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Date: 2008-11-18 21:57:52

Just the Facts, November 18, 2008

Just the Facts

Woodland Star Weekly Update

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Learning to think, to care, to create

UPCOMING SCHOOL EVENTS

TONIGHT, Tuesday, November 18th, 2nd Grade parent evening, 6 PM

Wednesday, November 19^th, Kindergarten Lantern Walk, WSS 5 PM

Wednesday, November 19^th, Charter Council Meeting, *6:00 PM* NEW TIME

Thursday, November 20^th, "Waldorf and the Popular Culture", 7-8:30 PM

Friday, November 21^st, 1^st and 2^nd Grade Lantern Walk, Main Hall, 9 AM

Tuesday, November 25^th, ALL SCHOOL ASSEMBLY, Altimira Auditorium 9:05 AM

Wednesday-Sunday, November 26^th - 30^th, Thanksgiving Break NO SCHOOL!

Thursday, December 4^th, "Restorative Practices" Conf, 8 AM - 4 PM, Santa Rosa

Tuesday, December 9^th, "Winterizing Your Child", 7-8:30 PM

October 1 - December 31, Nickels for Nonprofits at Whole Foods

FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR

Hi all,

Be sure and read the article submitted by 7^th grader Teal Bullick regaling the adventures of the 7^th grade class as they sailed the bay on the schooner Seaward. We look forward to keeping you informed about the educational pursuits and adventures of all of our students in upcoming issues, stay tuned!

Don't miss this wonderful community education event about helping your child make informed choices with respect to the media, the Internet and the pressures of consumerism. Join the round-table discussion led by Kathy Hargitt, M.A. We will meet in the Main Hall and offer FREE childcare with an advanced reservation and FREE admission with a completed e-scrip and/or family giving form. Bring your friends and family, all are welcome.

If you are ever in doubt about upcoming events, please refer to the Woodland Star website calendar for the most current information: woodlandstarschool.org. In addition to the calendar, don't forget to subscribe to the on-line version of Just the Facts, so you can receive the newsletter via your e-mail, the minute it is published! Have a great week, Sheila

STUDENT LIFE

"'Seaward': An Introduction", by Teal Bullick, 7^th Grade

On our journey aboard the schooner "Seaward" we: raised sails, sailed out into the Pacific Ocean, watched whales and looked in tide-pools. We slept in bunks, saw jellyfish and felt the boat rocking. I didn't like getting up early in the morning. However, I enjoyed sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge into the ocean. The wind was cold and the waves sprayed a little salty mist, but we still had a lot of fun tacking and tying knots. We saw noisy sea lions swimming and sun-bathing on buoys. In the tide-pools at Drake's Bay, we found crabs, sea anemones, pretty shells and hermit crabs.

We started our adventure on "Seaward" in Benicia. From there, we sailed up the Sacramento River to an island named Brannon. On Brannon Island, all the girls spent the night. The next day, "Seaward" sailed back down the Sacramento River into Suisun Bay, through the Carquinez Straights and into San Pablo Bay. There the boys camped at China Camp. On Wednesday, we left China Camp and sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge into the Pacific Ocean. We then went to Drake's Bay which is part of the peninsula Point Reyes. The girls slept in an old life-boat station in Drake's Bay. On Thursday, we sailed around Drake's Bay then went back to the life-boat station where the boys spent the night. The next day, we went back under the Golden Gate Bridge and ended at Sausalito. There, the parents came to take us home.

FESTIVAL LIFE

Although our King George play was a few weeks ago, we thought you might enjoy hearing some of the deeper meaning and the connection to the curriculum. It is our hope to run articles like this throughout the festival season as festivals are such an important part of our curriculum and school culture.

A review of King George and The Dragon, by Dorothy Iselin

The play of Knight George and the Dragon which the second and third grade did this fall is not random nor is any other part of the Waldorf Curriculum for that matter. The play had a message which is for all to heed and hear. It presents a picture of how there are many dragons now which we must not only fight, but that we need to tame, here on earth.
Whether it is a "shape changing, double headed, with a fire breathing brow," just as the villagers in this play ask "What's a dragon, Who's the dragon? And where's the dragon now?!!! so do we adults need to name our dragons, meet them and tame them ........whether our dragons take the form of polluted rivers, belching smoke stacks, or simply navigating the labyrinth of the financial world crashing down around us............it behooves us to understand these dragons, overcome them, tame them, so that they can serve humanity instead becoming bestial and out of control.

Children especially boys, love dragons. Something on the order of dinosaurs, or loch ness monsters identifies the challenge and if you add a Knight to the picture and they're ready to meet the foe!! Tell a story about a dragon in second third and fourth grade, and they will ask you is it real? Fact finders!

This is where drawing a connection between what is given to the children in images and what is "real" is important. There is no sense to the imaginary, if it is empty nonsense, and contains no truth or correspondence to underlying reality. Heaven knows most children have seen plenty of dragons/scary creatures on the screens and children want to know are they real or not and are there dragons to be found on earth today? Yes emphatically yes and human beings have their work cut out for them. As we point the way in our children's lives it is important that they work with images that correspond to the real, and that they work on these images to become incentives in their soul as they grow into themselves and take up their work in the world. It is called preparing them for the future. After all the dragon in Lybia polluted the beautiful lake until it became a stinky smelly swamp! It was only by the taming of the dragon that the lake once more became pristine and order was brought back into the world.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Community Education Event: Thurs Nov 20^th ~ Waldorf and the Popular Culture, Helping your child make healthy choices with respect to media, the pressures of consumerism and the internet. With Kathy Hargitt, MA. Please join us for this round-table discussion to share ideas and gain insight from a trained and experienced Waldorf teacher. Kathy has an M. A. in Clinical Psychology, and is a Psy. D. candidate in Clinical Psychology. She currently works with children and families as a Registered Psychological Assistant.

The talk will be from 7-8:30 and will be held in the Main Hall. Free childcare with advanced reservation. Free admission with completed escrip from or family giving form. $5-10 suggested donation

Winterizing Your Child, an Eastern and Western Approach. Practical and quick solutions for keeping your child healthy during the winter months. Presented by Shiroko Sokitch, MD. Tuesday, December 9, 7-8:30 PM in the Main Hall. Free childcare available if reserved in advance. $5-10 suggested donation.

Parent Mentoring Program ~ Attention PARENTS & TEACHERS, there is a newly implemented Parent Mentoring Program. Mentors will be meeting with each and every family to discuss governance, committees, important financial information affecting our school and getting to know you. Meetings are about ½ hour or less and can be scheduled at a convenient time for you. We will make sure your escrip is up to date so have your cards handy. We will discuss some changes at the school and make sure there is a way your needs and contributions are being met and acknowledged. Your mentor will contact you very soon if you have not had your meeting yet. Thank you so much!

Steiner Books order ~ The school store will be ordering from Steiner Books soon. If you would like to order anything, please call Stephanie Steck-Benthin 938-8769.

Calling all Compostphiles!! Please assist the 3^rd grade garden class by bringing decomposable materials to school for us to compost. We would appreciate the following materials:

* Manures

* Grass clippings

* Kitchen scraps

* Leaves (as long as there aren't poison oak leaves in there)

* Soft perennial prunings (please no stems larger than ½ inch, or with thorns)

FYI: I am a proponent of composting oils, meats, etc...but it isn't appropriate on campus as it can attract flies and smell horrible.

Please bring the materials on Monday mornings and place behind the Resource Room in plastic bags, or dump from a can next to our bed of compost (surrounded by straw).

Many thanks for your rotten stuff,

Mollyanne Meyn, Ms. Molly, the Gardening Teacher

Sonoma Valley High School ~ Learn about the local High School and what it has to offer...

Thurs, Nov 20th, 6:30pm, Adele Harrison OR Wed. Dec. 3, 6:30pm, Sonoma Valley High School Pavilion. For more information, call 933-4030.

Housing Needed: Our Chinese friends from the Chung Du Waldorf School in Cheng Du, China are wanting to plan a return trip to WSS and are in need of housing. We have a combination of: 1 adult with 2 children as well as as 1 adult, 1 child who are looking for lodging from January 10th thru February 15th. Please let Sheila know if you can provide housing for our guests for part or all of this time. It is a unique opportunity to learn about another culture. All children and adults are English speakers. Thanks!

FUNDRAISING

*Items needed for ebay auction! - *We want to get our ebay auction up and running with the holidays fast approaching. We will start as soon as we have enough items so, please donate as soon as you can. Smaller items (e.g. jewelry, gift certificates) are the best, but we thank you for any donations. Please bring them to school and complete the donation/gifting form (available in the office). Thank you.

CLASSIFIEDS

Lost: still missing from Sprite's Night, last seen on the Kindergarten picnic table: small black leather fanny pack w/video camera and wallet (irreplaceable memories on camera). Please call Anthony Abate: 494-4649 or via email at : anth.abate@gmail.com

Restorative Practices: A unifying framework for schools. Thursday, December 4^th.

Finley Community Center, 2060 West College Ave, Santa Rosa. 8-9 a.m. - registration, 9 a.m. -2 p.m. Conference. Includes breakfast and lunch. $90.00 fee

Wanted: For use at school, bookshelves of any and all shape and size.
Please contact Sheila at: sheila@woodlandstarschool.org

*Get your holiday photos taken now! *Sue Block is having a "holiday special" for the next two weeks - family or individual in studio on digital. You will receive your photos on a disk - fast turnaround. All for $100. Location can be discussed - call or email for appointment:
938 3909; sueblock@sbcglobal.net <mailto:sueblock@sbcglobal.net>.

Help our school while you do your holiday shopping! In the spirit of holiday giving, Kathy Lee will give 25% of sales to Woodland Star when you shop with her or on her website! She offers a beautiful selection of CERTIFIED ORGANIC products, including body care, hair care, skin care, baby care, cosmetics, and nutritional products such as antioxidants and probiotics. You can shop online at: www.aromatherapist.mionegroup.com Please let Kathy know that you've placed an order online so she can donate 25% to the school: 996-1297. Thank you!

Afterschool violin, viola and piano lessons offered at WSS ~ Long-time music teacher Gail Claus is coming to WSS to offer our students the opportunity to continue music lessons at a reasonable rate and maximum convenience. Gail will offer 45 minute lessons on a first-come-first-served basis starting with Thursday afternoons. Private ($160/mo) and semi-private: 2-3 students, ($100/mo) lessons available. For an added incentive, parents are able to rent the WSS violins for a refundable $100 security deposit to enable your child to have access to this incredible opportunity. For information please call Gail at: 953-4470 or gailclaus@comcast.net

Girls Rising ~ Specifically for 6th-8th grade girls. Discover adolescence, self-confidence, agency, creativity, compassion, mindfulness and learn to be yourself! We will: share stories, write a play and poems; perform; sing; paint; make collages; cook; hike; garden; play; serve in the community. We meet at Woodland Star on Thursdays, 1:13-2:45 PM. Girls' parents will meet twice during the sessions, dates to be determined. The cost is $100-150, sliding scale, per child for 6 session + 2 adult sessions. To reserve a spot or for more information, contact Kathy Hargitt, M.A., at (707)235-8488 and/or kathyhargitt@vom.com

WALDORF INSPIRED CHILDCARE PROGRAM

We have a special place for your child! A Child's Garden Childcare offers loving, supportive care in a small group environment, perfect for 1 - 3 year olds. We have a very large yard, and spend lots of time outside in creative exploration and nature "studies". Our program is rich with both music and language to stimulate brain pathways. We make homemade playdough, paint and do crafts, as well as baking and gardening. The children pick herbs and make their own "rosewater", fairy balm, and herb vinegars. We serve all organic, home cooked meals and snacks. Many happy Woodland Star families have had their children in our program, which opened in 2001. CPR/First Aid certified with over 28 early childhood education units, including some Waldorf training. Please call Kathy Lee, WSS parent, to set up an interview. (707) 996-1297

Handyman available ~ Jesus Gonzalez, friend of WSS community member, is in need of more work. He is a handyman, able to do carpentry, gardening, and electrical work. His telephone number is 343-6314.

Minutes from the Parent Council Meeting, November 13th, 2008:
We were joined by representatives from the schools newly formed Parent entering Program. Monica Conway and Poppy Darby presented the PC with materials and examples of the work Parent Mentors have been doing and ill be doing in the coming weeks. Parent Mentors meet with each family in he school community and discuss the current status of the school; inform families on ways they can contribute to the well being of the school; inform families of the various fund raising activities throughout the school year; and connect with each family, in person, to foster a strong sense of community. It has been a very successful program thus far. The Parent Mentoring group is currently looking to train a few more mentors. Please contact Monica or Poppy if you would like to join in their fun. Decembers Faculty Appreciation Day will be hosted by the 4th grade on Thursday the 11th. We have heard some very positive reports on the success of the FAD each month, where students and parents show their appreciation of their teachers all day long by showering them with praise and affection, and of course Food. Thanks to all the great Woodland Star Families for showing so much enthusiasm for our monthly Faculty Appreciation Day.






	
		
			
			
				
					
						
						
						Woodland Star Education Foundation

At Woodland Star Charter School, we are starting a new Holiday tradition of sending letters to parents, grand parents, family and friends asking for tax deductible contributions to help fund our work during the coming year. The letter will be mailed after Thanksgiving.

We are asking parents, teachers and staff to contribute names of family and friends, neighbors and coworkers to help expand our mailing list. We will be using our current fundraising data base. Please let us know who you would like to add to the data base to receive our Holiday Appeal this year by completing this form and returning it to the Office as soon as possible, but no later then November 25. Thank You very much for your help!

Your Name ________________________

⁪ I would like to put a note in the letter, please contact me at __________________________

1. _____________________________________ ____________________________________