Parent Involvement
Welcome to Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School, from a parent's perspective!
This is my daughter's fifth year; she is in Grade 9. As each year passes, our whole family grows in our understanding and appreciation for the education she is receiving. She has gained tremendously both academically and personally. The school has helped her in ways that we have never experienced before in education through a curriculum that celebrates the whole child - her intellect, her creative abilities, and her moral development.
Each year is an exciting one, and 2011-2012 is no exception. We have students from China, Afghanistan, Thailand, and Canada joining the school community, affording us even more opportunities to grow, share, learn, and give.
A goal of Waldorf education and of Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School was beautifully articulated by Rudolf Steiner in his Motto of the Social Ethic:
The healthy social life is found
When in the mirror of each human soul
The whole community finds its reflection,
And when in the community
The virtue of each individual is living.
Through our involvement, we parents support the teachers' work in nurturing the virtures of each individual child and support the children themselves. From parent-teacher meetings and committees such as the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) to chaperoning class trips, assisting with Class Plays, and mentoring Grade 12 students in their Senior Projects, there are countless ways to get involved, and to lend our experience and gifts to the leaders of tomorrow.
If you are the parent of a High School student, you may enjoy attending Parent-to-Parent Network activities which include monthly educational programming specific to meeting the challenges of raising adolescents. All new parents will also be paired with a Parent Buddy to facilitate introductions to Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School and the community at large.
Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School is a remarkable place, with a talented faculty, diverse students, and an engaged parent body. I look forward to welcoming you, whether for a visit or as part of this vibrant community!
Sincerely,
Julie Gale, Parent '15, Development Committee Member
What My Children Have Learned at Hawthorne Valley
A Partial List
- Cate Decker, Alumni Parent
| Sing Stir soup Bake bread Listen to a story Listen to the other side of a story Greet someone in German Felt a ball Pass a ball Model beeswax Watch pollinating bees Perceive Sculpt with clay Sculpt fabric Weave the social fabric Ask questions Ask for help Ask if someone else needs help Think independently Brainstorm creatively Subtract fractions Analyze chemical reactions Analyze political concepts Manage one’s time Manage one’s feelings Shape an opinion Shape a stuffed giraffe Synthesize Revise |
Debate Improve one’s accuracy Admit one’s mistakes Walk the advent spiral Hike a mountain trail Set up a tent Cook over an open fire Spark curiosity Ignite a hot air balloon Conduct an experiment Follow the conductor in chorus Predict outcomes Predict the weather Climb a ropes course Climb a tree Observe Mend |
Strengthen Cooperate Collaborate Donate a coat Knit socks for a relative Present ideas for a group Lead a discussion Perform in a coffeehouse Listen Conjugate French verbs Mix ingredients for chili Mix acts for a talent show Find the essence of humor Boil maple sap Sand maple wood Pick out a theme Pick flowers for someone Feel minerals in one’s hand Travel to foreign lands Act in the moment Pause for a moment Speak confidently Communicate concisely Entertain the community Entertain new ideas Follow a complex plot Catch the wind Catch a beanbag Recite multiplication tables Set the table for a hunger banquet Erect a stage set Set threads on a loom Think Hold on to one’s dreams Envision dreams for humanity Dream wide Seek truth Love life Sin |