Greetings MLWS Families…
Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year! We hope things are off to a smooth start in your household. This year, Parent Council will once again publish this newsletter, which will include a Parent Council update, highlight activities of our classes and other school-related topics, offer Classified listings, and provide information about upcoming events in the MLWS community.
Parent Council Update
Parent Council is holding meetings via Zoom during the 2020-21 school year. Please join us at our next meeting on Monday, December 7, 7:30-8:30pm. We will also hold smaller working group meetings via Zoom to work on our priority projects, which will be scheduled as necessary to advance these efforts. These projects include a monthly Brown Bag Lunch Series (via Zoom) featuring MLWS community speakers, Grounds Beautification Projects, Food Drives, a Welcome Committee for New Families, “Art for the Elderly” Community Outreach, and this newsletter.
If you are interested in being involved in one of the working groups, or if you have an idea for another initiative you would like to work on through Parent Council, please send an email to us at parentcouncil@mountainlaurel.org Please consider getting involved and offering some of your time to one of our projects. Many hands make light work!
News & Happenings
MLWS Early Childhood Play Yard Update from the Administration
Observing our youngest children on the play yard during free play, one can only marvel at the ingenuity, creativity and constant activity taking place, using open ended materials such as tools, sand, water, leaves, tree stumps … and the elements of weather. Last Monday, a drenching day, was an opportunity for some serious civil engineering projects on the kindergarten play yard, such as trench digging, damming and water-depth measuring with the height of your boot as the golden standard. We cannot wait to see what flurry of activity and creativity the snows of winter will engender.
Meanwhile, the Early Childhood play yards have been equipped with “Moon and Star” fire pits. Thank you to the Sanders family for the circle of seating stumps in the Mountain Rose play yard. Many thanks also to the Williams family for their generous donation of fire wood for the Mountain Dandelion fire pit.
Thank you to Kimberly von Koontz for providing the Nursery play yard with a thick layer of wood chips that will soften the landing of our littlest feet.
Last but not least, we are expecting the delivery of two brand new swing sets for the Mountain Rose and Mountain Garden play yards by mid-December. Thank you to Evelyn Lu for spearheading the Swing Set Fundraiser and to all who donated.
Through this series of events, we are hoping to create a stronger and more connected parent body at our school by offering a social opportunity to touch base with each other as well as providing information about our school, Waldorf education and the broader community of like-minded organizations and individuals. Each meeting will feature a speaker on a given topic. Upcoming topics include festival life, the importance of warmth, the role of music at MLWS, biodynamic farming, chalkboard drawing and the structure and governance of MLWS. We hope you are able to join us!
November’s Brown Bag Lunch with Helen Stubblefield
We opened our screens to a backdrop of forest and a basket of wool. Given that this time of year when our natural rhythms turn inward and we begin to seek warmth to accompany us throughout the cold winter, it seemed like a good time to explore the role of the practical arts in the Waldorf curriculum. It also is a very appropriate time in our world to talk about practices that can envelop us in beauty, repetition, the sensory experience of our own hands and in the lineage in which the fiber arts can root us. (Recent articles like this have been appearing in news publications.)
Helen spoke of her own Waldorf journey, including coming to MLWS in Early Childhood with her own children (now 7th and 8th graders). She emphasized the centrality of the practical arts as set forth by Steiner in his development of Waldorf Education and she went through the grades and explained the skill sets taught and the projects accomplished (accompanied by parents holding up projects from their children). Helen repeatedly referenced the integration of handwork in all aspects of the curriculum, and the importance of building and revisiting skill sets over time, to engage with problem-solving and develop the children’s confidence and will.
Through the Brown Bag Lunch Series, we are hoping to create a stronger and more connected parent body at our school by offering opportunities to connect socially while providing information about our school, Waldorf education and the broader community of like-minded organizations and individuals. Each meeting will feature a speaker on a given topic. Upcoming topics include the importance of warmth, the role of music at MLWS, biodynamic farming, chalkboard drawing and the structure and governance of MLWS.
Please save the date! Join us Tuesday, December 8th from 1:00pm to 2:00pm, to talk about “Festival Life within a Waldorf Community,” featuring MLWS Second Grade teacher Michele Turner.
Parent Council Food Drive Update
We are thrilled to announce that we collected 55 bags of food for the Thanksgiving Food Drive. The folks at Family of New Paltz were very grateful and said they were able to feed more families than expected, thanks to our support. It’s heartwarming that our school showed up in such a big way for the community. Thank you to everyone who contributed so generously!
Mr. Neel’s 7th Grade Class proudly presents
“The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood”
Click here to experience the first episode of this radio drama.
Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin….
A Peek Into The Classroom
Offering a glimpse at the work of two of the classes in our school community…
Ms. Tomoko and the First Grade class:
The First Grade began the year with the Form Drawing block. Drawing different combinations of straight and curved lines led us into writing the alphabet in our Language Arts block. The children have been enjoying listening to fairy tales and discovering the alphabet in drawings from the stories. Our class was able to have a very intimate Lantern Walk for St. Martin’s day with help from the First Grade parents, who brought the children in the evening and waited patiently at the gate. We are excited to start our second math block of the four operations before the Winter Break.
Ms. de Jong and the Fifth Grade class:
The Fifth Graders are currently in our Language Arts block. We have been learning the stories of the creation of the world, and the gods and goddesses of Norse mythology. We are also writing a book report on the Ojibwe people of “The Birchbark House.”
MLWS Health Corner
In an effort to support our community in staying abreast of recent health-related announcements, we present to you the Health Corner:
Th Administration wishes to take this opportunity to thank all our Mountain Laurel students who have been diligently following the school COVID-19 protocols… even when no one is watching. It has clearly become second nature to them to keep their mask on, wash their hands multiple times, and use the smelly hani-sani!
We also thank all of our families who cooperate with the often tedious requirements for testing and isolation when their children present Covid symptoms, a family member has been in contact with a Covid positive person, or when they have travelled out-of-state.
We would not have been open for in-person learning until now if it was not for everyone’s efforts.
A reminder as we are heading to the next celebrations of the holiday season – If anyone in your family travels to states that are not contiguous with New York or if you host any guests who live in states that are not contiguous with New York, please be sure to consult the state’s requirements for quarantining and testing following travel or hosting.
Households and small gatherings have now been identified as the number one spreader of Covid-19. At least 70% of cases are coming from these settings. During this holiday season we urge you to stay home and avoid social gatherings to help mitigate the spread and keep our school open.
Here is a link to an article from the New York Times that explains how and why masks work.
Here is a link to an informative and graphically clear article from the Spanish newspaper El Pais on how the coronavirus is spread through the air in a room, a bar and a classroom, according to several scenarios.
A Healthy Recipe to Try at Home!
Elderberry is renowned for its immune system boosting, antiviral and anti-inflammatory compounds which are specifically shown to help with cold and flu, sinus infections and inflammation that can cause seasonal allergy symptoms. The berries mixed with herbs can be used to make a variety of remedies, one of the most cost-effective, simplest and tastiest elderberry syrup! If you don’t want to make your own or if you cannot find elderberries, you can purchase elderberry syrup – just go for organic, less sugar and no corn syrup.
Homemade Elderberry Syrup
¾ cup dried elderberry (or 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen)
2 cups water
1 cup unsweetened apple juice or apple cider
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons fresh ginger (grated)
¼ teaspoon cloves ground or whole
5 slices of astragalus roots (optional)
1 tablespoon dried thyme
½ cup raw honey
Yield: about 2 cups syrup
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- In a large pot over low heat, combine elderberries, water, apple juice or cider, cinnamon, grated ginger, cloves and astragalus roots (if using).
- Bring to a low simmer, cover (with the lid slightly ajar), and continue to simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, add in the thyme and allow the syrup to steep for about an hour.
- Using a fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth, nut bag or jelly strainer, strain the elderberries and herbs. Press or squeeze the berries to get as much syrup as possible with a spoon or hands.
- Whisk in the honey. Pour the elderberry syrup into bottles or jars, and store in the refrigerator for up to two months.
- For general immune support, adults take 1 tablespoon daily, children 1 teaspoon daily. If you are sick increase dosage to every 2 to 3 hours.
Notes:
Children under the age of 12 months should not take elderberry syrup or elderberry gummies, due to the honey. Honey can be replaced with maple syrup or agave (for vegan/infant-friendly).
Used elderberries can be re-dehydrated and used as a loose-leaf tea.
The syrup is a delicious topping for pancakes, waffles, crepes, oatmeal or desserts.
Turn your elderberry syrup into gummies by warming the syrup and adding 8 tablespoons unflavored gelatin, add to a silicone mold and refrigerate for an hour.
We would love to hear your stories about making sauerkraut or elderberry syrup, and we would also love to hear your requests for future Health Corner recipes or topics. Please send them via email to parentcouncil@mountainlaurel.org
Fundraising Corner
Many thanks to all who have already given to the Fund. Every donation gets us closer to our goal and we appreciate your abundant generosity and support! If you haven’t already donated, please consider doing so today by clicking here.
We are raising money for Mountain Laurel Waldorf School to offset the unexpected costs of outfitting our campus with necessary equipment and staff that enabled us to welcome our students and faculty back to campus for full-time, in-person learning during the pandemic.
We encourage you to share the donation link with anyone you think may be compelled to help our cause, including extended family and friends.
Click here for more information and to donate.
Thank you!
The Administration
Here is an easy way you can help MLWS win $2,500.00
Mountain Laurel Waldorf School is nominated to participate in the Ulster Savings Bank Mid-Hudson Heroes Giveaway for a chance to receive $2,500.00 in the education category. Whoever gets the most votes wins.
Just click on the link below and navigate to Mountain Laurel Waldorf School by clicking on the EDUCATION category.
You can vote once every 24 hours through December 13th. It’s easy and it’s worth $2,500 for Mountain Laurel.
Please share the link through Facebook and Twitter to friends and family and help spread the word! Link: https://a.pgtb.me/fDD5q6
Thank You!
You may also support Mountain Laurel School when you shop using AmazonSmile. Although we all love to support our local business community, we have a hunch that many of us will be shopping remotely this season.
AmazonSmile is available at smile.amazon.com on your web browser and can be activated in the Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones. When you shop at AmazonSmile, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added benefit that AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to the charitable organization of your choice – just type in Mountain Laurel Waldorf School.
A Peek Into The Classroom
Offering a glimpse at the work of two of the classes in our school community…
Ms. Tomoko and the First Grade class:
The First Grade began the year with the Form Drawing block. Drawing different combinations of straight and curved lines led us into writing the alphabet in our Language Arts block. The children have been enjoying listening to fairy tales and discovering the alphabet in drawings from the stories. Our class was able to have a very intimate Lantern Walk for St. Martin’s day with help from the First Grade parents, who brought the children in the evening and waited patiently at the gate. We are excited to start our second math block of the four operations before the Winter Break.
Ms. de Jong and the Fifth Grade class:
The Fifth Graders are currently in our Language Arts block. We have been learning the stories of the creation of the world, and the gods and goddesses of Norse mythology. We are also writing a book report on the Ojibwe people of “The Birchbark House.”