Leadership Updates, August 8, 2020
Dear Parents,
Thank you so much for your participation in our Q & A Thursday evening. It was great to see everyone, hear your questions, and find a bit of humor during this time in our lives. If you were not able to attend or would like to listen to the entire session, please find the recording on PWSConnect under News/Featured Content. We hope to see you again next Thursday, August 13, from 6:30 to 7:30pm on the Zoom call!
Q & A Session Review (from August 6)
Dionne opened the evening with a reminder that, as an independent school in Oregon, we are under the jurisdiction of:
Oregon Department of Education (ODE)
Oregon Health Authority (OHA)
As such, PWS is following the Ready Schools, Safe Learners Plan, found here.
Our Early Childhood and Aftercare programs are under additional jurisdiction from:
Oregon Department of Education, Early Learning Division (ODE/ELD) as a licensed Certified Child Care Center. We are currently licensed as Emergency Child Care.
Provisional revisions to these guidelines and requirements are available here. Final decisions regarding guidelines and requirements from ODE/OHA will be available after August 11. Final regulations for Emergency Child Care from ODE/ELD will be available after August 14.
Dionne described the metrics that PWS must follow, and the guidelines and requirements to reopen. Based on today's case rates, we would not be able to reopen under either set of metrics from ODE/OHA. However, because we have an Emergency Child Care license, we will be able to open as Emergency Child Care for EC-Grade 3.
Dionne also reviewed the types of face covering options. Everyone 5 years of age or older is required to wear face coverings both indoors and outdoors. There may be exceptions or break times such as when eating. Details have yet to be determined.
Remote Option for Families in Grades 1-8
We have a new remote option for those families in Grades 1-8 who have decided to remain home for the entire school year or a portion of it. Please see below for a description and fee schedule. Registration will be available early in the week. Please let the Leadership Team know if you have any questions.
Enrollment and Budget Implications
As of August 6, we have 25 children enrolled in Early Childhood, 97 in the Grades, and 57 in the High School, totaling 179. Our pre-COVID-19 enrollment was 325, so the effect on our community is great.
As with other organizations and businesses in our community, our faculty and staff have been impacted by COVID-19. To avoid further furloughs or layoffs, all faculty and staff may be asked to take a reduction in salary or hourly wage. While this is difficult for everyone, we are optimistic that this would be short-term, if needed at all. Any changes in salaries and hourly wage will be effective September 1.
Even though many of our students will start the year with distance learning, we are still paying for our buildings and grounds as well as the infrastructure of the school. We are exploring all available relief options to organizations provided by the state of Oregon. To prepare the building for a safe and healthy re-entry, we are also increasing cleaning regimens, installing new windows on the first floor, and keeping the windows open 24 hours on the second floor. Walnut Hill will have outdoor coverings, equipment, and supplies to accommodate the Early Childhood program. Outdoor classrooms with desks, chairs, and chalkboards will be created for Grades 1-3. If there are ways that you can contribute to the sustainability of our buildings and grounds, we will gratefully accept your donation of time, money, or other resources you may have to offer. Please contact the Leadership Team at leadershipteam@portlandwaldorf.org.
For those who have decided to not re-enroll, we will happily welcome you back when you are ready to join us. Most important, we wish to keep you in our community in the ways appropriate to your family and life circumstances.
Outdoor Classrooms for Early Childhood–Grade 3
We are very excited about our plans for the Grades 1-3 outdoor classrooms. The classrooms initially will be housed under tents similar to the ones used for graduations. They will be furnished with chairs and individual desks for each child, a chalkboard, and table and chair for the teacher. The children will be expected to bring their own backpacks or the most appropriate carriers for their school supplies, lunches, and outerwear. They will keep everything they bring from home with them in their “classroom.” All furniture and equipment will be cleaned and put away in the school building at the end of the school day. We will have designated storage spaces for each cohort.
Walnut Hill will serve as the outdoor Early Childhood classroom with expansion to the courtyard and onto the pool yard as enrollment increases. Our Early Childhood teachers are working tirelessly to plan and prepare for this new outdoor adventure. They have already contacted parents in the community for assistance and a work day or two in preparation for the opening of the school year. If you are interested in offering your time or other resources, please contact Lisa Kimball and she can best let you know what is needed.
In case you have not seen the school calendar on our website, classes begin on Tuesday, September 1. Grades 4-12 will begin remotely. We are planning for grades 1-3 to begin on-site under our Emergency Child Care license.
Please send all questions our way: Leadershipteam@portlandwaldorf.org.
With appreciation for your patience and good will,
Jamie Quirk, Connie Stokes, Elizabeth Webber
Leadership Team
Community Q&A Follow-up, August 22, 2020
Dear Parents,
Thank you again for your participation in our Q and A session on Thursday
evening. If you would like to listen to the entire meeting, please see the link
below.
8/20/2020 Q& A Session
Dionne presented aspects of the updated guidelines from the Department of
Education and the Early Learning Division regarding reopening. See the new and
improved format for the metrics indicating the times for distance learning, hybrid
learning, and complete return to campus (be sure to select Multnomah/Clackamas County in the left corner drop-down. Our metrics must be met within both Counties):
More information about school protocols during the pandemic will be shared
before school begins and again when we are ready for the hybrid part of our
school year.
Learning Models for 2020-21
Questions arose at the Thursday meeting regarding options for school programs.
We apologize for any confusion caused by our own internal gaps in communication. The Leadership Team is working closely with our teachers and administrative staff members to close this gap. We are grateful for your patience during this transition period.
There are two options for the coming year: our program for fully enrolled
students (which includes the distance learning and hybrid models depending on
what the metrics allow) and the modified remote option for families who are not
enrolling at this time but want to stay connected with their class and class
teacher.
In the document above you will see a chart showing the fully enrolled program.
Tuition and fees for your enrollment are listed on the website and on your
financial contract. You will also see a chart showing the modified remote option, including the fee.
If you have questions about your financial contract for your enrolled student(s) please contact Crystal Lawrence.
Finally, to close this week’s communication we ask you to SAVE THE DATE for the
PWS Welcome Assembly on Tuesday, September 1 from 6:30-7:30pm. The zoom
link will be emailed closer to the date.
There is much anticipation and excitement as the teachers and administrative
staff members prepare for the students’ return to a new and very different school
year.
As always, please contact us if you have any questions.
With much appreciation,
Shanti McCarter, Connie Stokes, Elizabeth Webber
Leadership Team
PWS Important Notification, October 12, 2020
Dear Staff and Families of Portland Waldorf School,
Recently, we were notified that an employee at PWS has been diagnosed with COVID-19. As members of the school community, we understand that this might raise concerns alongside a caring response. We are working closely with Clackamas County Public Health Division to respond to this news and protect the health of our community. After conversations with staff and a review of our contact tracing logs, it has been determined that no staff or students were in close contact with the diagnosed individual. Close contact is defined within 6 feet of the impacted individual for more than 15 minutes or more (consecutively or cumulatively) whether masked or unmasked.
Each situation calls for different protocols. In this case, we are doing the following:
Sending this letter notifying our entire PWS community of the impact to our school
Performing extra schoolwide cleaning and disinfecting
The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is through staying home when ill, wearing face coverings, physical distancing, and practicing good health hygiene habits. Be sure to wash your hands frequently with soap and water, cover your coughs and sneezes, and avoid contact with people who have signs of illness. Get plenty of rest, exercise, and eat a healthy diet. Protect the community by following the Governor’s safety requirements. Wearing cloth face coverings reduces the spread of virus. It’s important to notify us if your student has had close contact with anyone that is displaying symptoms of COVID-19, or identified as a positive or presumptive case.
We know this is a hard time for everyone and our hearts go out to those who are ill. We will keep you updated with any new information as it comes out, while meeting the requirements to honor everyone's right to privacy. More information can be found on the Oregon Department of Education’s Ready Schools, Safe Learners page, the Oregon Health Authority’s COVID-19 page and the PWS COVID-19 page.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Shanti McCarter, Connie Stokes, Elizabeth Webber
Portland Waldorf School Leadership Team
Weather Changes and Outdoor Classrooms, October 20, 2020
Dear Parents,
Now that our teachers and children are comfortable with their new educational setting this year, we are also planning for the impact that the changing weather patterns will have on our outdoor classrooms. The experiences of our children, teachers and parents indicate this has been a successful educational model during this pandemic. We want to ensure that this level of comfort continues during the winter months.
With the above goal in mind, we are preparing the indoor classrooms for those times during each day when the outdoor classrooms will be difficult. Windows in the classroom will be kept open as much as possible. On occasion when it is too cold or windy to have the windows fully open, they will be minimally open to maintain some airflow. The heat will be turned on, and an IQAir 3-stage air purifier will be operating in the classroom.
Teachers in grades 1-3 will have a schedule for indoor and outdoor classroom activities and will alternate at their discretion. They will communicate separately with their classes about potential schedules. Since early childhood is a play-based program, they will be outside more consistently, but will choose to go indoors when needed for short periods of time. All afternoon rest periods will be indoors.
When indoors, the students will continue to follow safety and distancing protocols, have assigned, unshared lockers, assigned restroom stalls, hand-washing protocols, and be expected to wear face coverings. Face coverings for students five years and older will be required - except when resting in early childhood or when eating.
Please prepare for the colder weather by making sure that your children are dressed to be outdoors and indoors during the cold winter months for long periods of time. Some suggestions include wool, silk, or thermal underwear, layers of clothing, rain suits, winter jackets, hats, fingerless gloves for classroom activities and regular gloves for recess time.
We are pleased to have the permanent tents installed for the outdoor early childhood programs. Many thanks to Brendan and all the volunteers who helped with set-up.
Your teachers will communicate with you separately by email and/or during class meetings. Please feel free to email us with any questions as well. leadershipteam@portlandwaldorf.org
Thank you for your support, patience and understanding as we navigate our way through the next few months.
Sincerely,
Shanti McCarter, Connie Stokes, Elizabeth Webber
COVID-19 update from Governor Brown and ODE, November 15, 2020
Dear Parents,
Thank you for your participation in our community meeting on Thursday. These gatherings are so valuable during this time and they support our work in educating your children under the current circumstances. Our students thrive when they experience the adults around them working together in their best interest. Indeed, we all thrive when we support one another.
As you may know, Governor Brown has announced a two-week freeze beginning Wednesday, November 18 until at least December 2 for the entire state. For Multnomah County, these restrictions will be effective for at least four weeks:
https://www.opb.org/article/2020/11/13/oregon-governor-kate-brown-covid-19-restrictions/
K-12 schools are not directly impacted by the freeze, but we will continue to follow our safety protocols. Keeping our cohorts intact, hand washing, wearing masks both outdoors and indoors at all times (except when eating or drinking), air flow/ventilation, physical distancing and isolation protocols are all extremely important for us to ensure the health and safety of everyone on campus during this time. Our teachers and staff are well-trained and now very experienced at following these protocols. We will continue to keep up with the latest guidelines, as we know that changes are expected regularly.
Already-scheduled limited-in person gatherings will continue, with any new gatherings not already scheduled to be held outdoors. High School Project Week will continue, as will a few weekly two-hour main lessons that are held in the classrooms.
Plans for outdoor events during this busy holiday season are still pending, as we await more specific information about the nature of these events. There will also be more information about sports activities. You will be informed as soon as we know the changes.
The Thanksgiving holiday is fast approaching, and we strongly recommend that families stay home or close to home as a cohort. If you are traveling out of state and/or interacting with others outside your cohort, it is recommended that you quarantine for 14 days upon return to the state of Oregon. You will be asked a question about your travels as part of the daily screening when entering on-campus classes. Please see the link below for more information:
Our efforts at limiting activities outside our household and established cohorts will help to ensure the safety and health of our community. Thank you all for keeping us together.
With warmth and best wishes,
Shanti, Connie, and Elizabeth
Letter from the College, April 30, 2020
Dear Friends,
As we enter the final stretch of our 2019-2020 academic year, we look forward to and plan for
the bright light at the end of a tunnel. While we cannot predict what the future looks like, there is
one thing of which we are certain: our commitment to the children and families of Portland
Waldorf School.
Teachers in all sections of our school are in continual conversation with one another and with
Waldorf schools across North America and around the world. In these conversations, we are
asking ourselves and each other how we can adapt to our new circumstances—by adjusting our
practices and offerings to meet individual student needs and the needs of the whole class, all
while accepting the invitation to question and recommit to the essential principles of Waldorf
Education.
Though we cannot predict what awaits us in the summer or fall, we carefully consider and plan
for options. These options include opening our doors in September as usual (we are, of course,
holding this as our intention), being forced to delay opening the school in the fall, or opening our
doors in the fall and having to close them again. The two latter options would require a focused
and deliberate plan for continuing learning beyond the classroom. And, we are dedicated to this
task.
Again and again, we have heard from parents that what is needed at this time is connection. We,
too, feel that need. We now realize that it is necessary for us to use the tools and technology at
our disposal to remain connected with our students during this time. Educators in every section
of our school have been reflecting upon what is best for the children of their classes and have
adjusted accordingly, sometimes incrementally—offering a curriculum that is authentic, heartfelt
and meaningful.
Naturally, this looks different depending on the developmental stage of the child. In early
childhood classrooms, teachers create handmade items to deliver at student homes, share audio
stories and offer support to parents. In the grades, depending again upon age, teachers share
audio and video lessons and meet with whole classes and small groups on Zoom, in addition to
offering traditional assignments. Our high school teachers were the first to take up this new way of
teaching, and they continue to strive toward engaging and challenging their students using live Zoom classes and the online PWSConnect platform.
Please know that while not in the same physical space with the students, we as teachers persist in
taking up our work through our own study, meditations on the children in our classes,
preparation of content, review of assignments and collaboration with colleagues. When the faculty and staff of our school meet every Thursday, we recite the following verse from Rudolf Steiner:
“Imbue thyself with the power of imagination
Have courage for the truth
Sharpen thy feeling for responsibility of soul.”
Indeed, imagination is needed to envision Waldorf education in a new way, courage is needed to
acknowledge each other’s truths and compromise as needed, and our responsibility of soul is to
meet the heart connection with our children and families with empathy, compassion and grace
during this uncertain time.
Our teachers and administrative staff send you warm wishes for your health and well-being.
Elizabeth Webber
Chair, College of Teachers
Our educational plans for the remainder of the school year:
Early Childhood
Communications will vary using emails, PWSConnect, audio recorded stories, video-recorded activities, phone calls, podcasts, and video conferencing
Craft and coffee morning will be offered by Ms. Jenny at 10:00am on Thursdays
Woodworking tutorial (video-recorded) will be offered by Mr. Shay for the rising first graders
Video-recorded circle time will be offered by Ms. Jessica
Teachers will continue to be available Monday through Friday between 8:30am and1:30pm and by appointment to answer questions and have individual conversations byphone or email. Please reach out to your individual teachers
Age-appropriate materials for end of year projects will be hand-delivered some time during the month of May
Adult education gatherings by video conferencing will be offered and led by Ms. Kristin and Ms. Lisa on Mondays from 8:15 to 9:15pm through May
Seasonal festival projects will be prepared with details communicated by individual teachers
Parents of rising first graders will receive a written report as a follow up to your individual parent-teacher conference. The younger children's reports will be done through verbal communication in a parent-teacher conference.
Grades 1-8
Communications with students will vary depending on the student’s grade level and the teacher’s approach. They will include email, phone calls, PWSConnect, audio stories, video lessons, live lessons using Zoom, and podcasts.
Communication with parents will be mainly by email, phone, video conferencing and PWSConnect.
Subject teachers will work closely with each morning lesson teacher to coordinate the most effective approach in teaching their subject, whether it is world language, handwork, woodwork, math in grades 6-8, music, or LivingLab.
The educational support staff will work with parents and teachers in offering additional services for students in need of support.
Delivery of materials will be through packets picked up or delivered, audio, video, or PDF files.
Teachers are available during their regular office hours or by appointment. Please reach out to your teacher if you need to have a discussion. They are there to offer support.
End-of-year reports will be written as usual with some adjustments for mid-March to the end of the school year.
An all section calendar of live time meetings and lessons will be available for teachers to be aware of other teacher’s assignments.
Grades 9-12
Students will continue with their main lessons in humanities, math, world language and life skills courses, and will be required to work on a teacher supervised art project each week.
Lesson instruction will vary depending on the subject and the teacher’s approach. They will include audio and video recorded lessons, in print or digital, live lessons using Zoom, online research and hands-on projects. All assignments will be posted and submitted using PWSConnect.
Students will meet with their personal advisor and class sponsor each once per week.
Teachers will be available for more personalized help during office hours twice per week.
Communication with parents will be mainly by email and PWSConnect, with phone and video conferencing as needed.
The educational support staff will offer weekly supported study halls for students needing extra support with online learning. Tech support staff are on-call to offer support for technical difficulties.
Delivery of materials will be through packets picked up or mailed, audio files, video files, PDF files or via Google Docs.
End of year reports will be written as usual with some adjustments for mid-March to the end of the school year.
The last two weeks of school and end of year activities
In lieu of class trips and field trips, the educational program will continue as described above and individual communications with your student’s teacher
We are still working on plans for 12th grade graduation, 8th grade promotion, rainbowbridge and closing ceremony. More information will be sent at the end of May.
Plans for Returning to School, February 3, 2021
Dear PWS Community,
During the first month of 2021, we have enjoyed a healthy and safe return to school for those on our campus. We are grateful to our teachers, staff, students, and parents for upholding our health and safety guidelines. Our collaborative efforts allow us to continue to educate your children on-site and at home and create the bond that keeps us uplifted during this challenging time. Thank you!
PWS continues to closely monitor updated COVID-19 guidance and the case counts within the tri-county area (Clackamas, Multnomah, Washington). The Pandemic Response Team regularly attends meetings with the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and are in communication with the local health department and other private school leaders. In addition, we regularly meet internally with teachers and staff in our school to assess the factors we must consider as we move forward this school year.
Plans to Transition:
We are pleased to announce that Grade 4 has returned to campus on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays as of February 1. Plans are underway to return upper grades and eventually high school in a staggered approach beginning in March, following a model very similar to the original hybrid schedule we shared at the beginning of the year.
After a hybrid return to campus, students in upper grades and high school may choose to attend in-person for the scheduled on-site days or remain at home and Zoom in to join their class. Because of technology limitations and sound interference, it will not be possible for these classes to be held outdoors.
Additional technology has been purchased and teachers and staff are working hard with the ever-changing complexities that present themselves. Fortunately, COVID-19 case counts are falling and there is light at the end of the tunnel. We expect to bring classes back in stages beginning in March, with grades 5 and 6 on-site Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and grades 7 and 8 on-site Tuesdays and Thursdays. Grades 9-12 require a bit more planning and we will share specific plans as soon as possible. Metrics and other practical considerations continue to guide our timeline. In the meantime, teachers may invite cohorts on-site for occasional visits.
How We’ve Evolved:
In September, we opened with Early Childhood on-site five days a week under Emergency Child Care (ECC) guidance. Grades 1-3 also opened on-site (mostly outdoors) under ECC jurisdiction on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while learning remotely on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students in stable cohorts in grades 4-12 were in distance learning, but some groups had opportunities to come on-site under Limited In-Person Instruction guidelines.
Following the Governor’s announcement in late December and changes to the Ready Schools, Safe Learners (RSSL) guidance and re-opening metrics in January, some guidance changed that will help us to bring even more students back on-site. Schools are still required to follow all health and safety protocols (including entry screening, cohorting, distancing, mask wearing, hand hygiene, ventilation, cleaning, and disinfecting). The major shift that occurred is that reopening guidance changed from required to advisory.
The shift from required to advisory allowed us to move Grades 1-3 out of the Early Learning Division’s ECC jurisdiction. These grades are effectively operating the same, but are now under the ODE RSSL Hybrid Model guidelines, which allow for slightly larger classes.
For over five months, our youngest grades have been on campus in-person with great success. The commitment to health and safety protocols has ensured that we have had no transmission within our cohorts. Our intention is to continue this track record. As a reminder, should a positive case occur in an on-site cohort, the members of that cohort would be asked to quarantine for 14 days. Contact tracing logs are meticulously kept and communication to impacted families will occur first, followed by communication to the entire community.
Thank you again for your support and patience as we work together during this extraordinary time.
Please expect a communication from us next week regarding the governance work and staffing plans for the 2021-22 school year. As always, if you have any questions, please email leadershipteam@portlandwaldorf.org.
With warm wishes,
Shanti, Connie and Elizabeth
7/28/20 Letter from the Leadership Team
Dear Parents,
If the past several months have taught us anything, it is vigilance. With information about the virus changing at such a rapid place, we are becoming used to a rhythm of research, reassessment and revision.
Members of the Leadership Team and COVID-19 Response Team have spent hours over the past weeks walking through the many scenarios of a school day on campus. We’ve consulted sister schools about their creative solutions, and spoken with faculty and families in our community who have raised new questions. Most significant, we have met with folks from the ODE and OHA, including state epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger, to discuss the top predictions for this virus come fall.
It is in light of all of these things that PWS will be requiring face coverings for all faculty and staff, and all students age 5 and older, both inside our buildings and on our grounds. To be clear, the wearing of masks indoors is a state requirement; the decision to wear them outdoors regardless of distancing is ours. With every bit of data we have at our disposal today, we cannot in good conscience reach any other conclusion. The risk to our adult community members, in addition to our students, is too great.
Below is a graphic from page 24 of Oregon’s Ready Schools, Safe Learners plan. Both face coverings and face shields will be allowed at PWS, and barriers will be installed in offices as appropriate. A limited number of disposable masks will be available at school, and everyone in attendance will be asked to launder or change their masks at least daily. In choosing face coverings for your student, please remember the spirit of our learning environment and our dress code policy, and choose fabrics without distracting images, logos, or text.
Please know we make this decision in confidence, out of responsibility to our entire community. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and support, and look forward to a time when such precautions will not be necessary.
Sincerely,
Jamie Quirk
on behalf of the Leadership Team
Letter from the College Chair, April 30, 2020
Dear Friends,
As we enter the final stretch of our 2019-2020 academic year, we look forward to and plan for the bright light at the end of a tunnel. While we cannot predict what the future looks like, there is one thing of which we are certain: our commitment to the children and families of Portland Waldorf School.
Teachers in all sections of our school are in continual conversation with one another and with Waldorf schools across North America and around the world. In these conversations, we are asking ourselves and each other how we can adapt to our new circumstances—by adjusting our practices and offerings to meet individual student needs and the needs of the whole class, all while accepting the invitation to question and recommit to the essential principles of Waldorf Education.
Though we cannot predict what awaits us in the summer or fall, we carefully consider and plan for options. These options include opening our doors in September as usual (we are, of course, holding this as our intention), being forced to delay opening the school in the fall, or opening our doors in the fall and having to close them again. The two latter options would require a focused and deliberate plan for continuing learning beyond the classroom. And, we are dedicated to this task.
Again and again, we have heard from parents that what is needed at this time is connection. We, too, feel that need. We now realize that it is necessary for us to use the tools and technology at our disposal to remain connected with our students during this time. Educators in every section of our school have been reflecting upon what is best for the children of their classes and have adjusted accordingly, sometimes incrementally—offering a curriculum that is authentic, heartfelt and meaningful.
Naturally, this looks different depending on the developmental stage of the child. In early childhood classrooms, teachers create handmade items to deliver at student homes, share audio stories and offer support to parents. In the grades, depending again upon age, teachers share audio and video lessons and meet with whole classes and small groups on Zoom, in addition to offering traditional assignments. Our high school teachers were the first to take up this new way of teaching, and they continue to strive toward engaging and challenging their students using live Zoom classes and the online PWSConnect platform.
Please know that while not in the same physical space with the students, we as teachers persist in taking up our work through our own study, meditations on the children in our classes, preparation of content, review of assignments and collaboration with colleagues. When the faculty and staff of our school meet every Thursday, we recite the following verse from Rudolf Steiner: “Imbue thyself with the power of imagination. Have courage for the truth. Sharpen thy feeling for responsibility of soul.”
Indeed, imagination is needed to envision Waldorf education in a new way, courage is needed to acknowledge each other’s truths and compromise as needed, and our responsibility of soul is to meet the heart connection with our children and families with empathy, compassion and grace during this uncertain time.
Our teachers and administrative staff send you warm wishes for your health and well-being.
Elizabeth Webber
Chair, College of Teachers
Our educational plans for the remainder of the school year:
Early Childhood
Communications will vary using emails, PWSConnect, audio recorded stories, video-recorded activities, phone calls, podcasts, and video conferencing.
Craft and coffee morning will be offered by Ms. Jenny at 10:00am on Thursdays.
Woodworking tutorial (video-recorded) will be offered by Mr. Shay for the rising first graders.
Video-recorded circle time will be offered by Ms. Jessica.
Teachers will continue to be available Monday through Friday between 8:30am and1:30pm and by appointment to answer questions and have individual conversations by phone or email. Please reach out to your individual teachers.
Age-appropriate materials for end of year projects will be hand-delivered some time during the month of May.
Adult education gatherings by video conferencing will be offered and led by Ms. Kristin and Ms. Lisa on Mondays from 8:15 to 9:15pm through May.
Seasonal festival projects will be prepared with details communicated by individual teachers.
Parents of rising first graders will receive a written report as a follow up to your individual parent-teacher conference. The younger children’s reports will be done through verbal communication in a parent-teacher conference.
Grades 1-8
Communications with students will vary depending on the student’s grade level and the teacher’s approach. They will include email, phone calls, PWSConnect, audio stories, video lessons, live lessons using Zoom, and podcasts.
Communication with parents will be mainly by email, phone, video conferencing and PWSConnect.
Subject teachers will work closely with each morning lesson teacher to coordinate the most effective approach in teaching their subject, whether it is world language, handwork, woodwork, math in grades 6-8, music, or LivingLab.
The educational support staff will work with parents and teachers in offering additional services for students in need of support.
Delivery of materials will be through packets picked up or delivered, audio, video, or PDF files.
Teachers are available during their regular office hours or by appointment. Please reach out to your teacher if you need to have a discussion. They are there to offer support.
End-of-year reports will be written as usual with some adjustments for mid-March to the end of the school year.
An all section calendar of live time meetings and lessons will be available for teachers to be aware of other teacher’s assignments.
Grades 9-12
Students will continue with their main lessons in humanities, math, world language and life skills courses, and will be required to work on a teacher supervised art project each week.
Lesson instruction will vary depending on the subject and the teacher’s approach. They will include audio and video recorded lessons, in print or digital, live lessons using Zoom, online research and hands-on projects. All assignments will be posted and submitted using PWSConnect.
Students will meet with their personal advisor and class sponsor each once per week.
Teachers will be available for more personalized help during office hours twice per week. Communication with parents will be mainly by email and PWSConnect, with phone and video conferencing as needed.
The educational support staff will offer weekly supported study halls for students needing extra support with online learning.
Tech support staff are on-call to offer support for technical difficulties.
Delivery of materials will be through packets picked up or mailed, audio files, video files, PDF files or via Google Docs.
End of year reports will be written as usual with some adjustments for mid-March to the end of the school year.
The last two weeks of school and end of year activities.
In lieu of class trips and field trips, the educational program will continue as described above and individual communications with your student’s teacher.
We are still working on plans for 12th grade graduation, 8th grade promotion, rainbow bridge and closing ceremony. More information will be sent at the end of May.
Message to EC Parents, April 2020
Dear Early Childhood Families,
We miss seeing the joyous spirits of the children and your shining faces each day. While apart, we have created a plan to continue your Waldorf education at home. The form for the plan will be shared individually by your teacher. We encourage you to use the information as you see fit for your family and daily home schedule. Choose what works best and leave the rest.
Among the most important aspects for the young child are predictability (rhythm), play and presence. In these uncertain times we are hopeful that we can partner with you to offer support.
Until we are together again your family is in our hearts and minds.
Warmly,
Jessica Banks, Lisa Kimball, Kristin Luce, Jenny Nielson, and Shay Roselip
PWS Early Childhood Teachers
Learning Beyond the Classroom: Early Childhood
Continuation of Early Childhood School Experiences at Home
Teachers will continue to offer weekly emails, weekly activities with a list of materials, seasonal songs, rhymes, seasonal stories, and seasonal activities (cooking, crafts, nature ideas). Keep in mind that the young child learns best through lots of play time so you might want to prepare your space for creative use of your furniture and other household items. It may seem chaotic but there can be great joy and satisfaction as your child transforms your home for a short period of time. We also suggest that you incorporate the daily task of home life and including your child in these tasks can be helpful.
Communicating with the Children and Parents
During the time away from our classroom environments, we are offering a weekly class evening for all early childhood parents which will offer some inspirational themes such as child development topics supporting early childhood education, resources, some conversation on parenting themes, and how we keep our community alive and thriving during this challenging time. Other topics and question and answer sessions will also be available. The teachers will alternate facilitating the evening conversations.
Other communication vehicles may include individual phone calls, video conferencing with families and individual children, audio-taped stories, songs and poems. This will be implemented at the discretion of each teacher in communication with their individual classes.
Hopes for the Children
Our hope during this time away from each other is for the children to participate in the daily life of the family supported by the rhythm and activities provided by your teacher.
Hopes for the Parents
We hope that our offerings will support you during your 24/7 time as a family. Please review all offerings and do what works best for you as a family. The early childhood teachers will be available to support you using the various communication vehicles described above.
Commitment of Our Teachers
Teachers will be available Monday through Friday between 8:30am until 1 pm and by appointment to answer questions and have individual conversations by phone or email.
Since we are in uncharted territory, we are continuously reviewing our approaches and will be ready to revise and renew as needed. The plan is intended to be effective through April 30.
Message from the Board and School Chair, April 2020
It all begins with an idea.
Dear Parents,
What a few weeks this has been! All of us have had to absorb vast changes in an exceedingly short period of time: changes for parents juggling work–or facing the loss of a job–and having children home 24/7; changes for teachers asked to transform teaching methods within just a week or two. The world is changing, too, and while no one has a crystal ball, parents, teachers and schools need to continue planning and working toward the future. The school’s leadership bodies are working to secure our financial stability. Re-enrollment is the foundation of our planning and we want to do everything we can to welcome you back when our doors reopen.
What We’ve Done
This year we expect a loss of revenue of around $200,000 (mostly from camps, aftercare, and diminished returns from our spring gala and Annual Support Campaign), but we have taken immediate actions to cut costs and keep the operating deficit as small as possible. Tightening our belts now is our best chance at being able to start next year strong. Administration has gone through our budget with a fine-toothed comb, cutting or deferring expenses throughout the school, and revisiting the terms of our contracts with vendors. The Board and Finance Committee are meeting weekly, researching the various loans, relief programs, and stimulus options, as well as what we can renegotiate, such as our mortgage on the facilities and the rent we pay to use the land next to the tracks. It is too early yet to know what these measures will yield. Finally, and most reluctantly, we’ve furloughed most of our part-time hourly faculty and staff. Depending on how enrollment numbers for the fall progress, additional cuts may be necessary.
While we are still discussing how best to get through spring, the Board of Trustees is also busy developing strategies for navigating an uncertain fall. Most significantly, we don’t know when our campus will reopen and we don’t know how many families will rejoin us when it does. Most of our trustees are also parents and we understand the hardship and anxiety you may be experiencing. We want to offer all the support we can, while working to ensure the school’s financial and physical stability. We expect that the campus will remain closed through June, and that summer programs will be canceled. We will confirm these dates as soon as we can. We will also wait a bit to make decisions about end of the year events such as promotions and graduations, holding out for better news. The end of April will likely bring more clarity. It is next year that poses the greatest challenge.
How You Can Help
The Finance Committee, chaired by trustee Oliver Schramm and consisting of administration, trustees, faculty and parents, is examining what accommodations we can offer in light of parents’ shifting finances; our goal is to maintain our community and find ways to allow families to return who need greater flexibility. To this end, we are waiving both the re-enrollment deadline and any associated fees. If you are able to make a commitment to next year, we would be grateful to know. In the next week, we also plan to survey families on the factors that may impact their school choice for next year. Please, if you have any questions or concerns you need to resolve before you can consider re-enrolling, contact our Admissions Office or the Business Office! We want to understand your circumstances and will consider any reasonable request. You will shortly hear about a special Resilience Fund we are creating for emergency relief, aimed at supporting parents and retaining staff.
These are hard times, but we are a strong community. We know classes are finding ways to stay in touch and support each other, and teachers and families are finding new ways to be creative together. Trustees, teachers, and administrative staff remain committed to providing an outstanding Waldorf education to our community well into the future. We will keep you apprised of changes as we clarify them, but more than anything, we look forward to the time when this crisis is past, and we can all watch the children dance around the maypole, carry their lanterns through the dark, and sing their hearts out together. That day will come!
Sincerely,
Maya Muir, Board Chair
Jamie Quirk, School Chair
Message from the School Chair - March 6, 2020
It all begins with an idea.
Dear Parents,
As promised, below is an update on the school’s ongoing response to COVID-19, what administration and faculty are doing, and what parents can do to support the overall health of our community. In order to be as prepared as possible to address potential coronavirus scenarios, the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners declared a state of emergency on March 2. This declaration enables the county to streamline resources and staffing and establish emergency policies and protocols.
In addition to this and various communications received from the county and local school districts, on Tuesday I participated in a conference call with 60 Waldorf school administrators around the country. From this information, and in consultation with members of our parent body who work in the healthcare field, we have assembled a plan.
1. We have an administrative response team, which also includes a medical doctor from the community. This team is tasked with monitoring the news, delegating tasks, and developing communications for parents and employees.
2. We are augmenting our standard practices around cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting the spaces in the lower school and high school. Kits with additional cleaning supplies will be stored in classrooms so that teachers can tackle their spaces each day; common areas such as railings, door knobs, and light switches will be addressed daily by administrative staff.
3. You can expect a weekly email from me unless there is urgent breaking news. Because of the volume of questions and concerns we are receiving, please understand if I or other members of the administration cannot respond immediately to emails and voicemails around what the school is doing. I ask that you look for these weekly emails, and allow us to focus our time and attention on the work itself.
4. Know that we will be extra vigilant around enforcing our sickness policy. While parents may elect to keep their child home at any time as a precautionary measure, teachers and staff are being asked to send any child home who is not feeling well enough to participate in class or who exhibits symptoms beyond the occasional cough or sneeze.
5. Likewise, we are asking teachers and staff to stay or work from home if they are feeling unwell. Thank you for your patience and understanding if your child has more substitutes in the coming weeks than expected, or if class plans are altered.
6. In regard to families’ upcoming travel plans, we are asking parents to consider the various trips, gatherings, and events on their calendar now through spring break, and follow the guidelines of the CDC in firming up plans. At this time we are not canceling any school trips or events, but that could change.
7. We ask parents to be extra mindful when talking to their children about this coronavirus, especially in regard to age appropriate levels of information and anxiety. There are several good articles online that address talking about COVID-19 with children; this one is my favorite.
8. Every authoritative resource asserts how crucial proper and regular hand washing can be. Administration has created extra signage in the bathrooms as guidance, and extra paper towels and soap will be made available. While teachers are overseeing and reinforcing proper hand washing protocol to the extent that they can, it is important that parents are also taking these steps at home. Please emphasize with your children that they should cover their coughs and sneezes with their elbows, and refrain from touching their faces as much as possible.
9. The teachers have been asked to temporarily suspend their daily handshakes with students. While we do not believe this act will drastically impact the spread of this coronavirus, it is one more precaution we can take, and one that many other Waldorf schools are taking in the short term.
10. Next steps: The response team is formulating plans to weather any possible closures, considering the addition of a work party for deeper spring cleaning, and weighing the options for altering programming schedules should classes be suspended for a significant period.
Last but certainly not least, I want to stress the value of focusing on factors that support human health and well-being. Most of us know that eating a nutritious diet, dressing warmly, getting enough restorative sleep and outdoor time, and taking care of underlying health conditions strengthen our immune systems. Yet, in our busy schedules, these things can often fall to the side, even with our little ones. Taking the extra time to slow down and attend to our bodies’ needs is one of the best things we can do, with benefits no amount of bleach can match.
I recognize that this is a lot of information to take in, and that being proactive involves a measure of inconvenience for everyone. As always, I am appreciative of the cooperative and collaborative environment I have found here at PWS.
Warmest regards,
Jamie Quirk, School Chair
Message from the School Chair - March 12, 2020
It all begins with an idea.
Dear Parents,
In light of breaking news, Governor Brown’s latest announcements, and a great many conversations among trustees, teachers, and other school administrators, we are electing to close PWS effective Monday, March 16. We will remain closed through April 19 at least, and will be in regular communications with you throughout that time as we reassess and adjust our response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Tomorrow will be a day for students to take home their things, and for the teachers to wrap up a final day of in-person instruction. Class events that are calendared for Friday or Saturday will either be canceled or will take place with additional restrictions around attendance and location; please look for a direct communication from your child’s teacher.
After Saturday, March 14, all nonessential school gatherings through Spring Break will be canceled or rescheduled, or converted to an online platform. This includes field trips, athletic events, parent meetings, and unfortunately our Uplift celebration. More on that later.
Monday and Tuesday will be in-service days for all faculty and staff as we meet, plan, and prepare for work to continue over the coming weeks. For high school students, we will be able to offer content online. For the lower school, teachers will be utilizing resources such as audio lessons, work packets, class projects, and written assignments to keep up with the year’s curriculum.
This month’s parent-teacher conferences will be held remotely or rescheduled at the teachers’ discretion.
While there are many logistics yet to nail down, I want to affirm that this decision has been a beautiful example of collaboration. Out of a shared desire to live our values and uplift humanity, we choose to embrace this opportunity to protect, support, and care for our entire community–including our elders, those with underlying health conditions, and the many health care providers working diligently to meet an overwhelming need that shows no sign of abating.
This is not an act of fear. Rather, it is an act of love. We will weather this together.
Wishing everyone health and courage,
Jamie Quirk
School Chair
Message from the College Chair - March 16, 2020
It all begins with an idea.
Dear Friends,
As a Waldorf community, we strive for truth, goodness, and beauty, and we seek to create meaning so that, as free human beings, we can work together to uplift humanity.
The first Waldorf school was founded in Stuttgart, Germany in 1919, at a time of great social upheaval. In the wake of World War I and the deadly Spanish Flu Pandemic, there was considerable fear and unrest. Rudolf Steiner cautioned against the heightened materialism of the time and, in light of this, advocated for social renewal.
Today we face similarly troubling issues and events. Our current political climate, environmental crises, and COVID-19 can create a sense of overwhelm and hopelessness. It is safe to say that we have become progressively more materialistic since Steiner’s time, and one can’t help but wonder about the spiritual forces behind recent events and reflect on our current task as human beings. What is being asked of us in this next stage of human development? What can we do, as spiritual human beings, to answer the call?
Many of us feel increasingly isolated from one another in spite of technology that allows for constant communication. Perhaps, as we are asked to isolate ourselves physically, we will renew our commitment to meaningful human interaction. Perhaps we are being called upon to focus on what really matters—our relationships with one another and the planet.
At this time, we can set the intention to remember our values and match our actions with them. It can be a time to slow down and become truly attentive, to care for our families, ourselves, and our physical spaces. We can think of this time as a gift, as we have the chance to cultivate what Gordon Neufeld speaks of as “being known” to one another. In these moments of physical togetherness with our families, we have more opportunities to be present.
It is a time to connect with the spiritual, create art and music, and engage with the natural world. It is a time to reach out to our community to provide support to those who are ill or struggling financially. By closing schools and working from home, we act collectively to protect our fellow human beings.
There are benefits to the earth at this time as well. We are burning fewer fossil fuels, as travel is restricted. Many of us now have time to bike or walk to our destinations, as the pace of life has slowed. We also may be adjusting consumption habits and noticing that our relationships (to the planet, animals, humans) are not transactional, but that we may have been treating them as such.
What will support our children at this time? It is important to comfort them and give them a sense of security, even when we are uncertain ourselves. A healthy rhythm with plenty of time outdoors, opportunities for movement, adequate sleep in a dark room, health-supporting nutrition with unprocessed foods and limited sugar, lots of water, warmth, limited exposure to media, laughter, connection and artistic opportunities will help to support your child. As always, your children’s teachers will continue to hold them in their daily meditations.
As children are always learning, they simply will be learning in a different way. They will be learning about how the world works when in crisis or uncertain times. And they will be watching us closely. How will the adults around them behave, think and speak? The children will adapt to seeing fewer friends and they will have more time to unwrap the gift of boredom. Rather than worrying that the children might “fall behind,” we can rest in knowing that they will gain a new perspective of the world which may lead to interests and action in their adult lives. Our hope is that we help to create in them a love of learning, an interest and engagement with the world, and the desire to make the world a better place. As always, our aim is to educate children to become free human beings who seek and uphold the truth.
Lower school teachers will not be using video conferencing to deliver lessons to students at this time. There are many reasons for this, including varied access to technology, individual family differences in time and availability, and pedagogical considerations. Individual teachers may choose to share an audio file or something similar, however. At the high school level, students are more capable of managing assignments and technology independently, so high school faculty will strive to provide the same amount of learning, reflection and academic progress as students would have at school, albeit in a modified format. That said, movement, nature, creativity, and rest are equally important for high school students and teachers will do their best to incorporate these elements and/or limit homework to allow for these activities. The details will be shared with high school families after teachers have had time to coordinate. Please ask your child’s teachers for more specific information.
A Verse for Our Time
We must eradicate from the soul
All fear and terror of what comes towards man out of the future.
We must acquire serenity
In all feelings and sensations about the future.
We must look forward with absolute equanimity
To everything that may come.
And we must think only that whatever comes
Is given to us by a world-directive full of wisdom.
It is part of what we must learn in this age,
namely, to live out of pure trust,
Without any security in existence.
Trust in the ever present help
Of the spiritual world.
Truly, nothing else will do
If our courage is not to fail us.
And let us seek the awakening from within ourselves
Every morning and every evening.
—Rudolf Steiner
With love and blessings on our community and our world,
-Elizabeth Webber
for Portland Waldorf School College of Teachers:
Nina Churchill
Jill DeSantis
Victor Garza
Johanna Hibbard
Mariama Loos-Diallo
Shanti McCarter
Jenny Nielson
Jamie Quirk
Shay Roselip
Lukas Schneider