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A Gala to Remember!
Name the Mystery Couples! |
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by Katharina Woodman
Photos by Katharina and Gail Evenari
After a wonderful night of fun and dancing, I get the post-gala blues. Do you remember being a child and feeling somewhat low after your birthday? There was all that anticipation, wondering what gifts you might receive, the excitement of having your friends over for a party, and then it was all over in a flash. That’s how I feel the morning after the gala: pout, that was it for this year.
However – just like as a child, I had the delight of playing with the new toys, reading the new books, and eating all that chocolate, I now have the glowing memories of meeting old friends, getting to know at least three new people (or matching names to faces, finally), and many many wonderful conversations with members of the community I don’t regularly see.
Ogling the multitude of items displayed so beautifully for the silent auction (Jen, you are a marvel!). Sneaking back to the tables to put in my next bid (Sandy, that auction was magnificent!). Sitting down in an elegant setting to some fabulous food.
 Katharina rocks! |
Bantering with my tablemates about how many times it is acceptable to go back to the buffet. Savoring the scenery, delighting in the creativity of people’s costumes and the general air of festivity. Waiting with baited breath if one of MY raffle tickets is the winner (Genese, you cranked up the raffle ticket sales!).
Joining in the excitement of the live auction (good job, Ivan!).
Middle-Aged Band: The Soul Providers |
Oooohhhh, and then the big surprise of the evening: music provided by our very own, excellent, delightful Middle-Aged Band, so aptly named The Soul Providers (right). Now that was just my kind of dance music! It seems the same was true for the rest of the revelers, as there was barely any space on the dance floor. Can we have them again next year? Can we? Can we? How many days until the next gala? I’m already counting.
Many more wonderful photos by Pierre Laurent are available for viewing (and purchase) at http://waldorfpeninsula.smugmug.com (password = waldorfpix).
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Staffing Update
Caitlin Harrington and Jennifer Ahlgrim Moving On to New Horizons!
We are very excited about Caitlin Harrington’s engagement, which was announced two weeks ago. Unfortunately, the second part of the news is that she will be moving to Sacramento, where her fiancé lives. Caitlin has only been with us for a year, but she has been a huge help to the parents, students, faculty and administrative staff. She has also helped to move us further into 20th century technology (yes, I mean 20th) by helping us to integrate our Veracross database into our daily work. Since the Harrington family is out of siblings, we will be casting a wider net to hire her replacement. (See job posting below.)
Jennifer Ahlgrim has decided to end her job as the store manager to make space in her life for her next adventure. We are so grateful for Jennifer’s service over the last three years. Under her leadership the store added a point of sale (POS) system and recently used the system to complete a full physical inventory count. The POS system, in addition to focusing volunteers in specific areas, streamlined the Holiday Faire set-up, clean-up and check-out processes. The data that we now have available gives us the tools and information we need to run the store more profitably. The store remains a wonderful place for current parents to socialize and for new parents to learn more about WSP and Waldorf Education. Jennifer will be turning her attention to teaching, where she already plays a part in the school’s music and art curriculum. (See job posting below.)
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Human Resources
Temporary Aftercare Director (Full-time)
While Jennifer De Renzi is out on maternity leave, there is an opening for a full-time, temporary Aftercare Director from August 30 through December 23 2010. The hours for the position are nominally Monday through Friday, 12:00-6:00. Thursdays start at 9:15 AM to attend meetings, and other meetings may be scheduled during the day by prior arrangement. The Aftercare Director is in charge of all aspects of the daily rhythms of the program. Two assistants support him/her in the flow of the day. Job duties include overseeing all activities that children are engaged in throughout the day. There is constant interaction with all of the children, daily use of conflict resolution, monitoring safety, engaging in play, communicating with parents and teachers, managing of the assistants’ duties, plus being a strong role model for the children. You are the eyes and ears of the entire program, which requires vibrant energy, flexibility, and attention to detail. Interested individuals should send a resumé to donna@waldorfpeninsula.org.
Receptionist (Part-time)
The Waldorf School of the Peninsula is currently seeking a Receptionist for our busy front office.
This position pays $16/hour and requires at least 35 hours per week during the school year and approximately 15 hours per week during the summer recess. The receptionist must be available between the hours of 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Thursday hours are 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Medical, dental and life insurance are included in the benefits and we provide 20 paid holidays each year for this position.
The Receptionist is the direct interface between the school and parents, students, faculty and staff. Excellent professional customer service is required. Other areas of responsibility include managing student attendance, leading the clerical duties of the main office, assisting with administrative tasks, and providing support on special projects.
The ideal candidate will need to have excellent communication skills, be very organized, self-directed in gathering information, be able to solve problems and deftly manage multiple tasks. They will need to be proficient in email, Microsoft Word, Excel and database entry and reporting. As our receptionist deals directly with students, experience working with children would be a plus.
Interested candidates should email a resumé to donna@waldorfpeninsula.org.
Store Manager (Part-time)
The Waldorf School of the Peninsula is currently seeking a Store Manager for the Heart’s Delight Gift Store. Our Gift Store serves teachers, parents and children by offering resources, materials and tools which:
- support the Waldorf educational process
- encourage and foster creativity and healthy, imaginative play
- support parents, family life and the community
- inspire and foster spiritual activity and inner development
As we are open to the public, the store serves as an important point of contact and goodwill and provides education for community members and the greater community.
Summary
This is a 25-hour per week, hourly position, which pays $20 per hour. The compensation package also includes medical, dental and life insurance. The position assumes attendance for 35 weeks of school plus two weeks at Winter break, one week at Spring break and four weeks during the summer recess. During the 8-week Holiday Faire set-up and breakdown, the Store Manager hours will increase to 40 hours per week.
Responsibilities
- Process sales and orders and record transactions in QuickBooks
- Display, stock and inventory merchandise
- Prepare bi-monthly news updates in the Messenger
- Manage the store volunteers
- Build vendor relationships
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will need to have a fundamental knowledge of accounting, a good working knowledge of QuickBooks, MS Word, Excel and email. He/she will need excellent verbal and written communication skills. An interest and awareness of the Waldorf philosophy is desired.
Interested candidates should email a resumé to donna@waldorfpeninsula.org.
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Alumni News
WSP Alumni Spring Update
by Katharina Woodman
Since we now have our own High School and will graduate our first and only twelfth grader (Melisa Nolan) this summer and the pioneering class next year, I will from now on use a different nomenclature for those students who graduated from previous eighth grades, so there will not be any confusion in future years. I will use the class teacher’s name for the Lower School’s grades, as in: Alyssa Woodman (Jain, 2002).
 Kaja Gibbs-Davidson (Jain) gave birth to vyShara Kahealani on May 17th on Hawai’i, where she lives with husband Matthew and lots of animals. Kaja’s mother Kathe, who is a midwife, attended the birth.
If you followed the news report on the collaboration of Tesla and Toyota, featuring the governor, you may have been dazzled by the exquisite lighting for this event. It was provided by Will Soley (Jain, 2002), who runs a business for Event Technology!
Every few years, we have a student with exceptional talents in the school, be it in the academic field or in the arts. One of our alumni, however, is brilliant in both areas and had made Music and Science his double major. Scott Jespersen (Armstrong, 2004) just raked in another award: Scott won the Pomona College's William F. Russell Prize for the 2009-10 school year in recognition of his substantial accomplishment and significant promise in his study of music, awarded to one or more sophomore students in the Music Department at Pomona.
Patrick Lingane (Aronow, 2001; SFWHS 2005) gained a Masters of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering (this is different from an MS or MA; they call it a MEng) at Cornell. Patrick is a graduate of Union College.
Brian Thurgate (Wilson) graduated from UC Davis in Mechanical Engineering and will attend graduate school in North Carolina, pursuing a MEng as well.
A student at Stanford, Annamaria Prati (Armstrong, 2004), is currently studying in Paris, France and taking advantage of the travel opportunities all over France that the course offers.
In the course of the Study Abroad program offered by Drexel University, PA, Alyssa Woodman (Jain, 2002) will be studying at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic this summer. Alyssa just finished a six-month internship in the marketing department of the DAC Athletic Center and continues to work there part-time.
The students at Seattle University elected Merlin Woodman (Armstrong, 2004) to be Junior Representative in the student government for the upcoming academic year. Merlin continues his duties as RA and has started teaching German at a German school in Seattle.
From the Classroom
Handwork on Display
 One of the highlights of the Evening on the Green is the chance to view all of the handwork the students complete during the year. Even though the event was cancelled, Alecia is still going ahead with the display of work.
Official viewing will be Thursday after school until 1:45 PM and Friday during the school day for visitors and class teachers to bring the students. Feel free to stop by any time, but please make sure your younger children (third grade and below) are accompanied by an adult.
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From the Administration
Parent Survey 2010 Coming Soon!
In a few days WSP parents will be receiving an email asking for participation in our 2010 parent survey. There will be a link to an on-line survey where general and specific feedback can be given about our school. We hope that everyone will take some time to complete the survey. Your feedback is studied, provided to teachers for their reflection and used by the leadership of the schools to guide the school forward.
There are a few new demographic questions at the end that we are asked to gather as part of our WASC accreditation.
Please click here to read the summary of the 2009 survey.
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| Community Bulletin Board |
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Rich Armstrong & Middle-School Band
On June 8 at 6:45 PM, Rich Armstrong presents Tony Lindsay, lead singer of Santana and featured singer for Dancing with the Stars, in a concert showcasing the unique and incredible talents of the many students under the umbrella of Rich Armstrong's wildly successful after-school young musicians program, including the WSP Middle School Band!
This free show will start at 6:45 PM in the Fellowship Hall at Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church, which has graciously donated the performance space at 728 West Fremont Avenue in Sunnyvale, a 10-minute drive from school.
Kindergarten Forum:
Opening the Door to Nature, Part 2
June 19, 2010, Saratoga Heritage Garden
14275 Saratoga Avenue in Saratoga, CA
Kindergarten Forum is delighted to join with the Children in Nature Collaborative, a local grassroots movement to connect children with nature in diverse settings. It partners with organizations and leaders to enhance efforts to reach the ultimate goal of a cultural shift in which nature is an essential part of everyday life, valued for its benefits – physical, social, cognitive, and spiritual. www.cincbayarea.org. Together, we invite you to meet those educators and parents who are passionate and practical about bringing children and nature together.
See flyer for details. Reservations required. Please contact Betty Peck, Ed. D. at (408) 867-3156 or bettypeck@aol.com or annarainville@aol.com. Thank you! www.Kindergarten-forum.com Donation: $40
BACWTT
Arts Festival
Waldorf Early Childhood: What? Why? How?
Practical Aspects and TheoryDates:
June 21-25, 2010. See flyer for details, schedule and faculty.
Arts Intensives
The Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training warmly invites you, parents and teachers alike, to join us for one or more Arts Intensive weeks at the East Bay Waldorf School this coming summer. These courses will accommodate all levels of experience from beginner to advanced, and provide a wonderful opportunity to refresh oneself after the rigors of the school year. Come sing, paint or sculpt! These Arts Intensives will take place each day from Monday, June 28 - Friday, July 2:
Singing w/ Christiaan Boele: 11:15 AM- 4:15 PM
Sculpture w/ Ken Smith: 1:45 AM - 5:45 PM
Painting w/ Chris Guilfoil: 1:45 AM - 5:45 PM
There will be a second week of sculpture offered this year, at the same class times, July 5 - 9, for those who would like to do two weeks, or for whom the first week is not possible. More details can be found on our website at http://www.bacwtt.org/curriculum-classes/summer-arts-festival/overview. Please join us and experience for yourself the renewing power of practical work in the arts.
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Deepening the Understanding of Waldorf Education through Study and Art
If you are interested in expanding your knowledge of the basis for Waldorf education, the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training is offering just the opportunity – a week-long summer session entitled “Deepening the Understanding of Waldorf Education through Study and Art.” While the course is primarily for new Waldorf teachers, parents who have prior engagement with Anthroposophy are also very welcome. The course will take place from Monday, July 5 through Friday, July 9 at the East Bay Waldorf School, 3800 Clark Ave, El Sobrante, CA, from the hours of 8:30 AM to 5:45 PM (optional singing is available from 8:00-8:20 AM each morning). Lead teachers will be Dorit Winter and Dave Alsop, and the week will include daily sessions of eurythmy, speech, painting, and form drawing. More details on our Website at http://www.bacwtt.org/curriculum-classes/summer-arts-festival/overview. Please join us, and experience for yourself the renewing power of practical work in the arts.
St John’s Day Picnic
SAVE THE DATE: June 26, 2010
For anthroposophists and anyone else who’d like to join in a St John’s Day celebration, there will be an informal pot-luck picnic at Uvas Canyon Park on June 26. Midsummer / St John’s is a time for sense experience in nature, and the park is a great place for it. Let’s get together to say hello and encounter the season. There is no particular agenda or activity plan, but ideas are welcome! Please click here for detailed flyer or send questions, comments and suggestions to Bob Froelich: flbrkf@pacbell.net.
Girls Leadership Institute
Want to empower your daughter to make real friends, communicate honestly and directly, and be her real self? Sign up now for Girls Leadership Institute (GLI) Fall programs in Los Altos at www.girlsleadership.org.
Real Parents, Real Daughters
2nd/3rd Grade Parent-Daughter Workshop: Thursdays, September 9,16,23,30
4rd/5th Grade Parent-Daughter Workshop: Thursdays, October 7,14, 21, 28
Club Real Girl After-School Program
Girls meet after school for 90 minutes to learn skills for having authentic relationships, managing conflict and improving their ability to express their emotions.
Neighbor Needs Dog Walker
NEEDED: A responsible young person willing to walk a 9-year-old dog 3 times a week (maybe M, T, W?) for an hour each day after school and during the summer. Must have familiarity with dogs. Dog lives around the corner from school on Thorsen Court. $10/hour. To apply for this job, please contact Judy Reid at 650-248-8838 or judy.r@duniway.com.
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Rudolf Steiner College Workshops
Highly recommended: Fundamentals of Waldorf Education - June 26
Click image to see larger version of flyer.
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Community Classifieds
Products & Services
Music Lessons from former WSP student
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Spring Gala Auction 2010
Slide Show
