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Aligning
Tradition &
Innovation

~ Celebrating 100 Years of Education Worldwide ~

| September 2019 |

A Note from the Faculty Chair

Dear Community,

I spent much of my youth on my grandmother’s farm.  In October most of the fields lay empty, the barn was filled with crates of onions ready to ship and already the planning was underway for what would be reaped the following year.  It was a transition of labor from outward to inward.

A similar transition occurs in October at School.  Students pull their forces inward as they are challenged to delve deeper and to hunker down with their studies.  They work inwardly, concentrating, thinking.  Just like the farmer, we will not see the fruits of their labor until some time into the future.  But we know it will come.

click for the full flyer

Last year I held a series of educational opportunities called “Conversations with the Faculty Chair” on the topics of adolescence, literacy and the curriculum of grades 1-3.  In Waldorf education, we often start with the practical, hands-on approach and slowly move to the abstract.  We do this not only through the grades but also within each subject.  There is one such subject I will focus on during the first Conversations with the Faculty Chair for this school year:  fractions in Fourth Grade.   By looking at the math curriculum from Early Childhood through Grade Four, we will discover how in-sync the curriculum is with child development, and how the subject moves from the practical to be more abstract.  I hope you will join me on Wednesday, October 16th from 8:45 – 10:00 am in the Miller Library. Parents and guardians of any aged child are most welcome.

In the meantime, please feel free to stop in with any questions you might have.  And of course, I hope to see you all at the Alumni Symposium and Fall Fair.

Kelly O’Halogan
Faculty Chair

What’s Happening in Athletics?

The Varsity and Middle School Soccer seasons are well underway and our teams are all working hard to compete in their respective leagues.

The varsity boys currently have a record of 1-0-1, with a win against Martin Luther (8-0 at home), and a tie against Lawrence-Woodmere Academy (2-2 at home).

The varsity girls’ record is 2-2-0. So far they have had 2 great wins, both against fierce rivals LuHi (6-1 at home) and Stony Brook (3-0 at home). Their two losses came at the hands of Portledge and Staten Island Academy, but our new Varsity Girls Head Coach, Jess Rubio, is confident they will succeed during their rematches later in the season.

The 7th & 8th grade teams have each played two games this season. The girls are still striving for their first win but are getting stronger and better organized with every game. The boys just got their first win when they came from behind to beat The East Woods School 3-2 last Thursday.

We appreciate any and all support that can be given to our hard working student-athletes, so come out to a game and show your #WaldorfPride. We hope to see you at the Fall Fair for our Alumni Soccer Games on October 19th.

Click here to see the full schedules for our teams!

Announcements

Waldorf Magazine on its Way!

Check your mailbox for the 2019 issue of the Waldorf Magazine! This year’s theme is: Celebrating 100 Years of Waldorf Education Worldwide. Our feature story is an interview with Steve Sagarin ’80 where he discusses the history of Waldorf Education. You can read an online edition of the magazine at the link below!

Simplicity Parenting Class

Explore the extraordinary power of LESS to raise calmer, happier and more secure children. Parents in all grades are invited to take part in this series of workshops!

Join Stephanie Cleary for a series of parent workshops on “Simplicity Parenting, ”at The Waldorf School of Garden City located in our Parent & Child Classroom.

Shop & Support Waldorf

Until October 31, receive 20% off any order of $85 or more on the Waldorf BSN Sideline store by entering the code OCT19.  A variety of merchandise for students, teams, alumni and current families is now available to show your #WaldorfPride.

The Fall Fair is Just Around the Corner

Bring your friends and family to our 40th Annual Fall Fair on Saturday, October 19th from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.

Click to see the full flyer

Enjoy food, friends, and fun with our broader Waldorf Community. Children of all ages will have games to play and crafts to make. The grill will be serving up fresh food in front of the School while our Alumni Band provides music. It truly is a fantastic way to celebrate the season.

Online Raffle Sales are now open. You can purchase six (6) tickets for $100 at www.waldorfgarden.org/fallfair/raffle/.

Pre-Sale for activity tickets will begin on Tuesday, October 15th!  See the flyer for further details.

Learn more by visiting our website!

Photo Day 2019

Our School’s Photo Day is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15th.  The Waldorf School is happy to welcome back Irvin Simon Photographers as our photographer this year.

A few weeks after photo day, you will each receive an online code to view and order your portraits. Please note that purchasing photographs is optional! If you choose not to buy an individual portrait, your child will still be included in the class and yearbook photos.


School News

Happy Birthday Waldorf Education!

On Thursday, September 19, 2019, Waldorf Education proudly marked its 100th anniversary since the opening of the first Waldorf School in Stuttgart, Germany. Beginning last September, Waldorf schools and communities around the world have been celebrating this anniversary through social and environmental impact projects. These campaigns aim to stimulate dialogue around human values in education and support initiatives that revitalize society and our relationship with our earth.

Michaelmas & Grandparents Day

The annual Michaelmas celebration took place on Thursday, September 27th and included the traditional pageant in the morning, followed by school-wide campus improvement and service projects in the afternoon.

Many parents joined us for the pageant, which tells the story of St. Michael. The pageant featured members by the students and featuring members of the 12th grade as the royal family, the 2nd grade as the representatives of St. Michael, and the 6th Graders as the fierce dragon.

The festival of Michaelmas looks to the future, celebrating and encouraging human transformation as we strive toward our full human potential.

Grandparents were also invited for the morning of Michaelmas visit classrooms, enjoy a talk with the Faculty Chair and School Administrator, and attend the annual pageant. Our special guests left with smiles on their faces, and we are so grateful for their support and value them as important members of our community.  Their excitement and participation as they spent A-Day-In-The-Life of their grandchild made this an incredible day!

Benefactors Reception & Summer’s End Cocktail Party!

The Perfect Day for a Wonderful Community!

What a way to start the school year.  This past Saturday, parents, alumni, alumni parents, faculty, staff, and friends gathered at the D’Addario home to show support for The Waldorf School of Garden City. Every year we take this special time to show gratitude to our major donors at the Benefactors Reception and invite current families for Summer’s End to mix and mingle.  Our School is one of a kind and it’s because of advocates like you that make this education possible every day of the year.  A special thank you to Robert ’95 and Gina D’Addario, the Board of Trustees, the Alumni Brothers Band, La Bella Planners, and all of you that continue to pay this first-class experience forward. See you next year.

Middle School Student Runs Own Design Business

Waldorf seventh-grader, Ava Collier has always had a passion for art and drawing, and she uses that passion to moonlight as an entrepreneur! Her e-commerce business, EMO by Ava features useful items adorned with Ava’s original illustrations.  Her website is run by Ava and her mother, Christine Ruiz, and features beautifully decorated clothing, accessories, and household decor for purchase.

Citi Field Taekwondo Exhibition Features Waldorf Middle School Student

Kahaan Shah, a current sixth-grader at The Waldorf School of Garden City, was featured in a special Taekwondo exhibition at Citi Field. During the event, he sparred with a fellow martial arts student and demonstrated the breaking of boards.  Kahaan was one of 15 students from his Taekwondo school to participate in the exhibit.

Alumni

Alumni Weekend 2019

Save the Dates! Alumni Weekend will take place from Friday, October 18th – Sunday, October 20th.  The weekend will kick off with our Waldorf Symposium – An Alumni Introspection: Experience the Journey after Waldorf on Friday at 8:00 am. Join us for a Happy Hour at Prost Grill that evening from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. Saturday will be a fun-filled day for all! Fall Fair and our Alumni Soccer Games will kick off at 10:00 am! Don’t leave town without stopping by for an Alumni Farewell Breakfast on Sunday from 9:00 am – 11:00 am. RSVP here. We look forward to seeing everyone soon!

Alumni Notes

On Saturday, September 7th, the Alumni Brothers Band* participated in the first annual Rockville Centre “Playing on the Porch” event, sponsored by the RVC Chamber of Commerce.  “Playing on the Porch” is a community event that has been run at various locations throughout the state, with local musicians performing at homes on porches and lawns, not only bringing friends, relatives, and neighbors together but also encouraging people to explore their neighborhoods and hear great live music. Over 20 bands performed throughout the Village on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and although WSGC Board Chair Lance Cheney wasn’t able to join them in his usual place behind the drum kit, regular Alumni Brothers members Alexios Kritas ’85, Ed Magee, David Resnick ’79, Martin Somers, Marc ’81 and Dan Strauss ’88, and Terry Sullivan ’85 played a marathon set, complete with musical guests Jennifer and Jeannine Sirey.  All had a great time and look forward to doing it again next year!

*performing as their alter-ego “Nowhere/Faster” for this event.


Alumni Grandparent, Carl Braun Inducted into Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Join us in congratulating former School Administrator, Susan Braun, her son Christopher Smalley ’07 and their family, as her father, Carl Braun was inducted posthumously into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Ms. Braun represented her father at the induction ceremony, broadcast live on NBA TV.

This past semester, Julia Gonzalez ’16 studied abroad in Lima, Peru where she stayed with a lovely host family and attended classes at a local university alongside Peruvian students. Julia took classes such as Human Development, Education for Sustainable Development, and Religion and Politics in Latin America. Throughout her five months in Lima, Julia was able to meet so many amazing people and her Spanish improved immensely! She also had the opportunity to travel to a number of exciting places both inside the country, including Arequipa, Iquitos, and Cusco, and outside of the country, including Chile and Ecuador. During the last few days, Julia’s mother, current Enrollment Director, Ann Mulvehill, was able to come down and visit! She also got a chance to meet her remarkable host family and the two traveled to Cusco, where they explored Machu Picchu and the Rainbow Mountains.

Members from the Class of 1965 got together earlier this month for a reunion hosted by Rich ’65 and Ollie Miller in Lake Placid, NY. Photographed in the top photo from left to right: Rich Miller, Seung Pil Yu, Paul Thompson, John Kramer, Putzi (Vivian) Wesson Hirshberg, Diana Wilson Couper, Helen Horton, Tina Strominger Pomeranz, Penny Haft, Bill Bradley, Carlotta Schoolman, Bill Lockhart. The group had a wonderful time!

Recently, Beau Cheney ’17 and Massimo Pascucci ’17 took a spontaneous trip to Thailand. They started in Bangkok, exploring the city and eating traditional Thai food. Next, they took a flight to the southern island of Phuket, where they found pristine beaches and met other travelers from Southeast Asia. From there they caught the local bus up to one of Thailand’s national parks, Khao Sok. The park is home to elephants, monkeys, tapirs and many other animals. They finished the trip by flying back to Bangkok from the city of Surat Thani.

Massimo says, “Many people travel the world, but are confined to a resort vacation. If there’s anything we’ve learned from this experience, it’s that when traveling somewhere new, one should try to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. When you open yourself up to the unknown, you’re bound to learn something new and meet extraordinary people. I credit my love of travel and willingness to try new things to my Waldorf education, which taught me to always be open to new opportunities.”

Massimo will be attending the London School of Economics, where he hopes to round out his economics-finance degree. While the course material is challenging, he’s looking forward to studying with some of the world’s brightest minds.

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SAVE THESE DATES
Upcoming Alumni Events

The Waldorf Symposium
Friday, October 18th

Alumni Weekend 2019
Friday, October 18th – Sunday, October 20th

Fall Fair 2019
Saturday, October 19th

Camp Glen Brook

Glen Brook at The Waldorf School!

Join Shelley Goguen Hulbert, Executive Director of Glen Brook, for a Coffee Hour on Friday, October 4th from 8:00 am – 9:00 am in the Lower School Lobby. Come say hello and if you are new to our school this is a great opportunity to learn more about Glen Brook, our beautiful New Hampshire campus!


Class Trips to Glen Brook:

We have already welcomed the 8th, 9th, 10th, and 12th-grade classes here to Camp Glen Brook this fall and have had wonderful and productive educational and community experiences together.  We look forward to seeing the 4th, 5th and 6th grades in the coming weeks.  Visit Glen Brook’s Facebook page to see photos and read about what these WSGC students have been up to at our school’s New Hampshire campus.

In addition, we welcomed 45 high school students from Deerfield Academy and Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School’s 7th grade in September and will have our local Marlborough Public School here in October.


New Website and 2020 Registration Coming in October. 

You will be notified via email in October as soon as our website and registration for our 2020 programs are live.

Stay tuned.


Taking Care of Glen Brook’s Facilities

New Parking Area – A gravel parking area across and just to the north of the Main House has been completed. It gets all of the vehicles out of the main camp creating a safer and more aesthetically pleasing campus.

Dining Hall Heating & Hill House heating is being converted from electricity and oil respectively to our wood-pellet boiler with money from WSGC Spring Gala proceeds. Thanks to everyone who is making it possible for Glen Brook to reduce its carbon footprint and be more sustainable.

Call for Cafeteria Volunteers!

Volunteers for the cafeteria are needed on Mondays, Thursdays, and/or Fridays from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm to operate the cash register during lunchtime. Free nutritious lunch included! Contact Aviva Gill at cafeteria@waldorfgarden.org or ext. 308 or Ramona Owens at owensr@waldorfgarden.org or ext. 306 to apply or learn more.

Your assistance will be greatly appreciated!

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!

SAVE THESE DATES

Yom Kippur – SCHOOL CLOSED
Wednesday, October 9th

PTA Meeting
Friday, October 11th at 8:30 am

Columbus Day – SCHOOL CLOSED
Monday, October 14th

Photo Day
Tuesday, October 15th

Conversations with the Faculty Chair
Wednesday, October 16th from 8:45 – 10:00

The Waldorf Symposium
Friday, October 18th – 8:00 – 10:00 am

Alumni Weekend 2019
Friday, October 18th – Sunday, October 20th

Fall Fair 2019
Saturday, October 20th – 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

High School Fall Concert
Wednesday, October 30th at 7:00 pm

Parent Teacher Conferences Grades 1-12 – SCHOOL CLOSED FOR ALL GRADES
Friday, November 1st

Veterans Day – SCHOOL CLOSED
Monday, November 11th

PTA Meeting
Friday, November 15th at 7:00 pm

PTA Sponsored Holiday Fair
Saturday, November 16th – 11:00 am -5:00 pm

Don’t Forget you can Shop and Support The Waldorf School of Garden City with the following organizations!