LBE 10.28.15 - Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School

Lunchbox Express
An education for heart, hands, and head
Calendar
Fri Oct 30 Site Planning Committee Update &
Martinmas Song Practice – 8:10 a.m. in the gym
Fri Oct 30 New Parent Engagement Meeting – 9:30
a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – in the school gym
Sat Oct 31 NEW DATE!! Enchanted Forest –
Hubbard Hills – 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Mon Nov 2 In-Service – No School
Tue Nov 3 3rd Grade Field Trip – 8:30 a.m. – 10:00
a.m.
Wed Nov 4 Marketing & Communications Meeting –
8:30 a.m. – Development Office
Wed Nov 4 4th Grade Parent Meeting – 5:00 p.m. –
7:00 p.m. – in the 4th grade classroom
Fri Nov 6 Parent Association Community Conversation
Topic: Parent Involvement – after assembly in the gym.
Sat Nov 7 Joint Kindergarten/Preschool Parent Meeting
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Wed Nov 11 PRWS 1% day at the Viroqua Food
Co-op – shop today and contribute to the school!
Sat Nov 14 All-School Work Day
Sat Nov 14 Story and Craft Program – 9:00 a.m. –
10:30 a.m. in the Parent/Child room
October 28, 2015
Enchanted Forest – Saturday, October 31st
The City of Viroqua has announced that they will be
holding their official Trick-or-Treat event on Saturday,
October 31st. Therefore, we will hold our Enchanted
Forest on the same day, October 31st, from 3:00 p.m. to
5:00 p.m. (so the children only have to get dressed
up once).
The Enchanted Forest will take place at Hubbard Hills,
at the end of W. Maple St. There will be parking in the
pasture area, this year, at the end of W. Maple St.
Concessions will again be sold by 8th grade parents.
Fees are $2 per person, $7 max/family. All profits go to
the 8th grade class-trip fund. There are no bathroom
facilities at the site, so please come prepared!
Paula Grenier, Enchanted Forest Coordinator
Martinmas Festival Song Practice and
Site Committee Update
I go outside with my lantern,
My lantern goes with me.
Above me shine the stars so bright,
Down here on earth shine we.
Martinmas will be celebrated November 13th at
Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School. Children in the lower
grades along with their parents will be walking outside,
carrying lanterns, and singing songs spreading light in
the darkness. Watch for more details in next week’s
Lunchbox Express.
On Friday, October 30th, we invite parents to meet at
8:10 a.m. in the school gym for a brief community
update and conversation around the newly forming
Site Committee. Afterward, Catherine Young will
teach us a few of the songs for Martinmas.
Please join us!
Marianne Fieber-Dhara, Administrative Chair
Hot Lunch Menu
Friday Assembly
Week of November 2
Assembly begins at 8:20 AM
Monday – No School – In-Service
Tuesday – Burritos
Wednesday – Stew & Cornbread
Thursday – Italian Veggies & Orzo
Oct 30 —No Assembly – Site Planning Update
Nov 6 —Odd Grades – Community
Conversation – Parent Involvement
Nov 13 —Martinmas Celebration
Nov 20 —No Assembly- LRP Update
Lunchbox Express October 28, 2015
Community Conversation –
Parent Involvement
Thank You to Volunteers on Grandparents
and Special Friends Day
The Parent Association would like to invite you
to join us on Friday, November 6th, after the
assembly to continue our conversation about
Building a Waldorf School Community with a
focus on Parent Involvement. What are the
rewards of volunteering? What are the
benefits of learning more about the education
your child is experiencing? How would people
like to engage with the school? Please join us
in the gym for further discussion.
- Nan Marshall, Parent Association
Last Friday we had close to 85 grandparents or
special friends visit us for the assembly,
classroom visits, reception, and luncheon – a
very full house! The day went smoothly as
reported by teachers and our guests. I want to
acknowledge the faculty who prepare for and
open their classes to visitors and to Ms. Lerie for
giving up the gym for two periods. I want to
acknowledge the many volunteers and their
jobs that go into making this event possible.
Before the day arrives, soup, bread, dessert
making and food pickup begins – thank you
Julie Turino, Sofya Hundt, Janice Zimmermann,
Jennifer Wade, Peg O’Rourke, Peggy Blake,
Mark Brudos, and Cynthia Olmstead.
On Friday, the set-up and clean-up of the gym
was done by Mike Bieser and Jerry Brenneman
(who also helped wash dishes). David Levin set
up the PA system, and Bob Allan took photos
and videotaped our alumni speaker, Adam
Cox (class of 2002). Adam gave us a
wonderful sense of the importance of form
drawing, main lesson books, and being
immersed in color and art relative to his work
now in GIS mapping. We hope to put his
presentation on our website where you can
hear it.
It takes many people to set tables (twice!),
plate and serve food and coffee, and clean
up the dishes and the kitchen – thank you to
Julie Turino, Havvah Spicer, Peggy Blake,
Jennifer Wade, Dodie Whitaker, Angela
Rennilson, Cyndy Hubbard, Diane Splinter,
Cynthia Olmstead, Liz Franklin, and Jordan
Brudos.
We also thank BrewDog for brewing the
coffee, to Alycann Taylor’s father for delivering
it to us, and to Maureen Karlstad for washing all
the tablecloths. Cathy Brummer set up a
beautiful display of the School Store in the
lobby – always great for public relations.
Thank you, all. I hope I didn’t inadvertently
leave anyone out.
-Mary Christenson, Development Director
Holiday Faire Crafting
There will be an adult crafting get-together this
Friday, October 30th, from 6:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m.
at Sofya Hundt’s home. We hope you can join
us in making handmade items for the
Children’s Castle for this year’s Holiday Faire.
You don’t need to be “crafty” to join us – we
will have crafts for all skill levels. Snacks and
drinks will be provided. This will be a fun
evening – hope to see you there!
All are also invited to craft on Monday
evenings at Ewetopia from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00
p.m. If you are unable to attend these
crafting evenings but would like to help, just let
us know and we can supply you with a kit to
craft at home. Contact Jordan at 638-1100 or
[email protected] if you have any questions.
-Jordan Brudos, Children’s Castle
Garlic for Sale
We are selling garlic in the office – garlic that
was grown in the PRWS School Garden! They
are lovely, large heads, fine for eating or
planting. The proceeds will help us purchase
some needed gardening tools. The price is
$10/lb. That is equivalent to 3/$5 or 6/$10.
Thanks for supporting the children in this way.
-Erica Pfeiffer, Garden Coordinator
Many Thanks!
Thank you to Felix Thalhammer for the lovely
large pumpkin gracing our front steps.
-Marianne Fieber-Dhara,
Administrative Chair
Page 2
Lunchbox Express October 28, 2015
Abominable Snow Crews
Parent Feedback - Reminder
Once again this year
We need the volunteer
Crews to move the snows
That everybody knows
Will be here soon enough
To show us just how tough
Wisconsin winters get
And that we are tougher yet!
Many parents may have received a feedback
form for class teachers and subject teachers
during conferences last week.
Comments and suggestions from parents are
part of our annual evaluation processes for
faculty as well as staff. We would like to have
these forms before the Thanksgiving break.
Please turn in completed forms to Marianne
Fieber-Dhara's office mailbox.
Our faculty evaluation process includes the
completion of a self-evaluation, classroom
observation by another faculty member, and
colleague and parent feedback shared
through a face-to-face conversation.
This full evaluation process is completed every
other year. During the alternate year, the
evaluation consists of colleague and parent
feedback delivered through a face-to-face
conversation with a member of the
Personnel Committee.
We value parent participation in this process.
Attached at the end of this Lunchbox Express,
please find copies of the parent feedback
forms. They are also available in the office.
Thank you.
-Marianne Fieber-Dhara, Personnel Committee
Although poetry is clearly not my calling, I am
putting out a call for this year's snow removal
season. We will go by grades again. Two oneweek assignments each grade. Your classes
already have an assigned lead coordinator.
Look for lots of information from them, and
they'll be needing lots of help from you. There
are a few stretches where we'll look to the
whole school community to pitch in (late fall,
winter break, late spring). For now, here is the
startup calendar. Contact Sofya Hundt or Jon
Dehlin with questions.
Grade
Start Date
(beginning
Sunday noon)
End Date
(ending
Sunday noon)
Whoever can
Start of School
help
7-Nov-15
8
8-Nov-15
14-Nov-15
7
15-Nov-15
21-Nov-15
6
2 2-Nov-15
28-Nov-15
Boiler System Apprentice Needed
We are looking for someone who would be
interested in learning the care and
maintenance of our boiler system to learn the
ropes with Marc LeMaire over the course of this
heating season. We have long depended on
former parent and all-around super guy Dan
Arnold to help and check in on the system on
occasion. Although his good will knows no
bounds, we would like to ensure the continuity
of care for the adolescent boiler system, and
we're hoping you are just the person who likes
hot stuff and letting off a little steam without
boiling over, literally. Contact Marc, Jon Dehlin,
or Sofya Hundt if you are interested. And if you
see Dan around town, give him many thanks.
-Jon Dehlin, Facilities Committee
-Jon Dehlin, Facilities Committee
Articles about Media and Technology
On October 17th, there was a lively discussion,
sponsored by the Parent Association, between
panel discussion members Jacob Hundt,
Martha Karlstad, and Martha Buche;
moderator Natalie McIntire; and a group of
interested parents, about our in-home use of
technology. If you would like to sample some
of the flavor of the discussion, please stop by
the office to pick up articles on the topic.
The most recent “Waldorf Today” also has a
good article on the subject.
- Nan Marshall, Parent Association
Page 3
Lunchbox Express October 28, 2015
New Pleasant Ridge Program for Parents
and Infants
New Grades Clothes Sharing Cabinet
The Parent Association has put together a
borrowing cabinet for outerwear for the
grades children. It is in the hallway across from
the 2nd grade. If a child needs snow pants, rain
boots, mittens, etc., for the day, they are
welcome to borrow them and put them back
at the end of the day. If a child needs to
borrow an item for the year, they are also
welcome to do so. Donations for the cabinet
are gladly accepted. Just bring clean
outerwear items to the office.
-Nan Marshall, Parent Association
Attention all parents with infants! Is your baby
up and walking yet? If not, Ms. Martha warmly
invites you to join her Parent-Infant group (it’s
not too late to join). This weekly parent
community meets in a beautiful, safe room
where parents can chat over tea, share birth
stories, ask questions, and discuss child
development with an early childhood mentor
while crafting a handmade toy for their little
one. The cost for this is $10/session. There are 3
sessions left. Spaces are limited. Contact
[email protected] if you
are interested.
-Jordan Brudos, Admissions &
Enrollment Coordinator
Looking for Airline Miles – Annette Bammer
(Conlon) is Coming to Town!
I am looking for anyone with airline miles they
are willing to donate to help us fund Annette
(Conlon) Bammer’s visit to PRWS at the end of
January. She will be arriving in New York late
January, and we wish to help her get to
Viroqua and Pleasant Ridge. She will be
providing classroom observations for our new
eurythmists as well as offering some curative
eurythmy sessions for our students.
If you have miles that you are willing to
donate, please contact Marianne FieberDhara.
Thank you!
-Marianne Fieber-Dhara, Administrative Chair
Sixth Grade Poetry
The 6th graders recently took a field trip to
Devil’s Lake. They all wrote and illustrated
poems about this or other camping
experiences. Their work will appear at the end
of this and subsequent editions of the
Lunchbox Express. This issue includes two
poems at the end of the newsletter: “The
Climbing Adventure” is by Joy Hubbard. The
second poem is by Sylvia Hunt.
In addition, we are including 2 short seasonal
poems below.
There’s a New Face in Grade 2!
October
In the beginning the gold red leaves
Start to fall on your head –
The wind starts to soar – days get cold –
It’s transitional, but of course beauty is hard to
see with an untrained eye.
But I can see the colors of dark orange to light
green.
by Jude Wagner
Please welcome Skyla and her mother,
Rebecca Felten to the school. Their contact
information is listed below:
721 Western Ave
Viroqua, WI 54665
608-780-3993
[email protected]
We are delighted that they are here!
-Jordan Brudos, Admissions &
Enrollment Coordinator
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Lunchbox Express October 28, 2015
Parent-Infant and Parent-Child Wishes
Thanks for the Help!
Does anyone have lambskins with the fleece
on that they no longer use that they’d be
willing to give or to lend? The Parent-Infant
class would be a very appreciative new home
for them on a temporary or permanent basis!
We have little babies who would love to
snuggle in warm wool fleece for our time in
Parent-Infant class.
Do you have an infant or toddler carrier or sling
that you no longer use and are willing to give
to a good cause? There is a campaign
collecting them to give to Syrian refugee
parents for carrying their children as they move
across the world in search of safety for their
families. If you are willing and able to help,
please contact me to drop off your carrier.
Also, some favorite toys from the ParentInfant/Parent-Child/Preschool room have gone
missing within the last month:
One unpainted set of wooden nesting dolls about 6" tall with 4 person-shaped layers
One wooden toy tea bag with a spring green
tag from HABA toys
If you have seen/borrowed/found these in your
child's pockets lately, we would love to have
returned to the classroom. They are well loved
and sorely missed Early Childhood toys. Please
contact Ms. Martha via the school office or
email at [email protected] if you
should find them. Thanks!
-Martha Buche, Early Childhood Teacher
A big thank-you to all who volunteered their
time to sell coffee at the Farmer’s Market this
season. We had some beautiful mornings and
great conversations with folks about
our school!
-Jordan Brudos, Admissions &
Enrollment Coordinator
Soul of Discipline Book Study
The Soul of Discipline is the latest book by Kim
John Payne, M.Ed. He is also the author of
Simplicity Parenting, that was the focus of a
year-long study at the school a couple of years
ago.
The Parent Association is having a book study
of The Soul of Discipline in late January. We
invite everyone to attend, whether they’ve
been able to read the book or not. Discipline
is a topic that is close everyone’s heart, and all
are welcome.
The book is available through the school store
at a discounted price of $21. The book is also
available through the public library.
Stay tuned for more information and a date for
the book study – but start reading now!
-Nan Marshall, Parent Association
Long-Range Planning Committee Update
Thank you to so many of our community
members, students included, who provided
-Jordan Brudos,
Admissions
& Enrollment
excellent
input on
the Building
EnrollmentCoordinator
questionnaire as well as the white roll of paper
in the hallway during last week. The LongRange Planning Committee had a productive
meeting on Sunday October 25th at Mary
Christenson’s house reviewing the input,
identifying themes, and beginning to layout
goals, success measures, and initiatives for our
Long-Range Plan. The conversations with
community members will continue as we
create a living document to lead our school
into the future.
-Marianne Fieber-Dhara, Administrative Chair
Directory Updates
Please make these updates to your directory:
The Magnan-Elliotts have a new address and
phone number –
S2504 County Rd. S, Westby, WI 54667
634-4387
Cree Max has a new landline – 608-627-2800
Justin Tyler has a new cell phone number –
632-6669.
Welcome Back to the Elfrink Family
Lily in 3rd grade, Quinn in 6th grade, and Asher
in the Rosemary Kindergarten.
Teri & Steve Elfrink, S3493A Prairie Edge Rd.,
Westby, WI 54665, 632-6832.
-Nan Marshall, Secretary
Page 5
Lunchbox Express October 28, 2015
PRWS Basketball Team
Young Green Thumbs
This year PRWS will have a basketball team!
The team will be open to students in grades 6
through 8 and will be coached by Lars and
Kate Bergan. There will be a brief informational
meeting on Thursday, October 29, at 3:00 p.m.
in the 7th grade classroom. Interested parents
and students are encouraged to attend. If
you are interested but unable to attend, email
Lars at [email protected].
-Kate Bergan, Coach
Ms. Morse’s 3rd grade class recently planted
over 800 garlic cloves in the school garden at
the Flower Basket land! Each one of these
cloves, with Mother Nature’s blessing and care
from us, has the potential to grow into a
beautiful bulb of garlic. The PRWS lunch
program uses approximately 140 bulbs of garlic
each school year to make delicious food for
the students. The remaining bulbs will be
broken into cloves and planted for the
following year’s crop. The students can be
proud of their work each year, planting,
harvesting and supplying the kitchen with an
ample supply of garlic!
-Erica Pfeiffer, Garden Coordinator
Save the Date for the November 14
All-School Workday
Please plan to join us for some satisfying work,
great food, and social time during our
upcoming All-School Workday on November
14. We have a few important indoor and
outdoor tasks to tackle before the onset of
winter and are hoping for about 35-40
volunteers to get everything in tip-top shape.
A couple of hours of your time within the 9:00
a.m. – 3:00 p.m. window would go a long way
toward this goal. If you are new to the school
and are looking for a tangible way to pitch in
while meeting other families, this is a great
opportunity! As usual, we will be providing
homemade lunch and coordinating the effort.
-PRWS Facilities Committee
COMMUNITY NEWS
Creative Movement +Yoga for little movers!
Thursdays, November 5 - December 17
5:00 p.m. -5:45 p.m. at the ARK Center for the Arts
$36 whole session; $8 drop in
Contact Mandy Herrick for more info and
registration: herricam@gmail .com.
My dog, cat, and I are looking for winter shelter
through March. Willing/able to rent, barter, or share
a larger space. I’m a responsible adult male with
references. All leads/contacts are appreciated.
[email protected] - 406-461-0244
Thank You from the Facilities Committee
Clay Button-making class with Maureen Karlstad
this Saturday at Ewetopia Fiber Shop. Design, make,
glaze, and have fired your very own beautiful
buttons. October 24 from 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
Please call to register. 637-3443.
Many thanks to Michael Severson, Christopher
Bond, Daniel Krumenauer, and Sofya Hundt for
braving wind and rain for eight hours straight to
install new roofing on the Violet Kindergarten
"straw house" shelter. The new roof looks
fantastic and is sure to last another decade! A
special thank-you to Michael Severson for
leading the project and putting in a few extra
hours and to Jon Dehlin for delivering the
materials. Your hard work and dedication are
an inspiration.
We would also like to thank Jerrod Getz and
Marc LeMaire for covering the last two weeks
of our lawn-mowing schedule. Everything is
looking good out there!
-PRWS Facilities Committee
All Soul’s Gathering - Please join us as we hold a
candlelit vigil in honor of our friends & family who
have crossed the threshold. Monday, November 2,
2015 – 4:30 p.m., at the Old Main Building at 321 E.
Decker. Please bring a candle to light and be
prompt so as not to break the mood. We should be
finished about 5:30 p.m. Mary Christenson for the
Viroqua Friends of Anthroposophy.
Page 6
Lunchbox Express October 28, 2015
FILMS TO DIE FOR: Join us for the second in a movie
series sponsored by Threshold Care Circle. On
November 12th we will be showing “Departures,” a
Japanese movie about Daigo, a young man who
believes his new career will involve making travel
arrangements for the living, but instead he finds
himself preparing dead bodies for cremation.
The Landmark Center, 500 E. Jefferson St., Room
202, 7:00 p.m. Donations accepted, refreshments
available for purchase.
Tutoring, anyone? Do you have a child that could
use help with reading, writing, study skills, basic
math, …? I can help! Past tutoring experience,
flexible schedule, and sliding scale payment. Call
Caroline at 608-370-0350.
LUNCHBOX EXPRESS COMMUNITY NEWS POLICY
The Lunchbox Express Community News section is provided as a
service to the school community. Printing of an ad does not
imply endorsement by Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School.
How to Place an Ad:
1. Limit your ad to 70 words. We do not edit. We will not print ads
over 70 words. If you must have a long ad, make a note & give it
to the office staff to place on the bulletin board.
2. Ads will be printed only once.
3. Put your ad in the folder in the LBE’s mailbox in the Office
marked “Lunchbox Community News” OR e-mail ad to Vicki
Ramsay at [email protected] with “Community News”
in the subject line.
4. Deadline is Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m. There may be occasions,
due to unforeseen circumstances or space restrictions, that the
Community section will not be printed. Thank you.
Page 7
i,
,
Fo
m
Fu
Fe
,
F
HALLOWEEN
Enchant ed Forest Walk
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 3–5 p. m .
HUBBARD HILLS FOREST
AT THE WEST END OF MAPLE ST. IN VIROQUA
$
2 per person; $7 maximum family cost
All profits go to the 8th grade PRWS class-trip fund.
Please call Paula Grenier at 606-3500 with questions.
Parent Feedback for Class Teachers
Teacher's Name _______________________________ Grade__________________
The feedback you give here is part of the annual evaluation process for teachers. The completed form will go to a
Personnel Committee member for collating. All information is confidential, and the themes will be presented to the
teacher during his/her evaluation conversation. Teacher evaluations include a classroom observation visit, review of
students' work, a self-evaluation, feedback from parents and feedback from colleagues.
Thank you for your participation.
1. Do you think your child is having a positive experience at school? Please elaborate if you wish.
2. Good communication is one aspect of a healthy relationship between parent(s) and teacher. Do you have a good
relationship with your child's teacher? Please elaborate if you wish.
3. What strengths have you observed and what do you appreciate about your child's teacher?
4. Do you have any ideas and suggestions for this teacher?
5. Do you have any ideas or suggestions for class parent evenings?
6. Any other questions, concerns, comments?
__________________________________________
Signature
__________________
Date
Use back side of this form if needed. Reminder: Unsigned forms may not be considered. Thank you for your cooperation.
Please return forms to the box in the office by November 20, 2015.
10/2015
Parent Feedback for Subject Teachers
Teacher's Name ____________________________ Subject___________________
The feedback you give here is part of the evaluation process for teachers. The completed form will go to a Personnel
Committee member for collating. These forms are to be signed. All information is confidential and the themes will be
presented to the teacher at his/her evaluation conversation. Teacher evaluations include a classroom observation visit,
review of students' work, a self-evaluation, feedback from parents and feedback from colleagues.
Thank you for your participation.
1. Do you think your child is having a positive experience in this class? Please elaborate if you wish.
2. Good communication is one aspect of a healthy relationship between parent(s) and teachers. Do you have a good
relationship with this teacher? Please elaborate if you wish.
3. What do you appreciate about your child's experience in this specialty class?
4. What strengths have you observed in this teacher?
5. Do you have any ideas and suggestions for this teacher?
6. Any other questions, concerns, comments?
___________________________________________
Signature
__________________
Date
Use the back side of this form if needed. Reminder: Unsigned forms will not be considered. Thank you for your cooperation.
Please return forms to the box in the office. DUE NOVEMBER 20, 2015
10/2015