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Announcements

Meet Brett Spielberg, our new Director of Strategic Communications & Advancement!

Q) What is your Professional Background?

I studied journalism next door at Adelphi University before starting my career in communications. Working with Long Island schools, governments, nonprofits, and businesses across the region, I had the opportunity to learn and develop before getting involved in local government. I spent almost four years down the road in Nassau County working in public affairs, policy, and communications with an administration focused on ethics, financial accountability, and social justice. Most recently, I worked as Director of Communications for an environmental advocacy organization, helping support major initiatives from offshore wind clean energy projects to New York State’s commitment to zero-emissions school buses.

Q) What about WSGC made you decide to join us?

The community! There is an incredible sense of unity, alignment, and togetherness that you can’t find just anywhere.

Q) What do you believe are the most important qualities of leadership?

As someone who works in communications I may be biased, but communication. That’s the foundation for trust and respect, which creates an environment where people can be comfortable, be themselves, and thrive.

Q) Is there anything you want to say to the Community?

I’m excited to meet everyone and hear your unique perspectives about our community as we enter our 75^th year of WSGC and the 77^th summer of Camp Glen Brook!

School News

63rd Annual Commencement Ceremony

On Friday, June 17th, the Class of 2022 gathered on the field for the last time to accept their diplomas, receive accolades for their achievements, and close out their High School careers. Under clear skies and a lovely outdoor tent, their families and teachers attended the ceremony, while they were also joined by many other guests who watched virtually through our online live stream of the ceremony.

High school Chair, Roland Rothenbucher, served as the MC; Deirdre Somers was the class’s chosen speaker; and Alexios Kritas spoke on behalf of himself and co-class advisor Laura Gleason.

Ellen Bucalo was the first of three senior speakers. She recalled some of her most cherished memories, and the desire to focus on and live in those moments; she warned adults against using reminiscing as a form of escapism. She wrapped up her speech and explained how one could instead use those memories and the knowledge she gained from Waldorf as a tool when looking forward.

“Our educational foundation here will be the force that guides us through the course of our lives, through college and our prosperous professional careers. And it will be what we look back on when we need a little extra help. And with all of this, I sincerely hope that my fellow peers are, or will soon become voracious consumers, not of material things, but of everyday life, and that our lives will be filled with pure and rich knowledge of things that we mistakenly think don’t concern us, but actually threaten the lives of the people right next to us. We can be the ones who change the way others perceive our setbacks and our accomplishments. Always remember that although looking back on all of our failures, and all of our successes, can feel overwhelming and mortifying, and joyous and wonderful, the real change starts when we begin to look forward!”

Francesca (Kiki) Fraim, a Waldorf “lifer,” shared her journey through the grades, and the life lessons she learned along the way that would shape how she and her classmates viewed the world.

“In the Early childhood years of Waldorf education, the focus is on imparting to children the knowledge that “the world is good.”… The lower school, 1st through 8th grade, imparted to us a new insight, that “the world is beautiful”… like Siddartha, we came to the realization that pain, sorrow and hatred exist in our world. In high school, we were taught that the “the world is true.”

Kiki wrapped up her speech with how each of these lessons will help the class of 2022 succeed in their lives beyond The Waldorf School of Garden City and that should they ever feel the world is too hard to handle alone, they will always find strength in their Waldorf Community.

Sanaalee Troupe closed the senior speeches by sharing the importance of education for a person’s future, and how specifically education impacts immigrant families like her own.

“I would like to emphasize the importance of cherishing our education: In the United States alone, 39 to 40 million students have not been able to receive their high school diploma because of unforeseen circumstances, and nearly a third of graduates do not enroll in college. Coming from an immigrant family, I understand the tremendous difference that an education has on one’s future. At Waldorf, we have been incredibly privileged to have had a strong liberal arts education giving us the skills to be ready for college.”

We are so proud of the Class of 2022 and wish them nothing but the best in all their future endeavors. You can watch the recording of the ceremony below!

On Thursday, June 16th we celebrated the 8th Grade Promotion of the Class of 2026. Congratulations to all students in the class and we wish you the best of luck in High School next year!

 

What’s Happening in Athletics?

Dear Waldorf Sports Fans,

Thank you to everyone who could join us for our Sports Night Banquet on June 8th, as we celebrated the athletic contributions of all our student-athletes throughout this school year. It was a wonderful evening full of stories, photos, and music. 

I wish to congratulate all of our special athletic award winners. I am happy to announce that seniors Jordan Henry and Colin Li were awarded our Athletic Service Awards for their continued support, dedication, and commitment to the athletic program from Middle School through High School, and Senior Joshua Wang was awarded our Gabriel Kane “Spirit of Athletics” award for his excellence in sportsmanship, competition, and teamwork from Middle School through High School.

I also wish to congratulate the Varsity Boys Soccer Head Coach, Roberto Splendori, who was awarded the inaugural Paul LeSueur Award for Excellence in Coaching as he guided the boys’ soccer team to Waldorf’s first soccer championship win since 2015!

We wish the graduating student-athletes the best as you move on to the next chapter in your lives, but I hope you all can make it back for the Fall Fair on October 15th!

*****Pre-Season Soccer Details*****​​​​​ 

High School Varsity Soccer pre-season begins on Monday, August 22nd at 10 am! 

Schedule:

 Monday 8/22 – Thursday 8/25 10am-1230pm

Friday 8/26 – Sunday 8/28 OFF

Monday 8/29 – Friday 8/2 10am-1230pm

7th & 8th Grade Soccer starts on Monday, September 12th, after school from 3:20-5:00 pm, Schedule:

Practices will take place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 320-5 pm.

No experience is required for either program, just hard work, commitment, and a positive attitude!

Please note that there are two Health forms required to participate on any of our teams:

1. 2022-2023 Health Exam Form (must be signed by a physician)
2. Athletic Health History (must be signed by parent/guardian)

Both Health forms must be submitted to Nurse Gorman before or on the first day of pre-season. Forms may be submitted via:

Email: health@waldorfgarden.org

Mail: Attn: Nurse Gorman, Waldorf School of Garden City, 225 Cambridge Ave, Garden City, NY 11530

Have a wonderful summer and stay fit!

Best,

Shane Flanagan
Athletics Director

Alumni

We welcome the members of the class of 2022 to our wonderful Alumni community and we look forward to hearing more about your exploits in the future. Best of luck on your college journeys!

Alumni Notes

Tom Gilbert ’76

Tom Gilbert ’76 serves as Upper School Engineering and Computer Science Teacher, Academic Technology Coordinator, and Guerster House Dorm Faculty at Westtown School which is a Quaker boarding and day school west of Philadelphia. Tom was featured in the School’s most recent issue of their magazine titled, The Westonian Magazine. The article focuses on Tom’s work in the School’s computer science program as well as accessibility and belonging by students of color and across all genders. Click here and visit pages 38-41 for the full story.

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News from AWSNA

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