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.