller. Without the checkout cards we cannot send out overdue notices.
New Titles…Hold On To Your Kids by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor MatePlayful Touch - 10 Massage Routines For Your Child (DVD) by Thea BlairThe Harmony of the Human Body - Musical Principles in Human Physiology by Armin HusemannYour Child’s Strengths by Jenifer FoxIf you are interested in placing a hold on these or any library title, please leave a note in the library message basket.
Christian Communityby Sandra BurchReverend San ford M i l l e r o f The Chr i s t i an Commun i t y - a movement for religious renewal founded with the help of Rudolf Steiner - will give two talks: Thursday, May 3 at 7:30 pm - Christianity and Reincarnation: The open secret of repeated lives on earth. Friday, May 4 at 7:30pm - When Somebody Dies, What Do We Do? - Can we, through thinking about the many customs around death, begin to distinguish what would be most helpful? Suggested donation - $5-$10. Saturday, May 5 at 11:00am New Testament Study: If you have ever wondered what a Bible study through the lens of spiritual science would be like; come and check it out. Sunday, May 6 - Sunday services starting at 9:15am. All events take place at Bothmer Hall: 5919 SE Division St, Portland, OR Contact Sandra Burch for details or to set up childcare for Sunday - [email protected] or 503.353.1818.
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PWS Art Show at Ledding LibraryPWS cordially invites our parents, friends and neighbors to our all-school display of student artwork at the Ledding Library in Historic Downtown Milwaukie. The exhibit reflects the breadth of our student population, with pieces from our early childhood program, lower school, middle school and high school. Come by and visit in April and May and view the artistic journey our students make from the kindergartens exploration of color and water to the High School’s etchings, charcoal drawings, and acrylic paintings. The exhibit runs until the end of May!
Interested in helping out around the grounds this spring? Contact me (Brendan) at PWS via phone, e-mail or grab me in the hall if there is a project you would like to work on or would like to join me for a project around campus. A couple things that need to be accomplished this spring are lots of pruning and weeding in various places. I have all the necessary tools, and I can fill your ears with all kinds of info about the plants and weeds here and other useful and not so useful information as we work to maintain the beautiful gardens here. Mornings after drop off work best for me. Help SAVE PWS a few $In your 2012 Chinook Book there is a coupon for yard debris dumping at McFarlane’s Bark ( Coupon C-438 ). If you do not think you will use this, please drop it off at the front desk. Each coupon saves the school $20. We dump debris there as many as 30 times a year. 503-654-2200 x222
Spring Creek Store
May Faire Sale & Store HoursWe will have our annual Everything Off Sale.10% off Consignment items25% off Dr. Hauchshka and Weleda20% off Books 40% off Toys and Games40% off Woolen undergarments The Store will be opened during the May Faire from 11:00 – 12:00 and 1:00 – 3:00.
Community Cookbook We are still in need of your favorite recipes for our 30th Anniversary Celebration Community Cookbook. You can either send them in via email to: [email protected] or [email protected] or bring them in the store.
Mother’s Day Gift IdeasWe have beautiful Aromatherapy Candles created by solar power company Sunbeam Candles. Crafted using beeswax and soy. Handmade Perfumes Lovely silver jewelry handcrafted by local artists.Journals SuncatchersHandmade Pottery
Pet’s Point of Viewby Ute Luppertz“Helping animals and people find their full potential with each other”. We can enhance the life of our animal companions with gentle holistic methods to improve health, wellness and behavior.The services I offer include: TTouch, Behavior Consulting, Animal Communication, and Hospice Support.Gift Certificates available. For information contact Ute Luppertz 503.774.2986 or go to www.petspointofview.pvweb.com
Middle School Girls Choir to Perform During Duo Con Brio’s performance at Tupai, Andina’s Music Room on Sunday May 20th.
Doors open at 6:00pmReservation RequiredTickets are $55 and include dinner (tapas, dinner, dessert) and performance
