The 2021-22 Calendar Now Available
Click the link above to import the school's calendar into your personal calendar.
#GiveForGoodLou is THIS Friday, Sept. 17!
We are just a few days away from Give for Good Louisville – our community’s biggest day of philanthropic giving!
Here’s how you can help us make this the most impactful day of giving for our community:
1. Set a calendar reminder to make a tax-deductible donation on Friday, September 17 between 12:00 AM – 11:59 PM (EDT) ~ don’t forget to bookmark our campaign page: https://www.giveforgoodlouisville.org/organizations/waldorf-school-of-louisville
2. Help boost our total unique donors by sharing our campaign with your family and friends via email, text messages, and social media posts ~ this year, we have a school-wide goal to secure at least 325 unique donations (‘unique donations’ are achieved by using a unique email address while giving online)
3. Click HERE to enter the pre-giving day #WhyIGive challenge for the chance to be randomly selected for a $250 bonus prize on behalf of WSL! Completing the challenge is super easy and only takes a few minutes ~ all responses must be submitted no later than September 16, 2021
Save the Dates!
*Saturday, September 18th – Parent Education Workshop: 9:30-11:30 AM
Festivals: Traditions, Values, and Conscious Agreement
We celebrate many festivals and holiday traditions in our lives. This workshop will examine the “why” behind so many of the celebrations we take for granted. We will look at the values we want to bring into our lives and how to approach these traditions in a conscious way. To prepare, bring a festival you would like to enhance, rethink, or completely change. Conversations, stories, art, and movement will help to re-enliven our relationship with the festivals in our lives. Our early childhood team will lead the conversations and activities. All are welcome to join! RSVPs are helpful – to RSVP please email Jennifer Sparks at jennifer.sparks@waldorflouisville.com
Being part of a Waldorf school means becoming part of a community that celebrates the changing of the seasons through a rich festival life. Celebrating these festivals helps us to connect with the natural world and establish a yearly rhythm for our children. Through these festivals, the school cultivates a vibrant community among children, teachers, parents, family members, and friends.
Michaelmas is a major celebration in Waldorf Schools world-wide near the end of September when daylight grows shorter. The Apocrypha, Koran, and Bible share the spiritual figure of Michael, an archangel and protector of humanity, who inspires qualities of strength, courage, will and steadfastness throughout history. The motif of a conqueror of the dragon can be seen in Chinese art, in the story of Apollo and the serpent, in Krishna slaying demons and in the familiar story of Saint George and the dragon. Michael overcoming the dragon with his sword of light is an image that calls us all to be courageous, to take command of the dragon and transform it. For each of us has our own dragon: fear, greed, thoughtlessness, apathy. Michael’s qualities of courage, compassion, and steadfastness can be an inspiration to us all.
If you are interested in assisting our EC Faculty, please email Kristin Langley at kristin.langley@waldorflouisville.com. Extended care would operate as usual and remain with their small group on campus.
*Thursday, September 23rd – Knighting Ceremony: 9:00-10:30 AM
Next Thursday, for the Grades Program’s celebration of Michaelmas, the 2nd Graders will be knighted in the name of the archangel Michael. For the first time, these students will be called to summon the strength and determination of Michael and other brave souls to champion the good and true within themselves. This festival is an outward display of what is occurring within each of us at this Harvest time: a resolve to recognize our inner courage to face our fears and tame the “dragons” of uncertainty, fear and doubt that may arise when we are no longer nurtured by the warmth and light of the Sun.
Where: Seneca Park, directly across the street to the left of the baseball field
Who is invited: The Grades and 6-year old Kinder student body, and ONLY the parents and special friends of the students to be knighted (2nd Graders and new 3rd -8th students).
This pedagogical event is not open to the entire community.
*Friday, September 24th – Dragon Faire: 3:30-5:00 PM
Dragon Faire is an after-school event to celebrate Michaelmas. Traditionally, the event includes a large obstacle course, apple bobbing, community tug-o-war races, sharing Dragon Bread, and more. This year, the structure of Dragon Faire might look/feel a little different, but will hold the same festive spirit. At the Faire, there will be two, socially distanced obstacle courses (one for both our Early Childhood students and our Grades students), along with a modified cider press, community tug-o-war races, a bearded dragon enclosure, and outdoor crafts. All current parents/guardians are welcome to join the fun, but kindly note this event is not open to additional family members and friends. All attendees will be encouraged to wear a face mask and check-in at the welcome table before enjoying the event. In addition to masks, we are encouraging all children (and parents!) to wear their Knighting capes and/or Dragon wings to the event – please leave all swords and shields at home.
Parent Association Updates
Can You Help Support Dragon Faire?
Prior to Dragon Faire, the Parent Association could use your support:
1) Donations:
– Dragon Faire would be unimaginable without seasonal decor such as pumpkins and gourds…
If you are willing to ‘donate’ a pumpkin(s) and/or gourd(s) for this year’s event, we will gladly return them to you on Monday, Oct. 4 during pick-up! We will write your family name on the bottom of your donation(s) with permanent marker for return purposes. Kindly bring your donation(s) to Madyson Haskins before or during drop-off on Friday, Sept. 24.
– For a festive outdoor craft, there will be a station for children to make pine cone bird seed feeders. If your family has a spare afternoon to scavenge for pine cones, kindly bring your donations to Madyson Haskins before or during drop-off on Friday, Sept. 24.
2) Volunteers:
– Dragon Faire would be impossible without volunteer support from the wider parent community. If you are willing/available to assist with any of the following volunteer shifts, please send an email to Madyson Haskins at madyson.haskins@waldorflouisville.com to confirm your support.
set-up (1:30-3:00 PM)
event activities (3:30-4:15 PM) + (4:15-5:00 PM)
Sack Race – requesting 2 volunteers for 3:30-4:15 PM + 2 volunteers for 4:15-5:00 PM
Floating Apple Bobbing – requesting 2 volunteers for 3:30-4:15 PM + 2 volunteers for 4:15-5:00 PM
Corn Hole Toss – requesting 1 volunteer for 3:30-4:15 PM + 1 volunteer for 4:15-5:00 PM
Archery Station – requesting 1 volunteer for 3:30-4:15 PM + 1 volunteer for 4:15-5:00 PM
Dragon Bread Station – requesting 2 volunteers for 3:30-4:15 PM + 2 volunteers for 4:15-5:00 PM
Cider Press – requesting several volunteers
Craft Stations – requesting several volunteers
Tug–O–War – requesting 1-2 volunteers starting at 4:30 PM
tear-down (5:00-6:00 PM) – requesting several volunteers
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We are seeking a PA Coordinator (someone to serve as a point person for PA Volunteers and Class Parents. Working alongside the Development & Volunteer Coordinator to set monthly PA goals and create monthly meeting agendas. Attends monthly PA meetings and Trustee meetings). Please email Development & Volunteer Coordinator Madyson Haskins at madyson.haskins@waldorflouisville.com if you have any questions or are interested in serving as PA Coordinator for the 21-22 school year!
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2021 - 22 Drop Off & Pick Up Times
Grades Program
Drop off will begin at 8:10 AM, with the day starting at 8:30 AM.
Pick up time for Grades 1-8 is 2:45 PM-3:10 PM.
Early Childhood
Drop off will begin at 8:10 AM, with the day starting at 8:30 AM.
Pick up time for Early Childhood is 12:00 PM.
If you have any further questions regarding the schedule, drop off/pick up times, or extended care options please don’t hesitate to reach out to the WSL office! (502)327-0122.
We're Hiring!
Substitute Teachers
We are in need of substitute teachers for both our Early Childhood and our Grades program. If you, or someone you know, might be interested in becoming a substitute teacher in one of our programs, please contact our Business Manager at angeline.green@waldorflouisville.com for details. Thank you!
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Early Childhood Extended Care Teacher
Renewal of Commitments
We would like to offer the Waldorf community an opportunity to provide feedback regarding our Board of Trustees renewals. Be it praise, previous experiences you’ve had with the trustees, concerns, or clarifying questions, we would love to hear from you.
Please send your feedback to boardchair@waldorflouisville.com by 6:00 PM tonight, Wednesday, September 15.
Clay Fleischer
My name is Clay Fleischer and I have served on the Waldorf School of Louisville Board of Trustees since September of 2019.
My wife Stephanie and I have two children attending the school: Jonas in Class Hardy and Celeste in Class Bayne. We have been a part of this community since 2012 when my son first attended Parent-Child.
While I have a degree in psychology, I have been an Information Technology professional for 26 years, the past 21 of which have been with a local hospital system based here in Louisville.
For the past two years, it has been my privilege to serve on the Board as the Facilities and Grounds Chair and on the Nomination committee. Recently, I have also been helping coordinate our Information Technology needs.
It would be my honor to continue to serve the Waldorf School of Louisville and this community as a trustee as we move to a new phase of the school’s existence at our new campus.
Justin Pohn
Our family joined the Waldorf school community in 2014 with our first daughter entering Ms. Haeja’s daisy garden class. After 7 years in the community, and 5 years as a volunteer on the board of trustees, I feel like I‘m still learning and understanding the depth of Anthroposophy and Waldorf education.
I work in the financial world (residential real estate and mortgages). My connection with Waldorf and nature based activity serves as tremendous grounding and balancing for me. From this perspective, I try to bring a common sense approach to the work I do as a trustee, and look at things from a lens of it has to make sense, be good for the children, faculty, and community.
I have served on both the marketing and financial committees working on reducing the school’s debt, building a reserve, and increasing enrollment and awareness of our wonderful school. This next chapter for our school is exciting. I believe I can contribute to the mission of our school and community and look forward to continuing my role at WSL. I’m excited to roll up my sleeves and work alongside many of you in supporting the development and growth of our school and our community. I hope to continue to have this community’s support as a trustee, and with it, I will continue my pledge to support our mission and the growth of the school.
20-21 Yearbook / Lyndon Campus Memorybook
This past year has been rather unusual… and the 2020-21 yearbook will reflect all the strangeness and beauty that transpired! Because many of our beloved festivals and faires didn’t take place in their traditional form this year, we need your help to ensure the magic of Waldorf is captured in the 2020-21 yearbook.
If you have photos from this past school year, or from years prior that capture your favorite memories from Lyndon campus, please email them to yearbook@waldorflouisville.com
The hybrid 20-21 Yearbook / Lyndon Campus Memorybook will be available for pick-up at our new Rock Creek Campus later this Fall for $30.00.
Please CLICK HERE to complete the pre-order form – once the books are available, you will receive a follow-up email confirming your preferred payment method.
As part of our conscious work to move forward with care and concern for those who are the most vulnerable and marginalized, please click below to read the letter from WSL’s Faculty and Board of Trustees regarding our DEI (Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion) work.
If you are a WSL community member you are automatic members of PA!
Did you know we have a Facebook group for family and friends of WSL?
It’s a great way to share and keep updated about what’s happening in our community.
In addition to supporting local, independent businesses, you can support WSL every time you shop with Amazon!
When you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to WSL.
