Our school is busy and filled with excitement, welcoming new members to our faculty and staff, and working together to create enriching curriculum and beautiful classrooms and grounds. We are just about ready for the students to return!
While students and families are savoring the last bits of their summer vacation, our school has been bustling with faculty and staff preparing for school to begin. Inservice meetings have been fruitful and offered a wonderful foundation for the year ahead. As everyone works together to plan and get our school ready, they are all eagerly awaiting the return of the students and parents to our campuses. A deep sense of gratitude for what each member of our community brings to the school is palpable.
In the Early Childhood, our teachers are delighted to welcome Lindsay Miles, Lizz Emmett and alumna, Lilly Cartularo to their group. With a few members shuffling positions from last year, the group is feeling unified and whole. As you may have heard, the Early Childhood program is full with 57 wee ones in the building, not including the families in the Parent and Child Classes! During the last weeks of summer, the teachers have filled sand boxes, painted the playhouse, worked in the gardens, and shared much laughter! They have been busy planning curriculum, talking about the needs of the young children in their care, and creating a network of shared resources and experience to prepare them for this busy year ahead. With many new families and wonderful new faculty, the Early Childhood program is blessed with abundance and good energy.
In the Grade School, so much good work has graced the building out of the generosity (both of time and resources) of many. The foyer, hallway, and community room are freshly painted and many classrooms were updated as well. The Grade School is so happy to welcome sixth grade class teacher, Amalia Pretel-Gray and English teacher, Peter Snow, who will teach in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades as well as a block in the high school. The seventh and eighth grades are in for a real treat as they spend their first week of school diving into their Food Justice and Farms Immersion, stay tuned for more on that soon.
In the High School, teachers are also getting ready for the return of the students. Each grade begins their year with a trip. The ninth grade Geology trip spends a week camping in New England, and like a rock has its place, they are finding theirs in high school. The tenth grade creates their own Odyssey as they paddle the length of Lake Champlain while studying Homer’s Odyssey. The eleventh grade begins their year backpacking in New England, and the twelfth grade studies the tide pools at hermit island with ten other Waldorf schools. The faculty in the high school are also working together to innovate the program. Students in each grade will have more combined classes with other grades and there will be cross class Main Lessons as well. They are thrilled to welcome Candace Taylor as the Farm to School Lunch Coordinator, and grateful to have Abigail Diehl Noble teaching entirely at the High School. Several new students have just enrolled, and they will be welcoming back new and returning Chinese students as well.
We are feeling especially grateful and excited for the coming year.