Alabama Waldorf School

March/April 2012

AWS AWareneSs

Weekly Tours of AWS Tuesdays

9-10am

Marketing Committee Meeting—11:30-12:30.

Weekly.

4/11 and

4/25

Class Pictures taken by Future Memories

Photography

Wed & Thu,

4/11 & 12

Family Association Meeting — Potluck!

Childcare provided. Grades Hallway.

Thu, 4/12

5:30-7pm

Class Photo Make-up Day Fri, 4/13

Work/Play Day! Childcare provided. Sat, 4/14

8am-4pm

1st, 2nd and 3rd Grade Parent Evenings,

5:30-7:30pm

Tue, 4/17

Party for the Planet at Birmingham Zoo! Come by

and visit our booth! 10am-3pm

Saturday,

4/21

Board of Trustees meeting. Grades Hallway.

5:30-7pm.

Tue, 4/24

Pentathlon for Grade 5 — Atlanta Waldorf

School

Wed-Thu,

4/25-26

6th, 7th, and 8th grade Parent Evenings Thu, 4/26

6-7:30pm

Magic City Art Connection. Linn Park. Come

by and visit our booth!

Fri-Sun,

4/27-29

Screen-Free Week! See above and p. 2 for

details.

Apr 30th-

May 6th

Spring Holiday — NO SCHOOL (Inclement weather

days) Friday-Monday, April 20th-23rd

School resumes Tuesday, April 24th

Final Grades Assembly of the school year. All

invited! Auditorium.

Fri, 5/4

2:30-:45pm

AWS Events Calendar— April 1st to May 4th

Looking Ahead… Last Day of School for 2011-12 is Friday, 5/25.

Preschool Summer Program begins Monday, 6/4.

AWS Promotes Screen-Free Week, April 30th—May 6th

National Screen-

Free Week is April

30th through May 6th.

Turn off your screens

and give your eyes

and brains a rest from

celluloidal stress!! Each day of

Screen-Free Week, AWS will be

hosting outdoor and indoor games

and activities the whole family can

enjoy. Stay tuned to our website

and facebook page for updates! ;)

We will try to accommodate all Bir-

mingham-area families by having

games at various parks. Visit

screenfree.org for resources, organ-

izer kits, and event listings.

But don’t let the week’s goals

end there—learn more about the

dangerous consequences of our

media-centered society on our chil-

dren on May 14th. Puzzle Piece will

sponsor a return visit from Jaimen

McMillan, internationally recognized

presenter and author on Spacial

Dynamics and curative and thera-

peutic solutions to physical and

emotional developmental issues.

According to the program flier, “The

lecture will unmask the threats of

the elusive lure of TV, computers,

video games, and electronics while

providing us with techniques to help

our children explore and learn in

more productive ways.” May 14th,

2012. 6pm at Alabama Waldorf

School. Call 205-969-8080 to regis-

ter. Event details and costs can be

found on the last two pages of this

newsletter.***

Page 2 AWS AWareneSs

pacing ourselves, having grown our preschool 25 years, adding the grades pro-gram in 2000, and graduating our sixth 8th grade class this May. (Turn to p.6 for updates on our alumni!) In an effort to better famil-iarize the public with Waldorf education, AWSNA publishes a monthly newsletter. Ex-cerpts are below. (Go to www.whywaldorfworks.org/03_NewsEvents/index.asp for the full newsletter.) “Once again, AWSNA is proud to officially endorse Screen-Free Week (April 30-May 6). This is the annual celebration where children, families, schools, and com-munities turn off screens and turn on life. Nationally, children spend far too

News from *AWSNA, *The Association of Waldorf Schools of North America

On March 17th, key mem-bers of AWS’ faculty and staff spent their first days of Spring Break attending AWSNA’s regional conference in At-lanta. The College of Teach-ers Chair, Samantha Hall, Waldorf certified Early Child-hood Trained Teacher, Sad-hna Udharam, College of Teachers member Carole Bennighof, and Administrator Lisa Grupe, visited workshops on Marketing, Eurythmy, Practical and Fine Arts in the Curriculum, Extended Care Programs, Teaching Middle School Curriculum, and Edu-cational Support in the Class-room. In Atlanta, Dr. Grupe met with AWS’ representative to AWSNA for an annual up-date. Our three-year plan, written in November of 2011, was accepted, and AWSNA will be doing a site visit (mostly likely Fall of 2012). In 2014, we will review where we are in relation to the three-year plan and then write a Phase II plan. All of this is part of the path toward full membership in AWSNA, and we are doing a good job of

much time with screens: an astonishing average of 32 hours a week for preschoolers and even more for older children. We all know that excessive screen time is harmful for children—it's linked to poor school performance, child-hood obesity, attention problems, and the erosion of creative play. “Screen-Free Week (formerly TV-Turnoff) is a wonderful way to help chil-dren lead healthier, hap-pier lives by reducing de-pendence on entertain-ment screen media-including television, video games, computers, and hand-held devices. By encouraging children and families to unplug, Screen-Free Week provides time for them to play, connect with nature, read, day-dream, create, explore, and spend more time with family and friends. “Join with us in working to have a completely free-of-screens week to empha-size the importance of this

CNN Reports on Waldorf Education Publicity about Wal-dorf Education after the New York Times article last fall that focused on low-tech education in a high-tech world contin-ues to grow! The latest is an excellent report by CNN reporter Dan Simon. Visit the website below to be directed to the video.*** http://

blog.capeannwaldorf.org/2012/03/cnn-story-on-waldorf-education/

*Puzzle Piece hosts School Problems with Jaimen McMillan. En-dorsed by AWSNA, Jaimen again brings his expertise to our area, as the poster describes: “School problems may have a spatial compo-nent that leaves the child uncentered, at loose ends, a victim of

action/reaction. This workshop uses tech-niques from Spatial Dy-namics to learn ways to support classroom learning while fostering inclusivity and weaving a healthy social fabric.” The workshop will be held on Tuesday, May 15th from 9am-Noon at Alabama Waldorf

AWSNA’s campaign to edu-cate the general public about Waldorf Education is called

Why Waldorf Works. Visit their website at whywal-

dorfworks.com, and share the link with friends and family!***

School. Turn to the final page of this newsletter for the registration form, or call 205.969.8080 or email puzzle-piece@aol.com for de-tails. Last year, AWS hosted a visit by Jaimen. See the April 2010 issue of the Awareness to read about the workshops he

presented.***

*Founded by Renee Plata, Puzzle Piece de-velops creative solu-tions for children with learning difficulties.

For more information, visit their website at

puzzlepieceala-bama.com.

*Puzzle Piece sponsors visit by renown curative specialist

effort.” At AWS, limiting screen time is part of an enrolled parent’s Commu-nity Pledge and a daily plea from AWS teachers! Congrats to us for striving year-round!***

Page 3 AWS AWareneSs

AWS Spring Fundraiser

HUGE Success!

They came, they saw, they bid...and the AWS Community had

a great time doing it!

Our 2012 Spring

Fundraiser was a bigger

success than we ever

hoped it would be, meet-

ing the budget and then

some (and by “some” we

mean over $8k!!). Our

thanks to our supporters,

sponsors, parents, teach-

ers, staff, and family who

donated to the auctions,

and enlivened the Can-

tina at Pepper Place with

enthusiasm and their

Fiesta best! Photos on

these pages were pro-

vided by Michael “Flash” Mills, who also created the tribute video

to Huck. The video, along with the unique auction set-up made

the 2012 gala not just successful but memorable. What an AWe-

Some community we have!!***

AWS parents attend in style!

Pictured (from top): Megha

Gavin and Vikas Hegde;

Mwenja Mwenja, John Paul and

Jennifer Robinson; and above:

Georgia Slawson caught un-

awares by the stealthy affection

of husband Bart. Below: The

Hurlers provided awesome

music! Kenny McDowell, John

Otey Hutchinson, and our very

own Mr. Lucas.***

Among those pictured

above: Andrew Brown, Suz-

anne Kilpatrick, Michelle

Lucas, Lauren Kilpatrick;

Ms. Sadhna, with husband

Albert Malkani; Below: Dave

Hall and Nursery Teacher

Samantha Hall; and AWS

Foundress Sheila Rubin

sidles up to longtime friend

and teacher Mr. Lucas.***

Above left: Monica Spiegel and Julie Parker, volunteer-

ing at check-in. Above right: The auction was set up

and staged by the creative minds of Holly Terrell and

Kathy D’agostino (Kathy pictured bottom right with

husband Kyle). Below: Frank Hamby, Katrina Turn-

bach, with friends Shelleigh Buckingham and Mike

Edfeldt.***

Page 4 Alabama Waldorf School...

Understanding the connection between Arts & Academics

Many Thanks to All who donated Auction items!!

All Pre-School & Grades Classes

A & S Associates

Agoge Fitness System

Alabama Art Supply

Alfredo’s Pizza Café

At Home Furnishings

Avondale Brewery

AWS Kindergarten

Teachers

AWS Nursery Teachers AWS

Grades Teachers

Asheville Renaissance Hotel

Birmingham Barons

Birmingham Children’s Theater

Birmingham Flight Center

Birmingham Museum of Art

The Birmingham News

Black Warrior Riverkeeper

Books-a-Million

Books, Beans, and

Candles

Beth Borden, artist

Bottega

Brainiac Puzzles

Bromberg’s

Andrew Brown of Rolfing

Structural Intergation

Susan Brydenbaugh of Bryden’s

Doll House Miniatures

Matt Burke

Gerda Carmichael, artist

Chez Lu Lu

Chuy’s Tex Mex

Clairmont Dental

Melanie Colvin, artist

Continental Bakery

Austin Carpenter, artist

Julie Pearson Carpenter, artist

Patricia Cuddihy, artist

Church Street

Coffee & Books

Crestwood Coffee

Lisa Cordes

Brad Daly, artist

Dariana Dervis, artist

Devyani Dance Company &

Megha Gavin

Kevin Dobbins Pearls

Bob Duca Ashley Dulaney, artist

Echolyric Designs El Barrio

El Taco Loco Evans Meats

First Avenue Rocks Forest Perk

Tosha Gaines Photography Greg Gardner

Lisa Gibbs Golden Temple

El Gringo Forest Perk

Dave and Samantha Hall Peg Holland Jewelry Ned & Kathy Hook

Debra Housch Izzy’s Illegal Burrito

Jack & Jill Shop Julius Car Care Cam Langley

La Paz Little Savannah Restaurant

Eleanore Lozier Mac’s One Stop

Magic City Art Connection/ Imagination Festival Leslie Martin, artist Let’s Get Organized

Natalie Mixon Cynthia Mwenja

Nall Daniels Animal Hospital Lori Nichols

Leslie P. Nuby, artist NYR Organic

Oscar’s at the Museum Arthur Price, artist

Red Lobster Party City

Pelham Civic Complex Pet Stop Alabama

Pilates on Highlands Porsche Sport Driving School

Primavera Coffee Red Breast Studio

Red Mountain Theater Company

Michelle Reynolds Sheila Rubin

Mary Ann Saylor Samford Summer Camp

Susan Shoemaker Sikes Children’s Shoes

Bart Slawson Matt Slocum

Sloss Furnaces

Laura Stacy

Subway

Tres Taylor, artist

Chris & Holly Terrell

ToDo4You (Rachel Williams)

Sarah Thompson

Urban Cookhouse

Uriel Pharmacy

Vulcan Park

and Museum

Jennifer Wallace, artist

Ann Wells, artist

Paul C. Wilm, artist

Zkano

We’re grateful

for your

generosity!

AWS extended

family enjoying

the evening! From

top: Jill Housch

with mom-in-law

Debra; Emily and

Sandra Lawler;

Dexter Hendrix

and family; class

teacher Lynda

Powell, at right:

Lee South, Opal’s

mom.***

This year's 8th graders have been accepted to the finest schools in the state for their high school years. Rumi Kallenbach joins Alabama School of Fine Arts (ASFA) in the Visual Arts program; he joins fellow AWS alum Liam Bradley (Creative Writing), Shelby Carpen-ter (Creative Writing), Ashby Marriott (Math & Science), Colin Neel (Dance), Rebekah Simon (Music), and Chad Tucker (Creative Writing). Former AWS attendees Henry

Tharpe (Visual Arts) and Emma Yester (Music) will also be joining ASFA this Fall. Marian Mwenja (pictured at right) will find kindred spirits from AWS at the Jefferson County International Baccalaure-ate School (JCIB) on the Shades Valley campus; Madeline Hall (AWS '11) will be there to show Marian the ropes as this year’s seniors Alex Kilpatrick (AWS '08) and Janine Mwenja (AWS '08) graduate to attend the

The 3rd grade class recently visited Heron Hollow Farm

to try their hand at farming for a day. The children began

by mastering the art of milking a goat, which requires a

two-part effort of distracting and mollifying the goats by

feeding them oats while they are being milked. It takes a

firm hand and lots of oats to fill a gallon jar!

Once our buckets were topped off we moved over to

the hen house to collect eggs. Children boldly reached

under the mother hens to gather the most colorful assort-

ment of eggs. Each child cracked a handful to help whip

up scrambled eggs for breakfast, along with biscuits and

plum jelly. After a full stomach we set out to produce moz-

zarella cheese using our fresh goat milk! Everyone was

able to take home a portion of the delicious cheese. Fi-

nally, we ended the afternoon by watching the profes-

sional farmers hand-shear a chocolate-brown ram. They

were kind enough to send the sweet smelling wool home

with the class. The children have high hopes of spinning

the wool into a beautiful ball of yarn, with the help and

know-how from Handwork teacher Ms. Gurganus.

The hands-on experience was the perfect opportunity

for the children to see the day-to-day life of a farmer!***

Aws Alumni Updates

AWS AWareneSs Page 5

Above: Geneva learn-ing to make cheese. Below: Jaren shows off the egg he took from the roosting house!***

Above: Jaden and his mom adding goat’s milk to the scrambled egg breakfast. Below: Will takes a moment away from the bustle of the farm to pet the goats.***

colleges of their choice. Janine has chosen Au-burn for Architecture, and Alex has decided to at-tend University of Monte-vallo. Emma Downs (AWS ’08) graduates from In-dian Springs and then heads to Appalachian State. Alice Bennighof has been accepted to the Vis-ual Arts Academy at Shades Valley High School. There, she will reconnect with former AWS alum Teresier

McGough (AWS' 09) and Esme Shields. Congratulations to these fine 8th graders, their parents, and their AWS teachers! We are so proud of you and your accomplishments!

Several alumni helped out at the Fiesta fundraiser, including Susan Mwenja (with hat). At left, younger sister Marian.***

Field Trip Fun with the 3rd Grade!

“Down on the Farm” by Ms. Spencer

Alabama Waldorf School...

Understanding the connection between Academics and the Arts. Page 6

Alabama Waldorf School… Where Imagination and Education are One!

Right: Ms. Downs’ 5th graders ended their Language Arts and History blocks with a play about Themistocles and the proc-ess of ostra-cization. This year marks the third con-secutive year teacher Melissa Downs has written her own play for students to perform. The students performed better than she could have dreamed! Congratula-tions, 5th grade!***

Extended Care Program At left: Administrator Lisa Grupe takes a break from deskwork to sit in on a game. At right and below, photos of the XC program, which is structured to allow for equal parts rest and play, with home-work time set aside for older grades.*** Photos courtesy of XC teacher Brad Daly.

Above and right: To close their block on Medieval History, worthy 6th and 7th graders participated in a “knighting ceremony.” Parent Katrina Turnbach designed the cover for the program (at right). Ms. Powell and her class thank the South Roebuck Baptist Church for allowing them use of the sanctuary for the ceremony. Below: The class on a field trip to Cullman to visit the Ave Maria Grotto, Sacred Heart Monastery, and St. Bernard Abbey. ***

Alabama Waldorf School...

Excellent Academics Enlivened by the Arts Page 7

3rd grade — Shelters and Housebuilding

Celebrating Holi in the Kindergarten!*

by Sadhna Udharam

With winter neatly tucked up in the attic, it is time to come out of our cocoons and enjoy

the Spring Festival called Holi. Holi —the festival of colors —is undoubtedly the happiest

and most fun-filled Hindu festival. It is an occasion that brings joy and mirth, fun and play,

music and dance, a delicious variety of foods and, of course, lots of bright colors! Both the

young and old take delight in this joyous festival by applying colored powders or spraying

colored water on their family and friends whilst shouting, “Holi Hai!” (“It’s Holi!”).

Every year it is celebrated on the day after the full moon in early March and glorifies good

harvest and fertility of the land. It is also the time for spring harvest. Like all Indian and Hindu festivals, Holi is inextricably linked to

mythical tales. Legend has it that it derives its name from Holika, the sister of the mythical demon king Hiranyakashipu, who com-

manded everyone to worship him. But his little son Prahlad refused to do so. Instead, he became a devotee of Lord Vishnu, the

Hindu God. Angered by this, Hiranyakashipu ordered his sister Holika to kill Prahlad. She had been blessed with a boon to walk

through fire unharmed, so she sat in the burning fire with Prahlad in her lap. Prahlad, however, chanted the name of Lord Vishnu

and was saved from the fire. Holika perished because she did not know that her powers were only effective if she entered the fire

alone. Thus, Holi is also a celebration of the victory of good over evil.

At Alabama Waldorf School our Kindergartners enjoyed every part of the Holi celebration, from the food to the colors to the story!

It was indeed a very happy, fun-filled day in the Kindergarten.***

Kindergarten teachers Ms. Sadhna, Ms. Andrea, and Ms. Carole.***

From left: Jack, showing off his colors while John and Tyler (middle and right) also wear them proudly! *** Photos courtesy of Melanie Wilson. * This article originally appeared in the March 2010 Awareness.

Waldorf Curriculum denotes that a block on Shelters and Housebuild-

ing be brought in Grade 3. This block becomes an introduction to

world geography as students learn about how different peoples

shelter themselves and create their own sense of space in differ-

ent parts of the world. Animal shelters are also studied, giving the

students a hint of the Man and Animal block that’s to come in

Grade 4.

Ms. Spencer’s 3rd graders worked as a class to construct a tee

pee, with the generous help of class parent Rachel Cornelius,

which they donated to the silent auction at the AWS

fundraiser (In fact, Ms. Gurganus beat out several others

to place the winning bid!)

They also worked on individual projects; students were

asked to construct models of the types of animal shelters and

houses they studied during the block.***

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