Working Together by David Whyte
from The House of Belonging by David Whyte
We shape our self
to fit this world
and by the world
are shaped again.
The visible
and the invisible
working together
in common cause,
to produce
the miraculous.
I am thinking of the way
the intangible air
passed at speed
round a shaped wing
easily
holds our weight.
So may we, in this life
trust
to those elements
we have yet to see
or imagine,
and look for the true
shape of our own self,
by forming it well
to the great
intangibles about us.
Dear Families—
Parents play a vital role in our community life and that was certainly evident in last weekend’s successful Yuletide Fair. On behalf of the school, I would like to express a heart-felt thanks for all that you did in working together to make this longtime tradition possible. It was a particularly poignant festival this winter after our three year’s journey through the restrictions of Covid. How far we have come! As David Whyte so eloquently phrases in the above poem, working together somehow allows us “to produce the miraculous.”
A special helping of gratitude should be heaped on Sarah Dibben, Amanda Hummel, Kim Bucci, Gina D’Addario, Lisa Farjam, and Chandra Strompf for the heavy lifting they did in organizing the Silent Auction, Cozy Cafe, Hot Food, School-wide decorations, the Hand-to-Hand room, and Wreath-making.
I am sure that you parents, like we faculty, were nervous as the days ticked by and we felt the strain of remembering old systems and shifting to new habits to best accommodate the needs of our time. Although we frequently give lip service mentioning the importance of festivals to Waldorf schools, it was time to put words into action. And we were truly out of the habit of collaborating to build a much-needed lift to our souls and gathering for our community.
The mood on Saturday was light, festive and warm. That is no small accomplishment. From wreath-making to tiny treasure crafting, from gingerbread set-up to stained-glass prepping, from baking to decorating, from sweeping to schlepping and ever more clean up, many hands went into this accomplishment. What a pleasure to build and appreciate a community event again.
Thank you for all that you brought to our students and to our school.
Karin Almquist
School Director
TONIGHT! Winter Concert
December 9th
Santa Lucia - Grade 4
December 13th
Winter Recess - SCHOOL CLOSED
December 19th - January 6th
Grade 5 Parent Meeting 7pm
January 13th
Martin Luther King Jr. Day - SCHOOL CLOSED
January 16th
PTA Meeting
January 18th
For more detailed information visit the calendar page on our website, here.
Middle School Electives
Session 1 of our middle school electives wrapped up today with a presentation of what we have all been up to for the past 7 weeks. Students participated in the following electives this trimester, Birding, Rockband, Photography, Boxing, Cooking, Ping Pong and Shakespeare! Here are some photos and words from our final presentation and elective instructors.
This trimester Mr. Rix offered a boxing elective where participants have learned various striking techniques, how to hold pads, stay safe, work hard and support one another. It has been a fun and challenging elective for everyone.
Students in the Rock Band elective experienced this uniquely American art form through playing and/or vocalizing in their own rock ensembles. We also studied the roots and history of rock music as well as iconic chord sequences, riffs, and songs. - Mr. Esty
In the Birding elective, we explored all the different ways one can identify a bird: sight, sound, and the signs left behind. We learned about different families of birds through guidebooks and online resources, and discovered the habits of local bird populations through observation in sit-spots and slow, methodical naturalist walks. - Maria Acciani
Each week we learned about different photographic techniques, and the artists who used them. Then, made work keeping what we learned in mind, and gave each other constructive criticism. We learned about self-portraiture, documentary photography, how color effects your work and how important perspective is.
Here is some of the work we made in photo class! - Marla Tolz
Health and Safety Reminder
As we move into holiday season with frequent traveling and community gatherings we would like to remind everyone to play their part in reducing the spread of RSV, flu, COVID and other illnesses.
The NYS Department of Health in conjunction with the NYS Department of Education released a statement on December 5th, 2022 to school communities cautioning that we are in the thick of a statewide respiratory virus spike including RSV, Flu, and COVID-19, and asking schools to do their part in reminding families to be alert to symptoms in their homes and to take precautions. Hospitalizations are up, and our medical facilities are taxed. To mitigate spread, the Department of Health recommendations are: staying up to date on Flu/COVID-19 vaccination, frequent and thorough handwashing, sneezing/coughing into our elbow instead of hands, staying home when ill, and wearing a well-fitting mask in public indoor events.
We thank you in advance, as we are coming into the coldest months, for exercising precaution in your decision-making to minimize exposure to illness and assisting in the lessening this state-wide predicament. As a school, we've had our ups and downs this fall with COVID-19, Coxsackie Virus, Flu, and RSV, but currently we are in very good shape with minimal illness and very few COVID-19 cases.
TONIGHT, 12/9!!
HVS Winter Concert
7pm at the Basilica Hudson
Music elevates our mood, relieves our stress, stimulates memories, and eases pain. It also brings us significant joy! Music brings us together, and we are looking forward to gathering this evening to celebrate the winter season, through music, with you.
Hawthorne Valley School students in grades four through twelve will be sharing the joy of their choral and orchestral ensembles with our community today Friday, December 9th, at 7pm at Basilca Hudson, 110 S Front St. Hudson, NY 12534.
We will be collecting donations for our music scholarship fund after the concert. Please consider making a gift to support those students in need to pursue private lessons.
We encourage you to arrive at least 5 minutes early to take your seats.
See you tonight!
Come for Coffee with the Farmers
And a light breakfast on Thursday, Dec. 15
Join us on Thursday, 12/15 at 8:15 AM at the School’s Teaching Kitchen for Coffee (and a light Breakfast) with our Hawthorne Valley Farmers
We truly appreciate all of the time and positive energy that our community brought to the garden this year. We'd like to thank you all by hosting a coffee and breakfast gathering on Thursday, December 15 right after drop off in the teaching kitchen. If you were able to join us one time or every time, or even if you just thought about joining but were never able to fit it in, we'd love to see you there. Everyone is welcome.
Early Registration for PBLC Summer Camp is Now Open!
The Place Based Learning Center, at Hawthorne Valley is offering both a day and overnight summer camp for children ages 8-16. Take advantage of our early bird registration before December 31st and receive 5% off. Campers gain a reverence for the natural world, learn about caring for animals, the earth, and make lifelong memories. Learn more on our website: hawthornevalleysummercamp.org or contact farmcamp@hawthornevalley.org
Our Community News and Classifieds board currently has many community announcements including a Winter Break Camp Offering from our EC aftercare teacher Miss Allison, and a 3 bedroom rental for the holiday break! Check it out!
Hawthorne Valley is a diverse non-profit 501(c)3 organization committed to social and cultural renewal through the integration of education, agriculture, and the arts. Initiatives include:
