September 2021 E-News
~ Celebrating Over 70 Years of Education in Garden City ~
Announcements
Camp Glen Brook
Athletics
Alumni
Let us know how we are doing:
A Message from the Faculty Chair
Dear Community,
The Waldorf School of Garden City is ready once again to open our doors to a new school year. Our theme this year is New Beginnings. Students and parents will see that some spaces in the School have been transformed. Yet, the theme New Beginnings also refers to a deeper transformation: our steady evolution as a Waldorf school in today’s world. We all have a had the shared experience of rapid change and new lifestyles over the past year and a half. In many ways this experience fast-tracked humanity into identifying more clearly that which is essential in our lives. Many parents focused on the education of their children as a high priority.
A few decades ago, when asked what makes The Waldorf School of Garden City unique among schools, John Gardner said that our aim is that “knowledge shall grow out of a full human experience.” I would say this remains as truth today and continues to attract families to our School. (As a side note, our enrollment this September compared to last September increased by 38 students.) Waldorf education seeks to match age-appropriate curriculum to the unfolding development of the human being. We strive daily to bring our curriculum in a way that is academic, heart-felt and that activates the will of the students to engage with the world around them. By doing so, our graduates gain a combination of quiet confidence, knowledge, and ability to impact their lives and the world.
Many thanks to the employees of The Waldorf School of Garden City who dedicate their lives to this mission and to the parents who choose our School.
Sincerely,
Announcements
Back to School!
In order to ensure that families have the information they need for a successful start of the school year, a customized online resource page is available giving you 24-hour access to the forms and documents required for back-to-school planning. Click the button below and scroll down to your grade level for grade-specific information.
Register today for fall Parent & Child
Our Parent and Child Program offers parents and their children (ages of 1 – 3 years old) an opportunity to come together once a week in a warm and homelike setting. Under the guidance of a Waldorf-trained Early Childhood teacher, we share insights about life with a toddler through lively class discussions. This structured program includes free play, circle time, songs and poems, and puppet play. We also prepare and share a wholesome snack. In this way, teachers and parents work together to provide a model of what community means for young children. REGISTER HERE.
Welcome to Waldorf!
We are pleased to welcome the following new employees to The Waldorf School of Garden City for the 2021-2022 School year!
Sierra Bouchard, 1st Grade Assistant
Ericka Conlon, 5th Grade Teacher
Evelyn Escobar, Accounts Receivable Manager
Linnea Folk, High School German Teacher, Library Support
Deanna Guzman, Enrollment Director for Early Childhood – Grade 4
Sara Khan, Early Childhood Assistant
Gerald Owens, Office & Advancement Manager
Franklin Rankin ’13, Multi-Genre Band Teacher
Kerry Romeo, Early Childhood Assistant
Karen Schooley, Orchestra Teacher
Glenn Tippy, Gardening Teacher
We look forward to welcoming everyone back soon!
Join us for our Back-to-School Celebration on Saturday, September 25th
We are so excited for another School year and can’t wait to celebrate new beginnings with everyone. We invite current community members to join us on Saturday, September 25th from 3:30 – 6:00 pm in The Early Childhood Playground. Enjoy food, refreshments, live music by the Alumni Brothers Band & Guest DJ Victor Rivera aka DJ Mr. Victor. Please RSVP by visiting www.waldorfgarden.org/celebrate/
This event is for adults only. Casual Attire.
Camp Glen Brook
We had two incredible sessions of Summer Camp this summer at Glen Brook. It was amazing to have everybody together again on the campus, and was a truly life changing and rejuvenating summer. 
As we prepare for our fall school programs and our Gap Program, we’re pleased to announce that Katy Gibney (Garden City Class of ’84) who has spent many summers as Camp Nurse and Assistant Director has been hired as our new Youth Program Director, and will be running our school programs and helping to lead our summer camp. We’re delighted to have Katy as part of the year-round team!
Mark Stehlik
Glen Brook Director
What’s Happening in Athletics?
Pre-Season practice for the fall soccer season started this past week. The teams are working hard and excited to compete again in our first true athletics season since before the pandemic. Stay tuned for more from the Athletics Department in the months to come.
Shane Flanagan
Director of Athletics
Alumni
Alumni Notes
Dan Strauss ‘88
Earlier this summer Dan Strauss ’88 was joined by WSGC Board of Trustees Chair, Lance Cheney, and Trustees David Resnick ’79 and Ed Magee for a music gig at The Great South Bay Brewery in Bayshore. Dan has been touring all summer in support of his new album, “There And Not There,” available now on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms. Dan, Lance, David, and Ed are all members of the WSGC Alumni Brothers Band who will play together at our Back-to-School Celebration on Saturday, September 25th. Dan will also be playing at the following upcoming venues:
Saturday, September 18. 4-7PM
THE BREWERY AT FOUR STAR FARMS
508 Pine Meadow Rd, Northfield, MA
Saturday, September 25. 2-5PM
GREAT SOUTH BAY BREWERY
25 Drexel Dr. Bay Shore, NY
Saturday, October 9. 7-9:30PM
ROCK DA CASBAH
216 Main St, Saugerties, NY
Josh Blumenthal ‘99
Congratulations to Josh Blumenthal ’99 who is the new Athletic Director for Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam, WI. His most recent position was Associate Athletic Director at St. Andrew’s School in Austin, Texas. Josh was featured in the Daily Dodge and during a podcast interview with Wade Bates. Click here for the full story.
Hosub Kim ‘14
Congratulations to Hosub Kim ’14 who welcomed his first child into the world this past summer!
Visit or Join our Alumni Facebook Group:
We are proud of our Alumni! Please tell us what’s new:
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!
Upcoming Events:
Monday, September 6th
SCHOOL CLOSED – Labor Day
Tuesday, September 6th – Wednesday, September 7th
SCHOOL CLOSED – Rosh Hashanah
Thursday, September 9th
OPENING DAY: Nursery – Grade 12
Thursday, September 16th
SCHOOL CLOSED: Yom Kippur
Monday, September 20th – Friday, September 24th
10th Grade at Glen Brook
Saturday, September 25th
All School Back-to-School Celebration
Friday, October 1st
Michaelmas
Monday, October 4th – Friday, October 8th
5th Grade at Glen Brook
Wednesday, October 6th
College Financial Aid Night
Monday, October 11th
SCHOOL CLOSED: Indigenous People’s and Italian Heritage Day
Tuesday, October 12th – Friday, October 8th
4th Grade at Glen Brook
Wednesday, October 13th
PSAT
Friday, October 15th – Saturday, October 16th
Alumni Weekend
Friday, October 15th
Waldorf Symposium
Saturday, October 16th
Fall Fair
Don’t Forget you can Shop and Support The Waldorf School of Garden City with the following organizations!
