December 2020 E-News
A Message from the Faculty Chair
Dear Community,
A few days ago, Anthony Yaeger, Grade 7 Class Teacher, sent a letter to faculty and staff that highlighted his gratitude. Its positivity had such a powerful effect on others that a cascade of gratitude followed as, one by one, other colleagues shared the things for which they are grateful. It was a powerful reminder of how our good deeds multiply and generate more joy and hope in the world. As we enter this holiday season, I thought we could all benefit from Mr. Yaeger’s letter. Click here to read.
I wish you all good health and peace during this holiday season.
Sincerely,
Announcements
Choose #WSGC on #GivingTuesday on December 1st!
Tomorrow is #GivingTuesday, the Global Day of Giving. The WSGC Gratitude Gnome is gearing up for their journey to spread love and thanks to all of our community members.
Show your support by making a gift to the Annual Fund tomorrow, December 1st, and follow our Gnome’s journey on social media @waldorfgarden.
Where will your donation go?
- The purchase of additional wellness technology and supplies to ensure the health and safety of our current families and employees
- The maintenance of our buildings and grounds which, under COVID-19 guidelines, requires additional cleaning staff
- Continual technology upgrades of hardware and software to remain on par with current standards for distance learning
We would like to thank John Oppenheim ’64, who has generously come forward with a $15,000 match in memory of Leslie White (Riedel) ’64.
If you have already made a gift, thank you for your commitment and dedication to this extraordinary education. We look forward to sharing our final results with you all on Wednesday!
Give back any time at no additional cost to you!
113 supporters are already enrolled in our Stop & Shop A+ School Rewards Program and 155 supporters in our AmazonSmile Program! We encourage you to join them!
Visit https://www.waldorfgarden.org/giving/shop-support-waldorf/ to learn more about these and other opportunities to Shop and Support The Waldorf School of Garden City.
Carol Sing Cancelled
In the interest of safety, we are, unfortunately, unable to gather for our beloved Carol Sing this year. We understand that nothing can take the place of joining together in song during this reflective time of year, so we wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season and look forward to singing together in the years to come.
Craft Circle Wednesdays are Back!
Do want to learn to knit or expand your handwork skills? Join the weekly Virtual Craft Circle where we knit, crochet, embroider, and sew. Learn something new or bring your own projects and questions. Drop-ins are welcome.
When?
Every Wednesday morning when school is in session from 9:00 am – 10:30 am.
Zoom link:
https://waldorfgarden-org.zoom.us/j/84928364344?pwd=Z25lQ2o2OU4xSFpjL0ZOck53ZDlRQT09
Meeting ID: 849 2836 4344
Passcode: Craft
For more information, please contact: Karen Talluto at tallutok@waldorfgarden.org
New Admissions Applications for Early Childhood 2021-2022 Programs Now Open!
Parents who wish to enroll younger siblings in the Nursery and Mixed-Age Kindergarten for September 2021 are encouraged to submit a New Admissions Application now. Enrollment in these classes is currently underway. While priority is given to families who have siblings in the School, spaces are limited and fill up quickly. Please contact Carol Proctor at (516) 742-3434 ext. 301 or via email at proctorc@waldorfgarden.org with questions.
School News
Sophia Conrad Receives Peter A. Zimmerman, M.D., J.D. Award in Recognition of Academic and Intellectual Excellence
Sophia Conrad ’21 has been named the 2020 recipient of the Peter A. Zimmerman, M.D., J.D. Award in Recognition of Academic and Intellectual Excellence. The award is given to a student who has exhibited academic and intellectual excellence in keeping with the highest educational standards of The Waldorf School of Garden City.
The Lantern Walk
Each year, our EC – 3rd graders create beautifully decorated lanterns in preparation for the Martinmas Lantern Walk. This year was quite different as it was socially distant and not so much the parade of children gripping tightly to lanterns. Families journeyed through the nature trail in the darkness, led by their children and a single lantern, trusting their little one to guide their way and point out important details of the dark terrain such as exposed tree roots and low hanging branches. Though it only somewhat resembled traditional lantern walks of years past, this year was beautiful in its own right, giving space, time, and silence for each family to bond and maybe reflect on this gift of togetherness.
From the teachers :
“The gesture of the lantern walk or Martinmas as we call it in the grades is one of embracing the light. As we go into these dark days of fall into winter, our spirits can get low. Our lantern’s light reminds us that we always have an inner light that can transform any situation. We can embrace our inner light and share peace, love, and joy with others. In turn, we make the world a brighter, warmer, more loving place.”
~ MaryBeth Thomas, 3rd Grade Class Teacher
“Last week leading up to our lantern walk, first grade focused on Saint Martin and the different steps to making the lanterns for our evening Martinmas lantern walk. Friday morning, we imagined each person in the world having a little light inside of their hearts. We discussed how the ways we choose to speak and act can make someone’s light glow brighter or dimmer. That evening it was quite magical to watch the children take up their lanterns to brighten the path through the nighttime nature trail with each of their families.”
~ Mara Esposito, 1st Grade Class Teacher
See photos below:
Thanksgiving Assembly 2020
We were thrilled to offer a virtual presentation of our Thanksgiving Assembly with our current families last week. It was truly a labor of love to pull together a video that shows what the students are doing in the classroom and especially the creativity and resilience that went into the African Dance this year. A very special thank you goes to Bianca Leroux and Deirdre Somers who worked together to create the video. Please enjoy the full version below:
Glen Brook
Summer Camp 2021
We’ve been planning in earnest for a safe summer in 2021, and are so excited to welcome campers here in this special place once again for what will be our 75th summer on our 75th anniversary.
You can read more about the changes we’ll be making for a safe camp in 2021 here: glenbrook.org/QandA
Registration will open on December, 13th at 10-:00 am. We will be starting at a reduced capacity, so visit our website to enroll: glenbrook.org/enroll
Fall Gap Semester
Our Fall Gap program ended the week before Thanksgiving. This group of exceptional young people had a semester of living in a close-knit community within the “Gap Bubble” on this amazing property. They left full of gratitude for a fall like no other. We still have space available for our spring gap semester, and you can read more at gapatglenbrook.org
What’s Happening in Athletics?
This month we are highlighting another one of Waldorf’s inspirational student-athletes. Senior Lucy McShane joined the School in 9th grade and has been a shining star both in the classroom and on the soccer field ever since. Her hard work and commitment to academics and soccer have opened the door for her at Lafayette College where she will be attending in the fall. We are so proud of Lucy and wish her nothing but the very best in her studies and her soccer career in college.
There is a framed picture of Lucy playing soccer in her bedroom with the following inscription: “It’s impossible,” said Pride. “It’s risky,” said Experience. “It’s pointless,” said Reason. “Give it a try,” whispered the Heart. The frame arrived just as Lucy made two life-altering decisions as an 8th grader: one involving soccer, the other related to school.
In public-school in 8th grade, Lucy was trying to decide if she wanted to attend her local high school or move in a different direction. One visit to The Waldorf School of Garden City made the decision easy. She leaped and never looked back. At the same time, her soccer career was also at a crossroads. She had been splitting time as a goalkeeper and field player but wasn’t sure if it was too late to transition to becoming a full-time field player. Again, she took the chance. She put in the work, and eventually, it all paid off.
Lucy has spent most of her high school years playing club soccer in the United States Soccer Development Academy for FC Fury. She progressed every season, and during a showcase event in Florida in December of 2019, coaches from Lafayette College took notice. They were looking for a defender who had a strong left foot for their Patriot League team. Lucy was the perfect match, and her visit to the Lafayette campus was like that Waldorf visit four years earlier. It was the perfect fit, and Lucy signed a National Letter of Intent on November 11th to attend Lafayette College. She loves the game, loves the school, and has loved the four years at Waldorf preparing for this next step.
Shane Flanagan
Director of Athletics
Alumni
Alumni Notes:
Scott (William) Galasso ’70
Scott (William) Galasso ’70 recently released his new book which is now available on Amazon. The book, Legacy: Thirty Years of Haiku is Scott’s 17th book of poetry. Visit https://amzn.to/3kBKKqj to purchase the book today.
Jeanenne LaBella ’03
Congratulations to Jeanenne LaBella ’03 and her family as they welcomed baby number three, Freddie LaBella Almanzar, into the world earlier this month. As a family tradition, Freddie and his siblings all share the middle name of LaBella.
Nombulelo Malunga ‘15
Nombulelo Malunga ‘15 has been selected to be part of the Miss Gauteng Exclusive Top 25, the finalist round! Nombulelo is the reigning Miss Lenasia South of 2019/2020. Lenasia is a small town in the south of Johannesburg where Nombulelo grew up. She says, “I have so much passion in bringing about change whenever I can and through beauty pageants – I believe it would give me that platform to touch many others’ lives.” Nombulelo will undergo a series of tasks including community projects and campaigning as part of the competition. Best of luck, Nombulelo!
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News from AWSNA
Keep up with all the news from the Association of Independent Waldorf Schools in North America by subscribing to their monthly E-News. Learn more by clicking the button below!
Join Us on Our Wellness Mission to Keep Our Community Healthy!
As you know, each of us has a personal and shared responsibility to create a safe and healthy environment to protect ourselves and those around us. At times, we understand that the required guidelines and expectations that we are now asked to adhere to may seem inconvenient, uncomfortable, or even like an overreaction—but they are necessary—to protect ourselves and each other. Together, we must commit to safety practices and behaviors that protect our students, faculty, staff, and the broader community. For this reason, we would like to ask you to pledge to keep our community healthy by following the policies and protocols put forth by WSGC. In addition, when you are away from school, please remember to keep the health and safety of our community in mind by limiting your exposure to your family and school community as much as possible and wearing masks in public or other social situations.
Upcoming Events:
All School TDDL
Tuesday, December 1st – Friday, December 4th
Giving Tuesday
Tuesday, December 1st
Fall Concert
Wednesday, December 2nd at 7:00 pm
Nursery & Kindergarten Winter Spiral
Sunday, December 6th
Holiday Break Begins – Classes Dismiss at 12 noon – NO ASSEMBLY
Friday, December 18th
Holiday Break
Monday, December 21st – Monday, January 1st
(classes resume Monday, January 4th)
Last Day for 2020 Tax-Deductable Donations
Thursday, December 31st
Don’t Forget you can Shop and Support The Waldorf School of Garden City with the following organizations!
