WSL's Reopening plans
Following yesterday’s announcement of our delay of the start of school until September 28th, the question exists…What now? What will the next 6 weeks look like for our students? I am so happy you asked!
WSL’s Teaching Faculty will be providing an enriching and engaging experience for your children in the weeks before we begin our official face to face start of school. Our Grades Team and Early Childhood Team have brought forth individualized plans that will serve the distinct needs of our students in two very different developmental stages.
First, our picture for our Grades Students 1-8th Grade:
- Beginning Monday August 24, we will enter into our Curriculum Enrichment phase of our closure. This time, as stated in yesterday’s email, is not considered NTI (Non-Traditional Instruction), but an opportunity for WSL to stay connected and help our students stay engaged in their curiosity for the world around them and connected with each other.
- The first of two Curriculum Enrichment Packages, containing age-appropriate materials and activities for all of our Grades students, will be available Monday, August 24th 8:30-3:00 in our “drive-through” style pickup location outside the main office. The second will be available in early September with a focus on our celebration of the festival of Michaelmas.
- During our 5-week Enrichment phase, each Grades class will be invited to campus one day per week for a time of outdoor activity to connect with their teacher and class. Specialty Teachers will be joining the classes on a rotating basis. All recommended safety protocols will be followed during visits to campus (see the Reopening Guidelines further down in the Communique). Teachers will be communicating your classes’ “day of the week” in Back to School Night meetings this week.
- Ms. Cari, our music teacher will be holding Zoom Sing-A-Longs each week for all classes.
- Drop-By-Day is rescheduled for Friday, September 25th between 9-11am.
We are exploring the possibility of reopening our Early Childhood classes earlier than our Grades program as allowed by State recommendations. Early Childhood teachers will be bringing forward those plans sometime next week and could potentially include a modified opening as early as August 24th.
Though we can expect additional changes in our school calendar moving forward, we have provided a sample, flexible calendar of our current plans moving forward. Please remember that as s flexible calendar it is subject to changes as deemed necessary. The most up to date information can always be found on our school’s website.
I am so excited for this innovative thinking and planning from our Teaching Faculty. Our students are so fortunate!
New Parent Orientation
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12th from 6-7 pm. Meeting ID: 872 6639 2413 Passcode: Waldorf
We invite all parents new to the school to virtually attend our New Parent Orientation TONIGHT Wednesday, August 12th at 6:00 pm. This events gives you the opportunity to speak with representatives from our Board of Trustees, Teaching, and Administrative Faculty.
Teachers will be scheduling individual class meeting times and sending out links to the class email groups for parents to attend virtual Back to School Night Meetings.
Please come join us on Saturday, August 15th from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM for our school-wide workday! Bring your mask and a set of work gloves for a day of maintenance and cleaning to prepare our campus for the coming school year. Social distancing will be in effect; however, this year we ask that children not attend. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to facilities@waldorflouisville.com. We look forward to seeing you there!
** This event is Adults only and weather permitting. If it is cancelled, an email will be sent to the class lists and information posted on our social media pages.
Extended Care Contracts for the 2020-21 School Year
Angeline Green, Business Manager businessmanager@waldorflouisville.com
We will be so very excited to welcome your children back to campus next month and are looking forward to seeing our new and returning students. In preparation, I’m attaching the 2020-21 Extended Care Contract for those who may be planning to utilize the program.
Please note that we are strictly following the compliance procedures for children in connection with COVID-19; therefore, our Early Childhood children will be divided by Kindergarten class into separate rooms, with the availability for 10 children in each. We will not be offering Extended Care to our Daisy Garden students for this year due to the restrictions. The Early Childhood Kindergarten day will end at 1:00 and children can continue their day in Extended Care if desired. Contracted students will be given first priority, with Drop-in students allowed as there is availability.
Our Grades students will be dismissed at staggered times, with Grades 1-4 ending their day at 3:30 and Grades 6-8 dismissing at 3:45.
Please complete your contract and return it to me via email or postal mail. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Angeline Green.
Administrator's Transition
Graham Newton, Board of Trustees Chair
As Becky Richards, our Admin/Enrollment Director will be leaving her position in the coming months, the Board of Trustees would like to express our appreciation for her work over the past 11 years.
We will miss her leadership, her vigilance to her responsibilities: the well being of our children, our community, and to our faculty. We acknowledge and support the decision to leave her leadership role for a more adequate pace for her personal self, and family and wish her the best of luck.
WSL’s leadership is working collaboratively with Becky and have established an interim administrative structure while we work to discern a structure for Administration that best meets the current needs of the school. Becky will remain in her position to assist with the schools reopening. Julia Kimbro, our Data and Development Coordinator, will hold the administrative aspects of the enrollment process, along with teaching faculty. Angeline Green, our Business Manager will be increasing her responsibilities in the areas of Finance, Operational Accounting, Human Resources and Employee Benefits. We will also be seeking a temporary receptionist. As Julia and Angeline have worked collaboratively with Becky in these areas, we are confident of a smooth interim transition.
As we look to the picture of what this year, I really want to share how excited I am. During a time when other schools and educational models will be struggling to deal with these strange circumstances, I really feel like we are going to shine. It is not a difficult transition for us to move to an outdoor educational model, as we already have much of this thinking in place in our normal course of the day! We have a core group of extremely dedicated teaching faculty, and I cannot wait for my child to experience what our Teaching Faculty have created. And as a reminder, if you have any questions, please reach out to your lead teacher, as they will have the most up to date and pertinent information regarding their individual classrooms/programs.
The Board of Trustees typically holds its meetings on the third Monday of every month, and all members of the community are welcome. This month the meeting will be Monday, August 24th. I was thrilled at the turn out of our most recent meeting. We will post the link to all future zoom meetings on our community parents Facebook page, and we will send out a link to all classes as well. This year is going to require patience and flexibility. I know that when we work together, we are able to collaborate as a small and vibrant community and move our school forward in a meaningful way to serve our students.
Thank you.
Graham Newton, Board of Trustees Chair
The Parent Association is open to all WSL Community Members (Parentassociation@waldorflouisville.com)
Please take a moment to review the minutes included below from our most recent meeting. It will help you stay informed on what’s going on behind the scenes – which is a lot! If you have any questions or want to get involved – please reach out!
Parent Association is now seeking persons interested in leadership roles:
- Parent Association Chair, Heads Committee Chair
- Hands Committee Chair, Hearts Committee Chair
If you have any questions or interest in any of these roles please email Graham Newton our Board of Trustees Chair or Natosha Cundiff our WSL Parent Association Coordinator.
September Parent Association Zoom Meeting
Monday, September 7, 6:30 pm
Meeting ID: 984 3558 6319
Passcode: yRzj5y
Be on the lookout for important information to support our school for the Give for Good Louisville campaign on September 17!
