heartbeatJUNE 2014

Truthfulness, continued on page 2

We are lifers at the Portland Waldorf School. And by that I mean that my son, Elijah, started at Portland Wal-dorf School in kindergarten and he will be graduating from Portland Waldorf High School this June. My son has never known any other school. His class, the Class of 2014, was the very first 1st Grade at Portland Waldorf School in Milwaukie. They planted the apple trees that line the front of the school and they have grown side by side with those trees for the past 12 years.

We were so lucky to have been lovingly carried through Grades 1-8 by our wonderful teacher, friend and mentor Kathleen Taylor. I cannot thank her enough for laying such a strong foundation for our high school years.

At the end of 8th Grade there were many conversa-tions between the parents and children in our son’s class about where the students would attend 9th Grade. It is hard for 8th Graders to imagine the Portland Waldorf High School could be different from their student life in the lower school. Many students are eager to be a part of something bigger and to meet new students beyond

the classmates that they have spent the past 8-10 years with! Our family was no exception and we had many long heartfelt conversations about high school as Elijah graduated 8th Grade. I felt strongly that our Waldorf Education was not finished in 8th Grade. We agreed that Elijah would go to Portland Waldorf High School in the 9th Grade and we would reassess at the end of freshman year.

The Class of 2014 at Portland Waldorf High School was large by Waldorf standards. Twenty-three freshmen started that year together (25 are graduating togeth-er!). About half of each 8th Grade class from PWS and Cedarwood entered together as freshman joined by in-dividuals from other schools. The individual class bonds were strong – but over time, these two classes became one. And over four years one class became one family.

Looking back they seemed so young! They were loud, chatty and full of opinions. Their personalities were large but so was their kindness and devotion to each other.

Graduation Issue

12 Years at PWS..........................1

Next Steps....................................4

Welcome Miss Jennifer..........6

Farewells and Gratitude........6

From the Library.....................10

Waldorf Summer Camp........11

From the Spring Creek S

tore..................11

June Events................................12

Truthfulness, Thoughtfulness and Self-Possession: Reflections on 12 Years at Portland Waldorf Schoolby dEcEmbEr carsoN, pws parENt

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Truthfulness, continued from page 1

At the orientation to Portland Waldorf High School we were told that our children would begin to pull away from us as their parents. That we would no longer be the people they turned to for guidance. They would openly begin to challenge our opinions and us. They might be dismissive, distant and even actively shut us out. We were told that this was “normal” and that in turn they would turn to their fellow students and their high school teachers for advice that they once sought from us.

“Truthfulness, thoughtfulness, self-possession, consid-eration, strong-mindedness, warm-heartedness -- these are the qualities the adolescent holds as ideals. From around age fourteen, the student looks for such qualities in his teachers. No longer blindly accepting authority, he looks to a mentor who inspires him and who is clearly worthy of emulation.”*

Over four years as my son slowly grew apart from me it was a reassurance that he would be met with teach-ers who were masters in their subjects and who showed strength of moral character.

My son excelled in the practical arts such as weav-ing, bookbinding and blacksmithing. These were what anchored him in his high school education and kept him at Portland Waldorf School. And they are the founda-tion for what he will be studying in college. But his high school teachers encouraged him to push himself in areas where he was less comfortable but equally as skilled. With their guidance he also discovered his love of science, math and humanities. He has been given the opportunity to act in the all school musical and has since found a new art form in which to express himself.

In the final weeks of their senior year the students study human development and they get to spend time in the kindergartens and the grades. The high school seniors get to see themselves again through the eyes of the younger children. It is a wonderful circling back for them to be with the kindergarteners and remember their own beginnings.

As a parting gift the seniors will be performing their senior play - A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I cannot wait to see who has been cast as The Athenians and who the Fairies are! Who will be Theseus of Athens and who will be the Amazon Queen Hippolyta? I will get to see my own son cast as the clever and mischievous Puck.

As we leave Portland Waldorf School I am filled with gratitude. I cannot express how thankful I am for the students in the Class of 2014 for so lovingly welcoming my son into their family and for their constant reassur-ance as friends and classmates that they have his back. I feel blessed to have been a part of a class where I knew that the other parents were always keeping a watchful eye out for my son as if he was their own. I could not have asked for better mentors for my son than the high school faculty – who guided him with their wisdom and who gave him someone to look up to in their strength of character.

*Excerpted from The Why Waldorf Works website. (http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/02_W_Education/high_school.asp)

Class of 2014 around the Maypole in 6th Grade

On their Senior Trip - April 2014

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Congratulations, Class of 2014!

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Next Steps for Class of 2014by christophEr ziNN, hs hUmaNitiEs aNd post GradUatE advisor

Of the twenty-five students in the Class of 2014, twenty have made definite, final plans to attend college in the fall. Two additional students plan to attend community college in the fall, but they have not yet reported on their final plans. Three students plan to take time off to pursue a gap year, to travel, and to work. In other words, 80% of this year’s graduating class is already headed to college in the fall, and it’s likely that by September 88% of this year’s class will be in college. Twelve students (48%) will attend college out of state, and two of those will do so outside of the U.S. (in Canada and the Netherlands).

Six students will attend highly selective private liberal arts colleges or universities (Cornell College, Macalaster College, Northwestern University, Quest University, Reed College, Whitman College), and three others will at-tend Evergreen State College (a public institution); four students are going to the University of Oregon, and four others will attend or plan to attend Portland area com-munity colleges before continuing on to university.

Advanced study in the arts has played a major role in our students’ choices for college study. Two of our graduates are headed to the same art school, Santa Fe University of Art and Design, and two others will enter the selective Product Design program at the University of Oregon. In addition, one of our graduates is headed to music conservatory, and another is pursuing the study of art at the prestigious Rietveld Academie in the Netherlands.

Several of these students have received academic schol-arships and most have been offered financial aid. Most of the students have each given a lot of thought to what they can afford in a college education, and are cautious about taking on debt that may hinder their future choic-es. In general, it’s safe to say that most of the students who applied to colleges and universities were successful in that they were accepted at schools they were genu-inely interested in attending, and they are pleased with their final decision.

Sofia Accuardi.......................................Evergreen State College

Eve Ashkar....................................Portland Community College Oregon State University

Joie Bassham........................................Evergreen State College

Emerson Craig......................................Evergreen State College

Lucas Cseko....................Plans to attend community college

Noah Fichtner...............................................University of Oregon

Josh Henry-Biskup.....Santa Fe University of Art & Design

Zach Hitchcock.............Plans to attend community college

Deja Hodes...............................................................Cornell College

Ryan Kelley............................................................................Gap year

Summer Ketchum..............................Portland State University

Elijah Klauder.............University of Oregon, Product Design

Ellie Lesch...............................................Oregon State University

Raya Lieberman...........Santa Fe University of Art & Design

Karis Lindelien.................................................Rietvelt Academie

Zach Llull................................................Evergreen State College

Gaelan Noble-Kats.............................................Quest University

Forrest Palamountain......................Northwestern University

Beatitude Steffen.............................................Whitman College

Athena Sweetwater........Does not have plans for next year

Aubree Tolley................................................University of Oregon

Allegra Wyatt...................................................Macalester College

Edan Whittum.............................................University of Oregon

Sebastian Zinn............................................................Reed College

Zahira Zuvuya.....................Plans to take time off and travel

In 8th Grade, Elijah '14 carves a pumpkin with his 1st Grade buddy.

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Congratulations, 8th Grade!

You are cordially invited to the

Eighth Grade Promotionof the Portland Waldorf School

Sunday, June 8, 2014 5:00 pm • PWS Gym

2300 SE Harrison Street, Milwaukie, Oregon, 97222

You are cordially invited to theEighth Grade Promotion

of the Portland Waldorf School

Sunday, June 8, 2014 5:00 pm • PWS Gym

2300 SE Harrison Street, Milwaukie, Oregon, 97222

You are cordially invited to theEighth Grade Promotion

of the Portland Waldorf School

Sunday, June 8, 2014 5:00 pm • PWS Gym

2300 SE Harrison Street, Milwaukie, Oregon, 97222

You are cordially invited to theEighth Grade Promotion

of the Portland Waldorf School

Sunday, June 8, 2014 5:00 pm • PWS Gym

2300 SE Harrison Street, Milwaukie, Oregon, 97222

JUNE 2014heartbeat / PORTLAND WALDORF SCHOOL

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Welcome Miss Jennifer! Farewells & Gratitude

We are so excited to welcome Jennifer Barrientos to her new post as Bluebell Pre-Kindergarten Teacher! Jennifer brings a lifelong connection with Waldorf education to this new role at PWS. Born in New Mexico and moving to Hawaii at age three, Jennifer began her educational journey by attending the Malamalama Waldorf School, where her mother was a founding teacher. Later, she at-tended the Sacramento Waldorf School in California. As an adult, Jennifer pursued her interest and passion for education by completing a Masters equivalent in Waldorf Education at Bellarmine University, as well as her Waldorf Teacher Training at The Kentahten Institute and Rudolf Steiner College. In addition to holding Lead Kindergarten Teacher Positions at both the Sagewood Waldorf School in Bend, OR and the Shining Rivers Wal-dorf School in St Louis, MO, Jennifer has served in many other capacities within these schools including being on the Board of Trustees, numerous committees and hold-ing the position of Faculty Chair.

For the last three years, Jennifer has been supporting our Early Childhood program with her loving, skillful as-sistance in the Lily and Sunflower classrooms.

Jennifer is the mother of three wonderful daughters - Sophia age 7, Jessica age 15, both PWS students, and Marissa, age 24, who has just completed her Master’s program. Along with teaching and mothering, Jennifer currently serves on the board of GeerCrest Farm. Jen-nifer and her family live in Oregon City on a “small piece of heaven”, with one dog, two bunnies, one cat and 14 chickens.

Ms. PeirceBy Haley Fish, 8th Grade

The first time I met Ms. Peirce, at the end of my second year of kindergarten, I remember thinking, “Who is this tall lady?” Little did I know that she was going to have such a huge impact on my life. Another thing I didn’t realize at the time was how truly lucky I am to have her as my teacher, when so many others don’t.

One amazing thing about Ms. Peirce is that she teaches through stories. From King Count and Her Highness Minus who taught us our basic arithmetic, to the soldiers of the Civil War; Ms. Peirce always finds a way to capti-vate the room and make us enjoy even the saddest or most boring of topics. She also tells us stories about her life and when we were younger. She told us about how she had to sand the edges of our desks so we could fit our first grade class of 32 students and leave enough aisle space to be safe. She told us about how she used to be a cheerleader in high school, and yes, she can still do the splits… she showed us!

Ms. Peirce also brings lessons to life. When we were learning fractions, she brought us watermelons that, us-ing fraction math, we cut up and ate. When we learned about the digestive system, she had us all get up and be part of it: one person a tongue, a couple of others the large intestine.

Ms. Peirce has really brought the class together in a way I never thought was possible. We really are a big fam-ily. She is a parent to all of us, loving but firm when we need it. And fun… she used to sneak us out onto the Hexamid in first grade, when the bigger kids weren’t out there. But her bringing us close means that we talk. A lot. Ms. Peirce has many methods for quieting us down but by far the most accepted is her bell. It has a very distinct sound and when we hear it, we know it’s time to be quiet.

Farewells, continued on page 7

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Farewells, continued from page 6

My class’ 1st-8th grade experience has been so amaz-ing and beautiful and we have Ms. Peirce to thank for that. As we are looking forward to our high school lives, we are beginning to realize that she won’t be there to shake our hand every single morning and afternoon. And as our parents eight years ago were crying, that time in happiness for Ms. Peirce becoming our teacher, we will soon be joining them as we reach the end of this incredible journey of our time with Ms. Peirce.

Nancy PeirceBy Francine Adams, Remedial Education

I can’t think of an easier thing to celebrate than a life-time of teaching. The years, so hard fought and rough at first, when inexperience seems to transform like a flower into capacities, layer upon layer, leading eventually to mastery. As teachers we understand that in the span of a lifetime many students, parents and colleagues will touch our lives for a time, then move on, leaving only memories. In a school lives stay joined together like a great orchestra tuned to the key of learning. As families move on and children move into their lives as adults, the teacher remains as the constant in the school. The anal-ogy for me that works best to describe a teacher is a simple one: I picture the classroom where the lights are on, welcoming everyone in. The warm glow of the light floods every corner of the room, constant and predict-able, making it possible for everyone to see.

It is humbling to be a teacher and take a moment to look back over all those years that came rushing to meet the present when your work is all about meeting the future. As teachers we know the future meets us in the present in the hearts and souls of our students. As col-leagues we share our daily work with each other all the time. What kind of a profession would it be if it we didn’t have all the great examples before us or the gentle hands that have held and guided us over the years? Ev-ery teacher has two great hopes for their work, to form and maintain a good connection with each child and to help each child form a good connection with the world.

I don’t think anyone aspires to greatness in their teach-ing life, but with experience something more golden than greatness grows as wisdom expands inwardly and radiates outward touching others. The master teacher knows, to teach well you are an open book to your stu-dents and your work is to always keep the light burning strongly within.

Someone who has gotten it right will soon be turning off the lights in her classroom when Nancy Pierce fin-ishes with the promotion of her 8th Grade students on June 8th. The school will be saying farewell to a master teacher who has worked untiringly, sharing her gifts with us for 22 years.

Ms. Peirce moved to Portland with her son, Gene and her daughter, Rachel, in 1992, after she agreed to teach a 3rd grade class at PWS. She had been teaching middle school math and science at a school in Northern Califor-nia for a number of years and wanted now to be a Wal-dorf teacher. My arrival followed her by one year and our friendship grew quickly through the shared struggles and many triumphs as teachers. As luck would have it, I was to follow Nancy with two class teaching cycles, ever her student waiting for the crumbs to fall off the table. When her first class was promoted to the high school she quickly turned around and took up with a new 1st grade and started the cycle again. Always someone who encouraged and graciously provided support, many of us learned not to compare our intellectual capacities, energy or just plain gumption with Nancy, who was able, it seemed, to move heaven and earth.

By the time our school moved to Milwaukie, Nancy had already served a term on the Board of Trustees and was one of the founding members of the College of Teach-ers. She had been active as a member of several com-mittees that served the whole school community: the Site Search and Strategic Planning Committees, and later, the Site Visioning Committee. Among the teach-ers, Nancy was our warmest cheerleader with the latest content to share for subject teaching and the best eye for ways to improve our classroom management.

Without a pause to even catch her breath, Nancy turned around again in 2006 to begin a third cycle starting with 1st graders. For the second time I was fortunate enough to be teaching 8th grade and could watch as our 1st and 8th grade student buddies, ate, played and learn to knit together. Last month the newsletter brought a picture of how those new 1st grade parents responded when they got the news Ms. Peirce was going to be their child’s teacher. In the teaching body we felt the same; there was unqualified joy in knowing Nancy would remain with us for 8 more years, as well as awe for her great courage and strength in accepting the task.

The end of the last eight years of teaching have almost come to an end, the 8th graders are preparing for their

Farewells, continued on page 8

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Farewells, continued from page 7

Farewells, continued on page 9

promotion ceremony, here on our campus, June 8th. Ms. Peirce will be saying goodbye to the school for the first time in 22 years. We all want to celebrate everything she has accomplished both inside and outside of the class-room. We see a master teacher who has given her life to the joy of teaching and has warmly touched so many lives. The light may be turned off in her classroom but we know it will not go out in her heart and soul. As a life-long bicyclist and promoter of simple living, Ms. Peirce, who lives in her basement apartment while renting out the upstairs to one of her former students, will continue to educate others. She will turn her energy to educate others about her two greatest passions, gardening and sustainable living. She will lend a strong hand to those making do with less with ways to heal themselves while being sustained by healthy eating. She will also continue as an educator to the young bringing her truly unbound-ed mind and great capacity for doing and sharing with others. We can be sure our own Nancy, who will soon be spreading her light in other places with other people, will remain in our hearts for many years to come. We wish Nancy well as we say farewell and thank you.

Christine WolfBy Wendy Rea, Interim School Chair

As our immediate PWS community has already heard, our dear friend Christine Wolf has made the decision not to return to her position as School Chair in the upcoming months. We would like to take a moment to appreciate the monumental contributions she has made to PWS in her time here, and wish her the best as she begins this new chapter in her life.

When Christine was hired as the School Chair in spring of 2012, the school was at a significant transition point in terms of its governance, and her administrative and organizational skills were greatly needed. Christine im-

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mediately set to work, reshaping the business office and re-envisioning the structure of the administration to ensure that the school could become more effective and functional in its operations. In addition to dedicating herself to finding ways to meet the changing needs of the parent body, Christine worked hard to build strong relationships with both the College of Teachers and the Board of Trustees. In doing so, she helped foster a closer

relationship between the two major governing bodies of the school-an effort that will help the school continue to move forward in her absence.

Even before Christine became an employee of the school, she worked as a volunteer at PWS. She has a great many talents, and a deep commitment to the school. So even as she steps away from this leadership role, we have no doubt that she will continue to serve the school in important ways. We will miss her warm pres-ence on the front steps each morning at drop-off, and we are grateful for all of her work and for the many ways she has helped shape the future of our school.

Anne-Marie BleyBy Lesley Cox, Former PWS Eurythmy Teacher and TherapistMany of you reading this will have already seen the beautifully worded and astute tribute to Anne-Marie Bley that Annie Lighthart offered in the May Heartbeat. On behalf of our colleagues, and as one who has had the privilege of working side by side with Anne Marie in the Early Childhood Nursery, in meetings, and on the Student Care Committee, I would like to add just a bit about her multiple gifts.

Anne-Marie devoted herself to an evolving and inspired vision of how to best serve the needs of the young child. In all her endeavors she was able to maintain that miraculous balance that fluctuates between the BIG pic-ture and the details that make it possible. Her classroom was artistically yet simply appointed, and the ensuing mood allowed for the type of spontaneous shifts in di -rection that are inevitable, and welcome, with three and four year olds! Something in this aspect that I will always appreciate is the way that Anne-Marie so openly gave me the space to gather up the prevailing mood and cre-ate something unexpected but apropos for the children’s weekly Eurythmy lessons. Her whole-hearted trust in thechildren, and in me, allowed all of us to co-create some of the most magical yet truthful stories I have heard my-self speak. Anne-Marie's gentle manner with children and adultsalike was informed and reinforced by an integrity and strength of character that allowed her to speak and to listen with an objectivity that was tempered equally by

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Farewells, continued from page 8

compassion and conviction. She was able to directly speak her mind, but would readily contemplate and con-sider the views and opinions of others.

Her interest in the welfare of students was not restrict-ed to the younger child, but also expressed itself in her committed involvement with the PWS Student Care Committee. She could always be counted on to volun-teer for and follow through on extra tasks, and the qual-ity of her questioning and insights invariably made our meetings that much more meaningful.

Now, as Miss Anne-Marie moves on to embrace yet an-other career, we all send her our best wishes, and know that all those whose paths have enjoined or will join hers, are and will be, truly blessed.  

Amalia Parecki by Corey Averill, Music Teacher

Nearly 20 years ago, I was lucky enough to cross paths with a wonderful lady named Amalia Parecki. I was single but interested in a young woman named Michelle. Amalia started bringing her young boy Aaron (PWHS Class of ’03) to cello lessons to my home in SW Portland. He studied for several years with me (and was a good stu-dent - no surprise!). In the meantime, I courted Michelle, and she and I married August 10th, 1997. Soon after, our son Carter was born and our lives were about to change in more ways than I could have ever imagined!

In the late summer of 1998 I was performing at a wed-

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ding with my musical ensemble Duo con Brio up at what was known as the Washington Park Zoo (now the Ore-gon Zoo) and I received a phone call from Amalia that would forever change the direction of the Averill family’s lives. We were asked if we might be interested in substituting at the Portland Waldorf School (at that time in NE Portland) because the music instructor was suffering from a back injury. Neither my wife nor I had ever heard of the Portland Waldorf School. We quickly started our research – wow, how cool! My first impression was very simple: a place where children actually enjoy attend-ing school! I grew up as a child not enjoying most of my educational years (they were filled with testing, fights, social criticism, and general feeling of confinement)! As we researched more and more and read up on Steiner and his education philosophy we were deeply attracted to the education movement. We agreed to sub that fall of 1998 and were officially hired in March of 1999.

Since that moment we have been a part of this com-

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munity, watching our son progress from Parent Child to 10th Grade, and our daughter progress from Parent Child through 5th Grade. This, in large part, is thanks to Amalia. I bow my head in thanks for all that you have done not only for our family but for the hundreds of chil- dren whose lives you have forever changed positively.Michelle and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!

I have had some fun calculating the numeric impact she has had on the Waldorf community. First here in the music department: she has been a vital part of 66 formal concerts here at PWS (we have programs from each one - come take a look, Amalia!), 5 musicals, 20 3rd Grade musical concerts, and given private instruction to about 450-500 students in the past 20 years.

Her contributions outside the music program are also far-reaching. A personal memory very dear to me is the many stroller walks we would take together with my two children. This would often take place as Mrs. Averill was teaching a class and needed the babes away. Amalia and I would take either baby Carter or baby Addie on walks in the stroller. What fun! Amalia has served on the Finance Committee and the Board of Trustees, been a Moon Committee member, a high school math teacher, and volunteered for many years as the foreign exchange coordinator. These are just the ones I recall currently, and I am of course forgetting some!

I always expect the best from each child. She works tirelessly to teach proper form and care toward good intonation on the stringed instruments. At each perfor-mance she works carefully to tune each instrument, set up the stage, and of course volunteer to perform with any group.

Dear Amalia, you will be missed in so many ways but never forgotten. I expect to see you around! With our love and support, Corey

Her work in the classroom is friendly yet firm. She and

The Trillium Kindergarten families would like to wish a fond farewell to Mrs. Andrea Eichinger-Wiese. We would like to acknowledge Mrs. Andrea for all that she has donefor the Trillium Kindergarten over the past two years. Ourchildren have been blessed to have her as their teacher,and she will be greatly missed. Her expertise, warmth andgentle manner have helped guide and nurture our children through these critical early years. We send Andrea, her husband Mark, and their daughter, Alexandra the warmestof wishes and many blessings as they embark on a newjourney. We hope that they will keep in touch with all of usin the Trillium family, and know that they will be missed. We would also like to acknowlege Ms. Julia Leon for the loving

care and guidance she has provided our children in herposition as assistant teacher in the Trillium Kindergarten. We are all blessed to have been a part of the Trillium family.

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Greetings from the PWS Library!

In preparation for the end of the school year, the last day to check out books from the Library will be June 6. Please return all books on or before the last day of school. 

If it’s been a while since you stopped in, we encourage you to come and see some of the changes.

In our new Cozy Corner quiet readers can curl up cozily, grown-ups can spend time on the same level as a loved one, and small groups can gather to read to one an-other. 

In the stacks, all of our non-fiction is now located and organized on the North Wall so that the subjects flow smoothly from one to the next. And soon we hope to have a rotating display of student art there.

We put on two successful Book Sales this year, one at Bring Your Parents To School Night, and one at May Faire. Watch for more sales in the next year.

The Library is accepting donations of any books you no longer want or need, whatever the genre. We will add as many as we can to our collection, others we will add to our Book Sale, and what we can’t use we will do-nate to charity. If you have any largeish, durable pillows

 

AGE RANGE 4-10 years old

HOURS Monday-Thursday OR Monday-Friday 8:30-3:30 (whole day) 8:30-12:30 (half day)

COST 4 Day Option: $185 (whole day) $110 (half day) 5 Day Option: $210/week (whole day) $130/week (half day)

50% Sibling Discount applies to second and each additional child. Organic snack provided daily. Teacher to camper ratio is 1:10 and all of our teachers are Waldorf-trained or are currently in training.

WEEKLY THEMES

JUNE 23 - 27 AGES 4-6: Fabric Weaving & Group Tent Building AGES 7-10: Individual & Group Tent Building

JULY 7 - 11

AGES 4-6: Tie Dying Tee Shirts & Making Fruit Popsicles AGES 7-10: Block printing with Vegetables; Tie Dying Tee Shirts & our Camp Canopy

JULY 14 - 18 AGES 4-6: Yoga Adventure Camp; Making Pouch Necklaces AGES 7-10: Yoga Camp; Journal Making; Sewing & Creating with Leather

JULY 21 - 25

AGES 4-6: Canopies: working with Silk & Plants AGES 7-10: Creating Silk Parachutes; Native & Edible Plant Identification

JULY 28 - AUG 1 AGES 4-6: Making Tug Boats; Creek Exploring AGES 7-10: Building Rubber Band Powered Motor Boats; “Who Lives in our Creeks & Rivers?”

AUGUST 4 - 8 AGES 4-6: Group Treasure Hunts; Making Movable Pictures AGES 7-10: Group Scavenger Hunts; Making Movable Picture Books

REGISTRATION FORMS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE PWS MAIN OFFICE OR ONLINE AT WWW.PORTLANDWALDORF.ORG/CAMPS

WALDORF SUMMER CAMP PWS Summer Vacation Program 2014  

you don’t need, please consider donating them to the Library. We could use a few more in the Cozy Corner to make it a little more cozy.

We also encourage you to donate a favorite book to the Library in honor of any of your student’s special occa-sions. We will add a book plate with your student’s or your family’s name and anything important you wish to express. The book will remain as a tangible expression of your student’s efforts at PWS and will enrich the lives of many others to come.

If you need to buy books from Powells.com or anything on amazon.com, please use (and bookmark) the links on the PWS Library webpage at the PWS website. When you use these links to make purchases, Powell’s Books and Amazon will donate a percentage of your purchaseback to PWS.

It has been a lovely and lively year in the Library.  Many thanks are due to Library volunteers Isabel Beaton and Judy Renzema for their many hours of thoughtful and careful work. 

Would you like to volunteer in the Library?  Do you have ideas, questions, or comments?  Would you like to be in the virtual Library Committee?  Please contact Library Manager, Ian Terrell in the Library Wednesday, 1-5 pm, and Friday, 8 am-12 pm, or email at library@portlandwal-dorf.org.

Thank you, and have a wonderful Summer!

From The Libraryby iaN tErrall, library maNaGEr

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It was late July, it was hot, bright, and breezy. Forty-eight little feet lined the creek on the south side of the PWS property as 22 wooden boats took their maiden voyage perilously down the unknown waters. Some ran alongside their boat from the safety of shore but many could not avoid the opportunity to hop in the water, helping their inexperienced sailboats through the obstacle filled journey. When the race was over you didn’t hear very much in the way of winners and loser but more about the different obstacles each child’s boat encountered. Then the conversation turned toward the engineering of super boats that could weather any storm and any sort of duckweed-filled waters. Through-out the week each child spends 20-30 minutes every morning (and often afternoons) carefully sanding, sew-ing, drawing, and perfecting the look and feel of their boats -- each one completely individual and each one a shining example of their impressive capabilities.

PWS summer camps are filled with projects like our Regatta, tent making, leatherwork, and so much more. We provide light nutritious snacks, a rest/story time for all children, and plenty of time to give their imaginations a place to truly run wild. Summer is an important time for children to relax and live with the curriculum they just experienced. Their intellectual minds can rest while their unconscious minds can fully absorb everything they gathered in the previous months. Come join us this summer and see for yourself!

Make One Take OneA big thank you to Kayt Lejeck for all her help teaching many of our Make One Take One classes. Her time and valued talents are so very appreciated. And to our won-derful attendees whose crafty hands created many won-derful items that sold in the store over the year. We look forward to next Fall when we embark on new projects.

Year End Sale June 9-13Everything in the store will be on sale! Save from 10% on consigned items and 20%-40% on toys, games, books, craft supplies and health and wellness items. This is a great time to stock up on craft supplies and Summer birthday presents.

Scrip Scrip will still be available during the summer. The store will be open on Wednesdays (July 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th and August 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th) from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. You can process your orders and pick them up in the store on these days. Keep the momentum going!

A Taste of Waldorf Summer Camp by sadiE liftoN ‘07, camp tEachEr

From the School Storeby yvoNNE csEko, storE maNaGEr

JUNE 2014heartbeat / PORTLAND WALDORF SCHOOL

paGE 12

JUNE events

JUN 2 Parent Council Meeting 7-9pm, PWS Orchard Room

JUN 6 Farewell Assembly 11am, PWS Gym

JUN 7 High School Graduation 2pm, Portland Waldorf School

JUN 8 8th Grade Promotion 5pm, Portland Waldorf School

JUN 13 Last Day of School 12pm Early Dismissal

Walking for Waldorf Walk-a-thon 10:30am, PWS Field

Community Picnic 12pm, PWS

JUN 23 Waldorf Summer Camp begins visit www.portlandwaldorf.org/camps

coming this summer… Wednesday Playdates begin JUL 9

10am, Walnut Hill contact Christine.Goodale@portlandwaldorf.org for more information

Inspirations Musical Theater Camp JUL 7-26 visit http://www.portlandwaldorf.org/camps

Middle School Backcountry Adventure JUL 21-25 visit http://www.portlandwaldorf.org/camps

High School Backcountry Adventure AUG 10-15 visit www.portlandwaldorf.org/camps

Summer Music Camp AUG 11-15 visit www.portlandwaldorf.org/camps

Back to School Work Party AUG 23 9:30am-2pm, PWS

2300 SE Harrison Street, Milwaukie, Oregon 97222-7527 · 503 654 2200 · www.port landwaldorf.org