2012 March

November

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insideMusic cont. 2Flour Mill Auction & AGC 3Flour Mill supporters 4Admissions & Outreach 5&6Music & Parking 7Store & 7th Grade 85th Grade & library 9EC Music & Musical 10Community 11March Calendar 12

PORTLAND WALDORF Ms. Averill with the Middle School Girls Choir.

Welcome New School Chair!We are delighted to welcome Christine Wolf to the position of School Chair, starting on Monday, March 5.  There will be an extended time for transition and training in March and April that includes overlap with me, to help integrate Christine into her new position.  Thank you for your patience and support during this transition.

Music at PWSby Diane Rowley

This month, we are highlighting the depth and richness of the PWS music program, through articles written by both parents and teachers.  As a community, we can be proud of a music program that offers a musical foundation that will benefit our students far into the future.  We are also grateful to Marion VanNamenfor offering a weekly singing opportunity to our adult community, and lucky to have such talented pianists providing live music for eurythmy classes. We are fortunate to have such gifted and dedicated music teachers and faculty!  I recall in the early days of our school, the daunting challenge of finding (and keeping) a music teacher that could inspire and hold the students to a high standard of musicality.  Listening to concerts was not always a pleasant experience.  Corey and Michelle make it look easy, but planning, teaching and organizing a music program is an incredible gift fueled by true dedication and talent.  Our music program provides the opportunity to experience connection, harmony, and beauty, which are qualities much needed in the world today.

My family and I are new to Portland.  Our fifth-grade son Lucien was in a Waldorf pre-school, which closed before he could enter the grades, so we reluctantly put him in the public schools.  One of the great attractions of Portland for us was the availability of Waldorf schools.  My wife, Lilin Chen, is a piano teacher and I’m a retired music librarian, so we have a strong interest in the music curriculum at PWS.  When I was given the assignment to write this article about the curriculum, I leaped at the chance to learn more.  I interviewed Corey Averill, who has shared the directorship of music at PWS with his wife Michelle since 1998.  I spoke with Alynn Nelson, Lucien’s class teacher, and I attended two impressive concerts on February 2nd and 3rd for Grades 4–6 and 7–12.

I soon found out that at PWS music is not treated as a program in the conventional sense.  Rather, it is “integrated” into the curriculum.  That rather academic term hides an approach to teaching music that I imagine cannot be found in any other type of school in the world.  Music is not separated off into one class period a week, as it was Lucien’s public school, but present in many shapes and sizes throughout the school day and the school week.

In Grades 1–6, each class has 5–15 minutes every day of music led by the classroom teacher.  In Grades 1–3, the students learn wooden pentatonic duct flutes, known in PWS simply as “flutes,” as well as the pentatonic glockenspiel.  There are also songs, mostly pentatonic, moving on to tonal (major and minor), as well as rounds and canons in Grade 3.  Grades 4–5 learn “C-flutes,” which have a full diatonic scale, and sing a variety of songs from Waldorf collections in two-part harmony (soprano and alto voices together).  Spirituals and other American folk songs in Grade 5 reflect the curriculum’s emphasis on the United States.  And finally, Grades 6–8 introduce the recorder, well known as a versatile teaching instrument in American public schools.

Before the students start to work with Corey and Michelle officially, Corey visits Grades 1–2 once a week with his cello, playing a different piece, such as Saint-Saëns’ The Swan,  every week, and telling a story related to the music.  In Grade 3, Corey teaches the students to play the bordun lyre, a harp-like instrument on which the strings are tuned in fourths and fifths, allowing flexibility in accompanying songs and rounds, and preparing the students for the violin family.  Corey is joined by Amalia Parecki, an alumni parent and local musician, who works alongside him in working with grades three through five.

Twice a week in Grade 4 all the students begin to learn the violin, viola, or cello and, play them together in a string

ensemble.  Corey believes that the students generally have a good intuitive sense of which instrument suits their temperament, also reflecting their inner life and serving as a window to the soul.  Students are allowed to switch later, normally at the beginning of the year, if they change their mind.  Some of the students also take private lessons.  The pace picks up in Grade 5, when the two string classes per week are supplemented by two choir periods, taught by Michelle.  Double bass now becomes available.

In Grade 6, students can opt to continue playing stringed instruments, but they now have a wider choice: a band instrument (flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, percussion), on which private lessons are also required.  In Grades 7–8, these new instruments allow for a full-fledged band, as well as a string orchestra and a full orchestra that combines the two other ensembles.  The choir is now divided into Young Men’s and Young Women’s, to help students go through the period when their voices are changing.

Michelle manages a music theory program for Grades 6–8, based on worksheets and related questions, treated as homework.  The students gain a basic understanding of key signatures, circle of fifths, triads, and pentachords (five notes in a row).

In High School, besides the existing ensembles, even more options are available: African Drumming, Guitar Ensemble, Handbell Choir (spring semester, instead of Choir), and Jazz Band.  For all the choirs, Corey said, to engage the students’ interest the repertoire has to be a mixture of popular and classical, the acceptable and the challenging.

The overarching aim of the music curriculum is to inspire a love of music in the students and to teach them how to create music.  PWS treats music differently from a conventional program in several significant ways. Music is not mere entertainment.  It’s not optional, not an “extra,” to be cut out of the curriculum at the slightest sign of financial difficulty.  No, singing and playing are seen as a natural and essential part of growing up.

Music is considered of benefit to all students, not only those who are deemed gifted.  Corey spoke about the joys and challenges of not separating out those who eventually show more talent and interest to teach them in different classes, but rather working with students in their grades all the way through high school.  I noticed how, in the Grades 7–8 choirs, Michelle skillfully supported the soloists with less powerful voices by having them perform in duos and trios.

Music can introduce us to the vibrations of other cultures,

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The PWS Music Curriculumby David Lasocki, Parent at PWS

(cont. on page 5)

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Support your school through the Annual Appealby Stephen Guntil

Building Blocks – Perhaps you have seen the visual depiction of the opportunity for the PWS community to step forward to help the school during our yearly Annual Appeal Campaign. Your support through the building blocks of Tuition and Fees, the Annual Appeal, and other fundraisers such as the November Shield Event and the March 3 Flour Mill Benefit are the foundation for the building blocks of our school, our future, and most important, our students.

We thank those who have already given, but we need our entire PWS community to step forward if we are to reach our goal of $115K for this year. All independent schools in the U.S. rely on

gifts from parents, faculty, staff, grandparents, alumni and friends to make up the difference between tuition and the actual cost of educating students. The Annual Appeal Campaign impacts our programs and teacher salaries, helps with tuition assistance, contributes to maintaining our buildings and impacts much of the important work of the school.

I will be visiting parent class meetings in the coming months to encourage your support., and we will be contacting the PWS community outside the school in a variety of ways. Remember, every gift is tax deductible and every gift, no matter the size, has an impact on achieving our goal. Stop by my office if you need more information, and if you want to make a gift now, go to our website or directly to this link https://www.portlandwaldorf.org/support-pws/donate-online.html

A Generous Gift to PWS  By Virginia Berg      Our school owes a debt of thanks to first grade parent Jason Wright and his employer, Landye Bennett Blumstein, LLP. They have given our students a lasting gift—a wonderful set of pentatonic flutes for our first grade class.  When Grades teachers became aware of this gift, we decided to research which type of flutes we wanted to invest in. There are two types of flutes currently in use in the school. Grades teachers, together with the music teachers, had a “flute-off” at a recent meeting, where we listened closely to the tones of the respective flutes. We chose a maker called “Kunath.” They make a wonderful design, where the body of the pentatonic flute can be swapped out for a regular soprano flute, when the class switches over, usually in the 3rd grade. This means that students can use this flute clear through the 8th grade, and then pass them on to the new first grade!    Shortly after this choice was made, I was sorting through a stack of papers at home and found a German-language history of the first Waldorf school. I happened across an ad for the maker who provided the flutes for the first Waldorf school. It was Kunath! We have come full circle and returned to our roots.  It is Jason and Landye Bennett Blumstein that we have to thank for this.   Thank you for helping our first graders beginning their instrumental instruction on such exquisite flutes, which will become the property of the school.  This set will bring joy, dexterity, and skill to students for many, many years to come.

Our thanks for these additional restricted gifts

We are grateful for a supportive gift from Landye Bennett Blumstein, LLP which provided flutes for the first grade.Thank you also to Steve Romero and Martie Kilmer for their generous donation which has allowed the school to bring ceramics classes back during the second half of the school year. A generous anonymous gift was also made to the Special Circumstances Fund, and many faculty and staff members have made special gifts to the Employee Emergency Fund. Our thanks for this support.

the Flour MillSaturday, March 3rd @PWS

We can still benefit from a few extra hands. Please join us for clean up on Sunday, March 4th from

1-4 to get the building back in ship-shape. Email Kelly if you can help.

See list of businesses & individuals on page 4, that have made donations!

DEVELOPMENT

Special Thanks to our generous Sponsors of the Flour Mill auction

Timberline Lodge Hotel & Ski Soter Vineyards

Peirano Estate Elite Acupuncture

Barclays Rentals

also to those businesses that contributed items or services to the auction Claypool Cellars

Henrik BotheInn at Cannon Beach

The Homestead StoreJulianne & Dave

RenzemaJulie MachenErika AllenHealthy Joyful LivingJill KetoMystery GalleryNina & Scott ChurchillNostalgia WoodworksMilwaukie Animal ClinicSpringhouse CellarRobin LeibermanJudy RenzemaMark GambaMichael PaulusSpringwater Pilates &

Movement StudioJulia BascosKatherine PomeroyKeenBarbara AndersonEncore ClubCarla BaugherHand to Heart Stables

Emilee CowlesGirls in the PearlComcast Jennifer & Taggert SiegelHealthy FeetInn at Spanish HeadCorey & Michelle AverillBill & Evelyn FrenchGary & Linda SirianniGeerCrest Farm & Historical SocietyGino’s RestaurantCorey AverillHawthorne Wellness CenterBrendan Eiswerth

Bullseye DiscTodd Roper

8 Hearts Health and WellnessFlora Ed RolkaDavid Kerr ViolinsBandon Dunes Golf ResortBeryl CoxDan and Louis Oyster BarRobert FeldmanRobin O’Brien & Mark MuensterSpace Design

Allstar FitnessBaker & Company PC

Cyndia & Ted AshkarAndina RestaurantRegina CristanShelley EnterprisesSimpatica Dining HallRenzianni DesignsPatrick McDougall & Bethany GlennMilwaukie Kitchen & WineBunk Bar & Bunk SandwichesLe PigeonFriends of Spring Creek StoreSaucy JewelryLisa DavisMill End StoreNostranaOpulent FibersOwen JamesPickathonPortland HomesteadPortland TImbersTony & Nancy DeSantisWakeman FamilyBelzand WhistlesAsher Brill

Kelly SilvermanLaurelhurst MarketGrant PutnamManselle’sMiss Zumstein BakeryMusic WorldAshiya Foot Spas3 Doors Down

Acupuncture for WellnessAnne Hillyer & John Otsyula

Viator.comVital Health ResourcesDiane Rowley

and students, parents & teachers at PWS for the wonderful class donations!

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Outreach and Admissions

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Re-enrollment is just around the corner March 15-17! Our re-enrollment faire offers parents the opportunity to come in and meet with our staff, sign contacts for the coming year, support our library book sale and chat with fellow parents.

Our current families are our school ambassadors and our very best source of outreach. Listed below are our upcoming offerings for school-shopping parents – you are warmly welcome to invite your neighbors, colleagues and friends!

Thank you. See you in the halls!

Mary Beaton Kelly ChappieEarly Childhood & Lower School Admissions High School Admissions

Upcoming events in March for prospective families (share with your friends!):

Tour: Walk Through The GradesWednesday, March 7, 2012Discover the difference at PWS! Come enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour, which includes classroom visits: culminating with a Q&A with members of our faculty and staff. RSVP Kelly Chappie or Mary Beaton or call 503.654.2200, x209

Open House: Bring Your Parents to School NightFriday, March 9, 2012Join PWS parents, students and faculty for an evening of music, art and conversation.  Peruse the journey through displayed main lesson books – form and function, artistic and informative displays of Waldorf education. For current and prospective families with children of all ages. Prospective families, please RSVP Kelly Chappie or Mary Beaton or call 503.654.2200, x209

Spring Time TeaSaturday, March 24, 2012Curious about Waldorf education? Come sample a magical morning in our beautiful kindergarten classrooms. For prospective families and children ages 2-6.RSVP Mary Beaton or call 503.654.2200, x209

(music cont. from page 2)helping students to put themselves in others’ shoes.  February’s concerts included music from India (a folk song from the province of Karnataka) for Grades 5–6, African drumming and chanting for the High Schoolers, and pieces from all over the West (Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, and the West Indies, as well as the United States).

Music teaches students how to listen, an essential life skill that is rarely taught in schools.  Because the students find it difficult to listen to themselves, Corey has them play for each other in duos, then give feedback.

Alynn noted that music is a “social art.”  It brings the students together, accomplishing something worthwhile as a group, and building a sense of community.  At special assemblies and performances, the teachers also delight in singing together.

re-enrollmentthursday-saturdaymarch 15-17

watch for an invitation from sign up genius to schedule your appointment.

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The first Wednesday of each month we host a Walk Through the Grades. Last month this is some of what guests got a taste of in each of the classes

Bluebell Pre-Kindergarten, Ann Marie Bley…heard a sharing-inspired story, a Chinese folk tale called “The Rabbit” and painted heart envelope pouches in preparation for Valentine’s Day.Trillium Kindergarten, Robin O’Brien & Regina Loos…painted rainbows and heard the Story of Shingebiss, a Chippewa tale, of a little brown duck standing up to the fierce North Wind. Hung up felt Valentine pouches - the children sewed the seams and finger-knit the handles themselves.Lily Kindergarten, Cyndia Ashkar…heard the social-remedy story “The Tale of the Water Bearer” and prepared pretzels from scratch and enjoyed them at snack time, Rose Kindergarten, Sonia Boucher…worked very hard outside at Walnut Hill, repaired the sandbox and then hunted for the earliest inklings of spring (daffodil greens!). Rose-K will also heard the valentine story “Three Oranges” while sculpting with beeswax.First Grade, Virginia Berg…rehearsed the first grade play “The King’s Advisors”, a lively musical about the four arithmetic operations. The first grade sewed their own costumes (gnome hats) and performed for their parents on Friday.Second Grade, Kathleen Taylor…worked with numbers and the four processes and progressing from horizontal to vertical orientation. Each morning grade two students begin the day in the gym, combining math with stepping and clapping games.Third Grade, Nancy Thompson…studied ancient civilizations, including their shelters, grains and clothing. To complement this study on a practical level, third graders are busy crocheting their own hats (be sure to check out the handwork display case!)Fourth Grade, Nina Churchill…studied the Kalevala, a 19th century poem of Finnish origins. 4th graders will be giving a mini-theatrical performance of a selection this epic poem. 4th grade also just back from a fun field trip to the Oregon Historical Society.Fifth Grade, Alynn Nelson…finished their Egyptian studies and moved on to mathematical measurements. Grade 5 measured an outdoor walk (1/2 mile, 22 minutes). After learning all of the fifty nifty United States, each student will research and report on a single state.Sixth Grade, Nancy Peirce…worked in their economics and business math block. Sixth graders have already run a successful business model this year: harvesting lavender from the school campus, they created and packaged soap, marketed and sold the bars for a lucrative and learning lesson. Seventh Grade, Kelly Garbarino…explored Tudor England through history (Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth), literature (Shakespeare), and theater (Grade 7’s class play this year will be “Much Ado About Nothing”). Grade 7 welcomed Shakespearean theatrical scholar John Harrison as a special visiting guest. Eighth Grade, Jim Conlon…traveled through time, back to the late 1800’s in American History, after Abraham Lincoln became president and the south seceded from the union. Grade eight is complementing its civil rights studies with folk music (protest songs) and public speaking (The Gettysburg Address).Ninth Grade: Chemistry, Wade Cavin…outside on the campus looked at plant life as they studied the chemistry of starches; included a hands-on exploration of which plant substances (cotton/corn) are flammable and which can detonate.Tenth Grade: Indigenous Peoples, Tracy Trefethen…held a trial to discover who is responsible for the degeneration of the Ladakhi Society, a peaceful, Buddhist community in Northern India. On trial: modern ideas, the Indian Government, American society.Eleventh Grade: Physics, Mauricio Prado…created their own capacitor (electric component) using a leyden jar. The 11th grade also studyied the Van der Graaf generator and how it reacts with tinsel. Twelfth Grade: History, Christopher Zinn…studied 20th century history, including the New Deal and the rise of facism: two different responses to the financial crisis. Supplemental activities include the silent Charlie Chaplin film “The Count” a parody which both dramatizes and makes fun of social class distinctions.

High Schoolers helped clean invasive ivy at Forest Park.

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“And All That Jazz”by Randy Burlingame, Jazz Band Teacher

THE PWS Emissary Jazz Band is comprised of an eclectic mix of musicians from Portland Waldorf School and the community at large, with members ranging from twelve years old through adulthood. (Caught up in the wave of enthusiasm their children have brought home from school, many parents have re-picked up their instruments and started playing again!).Each semester, students work towards mastering musical and technical components as related to jazz. The jazz band also offers students playing non-traditional jazz band instruments (strings, flutes, clarinets) the opportunity to experience and enjoy a different musical form. Musicianship is strengthened with weekly rehearsals and scheduled performances. Whether playing at Portland’s Polish Festival or the PWS Auction, students gain tremendous poise and improv skills and experience.  They also acquire a great understanding and application of the concept of the circle of fifths and how it relates to their particular instrument.Playing with working musicians adds another layer of learning – the jazz band has the good fortune to have Chuck Redd, an internationally renowned musician and a member of the Smithsonian Master Works Jazz Orchestra as one of their visiting musicians. Chuck has performed with Charlie Byrd, Kenny Burrell, Mel Torme', and Dizzy Gillespie (on his state department tour of Africa). To complement this practical learning experience, students also explore jazz through a historical and biographical perspective, discovering how key musicians, through song and performance, have contributed to this original, indigenous, American art form.If you’d like to join a jam session (or book the Emissary Jazz Band for an event!) contact Randy Burlingame at:  burlyjazz@frontier.com

Parking in Harrison LotThe parking lot behind the high school  has three spots reserved for high school student parking and the rest is reserved for parents of “babes in arms”  only during the school day. PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS LOT for parking or dropping off grades or high students (even if it is conveniently located close to the music room when they are carrying a musical instrument!)  Walking from the Monroe lot with an instrument is good exercise and builds character.  There has been an increasing disregard for this parking restriction in the past few weeks which is causing unnecessary congestion and an unsafe situation in the Harrison lot. Also, please do not under any circumstances park along the red curb, which is illegal and dangerous (cars have been inadvertently backed into by those parked in the legal spots and if fire trucks ever needed to get behind our school, this is their only access).  Please do not leave a purse, computer or backpack, etc. in plain sight in your car when parking in this lot,

Please Respect our Handicapped Parking SpacesThere has been a public outcry concerning the misuse of the handicapped parking spaces in the Harrison lot behind the high school.  The concern has been great enough for someone to record information about cars pulling into or parking in handicapped spaces.  This information may be reported to the authorities, if this continues.  Rules for handicap parking spaces only allow drivers who have a handicap parking permit or a handicap license plate on their vehicle to stop, stand or park in a handicap space.  Drivers who stop, stand or park in a handicap space or access strip without a handicap permit or license plate are in violation of the law. Fines vary from state to state but in most places it is $250.

(music cont. from page 2)

Human beings seem to be solid, but deep down we are ultimately vibration.  Music, which is ordered vibration, can have a direct effect on us, creating harmony in our lives.  But harmony does not necessarily mean consonance.  Corey told me that he chose Russian music for the Grades 7–12 string orchestra and full orchestra in February’s concert because the dissonance and conflict in the music reflect the students’ internal development and struggles at that point in their lives.

Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf education, considered music a direct connection with the spiritual world: “This is why even the most humble soul is so deeply affected by music.”  How fortunate we all are at PWS that the value of music is recognized in such depth and breadth, harmoniously linking body, mind, and heart, earth and heaven, individual and community.

Spring Creek Store

Thank you to Kayt Lejeck, Heesuk Steffen, Jacqueline O-Ryan Hansen, and Kyoko Nguyen for contributing their craftiness in the store’s Four Seasons Felted Tree auction donation. We had so much fun creating this magical wonderland.

Crafting CircleSpring is on its way and jumping into our Crafting Circle Thursday. We will be making wet felted eggs on March 15th after morning drop off.

Ukrainian Easter Egg WorkshopWednesday, March 21st 9:00 am– 12:00 noon. December Carson will teach the very popular Ukrainian Egg Dyeing Workshop. The cost will be $20.00 and will provide all supplies. After this class you will be able to make these beautiful eggs with your family.RSVP is required. Please call Yvonne at 503-654-2200 ext 208.

Community Cookbook NewsPWS is Celebrating 30 years! With exciting plans underway, there is a bit of buzz about our Community Cookbook. What a wonderful way to honor this school’s journey, with a collection of our community’s favorite recipes, verses and gluten free tried and true offerings. An easy way to contribute your recipes will be at our re-enrollment fair coming up March 15th – 17th or email to gypsygal1961@gmail.com or KellyaTidric@gmail.com. We will have a collection table and a drawing for a lovely basket you can enter to win.

  

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Here is a favorite recipe request sampling;

Grandma Betty’s Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

2 Tbsp oil4 cups Shredded red cabbage 2 cups thinly sliced apple¼ cup brown sugar¼ cup apple cider vinegar¼ cup water1 ¼ tsp. saltdash of pepper¼ tsp. caraway seeds

Heat oil in a skillet with a lid, add remaining ingredients and stir well. Cover tightly, cook over low heat. Cook approximately 15 minutes for crisp cabbage and 25 – 30 for well done.

This beautifully vibrant side dish is wonderful paired with sausages or a beef stew.

Grade Seven Presents  Much Ado About Nothing

March 29 and 30 at 7:00 pm in the gym! by Kellly Garbarino

            Often Shakespeare plays are performed in the eighth grade, but the seventh grade students made an early and enthusiastic commitment to take on this daunting task this year.  It fits perfectly with the seventh grade curriculum's study of the Renaissance and Tudor England.  The class has worked diligently first to thoroughly understand the play, to learn their lines in relationship to other characters and finally to bring a performance quality to their parts.  It has been great fun.              We have benefited from many experienced adults in our community.  John Harrison, parent in grades 2 & 5, coached the students on how to learn and speak their lines.  Kayt Leject, parent in the Rose Kindergarten and expert of Renaissance costumes, has guided our choice of costumes and will lead the students through a process of mask-making for the masquerade ball in the play.  Beth Oetkin, grandmother of a seventh grader, has again offered her excellent sewing skills to make many costumes.  Tracey Sartorio, parent in the 3rd and 7th grade, brings her expertise of production and a joyful heart to our students.  And Mr. and Mrs. Averill have prepared our musicians.  Many more will likely engage with the 7th graders to help bring them a full and rich experience of performing Shakespeare.  We are ever so grateful.            Please join us.  Our performances will be on March 29 and 30 at 7:00 pm in the gym. 8

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5th Grade Snapshotby Alynn Nelson

Fifth grade has been very busy over the past few months learning about ancient cultures and working on service projects.  Here are a few highlights written by some 5th grade students.

"Mythology" by Katarina GrealishIn the fifth grade, we have learned about mythology from many different parts of the world, including ancient India, Persia, Mesopotamia and Egypt.  I found it very interesting because of the fact that the myths we've heard this year are similar to those we've learned about in previous years. For example, there was a devastating flood in the Noah's Ark story, in the Norse creation story, in the story of Manu (the story of Atlantis), in the Greek myths, in the Mesopotamian story of Gilgamesh and in the stories where the Nile River floods in Egypt.  I found the study of the Egyptians particularly interesting.  I also like re-writing the stories in my own words.

"Stockings" by Mimi Kohnstamm and Eliza WojciechowskiIn the fifth grade of 2011-2012, we did a charity project for people who aren't as lucky as some in the world.  The charity is called "Fill a Stocking, Fill a Heart."  The project is that you bring in things and fill stockings for needy people.  We chose to fill two stockings, one for a boy between 8-12 years old and one for an elderly lady.  We filled the stockings so high it filled 5 extra grocery bags.

"MLK Day Service Project" by Helena PearsonThis year the fifth grade did a service project on MLK day.  We went to the Trinity Church in Beaverton.  We made over 100 blankets for children in need.  This organization was called "Bink-a-Thon."  First, we cut fabric, next we pinned, then we put the batting in, pinned again, then sewed it together into a blanket.  It was great!

"Heifer International" by Olivia McLeod and Grace Cromie

This year the fifth grade raised $125.78 for Heifer International.  We donated the money to pay for a sheep for someone in need.

Library: used book sale The library will hold its annual used book sale during the re-enrollment fair on Thursday, March 15th through Saturday, March 17th. Come shop for fiction and non-fiction for children and adults. All proceeds will benefit the library and will be used to purchase new books to support our Waldorf students, parents and faculty.We are gladly accepting donations of used books, games and puzzles. Please leave all donations on the library desk, along with a note if you would like a receipt. We are receiving many high quality book donations, so there will be a good selection at excellent prices.We are looking for volunteers to help staff the book sale (a great way to check out the selection!) If you would like to help, please check the sign-up sheet posted on the main entrance bulletin board or send an email to library@portlandwaldorfschool.org.

March 15 – 8:30 to 1:30 March 16 – 8:30 to 3:30March 17 – 8:30 to 1:30

Board of Trusteeswelcomes a new member

The Board of Trustees is pleased to welcome to its newest member, Barbara Andersen, though she is certainly not new to our school.  Barbara is the mother of two PWS alumni and has been a part of the community for 20 years.  Barbara has been active in many aspects of the school over the years, including fundraising events such as the wreath sales and community events such as Heart of Advent.  Barbara has been a volunteer extraordinaire.  Also, as a member of a community task force, Barbara has been eyes and ears for the Board related the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project.  We welcome Barbara's experience, energy, and broader Milwaukie community connections on the Board of Trustees.  Thank you, Barbara.

Music in Early Childhoodby Robin O’Brien, Trillium One of the great joys and strengths of PWS’s education program is our music curriculum.  Time and again we witness the students at assemblies or concerts performing marvelously.  Year by year they become more accomplished.  By senior year, many students express a facility in many areas of music.  We may want to ask: “How does an aptitude for musical learning develop?” To answer that, let’s travel to the rooms where the youngest students reside.  Open the door to an early childhood classroom and you will see (and hear!) a rich foundation being laid.  The first instrument is the human body.  Young children are in the process of discovering just what a body can do.  The teachers know this and provide opportunities throughout the day for the little ones to discover the music in themselves and their surroundings. In one room, for example, a teacher is with a group of children at circle time.  One can see them joyfully clapping and stamping like busy working gnomes.  What fine groundwork this is for the development of rhythm and beat later on.  The inner picturing that they do imaginatively helps to create a sense for understanding symbols (from letters to musical notes).  When a repeated chorus comes – how the children sing out together  even if it is rather new to them.  At first a child may have an off note, but over time pitch improves, which is another important aspect of music.

 What might we discover in another room?  A teacher is quietly playing a pentatonic harp as the children rest on the floor.  The simpler scale counters the harsh sounds of modern life.  The importance of the rhythm of the day is also apparent here.  By implementing a healthy balance to the day (activity followed by rest, followed by activity etc) the children learn to breathe more easily.  This movement sequence creates a pulse  that flows throughout the day.  The children can ride this flow in a dreamlike way, which in turn nourishes the body, including the brain.  Healthy balance and inner calm create the space to hear – an essential element to musical learning. Let’s open just one more door.  You may find a teacher who is softly humming as she mends a placemat.  Nearby, some children are creating a puppet show, while others are building a boat for a play scenario.  The mood in the room is quiet and warm and generally congenial as the children play.  With her choice of tone, the room is permeated with calm.  This calm eases tensions and helps the children work together which is vastly important for later inner group cohesion musically).  Young children are naturally imitative beings.  The teacher is a model for them throughout the day, and they will unconsciously absorb the tone she sets. Now hopefully, the stage is set for the introduction of the pentatonic flute in first grade, and the subsequent unfolding music curriculum.

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE AN ... ALL HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL! by Jeffrey Levy

Rodgers and Hammerstein's trend-setting musical, South Pacific, will be presented March 29, 30, 31, and April 1 at the Elks Lodge in Milwaukie.  All high school students participate in the musical whether on stage, in the live orchestra or backstage.  This communal event brings together over a hundred students and adults to present one of the most loved of the golden age musicals.  Past all-High School productions have included The Pirates of Penzance, Fiddler on the Roof, and Into the Woods.  The charm of South Pacific lies in the bittersweet romance of the music, the social ideals of equality and the role it played in shaping a generation's understanding of World War II. With its large choruses and its humor, it is a great choice for a high school musical.  One element that we will try to capture that is often lost today is... that for the characters in the play, (and in the recent memory of the original audience for the musical) the war in the South Pacific was not only uncertain as to the winner, but most of the sailors and marines who participated knew that they were likely to perish. This gives the story a poignance and richness that a strictly romantic version misses.  South Pacific will be performed at the Elks Lodge,13121 SE Mc Loughlin Blvd. on March 29, 30, 31 and April 1. (Appropriate for Grade 3 and older) Tickets will be on sale at the school store.

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Pet’s Point of View“Helping animals and people find their full potential with each other". We can enhance the life of our animal companions with gentle holistic methods to improve health, wellness and behavior.The services I offer include: TTouch, Behavior Consulting, Animal Communication, Hospice Support.Gift Certificates available. For information contact Ute Luppertz 503 774 2986 or go to www.petspointofview.vpweb.com

Local Events & Opportunities

Basic Aspects of Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening WorkshopPresented by the Oregon Bio-Dynamic GroupApril 1, 10:00am - 4:30pm, Portland Waldorf High School - 2300 SE Harrison St. Milwaukie, OR 97222

Topics to be covered include: an intro to bio-dynamics, composting, preparations 500 and 501, the moon calender, converting property to gardens.FREE Admission - Bring your own brown bag lunch To Register please contact Sandra Burch - galenalyn@gmail.com or (503) 353-1818

The Portland Branch of the Anthroposophical Society invites you to a festival in preparation for Easter Week

March 31st, Saturday at 7:00 pm at Bothmer Hall - 5909 SE Division St Portland, OR 97206. This event is suitable for adults.  There will be eurythmy and more.contact Sandra Burch if you have questions, galenalyn@gmail.com or (503) 353-1818

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Transformative Arts for adults and childrenTherapeutic art processes enhance health and wellbeing.  Artistic exercises in a variety of media can help restore inner balance and awaken new faculties of imagination. No special artistic skills are needed. Appointments for therapeutic work and art exploration: Cheri Munske, MTA. 503-484-4133.

Senior Project Showing Hello Portland Waldorf students, parents, faculty and friends, My name is Tamara Layden, a Senior here at the Portland Waldorf High School. For my Senior Project I photographed both animals and people to create two photo journals: "From Dawn to Dusk" and "Furry-tails". By March 1st, some of the star photographs from each book will be up for viewing in the Wildflower Gallery outside of the main office. Feel free to stop by and take a look! Also, if you have any questions regarding the photographs, my email is another.rainy.day@hotmail.com. Thank you all for your support!

Boy’s 24’- wheel bicycle wantedIn good condition—we’d be happy to buy second-hand. Virginia Berg 503-239-5377 or Virginia.berg@portlandwaldorfschool.org

Gardening Volunteers Wanted @ PWSSpring is right around the corner. There’s a lot to do here; pruning, mulching, weeding, etc. I am looking for parents that have a little time after drop off or before pick up to help out around the grounds as the days get nicer. If you have any interest in helping do some gardening around PWS please contact Brendan Eiswerth (PWS Facilities Manager). I can promise good conversation, the feeling of a job well done and possibly a cup of coffee for any overachievers. Brendan.eiswerth@portlandwaldorfschool.org503-654-2200 x222

Art for sale by Patricia LynchOur high school art teacher, Patricia Lynch, has a series of landscape oil paintings for sale on display at Bread and Ink Cafe at 3610 SE Hawthorne.   The pictures represent Patricia's continuing interest in transforming her experiences of early morning light, color and form on Sauvie Island into dynamic color images.  They are up through the first week  of April.  Come in for great food and great art.

Monday Tuesday Wed Thurs Fri & Sat

1Circus Arts Class1:30-3:00

2Community Choir 8:45am

3the Flour Mill Auction 6pm

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Parent Council 7-9pm

6

Adult Blacksmithing 6pm

7Walk Through the Grades 8:45am

Adult Eurythmy 8:45am

Grade 5 Pt Mtg 7:30pm

8Circus Arts Class1:30-3:00

9Community Choir 8:45amBring You Parents to School Night6pmScrip Orders Due

10Simplicity Parenting Group 10amCommunity Sock Hop-Sq Dance 5:30

12Rose K PT Mt 1:30pm

13Adult Blacksmithing 6pm

3rd Grade Pt Mt 6:30pm

14Adult Eurythmy 8:45 am

Trillium Pt Mt 7pm

15Circus Arts Class1:30-3:00

Re-Enrollment8-3pm

16Community Choir 8:45amSenior Projects 7-9:30PM

17Re-Enrollment 9-11amSenior Projects 9-NoonGrade 1 PT MT 9:30AMSimplicity Parenting Group 10am

19 20Adult Blacksmithing 6pm

21Adult Eurythmy

8:45 am4th Grade Pt Mt 6:30pm

22Circus Arts Class1:30-3:00

23Community Choir 8:45am

24Simplicity Parenting Group 10amEC Tea for Prospective

Families 10:30am

26 27Adult Blacksmithing 6pm

28Adult Eurythmy 8:45 am

29Circus Arts Class1:30-3:00

South Pacific 7pm

30Community Choir 8:45am

31Simplicity Parenting Group 10am

Mar

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WWW.PORTLANDWALDORF.ORG 503.654.2200 12

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PORTLAND WALDORF2300 SE HARRISON STREETMILWAUKIE, OR 97222

WWW.PORTLANDWALDORF.ORG 503.654.2200 MARCH 2012 HEARTBEAT

Diane RowleyInterim School Chair, Editor

Kelly ChappiePublication

To submit photos or story ideasnewsletter@portlandwaldorf.org

Leadership Council Francine AdamsPatricia LynchCarrie MassRobin O’Brien

Board PresidentBruce Evans

Parent Council Co-ChairpersonsStephanie Baartz-Bowman & Dave Renzema