Dancing the Maypole with preschool children in the Early Childhood Centre
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Dear <<First Name>>
One of my favourite things about working at the school is that I get to see the students during the school day. Because I don’t have a teacher-student relationship, my perspective is one of observation from the sidelines. Sometimes, I’m lucky enough to step in for a teacher and cover recess duty or offer another set of supervisory eyes during an activity. The gift of all of these interactions is how much I am reminded of the vibrancy, spirit, and resiliency of the students.
No matter which campus I’m working from, I consistently see the conscientious nature of the students at play. I witnessed an example of this recently when a young student tripped as they dashed into school to beat the morning bell. Two older students from the child’s buddy class were also making their way into the school and immediately jumped into action to make sure their little buddy was alright. It was heartwarming to see the younger child lifted by the attention, compassion, and kindness offered to them readily and naturally by their buddies. I know we all agree that a lot is going on for all of us at this time. The students, in their interactions, are walking reminders to the adults that surround them that given the space and support to work through difficult situations, they naturally will.
On that note, if you are able to volunteer your time during school days, please stay tuned for information about opportunities to do so during the final six weeks of classes ahead. If you are keen to volunteer but would prefer a different experience or are only available on the weekends, our gardening crew will always be grateful for an extra pair of hands. I know this will not be possible for everyone, so Laura and I will continue to offer glimpses into the daily happenings at the school. We always appreciate hearing from you, so if there are particular activities or programs you would like to learn more about, please do be in touch.
On another note, we are sending our warmest wishes to those in our community who have recently welcomed new babies into their families, as well as to those who will be doing so very soon. What an exciting time.
Finally, a big thank you to Bonnie Gosse and her wonderful team for creating our first native pollinator plant sale. We are grateful to Bonnie for the myriad ways she gifts energy, vision, and creativity to land stewardship here at the grade school.
Be well,
Mary Henley
Community & Resource Development Manager
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Monday, May 10
Continental Waldorf Alum Social Hour 5:00 pm
Wednesday, May 12
VWSS Board Meeting 7:00 pm
Thursday, May 13
Grade 4 Play: Iduna's Apples
Friday, May 14
Grade 4 Play: Iduna's Apples
On the Horizon
May 20 | Full Faculty & Staff Meeting
May 24 | HOLIDAY CLOSURE - Victoria Day
May 28 | Colin Dutson & Rose Awards Ceremony
May 29 | Loutet Farm Stand
May 31-June 4 | Bike to School Week
June 18 | Grade 8 Moving Up Ceremony
June 18 | End of Term, Early Dismissal
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Stay tuned for how you can watch the Grade 4 class play: Iduna's Apples from home
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VWS IN THE MEDIA - Over the weekend, our school was featured in the Vancouver Sun. Local reporter, Gordon McIntyre, visited the Lynn Valley campus to take a tour and talk with Mr. Henley, gardening teacher, about the intersection of the gardening program, the Grade 3 building project, and the beneficial effects of the inclusion of animals on the campus. The hen house is looking incredible, and we can't wait to welcome our new laying hens. vancouversun.com
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ORDER OF THE HEAVENS - If you missed the first screening of the Grade 7 play: The Order of the Heavens, you will have another opportunity tonight (Friday, May 7) to tune in between 5:00 and 9:00 pm on Vimeo using the password: Newton. *Please note that the link will not be functional outside the screening hours.
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PLANT SALE - If you ordered plants, don't forget to come to pick them up on Saturday, May 8! Use this link signup.com/go/HkjRRJO if you haven't selected a pick-up time yet, but have purchased plants. And if you haven't ordered yet, we have limited stock of some gorgeous options to choose from! Orders must be placed before 5:00 pm on Friday, May 7, for Saturday pick up. Please note that all COVID-19 health and safety protocols will be in place during pick-up. Thank you for your cooperation!
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RED DOOR STORE - We’re spring cleaning and have 'pink posted' many items in the shop, that are on sale from now until May 21st. Please email reddoor@vws.ca to arrange your shopping time, noting that we can host one adult shopper at a time. Sale prices apply to in-store shopping only.
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AWSNA CONFERENCE - "This year, we are pleased to welcome parents and board members to our virtual conference (June 22, 2021—June 25, 2021). Keynote lectures and Q&A sessions are included with registration. Join us this year as we come together to delve into our theme: School Renewal and the Heart of Change. Our theme is meant to inspire us toward realizing our potential for the next 100 years, meeting the challenges of our times by continuing to grow and evolve from the seeds planted by Rudolf Steiner." Register here
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CONTINENTAL WALDORF ALUM SOCIAL HOUR - Hosted by AWSNA on Monday, May 10, at 4:30 pm - share a verse, hear about brief updates within the Waldorf education world, then move into breakout rooms for a more personal connection. There will also be a time for announcements and reminders of your personal or work events, celebrations, projects, etc. Register here. Staff, teachers, and alum parents are also welcomed to attend!
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NONAGENARIAN BIRTHDAYS - Two beloved community elders celebrate their 90th birthdays this spring—Dorothy Olson (April 26) and Gordon Skuse (May 31). Dorothy's was a founding family of the VWS. She and Gorden met at Halton Waldorf School in Ontario, and both went on to play instrumental roles at the West Coast Institute. Happy birthday, Dorothy and Gordon!
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Our Summer Camp will be running for 6 weeks this year and is the perfect solution for busy parents and cooped-up kids. This summer will be filled with adventures as our skilled teachers plan themed weeks full of fun activities and excursions. Here is a sneak preview of the camp teachers and what they will be filling the weeks with:
Preschool Camp (ages 3.5-5)
Sessions will follow a daily routine of age-appropriate activities for pre-school-age children in daycare. Indoor and outdoor activities will be on-site at VWS. June 21 - July 30 – Blanka Ponek
Junior Camp (ages 6 - 8)
Daily schedule includes crafts, hiking/walks, baking, excursions (Beaches, Grouse Mountain, Fort Langley, Bee Centre, Zoo, Capilano Suspension Bridge, etc.).
Weeks of June 21, 28, and July 26 – Nazli Khalkhali
Weeks of June 28, July 5, 12 & 19 – Helga Strand Nikoui
Senior Camp (ages 9 – 13)
Daily schedule includes themed activities, hiking, free time, and excursions (Beaches, Grouse Mountain, Fort Langley, Bee Centre, Zoo, Capilano Suspension Bridge, etc.).
Week of June 28 & July 5 – Woodworking with Greg Scott
Week of July 12 – Creative Workshops (Indigo dying, Block Printing, Apothecary, etc.) with Ella Pedersen
Week of June 21, July 19 & 26 - TBA
For more information and to register, visit www.vws.ca/summer-camp.
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The class of 2022 following the Projects Preparatory Main Lesson
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Grade 11 students after successfully completing the final component of their Projects Preparatory Main Lesson. The Main Lesson focused on key presentation techniques, including Pecha Kucha and speech work, and skills in extended essay composition.
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We usually reserve this segment to highlight a VWS alum who has agreed to be interviewed by Ronaye Ireland for our "Who's Doing What?" series. This month we are expanding the parameters with a global lens to include an interview with Hallel Rabin, a graduate of the Waldorf school of the Kibbutz Harduf.
Hallel Rabin
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"Refusing to serve in the army is my small act of making change."
"Hillel Rabin spent 56 days in military prison for refusing to serve in the IDF. Now she opens up about her time behind bars, conversations with her fellow inmates, and talking to young Israelis about the occupation." Continue reading.
If you are a VWS graduate and are open to sharing your experiences, please reach out to Ronaye at rireland@vws.ca to arrange details!
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Connect with Waldorf alum from across the continent through the AWSNA Waldorf Alum Connect networking platform. Nearly 1,700 alums have registered, and they are hoping to reach 2,500 by the end of this year.
Benefits of joining the community:
- Internship and Employment Postings
- Mentorship and Mentee Opportunities with 100s of alum offering themselves up as mentors, the potential support for young alums is truly boundless.
- The Continental Waldorf Alum Business Directory currently listing 125+ businesses.
- Alum Parent Registration The platform welcomes alum and alum parents, with the hopes of parents sharing job postings and internship offerings.
- Searchable Alum Map Make connections by location, industry, class year, school affiliation and more.
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Thanks, Ronaye, for sharing these treasured memories in our alum Facebook group
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