Parent Handbook
Updated August 2021 755 Idylberry Road - San Rafael, CA 94903 - (415) 479-8190 - www.marinwaldorf.org
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I. Mission Statement of Marin Waldorf School The mission of the Marin Waldorf School is to provide an education that will prepare children to fulfill their highest potential as free human beings energized by a lifelong joy for learning. Recognizing the spiritual nature of the human being, we bring into practice the educational principles of Rudolf Steiner in a way that reflects their relevance for an ever-changing and socially diverse world. Each stage of a child’s development is supported by activities that engage the mind, fire the imagination, and strengthen the will in order to develop capacities and skills that can serve an evolving humanity. Approved and adopted by the faculty, January 2005
II. Our Core Values ● Childhood is the foundation of a healthy, productive life. We honor, protect, and nurture the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual being of the developing child. ● We acknowledge the existence of spirit and respect all paths to understanding. ● We believe that imagination and creativity are fundamental. Art, music, and movement are integral to our curriculum. ● We value an atmosphere of social renewal and stewardship in which individuals flourish and can contribute to the greater good of all. ● We value the freedom to educate according to the needs of each child, so they may become free, independent thinkers. ● We embrace cultural, social, and economic diversity within the life of the school. Based on these values, our school strives to make Waldorf education accessible to all children regardless of economic circumstances and celebrate the gifts that a diverse community brings to us.
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III. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Marin Waldorf School Marin Waldorf School strives to be a diverse and actively engaged school community where all experiences and perspectives are welcome. We are actively researching ways to make Waldorf education available to all families, specifically through broadening our outreach, making scholarships available, and continuing education for teachers and the community to help our school become a healthy, enriching place for all families. A fundamental principle of Waldorf education is respect for human rights and the diversity of humankind, and the belief that inclusivity and equality is both a moral and educational imperative. Marin Waldorf School is working independently and in collaboration with Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) to look closely at the Waldorf curriculum, which has Eurocentric elements that need modification. While recognizing shortcomings and limitations of some of the curriculum we believe that the Waldorf curriculum overall provides students with boundless opportunity to examine preconceptions and explore multiple ways of thinking. We are enthusiastic to take a deeper look to ensure our education becomes even more global and free of bias. We recognize that learning about diversity is most effective when the school community is itself diverse. We believe that the direct experience of diversity is a powerful way to foster critical thinking, self-confidence, and moral integrity in our students. We acknowledge that diversity and inclusion touch every aspect and corner of our community and that growth is an ongoing process that calls for resolute commitment, collaboration, and mutual respect. Educators at Marin Waldorf School recognize the value of including a variety of cultures, experiences, opinions, and life stories in each classroom. We strive for lessons that are filled with global perspectives that prepare students to be active citizens and leaders for the future. In every subject there is an effort to authentically reflect the lived experience of students, while introducing things that may be less familiar. This variety is an essential part of educating the whole human being.
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IV. The School Calendar
The school year begins in September and ends in June. The calendar for the school year, which includes all planned breaks and holidays, can be found here. Any changes or additions to the school calendar are communicated to families with as much advance notice as possible.
Early Release Days
On the first and last day of school, during parent-teacher conferences, and on several Fridays before school breaks, students are dismissed early. These early release days/dismissal times are noted in the calendar. Please make note of these dates and arrange for early pickup. Aftercare is available on early release days to students enrolled in the program, except on the last day of school before winter break and the last day of the school year. Please see Aftercare (below) for more information.
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V. The Daily Schedule Teachers' Morning Verse 7:55am
Preschool Schedule
Arrival 8:30am Dismissal 12:45pm
Kindergarten Schedule Arrival 8:15am Dismissal 1pm
Grades Bell Schedule (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday) Arrival 8am Class Begins 8:10am* Main Lesson 8:15am – 10:15am Snack 10:15am – 10:25am Recess 10:25am – 10:45am 1st Period 10:50am – 11:40am 2nd Period 11:45pm – 12:35pm Lunch/Recess 12:35pm – 1:15pm 3rd Period 1:20pm – 2:10pm 4th Period 2:15 – 3:10pm Dismissal 3:15pm** * Parents are kindly asked to say goodbyes and depart no later than 8:10am so that the school day may begin in a timely manner. **Thursdays early dismissal time is 2:15 (please see schedule below)
Grades Bell Schedule (Thursday) Arrival 8am Class Begins 8:10am* Main Lesson 8:15am – 10:15am
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Snack 10:15am – 10:25am Recess 10:25am – 10:45am 1st Period 10:50am – 11:40am 2nd Period 11:45pm – 12:35pm Lunch/Recess 12:35pm – 1:15pm 3rd Period 1:20pm – 2:10pm Dismissal 2:15pm
VI. Attendance
1. Attendance Overview
Absences In the event of an absence, please call the school’s front office (415-479-8190) or email attendance@marinwaldorf.org before 8:30 a.m. Parents of grades students should also send an email to their child’s teacher. Punctuality At the opening of the school day, each child is greeted by the class teacher. The morning greeting and opening exercises are an integral part of each day that brings the class together and prepares the students for the work of the day. Please make sure that your children arrive on time so that the whole class is not interrupted by late arrivals. Late Arrivals Any student (preK to 8th grade) arriving on campus after their designated arrival time must check in at the front office before proceeding to class. Grades students may enter without a parent from 8:10am until 8:30am (please see “Late Slips” below). Thereafter, all grades students must be signed in by a parent. Students in our early childhood program who are arriving late (after 8:20 for kindergarten and 8:35am for preschool) should come directly to the front office with their parent/guardian. The front office staff will accompany your child to the classroom.
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Late Slips (for Grades Students) Grades students who arrive at school after 8:10am but before 8:30am do not need to be accompanied by a parent; however, they must stop in the front office to collect a late slip before going to class. After 8:30am, all grades students must signed in by their parents in the front office. Early Pickups If you must pick up your child early, please let your child’s teacher know and call/email the front office. If possible, it is best to plan your pickup during a transition time between periods or activities (please see Grades Bell Schedule, above). Families are strongly encouraged to make medical, dental, and other appointments outside school hours. Please schedule lessons, family trips, and other extracurricular activities after regular dismissal. When you arrive, please come to the front office to sign out your child. The front office staff will bring them to the office. If you are returning later with your child, please sign them back in and the front office staff will walk them back to class. Late Pickups If you know you will be late to pick up your child, please notify the front office as soon as possible. A late fee of $1/ minute will be charged for late pickups Please see After School Programs, below, for more information about our aftercare program. Designated Contacts Children should only be picked up by guardians or people listed on their emergency contact form. If someone other than your child’s guardians or emergency contact will be picking up your child from school, please send that person’s name and phone number to office@marinwaldorf.org in advance.
2. When to Stay Home
Children should not come to school if they are sick. Please note: A child must be kept home at least 24 hours after a fever and/or last incident of vomiting or diarrhea and 24 hours after starting antibiotics. For the 2021-2022 school year, please refer to the health and safety policies in the 2021 Supplemental Handbook.
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The following outlines common symptoms and when to keep your child home from school. Symptom
Stay Home
Fever
A morning temperature of 99 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, or their temperature is below 99 but they are achy, pale, or tired.
Stomachache
Two or more episodes of vomiting or diarrhea, or have had one in the past 24 hours and feel tired or ill.
Sneezing/Runny Nose
Frequent sneezing and/or nose won’t stop running.
Sore Throat
Tender, swollen glands, a fever, or it is accompanied by a cough.
Cough
They are coughing frequently coughs up phlegm, or their cough sounds like a bark or is accompanied by a sore throat or wheezing.
Earache
Pain that is constant or severe
Rash
The rash blisters, develops pus, or is uncomfortable. Itchy, cracked skin. Pimple-like rash.
Eye infection
Pink or red color in the whites of the eye(s), itchy or scratchy eyes, fluid discharge from the eye, crusting of the eyelids or eyelashes
Evidence of Lice
If nits are found, the child may remain in school for the remainder of the day and return the next day after treatment. Should there be live active lice found, the child will need to leave school. Before returning to the class the child will be checked to see that there are no lice or nits remaining.
3. Communicable Diseases and Family Notification
If your child contracts a contagious disease, such as strep throat or pink eye, please notify the office as soon as possible so that we can notify all families your child may have come in contact with. Strep and other contagious diseases require a longer quarantine period if not treated with antibiotics. If a family does not want to use antibiotics to treat a contagious illness that typically requires one, you should let the school know along with a doctor's note advising how long they should remain out of school. 8
VII. The Front Office 1. Contact Information
Please visit our website at www.marinwaldorf.org for general information about our school. Our school’s address is 755 Idylberry Road, San Rafael, CA 94903. Our main office number is 415-479-8190. The fax number is 415-479-9921. You can email general inquiries to office@marinwaldorf.org
2. Office Hours
The school office opens to the community at 8:00 a.m. and closes at 4:00 p.m. every day school is in session. The front office is open on a more limited schedule over holidays and summer break.
3. Messages During School Hours
Due to the volume of calls we receive during the school day, the front office cannot relay a message to your child unless it is an emergency. Please make all after-school arrangements before your child/ren arrive in the morning. If you want to send a message to your class teacher, please contact them through their MWS email. (teacher’s full name @marinwaldorf.org)
4. Visits and Deliveries
All classroom visits must be pre-arranged with the class teachers. If your child has forgotten their lunch, a necessary medication, or another essential item, please bring it to the front office, where your child may retrieve it at an appropriate time. Parents are encouraged to visit the school during open houses and for school plays and festivals, as well as volunteer in classes or on field trips (please see Parent Involvement Opportunities, page X).
5. Lunches and Recycling
Nutritious snacks and lunches are an essential part of a healthy learning environment. The children should bring enough food for a morning snack, lunch and, if needed, an aftercare snack each day. Individual classes may have other specific guidelines regarding food. Soda and candy (including chewing gum) are not allowed at school, unless an exception is made. Please choose lunchboxes free of commercial media images.
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MWS strives to be environmentally conscious and participates in a recycling program. Reusable containers for food items are recommended and help cut down on weekly garbage output.
6. Solicitation
Marin Waldorf School does not permit external business solicitations on campus. As a matter of courtesy and respect for privacy, no solicitations at the school by parents, faculty, or staff without obtaining prior written approval from the Administration. In this light, the school directory, including email addresses, should not be used promoting personal or other business.
7. School Communications
During the school year, the front office publishes a weekly email newsletter for families, which includes important announcement, calendar updates, community and campus news, parenting resources, and other important information. If you are not receiving these emails, please contact office@marinwaldorf.org to verify your contact information.
VIII. Parent Volunteers
Parents must complete a Livescan fingerprinting and background check and complete a volunteer application before they may volunteer in the classroom or on a field trip. These forms are found in the Appendix and copies may be obtained from the front office. For the 2021-2022 school year, parents volunteering at school must also be fully vaccinated against COVID. For more information about ways to get involved, please see Parent Involvement Opportunities (page X) below.
IX. After School Programs
Children may not remain on campus without adult supervision after school is dismissed. For parents who would like to pick up later than designated dismissal time, the school operates aftercare programs for children in preschool through 8th grade.
1. Preschool & Kindergarten Aftercare Program
Marin Waldorf School’s early childhood aftercare program is designed with the young child in mind, continuing the rhythm of the school day with rest/nap, snacks, outdoor time, and free play. Aftercare begins immediately after the regular school day is over, with two pickup options: 3pm and 5:20pm. Aftercare is offered every day school is in session except the last day before winter break and the last day of school. Aftercare is an extension of our Early Childhood Program and therefore is subject to very specific teacher-student ratios. 10
Aftercare will be available for preschool and kindergarten students on a contracted, first-come, first-served basis.
2. Grades After School Program
The grades after-school program is available to students in grades first through eighth. The program begins immediately following grades dismissal (3:15pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, and 2:15pm on Thursday) and runs until 5:20pm. Aftercare is offered every day school is in session except the last day of school before winter break and the last day of the school year.
3. Music Lessons
Our music teachers help coordinate afterschool music lessons for MWS students on campus. Music classes are considered a part of our aftercare program. Students must sign up for the aftercare program on the day of their lesson.
X. Emergencies at School 1. Emergency Preparedness
The school continues to improve our preparedness for emergencies. Our buildings are sturdy, steel-framed structures, with shatterproof windows. We keep stored food and water on hand at all times.. In the event of a disaster, telephones will only be used to report emergency conditions or to request assistance. Please do not try to call the school. The Administrators will, if necessary, authorize early dismissal when the situation warrants and parents will be notified by email, telephone or text as communications infrastructure allows. When the severity of the disaster is great enough to interrupt telephone communication or transportation, parents or people designated on emergency forms are requested to pick up their children as soon as possible. For this reason, it is suggested that at least one designee live or work close by, and that emergency forms are filled out completely and kept up-to-date. The pickup place for all children will be on Elderberry, Appleberry and Danberry. Do not come to the front of the school or park on Idylberry, which is reserved for emergency vehicles only. The teacher in charge of a student will be responsible for releasing them to the parent or parent’s designee. Students will be signed out only to those people indicated on the emergency form. Students who are not picked up will be kept at the school, or taken to the home of a teacher or staff person. In the event that the entire school is evacuated, a notice will be posted at the front. (The Marinwood Fire Dept. will become a command post in the event of an emergency, 11
and although the Community Center next door is not a designated shelter, the Red Cross has an agreement with them to utilize the facilities in the event of a disaster.)
2. Emergency Communication
The school has an emergency communication system with the capacity for broadcasting simultaneous text, phone and email messages in case of an emergency or a weather related school closure.
3. Drills
In accordance with local laws and best practices, we conduct periodic earthquake, fire, and shelter-in-place drills during the school day.
XI. Communication Policy and Procedures
Marin Waldorf School recognizes that effective communication is key to a healthy community. While difficulties and differences of opinion are inherent in human encounters, we are committed to communication practices that lead to increased awareness of the needs of others, the community as a whole and ourselves. We strive to avoid gossip and improve our communication skills using the practices of direct and compassionate communication, treating individuals and their concerns with dignity, respect and an attitude of goodwill. We try to view conflict as an opportunity for constructive change whereby we can learn from one another. We make every effort to solve conflict as quickly as possible, and with the people directly involved and affirm that our willingness to work together provides a model for our children.
1. Email Policy
Marin Waldorf School strives to achieve healthy communication among all the various constituencies in the school. Over the years, it has become increasingly clear that the convenience and speed of email communication in the school setting is best suited for sharing logistical information, clarification, and setting up appointments. Face-to-face conversation is the appropriate avenue for resolving more nuanced issues or concerns. As a result, the school upholds the following policy guidelines regarding email communication. If you have a potentially emotionally-charged concern, email should only be used to schedule an appointment with the appropriate party or decision maker. Please note the issue to be addressed in the subject line. Staff will make every effort to address your concerns promptly. 12
Generally speaking, class or group emails should remain of an informational or logistical nature. Class parents distributing such emails should clear them with the class teacher or appropriate staff member before distribution. In order to avoid email overload, personal replies to group emails should not be “reply all” to the whole class or group. Only reply to those directly affected, keeping your response succinct. While we highly value conversation, we have found that too much nuance is lost in the electronic medium, so we assert that school-related conversation is most fruitful in class meetings, small groups or one-on-one situations.
2. School Communications to Parents
Our goal is to provide information that is factually accurate, clear, timely and relevant, and to ensure that the flow of information is consistent, predictable and at a manageable volume. Teachers are available for phone conversations or meetings if requested. Please respect the teachers’ privacy by directing all phone calls to the school. In most cases, teachers will return parent calls at free periods during the school day unless they have established other times for their class. The best way to contact teachers to arrange a meeting or a phone conversation is through email. To contact any teacher please use their full name at marinwaldorf.org. (teachersname@marinwaldorf.org) The school also keeps parents informed via regular email announcements, events, the website and a weekly newsletter recently converted to a blog format on the school website, www.marinwaldorf.org.
3. Class Communication
Each Class Teacher provides regular communication regarding class activities throughout the year, beginning in the fall with an overview and plan for the year, a class schedule and information on field trips as well as parent support needs and opportunities. Class communications are typically handled either through email and class newsletters or at regular class meetings for the parents. Designated class parents sometimes assist the teacher by handling urgent class information by email.
4. Student Progress Communication
Student progress is shared with parents through parent/teacher conferences, written reports and progress reports.
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Conferences: All grades have parent/teacher conferences in November. In early spring (March) follow-up conferences may be held on an as-needed basis. Subject teachers will relate their observations of the students to the class teachers before the conferences are held. Additional conferences may be scheduled on an as needed basis. Written Reports: In January, progress reports are written for the 1st through 8th grade students. End-of-year reports are provided for all students in grades 1-8 by early July. Seventh and eighth grade reports will be ready for submission to high schools the first week of January. Progress reports: Grades seven and eight will receive preliminary progress reports including grades after the first six weeks of school and in early March.
5. Emergency Communication
The school has an emergency communication system called School Messenger, which has the capacity for broadcasting simultaneous text, phone and email messages in case of an emergency or a weather related school closure. When you enroll in our school, your contact information will be added to our emergency database and you will automatically receive emails and phone calls from the school in case of emergency. If you wish you receive text message alerts from the school, you must opt-in by texting yes to 67587.
6. Addressing Parent/Teacher Concerns
Any concerns regarding the child and the parents' relationship to the class should be taken to the teacher first. It is the intention of the teacher to receive and respond to all parent needs and concerns that arise whenever possible. If the issue is not resolved, parents should contact the Early Childhood Coordinator or Grades Director.
Addressing Parent/School Concerns
It is the intention of the Administration, Faculty and Board to receive and respond to all parent needs, concerns and suggestions about the school whenever possible. Concerns of a broad pedagogical nature can be addressed by the Early Childhood Coordinator or Grades Director. Any concerns regarding overall school policies, procedures or facilities should be addressed to the School Director.
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XII. Marin Waldorf School Behavioral Expectations
These guidelines apply to class lessons, assemblies, festivals and any other school related activities. Marin Waldorf School strives to foster age-appropriate engaged learning, guided by the principles of responsible action, respect, and safety. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to an ongoing process of discussion and study concerning our role as models for our students. Following the Waldorf curriculum, Marin Waldorf School endeavors to educate students who will develop into free-thinking adults, able to impart purpose and direction to their lives. Students are encouraged to strive for intellectual freedom, artistic creativity and a sense of social responsibility. Meeting these goals is the responsibility of everyone connected with the school, including students, parents, faculty and staff.
1. Student Behavioral Expectations All students are expected to:
● Treat one another, teachers, parents and other staff with courtesy and respect. ● Be at school on time and in the classroom on time for every lesson. ● Conduct themselves in such a way that the teacher can teach the whole class with minimal interruptions ● Students should demonstrate respect for other students. Aggressive or threatening physical behavior, including hitting, punching, pushing or kicking, is not acceptable, nor is foul or abusive language. Bullying in any form is not permitted. Weapons are not allowed on campus. Sexual behavior is not permitted, whether it is sexual harassment or sexual activity between students. ● Be prepared for each lesson by having all materials (books, instruments, handwork materials, etc.), ready for each class period. ● Complete class work and assignments on time and to the best of their ability. ● Keep school materials in good condition.
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● Help keep the classroom and the school grounds clean and tidy. Recycle and compost whenever possible. ● Treat all property with respect. Students are required to repair or replace anything that they damage. ● Remain within school boundaries during school and never leave the school campus without permission. ● Walk while in the breezeways except with explicit permission from a supervising teacher. Speak at a reasonable volume when passing other classrooms. ● Obtain a pass from a teacher to go to the office and/or use the office phone. ● Use the school library under the direct supervision of a teacher, librarian, or library volunteer on duty. No food and drink in the library. ● Eat only in classrooms or, when supervised, in an area designated by a teacher. Sit down while eating. ● Refrain from using cellphones and electronic devices at school or at school sponsored events held after school or in the evenings. Students who disregard this rule will have their device confiscated. A parent will be required to retrieve the device from the office. Students may use the office phone for emergency or urgent calls. Students should leave the following at home: Pocket knives Matches Lighters Magnifying glasses Weapons Look-alike weapons Dangerous objects Games which involve betting or the exchange of money or property Candy, chewing gum (except if prescribed under certain circumstances), sugary drinks Pets or special toys (except by written permission from a teacher) Cameras (Except by written permission from a teacher for a special project) 16
2. Playground Behavioral Expectations
To contribute to an environment of safety, respect and cooperation. ● Consult a supervising teacher immediately if difficulties or injuries occur. ● Include others in games and activities. ● Respect our neighbors, their property, their privacy and their animals. Do not sit on or climb fences. Do not enter or throw objects into a neighbor’s yard. ● Share playground equipment. Return all equipment to its appropriate storage space. Notify a teacher on the playground if a ball is unreachable. Use equipment for its intended use only. Return unicycles to the 6th grade classroom after every use. ● Leave personal equipment at home unless first approved by the movement teacher. ● Keep bicycles in bike racks. Skateboards and scooters are only allowed on school property during Wheel Week. ● Climb on designated play structures only. Do not climb on sheds, buildings or basketball poles. ● Do not use jump ropes or balls in the climbing structure area. ● Wear waterproof gear if going outside when it is raining. Only teachers may bring umbrellas on the playground. Students without rain gear will play under cover in the breezeways, where supervising teachers will help determine which activities are appropriate. ● The field, oak groves and climbing structure may be closed due to excessively wet conditions. ● Keep the playground clean. Food is not allowed on the playground. ● Use the garden only when a teacher is present and only for quiet activities. No balls are allowed in the garden. ● Bathrooms are not play areas. Care for and use bathrooms properly so that they remain safe and clean for children of all ages.
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● Stay on school property and in view of a teacher at all times during school hours and until picked up to go home.
3. Parental Support of Behavioral Expectations
Parents are asked to support the children in meeting the Behavioral Expectations by: ● Providing a home atmosphere that is conducive to their child’s physical, social, emotional and educational wellbeing. ● Reviewing the discipline policy and school rules with their child(ren). ● Collaborating with faculty in implementing discipline policies. ● Ensuring that their child arrives at school on time and is collected from school in a timely manner. ● Treating teachers and staff with courtesy and respect at all times, especially in times of disagreement. ● Attending all required class and school meetings and making use of other opportunities given by the school to learn more about Waldorf education. ● Ensuring that their child is dressed warmly and receives adequate rest and nutrition. ● Ensuring that their child receives the needed time and environment necessary to complete homework in a timely manner.
4. Teacher Expectations
Teachers, as educational leaders and role models to the students, are expected to: ● Be on time and prepared for every lesson. ● Treat students with courtesy and respect especially when discipline is required. ● Treat colleagues and parents with courtesy and respect, especially in times of disagreement. ● Be supportive and encouraging to all students equally, without favoritism or bias. ● Strive to be consistent in their approach to discipline, individually and as a faculty. ● Provide all students and parents with opportunities to ask questions and express concerns outside of lesson time. ● Provide parents with opportunities to learn more about Waldorf education. ● Notify parents in a timely manner when expectations for schoolwork and behavior have not been met. ● Regularly attend conferences and workshops to deepen knowledge of the Waldorf curriculum as well as staying current regarding issues confronting children and families. 18
● Be familiar with state laws regarding neglect and abuse, to be alert to signs and symptoms of such neglect or abuse and implement legal requirements as needed.
5. Media Mindfulness
Waldorf education strives to awaken the children's excitement and enthusiasm for learning through a curriculum rich in academic and artistic expression. Our experience, as a school and as an educational movement, is that popular culture, especially as expressed through the media, overwhelms children’s thinking and imagination. We make a conscious effort to quiet popular culture and promote media awareness within the Marin Waldorf School to make room for the development of a healthy and authentic sense of self. In the school’s experience, Waldorf education achieves its best results when children watch little or no television. The younger the child is, the greater the impact of the electronic media. It is not only the content that is generally inappropriate and harmful, but also the physical and psychological effects resulting from the process. Therefore, in order to cultivate your child’s imagination and reinforce the work that is done at Marin Waldorf School, we very strongly recommend that kindergarten and lower grades children do not watch television, videos or movies, or play on devices. If parents feel that their older middle school children should participate in any of the above media activities, please use discrimination and limit the amount to a minimum. Modern educational research has demonstrated a close relationship between the development of writing and reading. In a Waldorf classroom, the children learn to write first, and then read what they have written, recapitulating the evolution of language. The physical act of shaping the letters of the alphabet with one's own hands is fundamentally different from the act of pressing a button that reproduces these letters on a computer screen. As educators, we think that it is vital for the children to develop their own handwriting skills while they are young. For this reason we do not use computers in our classrooms. 7th and 8th graders begin to use computers, first for typing, and then for guided research. Your support at home on these matters will allow the richness of the Waldorf curriculum to fully benefit your child.
6. Tobacco, Drugs, and Alcohol
Tobacco, drugs, and alcohol are not permitted on the school grounds or at any school-sponsored student activity, whether held at the school or off-campus. There will be no alcohol served on campus at any event. Possession or use of any of these substances is considered a serious offense and will result in suspension and probation. It may also be grounds for expulsion on the 19
first incident. If a student is found using or possessing any of these substances, the following procedure will be followed: 1. Immediate suspension from school. 2. Parents will be informed by telephone and by letter. 3. A Discipline Committee will set terms of probation or determine if expulsion is the proper discipline. The use (before, during or after school), sale, distribution, possession, or being under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or any legally controlled substance on school grounds, at schoolrelated events, or at any location, or in any situation that would reflect adversely on Marin Waldorf School, will be considered a serious offense for which a student is liable to be expelled.
7. Sexual Harassment
It is the policy of the Marin Waldorf School to provide a school environment free from all forms of harassment, including sexual harassment, and to maintain an environment where all students and adults are treated with dignity and respect. Therefore, no student shall be subjected to sexual overtures or conduct, verbal, visual or physical, which is intimidating, hostile, offensive or unwelcome. Such conduct by adults or students is deemed unacceptable behavior, and will not be tolerated by the school.
8. Dress Code
Attending Marin Waldorf School is an active and focused learning experience. In an effort to create a healthy learning environment both indoors and outdoors, we ask that students wear sturdy clothes and shoes, allowing for ease of movement. The following Dress and Grooming Code applies in all the classrooms, at all school events, on field and class trips and whenever children are involved in class activities with Marin Waldorf School. Simplicity and decorum are guiding considerations. We ask for and expect the cooperation of all parents, students, and members of the community in following these guidelines. A Note About Enforcement ● Parents hold the first responsibility for making sure their children follow the dress code. ● When an infraction is observed, a discreet conversation between teacher and student follows, and a request to change immediately is made. Examples are t-shirts turned inside out, nail polish removal, tattoos washed off. 20
General Dress Code Guidelines ● Plain, plaid, prints or stripes, or clothing with nature pictures or Marin Waldorf School logo are permitted. ● Clothing should be free of advertising, messages, images, holes or tears, and athletic/team logos, player names, and numbers. Logos that cannot be fully covered under an extended thumb-size are not allowed. ● Pants must be worn at or close to the waist and may not drag on the ground. ● Underwear may not be exposed. ● Clothing, including leggings, may not be sheer or see-through. ● Shirts must cover the midriff regardless of movement, ie. raised arms. ● Shoes must have heel straps for safety and must be worn at all times. Movement classes require gym shoes - if the classroom shoes worn aren’t suitable for ease of movement, another pair will be required for Movement class. ● No high-heel, platform, wheelie, light-up shoes or flip-flops are allowed. ● A sun hat for warm weather and a warm hat for cool weather are recommended. ● Hair must be clean and combed, cut, clipped, or tied back out of the face. ● Natural hair colors only, please. No dyed hair is allowed. Jewelry and Cosmetics ● Jewelry must not pose a safety issue. ● Only post or stud earrings are allowed - no hoops, dangling earrings, or gauges. Only earlobes may be pierced. ● Wallet or belt chains are not allowed. ● Tattoos, face paint, henna or ink designs are not permitted. ● Beeping watches are not allowed. ● Cosmetics or nail polish are not allowed until grade 7 and 8 when modest use is permitted. All-weather outerwear for recess and movement classes is required to meet rainy weather conditions. Grades 1-3: waterproof jacket with hood, rain pants, and waterproof boots. Grade 4: waterproof jacket with hood and waterproof boots. Grades 5-8: waterproof jacket with hood. Concert Dress for Grades Four through Eight at Spring and Other Instrumental Concerts
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● Clean, solid white dress shirts or blouses worn tucked in, solid black skirts or dress pants, and clean flat shoes (no heels).
XIII. Discipline Policy
We strive to practice conflict resolution and restorative discipline to ensure that learning can take place in every lesson and school activity. We agree that good discipline grows out of an orderly and loving environment in which students have positive models for their behavior. Clear expectations and positive reinforcement will limit the situations where correction is necessary. Individual teachers may also have specific expectations that they will communicate to their classes and parents. We will not tolerate behavior that infringes on the safety of any student. A student shall not intimidate, harass, or bully another student through words or actions. Such behavior includes direct physical contact, such as hitting or shoving; verbal assaults, such as teasing or namecalling; and social isolation or manipulation. Each class will develop a Student Code of Conduct to be followed by every student while on school grounds, or when traveling to and from school or a school-sponsored activity, and during lunch period, whether on or off campus. However, when necessary, consequences for thoughtless or harmful actions and classroom disruptions must be consistent, impartial, and timely. This communicates to the students that there is a strong commitment to a healthy learning environment for all. Examples of the responses that may be taken when other problem-solving tools have been exhausted include, but are not limited to: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Verbal warning Removal from the classroom to a supervised location Meet with Grades Director and Parents notified Meet with School Director with Parents present Support Circle meeting with parents/teacher/Care group member Alternate in-school placement with appropriate adult supervision Suspension at home Probation Expulsion
Parents are reminded that the Enrollment Agreement includes the following provision: Marin Waldorf School, at the sole discretion of its Director, reserves the right to suspend or dismiss any student whose performance, conduct or attendance is found 22
unsatisfactory. The school may also require behavioral or academic evaluation by an outside professional as a condition of continued re-enrollment. The Marin Waldorf School library carries a wide range of books, manuals, and references on the subject of guidance and discipline in general. Please contact your child's class teacher for more information on these resources.
Kindergarten Guidance Policy
Under no circumstances is corporal or unusual punishment used at the Marin Waldorf School. When intervention becomes necessary in the kindergarten, one-on-one redirection, and positive separation techniques are utilized to modify a child's behavior. If problems persist, the kindergarten teachers will work with the child's parents to find resolution. Care is taken to preserve the personal rights of each child. The Community Care Licensing Agency of the Department of Social Services reserves the option to make unannounced inspection visits to the school, including observing and interviewing children.
XIV. Field Trips
Class field trips are an integral part of our school curriculum. Teachers carefully choose trip destinations and activities to balance educational and recreational elements. All students are expected to attend class field trips. Our school greatly depends upon the cooperation of parents, teachers, and students during off-site events. A set of guidelines has been established to ensure the safety of all who participate and that all participants clearly understand their responsibilities prior to and on field trips. These guidelines are distributed throughout the year at different times. If you do not have a set of complete guidelines, please request the latest copy from the front office or your child’s teacher. All chaperones or volunteers who serve in a position that involves possible one-on-one contact or overnight chaperoning with a child (other than their own) are required to submit a Volunteer Application and Livescan Background Check. Field Trip Drivers must also complete a Driver’s Statement and submit a photocopy of a valid driver’s license and current auto insurance coverage and liability limits. Positions which require these documents include—but are not limited to— driving/chaperoning for field trips, coaching or assistant coaching, and even some forms of classroom assistants. Refer to the Appendix for these forms.
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1. Eighth Grade Field Trip Policy
The Eighth Grade Field Trip serves as the zenith of a multiyear, social and educational journey for the graduating class. It has several key aspects including: ● Bonding experience for the students that provides closure to their time at Marin Waldorf School ● A community service component ● A purposeful educational focus, relevant to the curriculum The Eighth Grade Field Trip must be within the United States. The distance travelled from the school is determined so that safety and fiscal responsibility are at the forefront of trip planning. The cost of the trip needs to be reasonable and achievable without excessive fundraising. Teachers must be conscientious and not overburden the children or parents in raising funds for the 8th grade trip. The planned trip activities must be deemed safe and age appropriate by the class teacher. All end-of-year trips shall be approved by the College of Teachers. The following guidelines are held as ‘usual practice.’ If a teacher feels that the right trip for their particular class does not fall within the guidelines, they are free to make a proposal to the College of Teachers for consideration. Chaperones: Will be teachers or school employees, preferably with a relationship to the class and teacher. It is also acceptable that leadership from a contracted organization are considered chaperones with the class teacher being a participant. *Parents will not chaperone on the 8th grade trip. Destination: The trip will be in the contiguous United States - no trips Alaska or Hawaii Intention: The trip will be mainly focused as a hands-on, outdoor, will-based experience, ecology study and/or connecting to nature. Beyond that, the purpose of the trip is to provide a closure to the students' experience at Marin Waldorf School, and as a class, acknowledging their upcoming transition into high school, and developing independence and offering a threshold experience for them to mark this significant time. Whenever possible, community service is interwoven into the trip. Personal Challenge: The edge, outside comfort zones, rites of passage 24
Who decides: The school strives to have regular collaboration between the Class Teacher and the College of Teachers in deciding the 8th Grade Trip. Planning conversations should begin in 7th Grade with parents, and the College of Teachers. Organizations: The following organizations have been used and vetted by MWS and are recommended: Kroka Deer Hill Expeditions Synergia Budget: Not to exceed $1,500.00 per student; if airfare is required, case by case considerations will be made. Field trip funds arise from yearly parent contributions in grades 1-8, and supplemented with fundraising in upper grades. Teachers are responsible to oversee their field trip expenses in grades 1-7 to ensure ample funds remain for the 8th Grade trip. School Rules: all apply - dress code, devices/phones; and a behavioral contract will be required to insure buy-in from all students. Timeline: ● Teacher begins looking into options by the end of 7th grade. Budget is looked over and set. ● Proposal for trip including budget, dates, suggested chaperones and other relevant details is given to the College of Teachers in early September of 8th grade, optimally, prior. Dates are shared with parents and reservations made by October 1st.
2. Extracurricular Field Trips
We strongly encourage activities that build community among the families of individual classes. All field trips or outings arranged for classes by the teachers are the responsibility of the school. Trips and parties that are initiated and organized by and for families within a particular class, but are not supervised by the teacher, are not considered school functions and are not the responsibility of the Marin Waldorf School. In addition, the class fund account is not used for such events. In order to maintain clarity and allow families the freedom to choose which extracurricular activities they wish to engage in, we ask that these outside gatherings be clearly identified as such in any communications to the families. Teachers should not be asked to distribute handouts for these events. 25
When planning an outside school event that involves a large percentage of the class, please be mindful of the very full schedule of activities the teacher has planned for the year, taking into account a healthy rhythm for the children at their particular grade level. We discourage overnight field trips in the lower grades. (Traditionally, the school schedules the first overnight trip into the curriculum in the third grade.) Student Guidelines for Field Trips ● Students shall be well-behaved and treat chaperones with respect and gratitude. Students are our ambassadors in the public eye and should represent the school accordingly. ● While traveling in vehicles, students must wear seat belts at all times when the vehicle is in motion. ● Students who are on suspension may not attend field trips, unless granted a special exception by the school. ● Students must have a signed permission slip to attend a field trip. ● Students may not switch to another car. ● Students may not leave a field trip location without permission from the teacher. ● Students will respect the school policies on all off-campus and overnight field trips. All school rules are in effect during a field trip including school media and electronic rules, and the dress code. ● Students who violate behavioral rules will be disciplined accordingly.
3. Field Trip Guidelines for Chaperones, Drivers, Teachers, and Parents
Our school greatly depends upon the collaboration and cooperation of parents, teachers and students during off-site events. The following guidelines have been established to ensure the safety of all who participate, and that all participants clearly understand their responsibilities prior to, and on fieldtrips. We appreciate you taking the time to read through these guidelines, paying special attention to your role. A. Chaperones While chaperoning, your primary responsibility is to assist the teacher in supervising the students and making the trip run smoothly. Please set an example by demonstrating maturity in actions, attitudes, language and dress. No alcohol, drugs, or smoking is permitted on any school trip.
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Parents must inform the teacher, prior to departure, of any medication or physical limitation that could restrict their ability to chaperone. This assists the teacher to determine if they may serve as a chaperone and in what capacity. Chaperones should bring their cell phones with them, but should not use their cell phones for personal calls while chaperoning or driving. Make sure you provide your cell phone number to the school, teacher, and any other drivers going on the field trip before leaving campus. Students shall not be left unsupervised. Each chaperone will be provided with a list of the children for whom they are responsible. Unless otherwise instructed by the teacher, parent chaperones are responsible for the supervision of these students and their activities for the duration of the assignment to the best of their ability. Know exactly how many students are in your group. It is best to perform a headcount before, during and after activities. If you need to arrange a personal break, please arrange for the students to be supervised with the teacher or another chaperone. Because the school does not allow any media-related items or activities on campus, this policy extends to the student’s experience away from school when on school-sponsored field trips. School policy prohibits students bringing iPods, iPads, MP3 devices, cell phones, handheld video games or any related handheld electronic devices on trips.The use of cameras is regulated by the teacher. Each parent volunteering on an off-site field trip or outing must complete a Live Scan (fingerprinting) background check and give a complete a Volunteer Application form to the front office. The Live Scan fingerprinting process is a one-time event. This needs to be completed before volunteering for a school off-site field trip. Plan ahead to have your fingerprinting completed several weeks in advance of your child’s first field trip. The fee for this service is the parent's responsibility. These forms can be found in the Appendix. Contact the front office for additional copies. B. Drivers Drivers must have the following on file in the front office: A copy of your current driver’s license: 27
● ● ● ●
Proof of insurance, and A current Driver Statement. Drivers must be at least 25 years of age. MWS Volunteer Application Live Scan
Drivers taking any medication or who have a physical limitation that could impair their ability to drive in a prudent and safe manner are not permitted to drive on field trips. Your car should be in good running order and have a full tank of gas at time of departure. Please arrive at school at least 15 minutes ahead of departure time. Seat belts must be worn at all times and doors must be locked when the vehicle is in motion. It is required that you will obey all traffic laws, including speed limits. Drivers are to follow the map and route directions provided by the teacher. Do not make unscheduled stops or side trips without the express consent of the teacher in charge. The driver and students should be provided ample opportunity to use rest area services on every trip. If a rest stop is an emergency, please safely phone the teacher in charge to coordinate an additional stop or get permission to deviate from planned stops. The teacher will make vehicle assignments for students. Drivers are responsible for the children in their car during the trip and should follow the teacher’s guidance about seating arrangements. There should be a working cell phone in each vehicle, along with a list of the other drivers’ and the teacher’s cell phone numbers for use in case of emergencies. Phones should be used when the car is not in motion, unless a hands-free device is used, and should be restricted to field-trip issues or emergencies. Each driver should carry in their vehicle: • Emergency forms for the children riding in
their car • Any necessary medications for the children riding in their car 28
Drivers may not leave the field-trip location without permission from the teacher in charge. School rules are in effect during a field trip. No media or electronic devices, including the radio, may be used in vehicles unless the teacher has made specific allowances for the trip. If there will be a change in the arrival time back at school, drivers will call the “designated home parent,” as well as the school office, as soon as possible to inform them. It takes time for families to be contacted and to rearrange plans for pick up. No alcohol, drugs, or smoking are permitted on any school trip. Children must never be left unattended in a vehicle. C. Teachers Teachers are required to get formal authorization from the School Director to confirm that the field trip complies with Marin Waldorf School guidelines. To ensure proper planning and to give parents ample time to prepare, day field trips (that involve transportation but no overnight stay) shall be formally approved by the school at least 3 days in advance. Overnight field trips require approval of at least 7 days in advance. The teacher will provide an itinerary of the field trip schedule, carpool assignments and maps that include a driving route to and from the field trip destination. Before all excursions and field trips, teachers will provide all chaperones with clear information regarding their responsibilities for trip specific safety precautions. On overnight field trips or on trips where parent chaperones may be out of the direct line of sight of the teacher(s), the teacher must ensure the Marin Waldorf School Volunteer Application and Livescan fingerprinting have been completed for every chaperone and that every chaperone is cleared by the Business Administrator. These forms can be found in the Appendix. Contact the front office for additional copies. The teacher will provide a list to the chaperones of the children for whom they are responsible. The teacher will give emergency/consent forms to the office and documentation on every field trip, day long or overnight. 29
On overnight field trips, the teacher is responsible for coordinating sleeping arrangements prior to the trip with chaperones for each group. The teacher will select a parent to be the “designated home contact” for information that needs to be conveyed to parents during the field trip. The teacher will follow any medical requirements for a student’s specific needs due to allergies or health limitations in consultation with parents. Any required medications must be given in accordance with the school’s medication policy. The school reserves the right for a teacher to refuse to take a student on a field trip, especially if the student is under suspension or has not met other school requirements. If unforeseen circumstances require a change of location, the class teacher will notify the school as well as the field trip point person to inform parents as to the new site. Upon returning from the field trip, the teacher will supervise the students until the last child is picked up from school. The teacher will contact the school office if there will be a different time of arrival than scheduled. No alcohol, drugs, or smoking are permitted on any school trip. On overnight field trips or on trips where parent chaperones may be out of the direct line of sight of the teacher(s), the teacher must ensure the Marin Waldorf School Volunteer Application has been completed for every chaperone and that every chaperone is cleared by the Business Administrator. You can get a copy of the Marin Waldorf School Volunteer Application at the front office.
D. Parents Before departure, parents must provide documentation of any medication and instructions for its use if it is to be administered by the teacher. All medications must be in the original container and parents need to fill out the Administration of Prescription Medication form (see Appendix). Students may not bring medications that are not discussed by parent and teacher. Permission slips must be signed by the parent before their child may attend the field trip. 30
Parents will only purchase supplies for the class trip upon the teacher’s request and approval. Please do not purchase “extras” or “special treats” unless it is at the teacher’s request. Purchases requested by the teacher for the whole class are reimbursable by Marin Waldorf School. Items to outfit your child are not reimbursable.
4. Middle School Class Fundraising
Traditionally grades 6-8 will have a certain amount of fundraising endeavors in order to defray the cost of class trips, or to save towards the 8th grade class trip. The class teacher helps guide the parents in fundraising events so that the students are involved and yet not overtaxed. The effort involved should not interfere with a balanced school experience. Fundraising must be coordinated with the College of Teachers through communication with the School Director. It should not be assumed that a class continues with the traditionally scheduled fundraisers from year to year. If additional fundraising is needed, it must be approved prior to the start of the new school year. Sixth Grade Fundraising is limited to: ● the café and/or dessert concession at the May Faire ● a food/drink or dessert concession at the Children’s Faire* Seventh Grade Fundraising may include: ● proceeds from ticket/food sales for class play ● a food or drink concession at the Children’s Faire* Eighth Grade Fundraising may include: ● Main Food concession at the May Faire and the Children’s Faire* ● a hot lunch program for grades 1-8 *This fundraiser requires planning, organization, and collaboration. Please draw up a clear proposal, including parent team members, dates, times, order and distribution forms, and logistical details. Share it with the front office if you are interested. ● holiday pies for sale for Thanksgiving ● honey sales ● proceeds from ticket/food sales for class play ● providing a lunch for the three days of the BACWTT conference in February ● Christmas tree lot proceeds (when applicable)
*The food/drink concessions may be awarded to either 7th or 8th grade depending on the need. 31
XV. Festivals and Community
Just as there is a rhythm to each day with different tasks appropriate to different times of the day, there is a rhythm to the year. Observing the changing seasons helps the children to work appropriately and fosters a sense of harmony with the rhythmic life of nature throughout the year. Marin Waldorf School celebrates the changing seasons with major all-school festivals. The Autumn Festival Season reflects the bounty of the harvest as well as inner and outer preparation for the coming darkness of winter. Michaelmas, September 29, is a festival little known in North America. It takes place near the autumnal equinox when days grow short. Saint Michael, the protector of humanity, inspires qualities of courage, initiative and steadfastness. The younger children hear stories of a brave individual who conquers a dragon with a sword of light and play games that require initiative and a touch of daring. Dia de Muertos is a Mexican holiday celebrated on campus with traditional altars, student performances, and special projects in early November as part of our Spanish language program. Thanksgiving is an American custom celebrating the bounty of harvest and the giving of thanks. At Thanksgiving, we follow that tradition of sharing: sharing the “fruits” of our classroom labors in an assembly for family and friends and sharing gifts of food that the children bring to school. The food traditionally goes to a local shelter to help families in need. The Winter Festival Season brings the image of light shining in the midst of encroaching darkness. is a season of preparation for the coming light, during the darkest nights and shortest days of the year.. alendars may appear in classrooms and the younger children walk through an Spiral,” a spiral pathway of pine boughs leading to a candle in the center. Chanukah is also a festival of light. Many classes observe the festival with story, song and the lighting of the menorah. St. Nicholas’ Day falls on December 6. Bishop Nicholas “visits” the classrooms during the wee hours of the morning, leaving treats and verses for the children. Christmas is usually celebrated on the last day of school before the winter break when the teachers present the Oberufer Shepherd’s Play, a mystery drama from the Middle Ages. Each 32
year the children look forward with great eagerness to seeing their teachers as characters in the Nativity Story. Kwanzaa is an African-Americans celebration of life from 26 December to 1 January. Lunar New Year is the beginning of a calendar year whose months are moon cycles, based on the lunar calendar or lunisolar calendar. Lunar New Year is particularly celebrated in East Asia, influenced by the Chinese New Year and the Chinese Calendar. The Spring Festival Season reflects nature’s breathing out, the rising of plants and the return of the sun. Easter and Passover are part of this festival time and are celebrated before the Spring Break. May Day: May 1, is celebrated with a festive May Faire for the community on a Saturday or Sunday in early May. The fair features games, crafts, music, flower crowns and traditional Maypole dancing. Throughout the year, individual classes celebrate festivals that are age-appropriate or closely related to the curriculum such as Succoth/Sukkot, the Jewish harvest festival; Martinmas; Candlemas and Valentine’s Day. Assemblies are held through the year to help celebrate the festivals, national holidays (i.e. Martin Luther King Jr. Day) and to share the children’s work. One winter assembly is traditionally held off campus in a local hall in order to accommodate a large audience of parents, relatives, friends and community members. Other assemblies are held on campus.
Community Building Opportunities
Work Days - Every August, an all-school Beautification Day is held to prepare the classrooms and school site for the new year. Every June, we have Moving Day to move the grades to their new classrooms for the coming year, and to prepare the school for closure. The newsletter and calendar will indicate dates and times for these events and other opportunities to help improve our buildings and grounds. Parent Evenings and Parent Enrichment Events are opportunities for parents to come together to learn more about the workings of the school, and to hear faculty presentations or guest lecturers. All parents are urged to attend these community-building events. The Parent Association also holds monthly meetings that give parents a chance to discuss issues. 33
Back to School Night. Open Houses are held throughout the year, with our biggest community event typically held in late January. At the open house, our school opens its doors for an open house that provides an opportunity for current parents, prospective parents, and other interested members of the public to visit our school, speak to teachers, and view the children's work on display in the classrooms. Assemblies - Parents, family and friends are warmly invited to several assemblies during the year. These include First Day of School Assembly, Michaelmas Pageant, Winter Assembly, Spring Assembly and End-of-School Assembly. Fundraisers - Working together in support of a common goal brings parents into a deeper relationship with the school and the school community. As committees form in support of events and various fundraisers, take a moment to think how you can best contribute. Festivals - The Marin Waldorf School is attended by children of many different religious and cultural backgrounds. Although our festivals revolve around the seasonal Judeo-Christian spiritual celebrations, we incorporate other traditions as well. Through the festivals, we strive to awaken the child's reverence for the wonder and beauty of life, and connection with the rhythms of the earth and cosmos. These festivals are observed in the classroom and at school assemblies.
Parent Involvement Opportunities
The Parent Association (all parents are members) addresses the needs of the school community as a whole. It is coordinated by a parent chair or co-chairs who meet regularly with representatives from each class. Its chief role is to support the school's fundraising endeavors and festivals. The activities undertaken by the Parent Association are vitally important to our school, as is every family's participation. Class Parents in each class work closely with their class teacher to help communicate and organize support from all the parents in the classes. These parents are invaluable to busy teachers who are grateful for help in keeping track of class finances, organizing field trips and parties, initiating phone trees and helping with parent evenings. Class Trips and Projects. There are often opportunities for parents who want to assist in their child's classroom to help with crafts classes, reading groups, festival celebrations, field trips and other special projects. Please indicate your interest to your child's class teacher.
Animals on Campus
Please refrain from bringing dogs and other animals onto campus. 34
XVI. Student Life and the Curriculum Life in the Preschool
Preschool consists of a small, intimate group of children, ages 2 years 9 months to nearly 4 years old who come together three or five mornings a week with a lead teacher and an assistant teacher. Lead teachers are fully trained and certified in Waldorf education and have experience in early childhood settings. An aftercare program is available for Preschoolers from 12:45 p.m. until as late as 5:20 p.m. The teacher-led preschool program is very nurturing and rhythmical in nature. Activities are planned at the same time each day, rotating through the week. This rhythmical element ensures a strong sense of consistency, order, and security – essential to the healthy development of the young child. Everything that is done in the class has a purpose, instilling a sense of joy and care for every task. The atmosphere is homelike and focus is on play. The preschool room is structured to offer a variety of play activities, both individual and group. Outdoor playtime is scheduled every day, even in rainy weather. During the morning, children have ample opportunity to run, jump, climb and engage in circle activities. At the beginning of every week the teacher prepares a simple story, accompanied by rhyme, song and puppetry to which the children sit and listen. The underlying purpose is to cultivate the child’s imagination and strengthen memory; skills that will be further developed in the Waldorf Kindergarten. The children help the teachers to prepare a healthy, wholesome mid-morning snack, which is then enjoyed by the class. Throughout the year the changing seasons, along with a number of festivals, are incorporated into the daily and weekly rhythms of the preschool. Each child’s birthday is celebrated with at least one parent present. Opportunities to observe a variety of multi-cultural and ethnic celebrations present themselves throughout the year.
Life in the Kindergarten
The Marin Waldorf School has two kindergarten classes; each has mixed age groups, from four years, three months to seven years old. Children must have turned four by June 1st to enter kindergarten in the fall. Two classes have two teachers and a maximum enrollment of 24 children. Kindergarten is a five-day program. An aftercare program is available for Kindergarteners from 1p.m. until as late as 5:20 p.m. 35
Before the age of seven the young child takes in the world primarily through their senses. Because kindergarten teachers understand that young children take in their environment so completely that they hardly distinguish themselves from their surroundings, teachers make every effort to nurture the senses of the young child with an environment that is beautiful, natural and carefully tended. The kindergarten room is softly painted, contains natural toys, a variety of objects from nature, simple dress-up items, various play environments, open space and an everchanging, seasonal nature table. At this age, children learn about the world through imitation. Teachers strive to be models worthy of imitation for the young child and to bring joy to every activity. They seek to surround every child with genuine warmth. They also offer rich imagery through story and song to foster the children’s healthy play and to stimulate their imaginations. Play, the most natural activity of the young child, allows children to explore the world and their role as social beings. Simple, natural materials for play allow their imaginations to create and transform the environment as they explore and interact with their peers. Free play in the classroom and out on the yard are a large part of the kindergarten. Structured activities like circle time and story time give inspiration to children’s imaginative play. During their morning activities, the teachers provide many examples and opportunities for meaningful work. The children help with preparing their daily snack, setting out painting supplies, washing dishes, sweeping, grinding grains, chopping fruits and vegetables, baking bread, and sewing. They also engage in seasonal projects such as creating handmade toys, dolls or crafts (for example, felting fire-balls for Michaelmas, sewing gnomes in winter, making knot dolls and table puppets in spring to later take home and care for). All of these activities foster a reverence for work—both practical and creative, develop an appreciation for the creative process, and build healthy habits and capacities for later life. Teachers bring a sense of harmony and security to the children. Each day brings the children from active creativity to quiet stillness, from fine-motor play to large motor movements. Teachers also strive to develop within each child a healthy sense of the self as an individual as well as their place as a vital member of the group. All of this helps to develop balance and wellbeing. The weekly rhythm brings a different nutritious grain-based snack for each day of the week. Woodworking, painting, crafts, beeswax modeling, eurythmy and a hike in nature each has their day and provides a rich artistic experience to further nourish the senses. Within the rhythm of the year, the different moods of the seasons are brought as well as the celebrations of our community’s festival life. 36
Throughout the week, the teachers tell nature stories, folk tales or fairy tales from around the world. The magic of the spoken word touches the children’s picture-building imaginations and enriches their vocabularies while developing a love of language – all of which are the basis of literacy skills. Acting out these tales and seeing them as puppet shows allows the children to go deeply into their imaginations and explore the many roles of the human being. Albert Einstein once said, “If you want your children to be brilliant, tell them fairy tales. If you want them to be very brilliant tell them even more fairy tales.” The children learn to care for the environment and respect the work of others by the practical activities of gardening, cooking, cleaning, polishing, sweeping, tidying up their toys and keeping everything in its place. Creating order in their world gives rise to a capacity for inner discipline and a respectful relationship with the environment. The mood of the kindergarten is gentle and dreamlike. It is a homelike environment in which the child can live free of self-consciousness, guided by example rather than by explicit instruction. Pentatonic songs, the pentatonic lyre and glockenspiel support this mood. Additionally, the absence of electronic media and games creates a quieter, more calming environment. The preschool and kindergarten faculty have a weekly meeting to study, plan and discuss their work. They host a yearly conference for Bay Area kindergarten teachers and attend the November Teacher’s Conference at Rudolf Steiner College. They also frequently attend workshops. They hold the responsibility of bringing many new families into the Waldorf community. This effort includes celebrating festivals, as well as hosting open houses, special workshops on parenting and handwork, and regular educational evenings for parents.
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Morning Verse – Grades 1-4 The sun with loving light Makes bright for me each day. The soul with spirit power Gives strength unto my limbs. In sunlight shining clear I do revere, O God, The strength of humankind Which Thou so graciously Has planted in my soul, That I with eagerness May strive to work and learn. From Thee come light and strength, To Thee stream love and thanks.* Rudolf Steiner, (translated by Helen Lubin) *There are small variations in each class due to different translations
First Grade
First Grade is a bridge between the kindergarten and the grades. Creating form through a strong rhythm is the task of the teacher: rhythms through the day, through the week, and through the seasons of the year. The year begins with the discovery that behind all forms lie two basic principles: the straight and curved line. The children find these shapes in their own bodies, in the classroom, and in the world beyond. Straight and curved lines are then practiced in many ways: for example, through walking, drawing in the air and in sand, on the blackboard and finally, on paper. Through form drawing, children strive to achieve symmetry and harmonious balance of form while also training motor skills. Form drawing awakens their powers of observation and provides a foundation for introducing the alphabet. In first grade, children are introduced to the letters of the alphabet through fairy tales and stories. In this way, the children experience the development of language concretely and creatively; instead of learning the letters as abstract symbols, letters emerge out of pictures formed through lively imaginations within the children. "S" might be a snake sinuously slithering through the
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grass on a secret errand; "W" might be in the formation of waves in a blackboard drawing of a story. Pictures drawn on the blackboard by the teacher, and in lesson books by the children, illustrate the stories told in the classroom. Short descriptive sentences might accompany these pictures. Sentences are first composed together and written on the board, then copied individually into lesson books from the teacher’s model. In this way, the children joyfully create their own illustrated books for their first reading material. First graders are exposed to archetypal life elements through storytelling. As the stories are told, children feel the archetypal experiences of journey, quest, and challenge to overcome. They awaken to moral truth; they yearn to see evil deeds paid for and good deeds rewarded. They also experience the mystery and magic of the spiritual world through transformation: the frog becomes a prince; princes and princesses are bewitched and then freed; the poor tailor becomes a king. Life’s inner journeys are reflected in such tales. Children learn about the natural world through nature stories, in which they meet archetypal elements such as Sun, Moon, Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Wind. The true facts of nature are always presented in vivid, dramatic form through story, seasonal songs, and poems. These imaginative pictures and stories help to inspire love, sympathy, and wonder. In a similar way, the children experience the qualities of numbers before learning addition or subtraction. For example, what is "oneness"? What is there only one of in the world ("one sun, one moon, one unique being who is me!")? Number quality is explored through objects in their surroundings: for example, the nature of four as it is found in squares and rectangular shapes as well as chair legs, walls in a room, etc. Number qualities are explored in nature (four seasons, four cardinal directions, four elements, for example). Movement, such as stepping and clapping to strong, rhythmic choral speaking of the numbers, helps children gain an inner experience and relationship to numbers. Counting is reinforced through the manipulation, in imaginative ways, of small natural objects, such as stones and acorns, and wood. After practical experience in adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing, the written symbols for these operations are introduced and practiced on paper or on chalkboards. First graders enter the world of music mainly through the pentatonic scale. In this scale, all the notes have a harmonious sound in any order they are played. The songs often reflect the mood of the season. In addition to providing a rich musical experience, playing first the integral flute and later the pentatonic flute develops finger and hand-eye coordination, concentration, listening skills, rhythm and sense of timing, and breath control. Handwork in the first grade serves several important purposes. Learning to knit is an indispensable first grade activity, since a close relationship between finger movement, speech, and thinking exists. The patterning and repetition in knitting also helps with later math thinking. 39
Painting in the first grade is intended to give the children an experience of working with color rather than attempting to create formed "pictures." Children are guided in exploring the relationships between the three primary colors, red, yellow and blue, through color imaginations and narratives. At this age, the wet-on-wet method is used, to encourage the flow of color rather than attention to form. The first grader’s feeling for form is developed through modeling. Both beeswax and clay are used as modeling materials. Coloring with beeswax crayons and learning to draw whole shapes rather than mere outlines also builds the children’s sense of form. In creating their lesson books, first graders learn to develop a sense of reverence for their work and an appreciation for beautiful work. Blank pages may be formed with colored borders, which help children develop spatial awareness. The imitative genius of early childhood makes this an ideal time to learn other languages through hearing and speaking. Spanish is taught in the first grade at Marin Waldorf School. At this age, children learn to imitate and speak this new language primarily through songs, poems, games, and movement. Eurythmy, an art of movement developed by Rudolf Steiner, is taught by a teacher specially trained for this task. Eurythmy exercises affect the children's grace of movement, sensitize hands and fingers, heighten spatial awareness, and stimulate musical, poetic and dramatic awareness. In the first grade, eurythmy helps children develop a healthy sense of self and others, creates healthy breathing, and enlivens the space in which children work and play. In addition to eurythmy, games class helps children learn to move, play and work together joyfully. The first grader’s day is full of stories, artistic experiences, and social interactions.
Second Grade
Second graders are typically much more confident than first graders. They are boisterous, lively and begin to show a sense of humor. Rudolf Steiner has described the seven-year life cycles, and the importance of the moment when the forces working within the child cast off the baby teeth and construct a smile that gleams with permanence and strength. Second graders have this process well underway. They are on the threshold of newly awakening faculties. Energies freed from the process of forming the body now awaken the subjective world of feeling - wonder, pity, joy, tenderness and sorrow. These are the currents of air upon which these new little butterflies will rise and find their relationship to the world. . 40
Second graders retain the love of the archetypal imagery experienced in the first grade stories, but as their feelings awaken they are also ready to see the dual aspect of human nature. Their own feelings of sympathy or antipathy may be unsettling for the adults in their lives, and require us to seek creative responses. We do not wish to burden the seven/eight year-old with responsibility for their strong judgment, so we must seek other ways to show them the foibles of their own animal natures. Literature from every culture provides fables that show people's animal characteristics pitted one against another. The pictures speak to the children's imaginations, allowing them to form their own inner pictures, so the morals need not be given to them. A second grader has a ready appreciation for a fox who invites a stork to dine on a low plate from which the stork cannot manage to feed itself, simply so that the fox may enjoy the other's shortcomings. But to see the stork "pay the fox in its own coin", and invite it to a sumptuous meal served in an impossibly tall vase, is to show the child the scale of justice that Mother Nature uses in balancing her affairs. On the other hand, the second grader is also fed by hearing stories of people who sacrifice for the highest good of all. Stories are told about people from all over the world who have felt a calling to make the world/ their community a better place. Some example of these people may include Nelson Mandela, Malala, Martin Luther King, Joan of Arc. St Francis In Waldorf Education, ideally the teacher usually progresses with their pupils from first to second grade. The class teachers, who can look back on all their pupils' previous learning experiences and build step-by-step on their own foundation, can endow their teaching with real unity. Also, children who are very sensitive to readjustments and changes are given the security of knowing one personality and method intimately and thoroughly. As the students progress through the grades the teacher continues to model respect and caring for one another and to promote healthy social relationships. These healthy relationships are a core component of the class curriculum. The pedagogical story plays an important role in guiding the children’s social relationships. The children can create inner pictures that speak to them of certain behaviors and identify with the natural consequences of such behaviors. In the second grade spoken word, animal fables, legends of great and courageous people, Native American tales and the Irish legend of The King of Ireland’s Son are used for the study of language arts. The children learn cursive writing by joining up the letters in a flowing script. This writing pictures the movement of the breath as it streams through sound after sound, linking them together in smooth continuity.
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In arithmetic, the children carry out more complicated operations with the four processes. Imaginative stories still form the basis of these problems. Through rhythmic counting accompanied by accented clapping and movement of the whole body, they learn to count by twos, threes, fours and fives, and can begin learning the multiplication tables. The children learn place value, carrying and borrowing. Nature study continues in connection with poetry, legends and imaginative descriptions of natural processes. Painting and modeling give artistic expression to subjects encountered in the main lessons. Handwork projects exemplify an important principle: that the work created by our hands can be useful and functional as well as beautiful. They knit flat forms that are transformed into animals; animals that give so many lessons to them through the year. Foreign languages (Spanish), and singing and flute lessons continue to be taught in the second grade, with eurythmy leading the children into a more conscious forming of vowels and consonants. Students continue to enjoy games class.
Third Grade
The third grade is often called the turning point of childhood. Every age has its drama, but the nine-year-old is going through a change that is particularly profound; you might hear Waldorf teachers referring to it as "the Crossing Point," "The Watershed," or the "Rubicon". Rudolf Steiner described how the nine-year-old experiences, at a spiritual level, what the three-year-old experienced when first using the word "I." Before the age of nine, the major part of the child's being is not yet incarnated, and instead, it lives within all they perceive. They feel inwardly related to everything, and can identify strongly with all the images presented to them. Now, however, an experience arises of oneself as something independent of everything else. This brings the first suffering of loneliness, but also the first conscious joy of solitude. It brings the first capacity to understand death as a reality. The child may suddenly feel insecure; their relationship with nature, with eternity, with others, and with themselves, has to be reestablished. The poignant image of the "fall from paradise" is not lost on this age child. The third grade curriculum helps the child to meet the world in which they live by developing confidence in basic life skills through practical studies and by strengthening and developing fundamental academic skills. Bible stories from the Old Testament, and creation stories from indigenous cultures as well asstories about farming, shelters, and clothing from various lands and cultures are the basis of the literature in third grade. The language arts lessons come mainly from these sources, which are 42
shared orally by the teacher and retold in writing by the children; dictated orally by the teacher, or summarized together for their own lesson books. In the third grade, the children are challenged to write, read, and spell with ever improving accuracy. They write their own stories and poetry, as well as retelling those stories they hear in the morning lesson. Work is also done with correct punctuation and the beginning concepts of basic grammar (called more pictorially, “doing, naming, picture words, etc.”). Regular reading classes, spelling activities, and dictation help build language skills. Math in the third grade is a continuation of the four processes (multiplication, division, addition, subtraction). These are practiced with regular mental math activities in the main lesson as well as in practice periods every week. A consistent effort is made to master the multiplication tables, one through twelve. Long division and multiplication in columns are introduced while borrowing and carrying are strengthened. In addition to this foundational math work there are the studies of time, money, and measurement (linear, dry, liquid, weight) that go hand in hand with the work in practical skills. The practical skills, including cooking, farming, house-building and making clothing, give a hands-on learning experience, build confidence in one's relationship to life and provide many opportunities to practice both language and math skills. These activities comprise the science curriculum of the third grade. Weather guides the farmer, compost improves the soil, yeast expands the bread and all the necessities of daily life give rise to questions to ponder and problems to be solved. The third grade takes scenes from the Old Testament, farming, seasonal activities, and others derived from practical studies for experiences in modeling beeswax, plasticine, or clay and in watercolor painting, as well as in the many drawings of their main lesson books. The form drawing lessons develop in complexity. They include mirrored forms, forms on two axes, inverted forms, and metamorphosed forms echoing shapes in the natural world. The children continue daily singing of songs related to the curriculum and begin now to sing in rounds. They also begin to learn to read music. This is introduced through imaginative stories and images. The class moves from the pentatonic flute begun in first grade to the soprano recorder or C flute instrument. The third grade takes a trip every year to a biodynamic farm where they are able to participate fully in many of the things studied through the year. There they garden, build compost piles, cook, weed, shear sheep, plow fields, milk cows, feed the animals, and develop their muscles 43
through strenuous activity. Many third grade classes take day trips to visit a blacksmith, a cheese making company, a mill, a brick maker, or a construction site. The third grade learns to crochet in handwork, making useful items. They continue their study of Spanish, gardening, games and eurythmy. Each year the children perform a play that comes from their curriculum.
Fourth Grade
To understand the fourth grade curriculum and why it is so suited to the nine and ten-year old, one must first look back to the preceding years of schooling, especially the curriculum of the third grade. There, the children, who until now have lived in a certain harmonious relationship to the world, were cast out of paradise. They were no longer allowed to dwell in the fairytale realm of the first grade or even fluctuate back and forth between heaven and earth as in second grade when the stories of saints and fables were told to accompany this duality. Just as the people in the Old Testament were challenged by their as they learned to survive, make shelters, work the land, so did the third graders learn the rudiments of survival by studying farming, house-building, the making of clothes, and the preparation of food. All along, the stories of great men and women of the Hebrew nation and other cultures are told. A feeling of wisdom and justice prevailed. Still wrapped in this blanket of trust, the third grader felt protected from the cunning of the world. In the fourth grade, that mantle of trust has been tossed aside and the child feels very separate from the security and comforts that previously were supportive. This is a time to look around and see how one stands in relationship to that which is near, and to find security and uprightness through that relationship. The number four is a sign of stability, strength and balance. Therein lays a sense of steadiness and completion. It is this sense of four in the midst of separation and defiance that is at the very heart of the fourth grade curriculum. Throughout the year the children hear and read stories of heroes from Norse mythology,the Finnish legend of the Kalevala and other mythologies from different cultures. In all of them the hero emerges as someone to look up to, emulate, laugh at, or respect. There may still be the miraculous feats, and yet the human qualities; the emotions, the struggles, and the confrontations are emphasized. The studies of local geography (Marin County, the Bay area, and California), beginning mapmaking, and early California history give the children a strong sense for the specific character of the place in which they live.
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A comparative consideration of the human being and animal is studied. Understanding of oneself and one's own relationship to the world grows as one understands the different animals, their unique qualities and characteristics, and the way they are connected to their particular environment. In language arts, the students' skills in reading, writing, and spelling are practiced and developed. Grammar is more formally introduced with parts of speech and punctuation as a focus. Students begin to write book reports and share their reading experiences with their classmates. They begin to research and create reports on various aspects of the curriculum. Composition, narration, and self-expression in writing are furthered and letter-writing skills are introduced. Children begin to write with a pen and library skills are developed. In math, the processes of long division and multi-digit multiplication are practiced until consistent. Then, the fourth grade plunges into the study of fractions, a further reflection of the separation or fragmentation that they are experiencing. They are introduced with physical objects to demonstrate truths before meeting abstract mental concepts. After the groundwork has been laid, then fractions are practiced through all the four processes. As in the Kalevala, where the very world is sung into being, singing is a daily creative activity. In addition to unison singing and rounds from previous years, we now add two-part songs. The children’s newly strengthened individuality now gives them the ability to hold their own in this part-singing as they could not have done successfully before: canons and rounds form a natural bridge to this exciting new skill. They show their first real delight in harmony, and the minor key answers a deep-felt need leading inward in self-discovery. Now, standing as individuals they try to work harmoniously together. The fourth grader is given a violin, something delicate and yet powerful that will not oblige shortcuts to success. With practice and dedication, a harmony of sound begins to emerge and a new orchestral community is forged. The fourth grader is at odds with the world. Questions take on a personal twist, “How do you know?” Many opportunities are given to meet these oppositions in quite unexpected ways, ways in which the child can have the experience of crossing, while at the same time being led, towards a wholesome resolution. In handwork, original designs are made that produce a colorful design executed in tiny cross-stitches. The result is a beautiful wholeness from many little crossings.
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Celtic knots in form drawings are challenging tangles of skill and beauty. The sense of separation serves to provide objectivity, otherwise, one might get lost in the complexity of crossing lines, some hidden beneath, others crossing above, creating depth on a flat surface. Watercolor painting, modeling, and drawing continue to support the various topics of study. Spanish, games, handwork (embroidery), and eurythmy are also a part of the weekly fourth grade schedule. The curriculum is supported and strengthened by various field trips throughout the year. These often include an overnight on Indian beach and a trip to the Miwok village, a journey into Gold Country, a visit to the missions, to Monterey Bay Aquarium, and to the elephant seal colony at Año Nuevo.
Morning Verse – Grades 5 and up I look into the world In which the sun is shining, In which the stars are sparkling, In which the stones repose; The living plants are growing, The feeling beasts are living, And human beings, ensouled, Give dwelling to the spirit. I look into the soul, That lives within my being. God's spirit lives and weaves In sunlight and in soul-light, In heights of worlds without, In depths of soul within. To Thee, O Spirit of God, I turn in earnest seeking To ask that strength and grace For learning and for work In me may live and grow* Rudolf Steiner 46
(translated by Helen Lubin) *There are small variations in each class due to different translations
Fifth Grade
The fifth grade children see the world with a calmer curiosity. They will soon leave another phase of childhood behind them and cross a new threshold of experience, but during the fifth grade year they are imbued with the same image of perfect balance as the ancient Greeks. The child of this age is often seen as having reached the pinnacle of childhood where for a moment all is harmonious, full of beauty and confidence, where one can fully flourish. The curriculum supports this by building on already established foundations, as well as introducing new elements to prepare them for the next step. Ancient history in the fifth grade starts in the vibrant images and heroes of the great writings of ancient India. Then follow the new advances in thinking, as well as wonderful stories and unique cultural manifestations of ancient Persia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and early Greece. After a journey through the world mythologies and the cultural richness of early civilizations, history now introduces exact temporal concepts and proceeds in sequence. It stirs the students to a more intense experience of their humanity by the way it is introduced. With the story of Alexander the Great, biography will henceforward be a cornerstone to the manner in which events of the past are understood. Every means is used to give the children a vivid impression of these ancient cultures. They read translations of poetry, study written symbols and sample arts, crafts, and foods of various ancient peoples; trying their hands at similar creations. The study of North American geography emphasizes contrast. Every consideration of the earth’s physical features is linked with a study of the way human life has been lived in the region; the human uses of natural resources, industry, and produce. The Native Americans, as first people of these regions, are studied and talked about. As a continuation of their study of the living earth, the fifth graders study botany, the plant world. The children go out to experience the plants as they find them in nature or in the garden. They observe, draw and discuss the cycles of plant life.
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Composition, spelling, grammar, and reading are developed steadily as the children read and write about what they are learning. Skills are refined with longer report writing, and more individual writing in lesson books. Revision and refinement of composition, further understanding of grammar and more complex punctuation, like the proper use of the colon and semi-colon is learned. Mathematics in the fifth grade is a period of review and consolidation. Proficiency in all operations with whole numbers and fractions is a goal. Then decimals are introduced. Calculations with inverse operations and reciprocals, ratio and proportion, percentages and mental math are all studied and practiced. The study of geometry is based on observation and imagination. Various elements of geometric form are rendered freely, without the use of instruments. The basic language of geometry - line, point, segment, angle, intersection, parallel, circle, polygon, etc. - is introduced in preparation for the precision work in sixth grade. Regular choral singing is practiced and the recorder is used in relation to the main lesson. Children continue to play the violin, with the introduction of the viola and cello to the class orchestra. The class play is an integral part of the school year, as the children continue to expand their skills with longer individual parts. Woodworking begins and handwork continues in this grade. Knitting involves using four needles as the children create socks or mittens. The children continue with wet-on-wet watercolor painting and drawing with the class teacher. Eurythmy, Spanish, gardening, and physical education continue. The fifth grade participates with other schools in the Greek pentathlon. This is an event where the children are judged by grace and beauty, as well as proficiency with the skills of discus, javelin, long jump, hand-tohand wrestling, and running. Both botany and geography are experienced firsthand as the children go on field trips to observe nature and the land that nourishes it. These trips not only deepen their learning, but also strengthen the social bonds of the class. Fifth grade trips sometimes follow the great naturalist, John Muir, to Yosemite Valley; other class teachers chose a coastal destination such as Big Sur. Cultural experiences may include a meal at an Indian restaurant, a visit to a production of the Ramayana, and almost always a trip to the Egyptian Museum in San Jose. 48
Sixth Grade
Sixth Graders inhabit the awkward territory that bridges childhood and adolescence. Most of them are experiencing the onset of puberty, the lengthening of their bones, new social and sexual impulses, acute self-consciousness, and the birth of a new kind of thinking, which is capable of analyzing cause and effect and connecting their inner experience with the outer world. They tend to be argumentative, idealistic, quixotic, sharp-tongued, and easily hurt. In short, they present a bundle of contradictions and possibilities that are ably met by the sixth grade curriculum. Study of Rome leads the children to important questions about good and evil, the law and governance, and the consequences of our deeds. Later in the year, they learn about different cultures experiencing life and changes during the Middle Ages. This examination is a metaphor for the inner journey upon which they are now embarking as they seek to find their individuality on strong principles which will begin to come from within rather than from without. They now have the capacity to look at the world with new eyes, to not only see and hear and feel what is around them, but to begin to understand these and other less visible processes. Through a systems approach to the study of geology, they learn that our seemingly solid earth is, in fact, involved in dynamic change, that the beach pebble they hold today may have traveled far and gone through many metamorphoses. Through astronomy, they learn about the stars and our solar system, created and held by physical laws, which connect the macrocosm to the microcosm. In a darkened room, they observe the light that radiates from a single candle and embark on a phenomenologically based study of physics (optics, acoustics, heat, magnetism, and electricity), which they will build on through the remaining years of their Waldorf education. Study of the geography of the Americas aids their understanding of the relationships between place and culture. Applying our new understanding of heat, for example, the students are able to see how climate, ocean currents and prevailing winds affect our lives and our livelihoods as well as the development of civilizations. Fifth grade studies of Botany are furthered through a more focused look at the relationship between insects and plants. The children learn through these studies to make connections and to see life as a web of such intricate interconnections. Basic skills are furthered and deepened. They learn to apply practical business math (introducing percent, ratio and proportion) to the task of creating a small business plan. Focus is on applying what they know and being able to use their math skills to solve practical problems. They explore geometry through the divisions of the circle and observe how these lawful geometric forms arise and repeat in nature. In language arts, they learn to organize information into paragraphs and short compositions, using topic sentences and topic paragraphs. Creative writing, eliciting their inner responses to experiences and phenomena, helps them make 49
connections to their more objective study of the outer world. They are surprised to discover that they now have opinions, which are bursting to be expressed. Monthly book reports, book chats and literature read and discussed by the whole class not only encourage reading, but also widen their understanding of each other. Sixth Graders must begin to take responsibility for accuracy in spelling, punctuation and sentence structure. The study of English grammar, which is supported by their Spanish classes, rounds out the language arts program. The arts weave through main lesson topics, but with greater complexity than in the lower grades. Alto and tenor recorders add three part harmonies. Choir and/or orchestral experiences demand greater cooperation and skill. Classes continue in woodwork, handwork, eurythmy, physical education, and gardening. A dramatic production related to the historical periods they have studied offers the opportunity to live into other times and cultures. In sixth grade, the students begin to participate in the Outdoor Education Program each week for the last two periods of each Friday. Through this program, they participate in environmental education, adventure programs, and artistic activities that enhance their understanding and love of the natural world, leading them to become effective stewards of our precious natural resources. All of these studies help the children to develop a healthy interest in the world. This interest is their greatest protection from the possible pitfalls of early adolescence, intensified by a popular culture that encourages premature sexuality, use of mind altering substances, and self-centered preoccupation. Rather than stuffing the children with information and predigested ideas, the curriculum is designed to foster development of capacities – for feeling, imagination, and wonder – that will form a strong basis for thinking as they continue to mature through the grades.
Seventh Grade
As seventh graders enter puberty, they are adventuring across a threshold that leads to selfhood. They bring an inexhaustible curiosity to the world around them. This curiosity is sparked by an inner shift that is occurring physically in their bodies, as well as spiritually in their souls, and promotes self-awareness and the ability to think critically. Capacity for judgment develops out of striving to know who they are. They tend to question authority and begin to explore the intricacies of social relationships. The inner turmoil of the 13-year-old is beautifully guided and mirrored by the seventh grade curriculum. The historical time period that reflects the quest for self is the Renaissance. Individualism, as personified by figures like Joan of Arc and Galileo, overcomes feudalism. Human capacities seem limitless, as epitomized by Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. The spirit of adventure 50
and discovery is illustrated through the lives of explorers such as de Gama, Columbus, and others. As these historical exemplars stood in the face of adversity and dared to say what they believed to be true, so too must each adolescent. Their doubt of authority and their resistance to outer direction mark a giant step toward self-re-creation and individual thinking. The language arts block of “Wish, Wonder, and Surprise” involves creative writing and literature, but its horizons extend much further. It is designed to bring consciousness, balance, and refinement to the adolescent’s emotional life. The students see how personal a wish is, how it comes from deep within and goes towards the outer world. They see how wonder comes from a meeting between one’s inner and outer worlds, and how surprise really originates outside and impresses itself upon the individual. They learn that a variety of styles can be employed to convey specific feelings accurately and effectively. Awakening consciousness through selfexpression also brings the students confidence and a sense of liberation. Study of mechanics begins with the lever principle as found in the human arm. From their experimentation, the students learn basic laws of physics and their applications in the machinery of ancient and modern times. With the beautiful legend of the bringing of fire to earth by Prometheus, organic chemistry is introduced as a study of the combustion process. Fire can be observed externally in the breaking down of substances by oxidation and internally as combustion in the human organism (the digestive processes). Physiology is introduced as the study of life processes in the human: blood circulation, respiration, reproduction, and nutrition in connection with digestion, health and hygiene. World Geography, sparked by the theme of adventurous exploration, covers the whole globe. The students’ knowledge of astronomy is called upon to further their understanding of climate, tides, and other influences on the cultural and economic life of the peoples of the earth. In mathematics the study of algebra continues, includes negative numbers, and ventures into mathematical thinking that has no relation to physical perceptions. This study makes real demands on the child’s imaginative powers. Square and cube root and ratio are introduced. Geometric drawing is continued with more complex forms. Linear perspective is introduced and the students learn to draw basic shapes like the cube and the sphere with light and dark shading. Service projects can be strongly affirmative. Beneath growing layers of negativism, the children must learn to say “yes” to themselves. This takes courage when there is a strong tendency to withdraw and protect. But as one historian noted, “If Columbus had turned back, no one would have blamed him, but no one would have heard of him either.” 51
The seventh grade continues to participate in weekly eurythmy, physical education, handwork, choir, orchestra, Spanish, Outdoor Education, and woodworking.
Eighth Grade
The eighth grade year is the culmination of the lower school curriculum, looking back at all that has gone before and preparing for the next step: entrance into high school. The students are ready now to take up a thoughtful study of the underpinnings of modern history: the political, social, and intellectual revolutions, which have set the stage for modern life. At this age it is essential for the young adolescents to enter with great interest and enthusiasm into the life of their own time. Language arts are divided in three parts: grammar, composition, and literature. In grammar, there is a review of the parts of speech: noun, pronoun, adjective, verb, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection. Also reviewed are parts of a sentence: subject, predicate, complements, prepositional phrases, independent and subordinate clauses. This work is strengthened by the study of Spanish, where students scrutinize the language in more detail. In composition, they learn how to organize ideas by identifying the audience; choosing a voice active, passive, or both; recognizing the importance of the opening and closing paragraphs; and by avoiding repetition, both in words and content. Students write expositions that explain, inform, classify, define or review, according to what is desired. Also they begin developing the basics for research papers, with emphasis on deductive thinking. In literature, students read books assigned by the teacher or by choice, creating the opportunity to share impressions, thoughts, likes, and dislikes. They compare the writers’ styles and write reports addressing different aspects of the work. Short stories and poetry mark the rhythm of the literary year. Mathematics is an ongoing course taught by a middle school math specialist. From the beginning of the year, we review fractions, decimals, conversions, percentages, the metric system, the order of operations, roots, equations with mixed numbers, absolute value, adding signed numbers, scientific notation, literal numbers, the four parts of the golden rule, exponents and radicals, average, mean, mode, ratios, proportions, and rates. In geometry, the students review the sixth and seventh grade curriculum: polygon terminology, types of triangles, circle terminology, the three dimensions, basic geometric constructions, and the equilateral spiral, the spiral of Archimedes, the pentagon, the Golden Ratio, the Golden Rectangle, and the Pythagorean Theorem. Students study three-dimensional forms by making their own Platonic solids, learn to calculate the surface area and volume of solids, and study loci. In physiology, students study the skeleton, muscular systems, and the senses. 52
In history, the colonization of the United States is seen against the European background to the imperial expansion. Then students follow the progression from the American Revolution to the international economy of trade and slavery that led to the Civil War, its outcome and long lasting consequences. Then they study the backdrop of the French Revolution, to the storming of the Bastille and Napoleon. Connecting these historical events, they learn about the Industrial Revolution and the desire for knowledge, led by the Enlightenment philosophers and scientists, and how it transformed the world into modernity. In world geography, we put together all the pieces of the historical puzzle on the world map, from the fall of the Roman Empire (the Mediterranean world), through the European expansion (Africa, Asia, America and their oceans), to the establishment of the United States as a nation. In physics, there is a review of sixth and seventh grade work, followed by the study of meteorology, hydraulics and electromagnetism. A strong connection is made with the Industrial Revolution presented in the history block, so as to allow students to understand how work was made more efficient through the application of simple, well-controlled tools. In chemistry, there is review of water and metals. The students then study carbohydrates: sugar, starch, and cellulose, and their vital importance for humans. A number of special events celebrate and conclude the end of the eighth grade year and of the elementary school journey: a major play; an independent project on an area of personal interest that asks the student to do research, write a paper, and share a practical or artistic presentation; and a class trip, often with emphasis on community work. In some classes, service work is carried on through the year and in others it manifests as a specific project. The eighth grade continues to participate in weekly eurythmy, physical education, handwork, choir, orchestra, Spanish, Outdoor Education, and woodworking.
Music Throughout the Curriculum
Music carries a highly important and daily role in the Waldorf curriculum. The reasons are manifold. Through studying and making music, we learn about the world and ourselves. The elements of music teach us about time, space, order, and sequence. The words and sounds help us to experience our feelings and thoughts in deeper ways. When we work together to create music, we are challenged to learn the social graces of expressing ourselves thoughtfully, sensitively and with the right timing. The practice of music may not always bring instant inspiration, but music can take us beyond ourselves, enriching the soul and rekindling the spirit. 53
In a Waldorf School, children are involved in music every day. Class teachers start the day with singing and recorder playing, bringing the children together in a focused activity that requires all to listen and tune into themselves and the group. Music also plays a central role in many of the class plays and school assemblies. Classes often work to master something they will share as a performance. In addition to music activities that take place each morning, the students have a number of formal music classes each week. In grades one through three, the children have music class twice each week. In first and second grade, these classes concentrate on singing, playing the flute, and practicing general music skills such as careful listening, pitch-matching and rhythmic clapping. In third grade, the class begins playing the recorder, learns music notation and begins singing in rounds. In grades four through eight, our students have music four times each week. Grades four and five have violin or strings class and general music class each two times a week. In violin class, they learn to play the violin and have their first experience establishing a practice routine at home. In fifth grade, strings students may move to viola or cello (if studying privately) and the class becomes an orchestra, beginning to focus more on ensemble skills such as matching intonation and articulation, rhythmic precision and dynamics. These skills continue to deepen in sixth grade orchestra. In general music class, the students learn to sing rounds and two-part songs, play recorder music in parts, and study music notation and sight-reading. They also experience songwriting and playing various percussion instruments. In grades seven and eight, our students are placed in an orchestra ensemble class or a recorder ensemble class meeting twice each week. In addition, they have choir twice a week. These music classes focus on deepening their experience of playing or singing in an ensemble through exercises and preparing pieces. We work to expand their knowledge of written music, teach some of the basics of music theory, and give an introduction to music history and various styles. The Music Department at Marin Waldorf School is really made up of everyone who is involved in this community. That means children, parents, extended family, private lesson teachers, kindergarten, class and subject teachers, and staff! Each of us can and does contribute to music in our community. Whether you sing or play an instrument with or for your children, support them in taking lessons on an instrument, or are merely the most enthusiastic and receptive member of the audience, you are an integral part of this process. In addition to the way you keep music alive in your own home and life, here are several ways you can support your children's musical journey at this school: 54
● Ask them to sing, play or teach you songs they are learning at school. ● Be active with their practice schedule for violin and ensemble classes. Make sure they complete their assignments and if possible be present when they practice, giving your input and encouragement. ● Enroll your children in instrumental lessons after school at Marin Waldorf School or elsewhere. ● Have them join a local youth ensemble such as Crescendo, or Marin Children’s Chorus. Learning to play an instrument can be a highly fulfilling and interesting activity, particularly for children who are age nine and older. ● Attend school assemblies and/or value and encourage your children's participation. ● Offer your assistance in making our programs more engaging. If you have music or drama skills to offer, we would love to hear from you and welcome your support for events like the Children’s Faire and May Faire. After-school instrumental lessons are available at Marin Waldorf School and we try as much as possible to encourage students to take up private lessons on an instrument. Private lessons will be available on a variety of instruments depending on the availability of independent instructors.
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XVI. The History and Philosophy of Marin Waldorf School School Verse This is our school; Let peace dwell here, May the rooms be full of contentment, May love abide here. Love for one another, Love of humankind, Love of life itself, And love for nature and all living things Let us remember, That as many hands build a house, So many hearts make a school.
History Marin Waldorf School was founded in 1972 by three families who wanted to bring Waldorf education into their lives. Lesley Rosenberg was a parent, the original kindergarten teacher, and, most important, the bearer of the vision and will to create a Waldorf school. The new school was named Marin Children's School and opened with a kindergarten and first grade. Seven months later, the school moved from Lesley's home to the Episcopal Church of Our Savior in Mill Valley. The school remained at the church for five years, adding a grade each year and growing to an enrollment of around 70 children, with classes through sixth grade. In 1975, the school’s name was changed to Marin Waldorf School. It continued to strive to live by its ideals, receiving much encouragement from the College of Teachers of the Sacramento Waldorf School. No fees were charged and no salaries paid; the school lived via gift money from parents and friends, and it paid its teachers according to their need. A total income of $35,000 paid all the bills and supported five teachers and their families.
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In 1978, the school moved to a new home at Blessed Sacrament Church in San Rafael with a kindergarten and three grades. Enrollment eventually grew to 150 children in grades kindergarten through seventh. Growing rapidly and needing more space, the school moved in the summer of 1983 to our present site, 11 acres of oak trees and meadow that formerly housed the public Lucas Valley School. In 1984, it celebrated the graduation of the first eighth grade class. In 1985, a full-time administrator was hired, and in 1986 a second kindergarten was added. By 1997, enrollment had reached 200. The school leased more space on campus and remodeled the new rooms to create two kindergartens with full kitchens and used the vacated classrooms to create a full library, therapeutic eurythmy and resource room, and additional office space. The program and curriculum have evolved throughout the years. In the fall of 1999, German as a second foreign language was added in complement to the existing Spanish program, and in 2004, our first preschool class opened. In January 2008, a new library and woodworking building were built. In 2011, the school began the Middle School Outdoor Education Program, and in 2012, Mandarin replaced German as the second foreign language. This thriving school owes its health and vigor to the staff and parents who nurture it with their time, talents, and resources.
The Vision and Philosophy Behind Waldorf Education
The first Waldorf school was founded in 1919 by Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian-born scientist, educator, artist, and philosopher, in Stuttgart, Germany. Emil Molt, a local factory owner, asked Steiner to start a school for the employees of his company, who, in return, asked the school to shift its focus from the employees to their children. Starting from this single school, Waldorf education has grown into a worldwide movement, with over 1,000 schools around the globe. In 2019, Waldorf education celebrated it 100-year anniversary. The Waldorf curriculum is based on Steiner’s belief that education should call forth all of a child’s innate capacities: physical, social, emotional, and artistic, as well as intellectual. Lessons and activities are developmentally tailored to meet the child’s changing sense of self and his/her relationship to the world. Each successive year’s curriculum appropriately addresses emergent aspects of the child’s development. Main lesson subjects are taught in blocks of three to four weeks, enabling the students to focus intensively on one subject at a time. Other specialty subjects, such as art, crafts, eurythmy, foreign languages, gardening, music, and physical education are taught year-round. Academics, arts, and practical skills are all vital parts of the Waldorf curriculum. The children benefit from 57
studying a variety of subjects, helping them to develop multiple capabilities and a wide breadth of knowledge. In a Waldorf school, the class teacher stays with the same class for multiple years, in some cases from 1st to 8th grade, which strengthens relationships and allows the teacher insight into each student’s unique talents. We uphold this practice whenever it is the in the best interests of the class. Students create their own main lesson books from the material that the teacher presents in class. As the students move up in the grades, reference books, classic literature, and group discussion increasingly supplement the class teacher’s oral presentations. While the essence of the original curriculum formulated in 1919 is highly relevant today, all teachers continually strive to make their lessons timely to meet the needs of their students in an ever-changing world. The word "Anthroposophy" comes from the Greek roots "anthropos" (human being), and "sophia" (wisdom). Waldorf education is one of many initiatives sponsored by the Anthroposophical Society, which was founded by Rudolf Steiner in 1923. Other areas of anthroposophical endeavor include biodynamic agriculture, architecture, medicine, curative education and communities for handicapped children and adults. For more information about these and other initiatives or membership, we recommend reviewing the website for the Anthroposophical Society in America in Ann Arbor, Michigan at www.anthroposophy.org.
Accreditation and Association of Waldorf Schools of North America
Marin Waldorf School is accredited through the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) and is a member of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN). Being an accredited school means that we are committed to a culture of self-study, peer review, collaboration, and an ongoing deepening of our work on behalf of the students we serve. We are the only accredited Waldorf school in Marin County. The Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) is a nonprofit membership organization of independent Waldorf schools and institutes in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. AWSNA’s goal is to strengthen and nurture Waldorf education and to advance Waldorf principles worldwide. AWSNA also sponsors and conducts a number of programs, including conferences and workshops for teachers, parents, and school trustees. It provides schools with 58
the consultation and mentoring services of experienced teachers and publishes a broad spectrum of materials addressing curriculum and school organization including the bi-annual journal, Renewal. Two faculty delegates represent our school at semi-annual business meetings. AWSNA also takes up issues that are of significance to the entire Waldorf movement. Special conferences addressing these issues are sponsored by AWSNA, in cooperation with member schools or affiliated training institutions. AWSNA representatives also meet semi-annually with representatives of the worldwide Waldorf school movement to discuss matters of global concern, including diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Organizational Structure
Marin Waldorf School is organized as an independent California nonprofit corporation and recognized as tax exempt by the Federal Internal Revenue Service under section 501(c) (3). Our school is run by three interrelated bodies: the Board of Trustees, the School Director/Faculty/College of Teachers, and the parents. All have the welfare of the children as their top priority. A. The Board of Trustees The Board of Trustees (the Board) is the legal governing body of the school. It focuses on developing policies and providing oversight to assure the school’s effective performance in the following areas: • • •
Legal, incorporation, maintenance of tax-exempt status, and operation in accord with laws; Financial stewardship, including tuition and budget policies and approval, fundraising (both capital and operating), investments, site infrastructure and property lease; Personnel and human resources, including discussion and ratification of key contracts and human resource policies.
• The Board also may advise the school director or college of teachers on general issues affecting the school community. The Board has up to 14 members including parents, teachers, and former parents or outside community members who have demonstrated an understanding of and commitment to the aims of Waldorf education. A member of the Parent Association formally represents the parents to the Board and the Board to the Parent Association. The board includes four voting faculty members: 59
the college chair, and three additional faculty representatives who are appointed by the faculty from among its membership. The school director serves as ex-officio, non-voting member. The board’s officers (a chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer) are elected annually. Board decisions are made by consensus. Board members contribute a considerable amount of time, resources, energy, and expertise toward the development of the school. The standing committees include: •
Executive, responsible for acting on behalf of the Board in between Board meetings and when the Board is not able to convene to address urgent concerns (such as matters affecting the legal or fiscal well-being of the school).
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Management Evaluation, monitors and evaluates the work of the school director.
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Strategic Planning, develops and oversees 3-, 5- and 10-year organizational plans.
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Finance, oversees the operating budget, financial plans and policies, and oversees the tuition assistance program.
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Development, oversees the school’s fund-raising activities.
Each Board committee strives to include at least one Faculty member and is supported by at least one member of the administration. Community members need not be on the Board to serve on a committee and are encouraged to contact the committee chairs or the Board Chair to indicate their availability. Board terms are typically three years. B. The Faculty The faculty’s first priority is to understand and meet the pedagogical needs of the child at each stage of human development. Working in concert with the School Director, the Early Childhood and Grades Director, the faculty sets and carries out important policy directions affecting the school’s overall educational program, curriculum and pedagogical methods. The Faculty is also responsible for: academic standards; admissions; parent conferences and reports; artistic, child, class and anthroposophical studies; in-service training; the annual calendar; open houses; the library; festival coordination; and professional development. The Faculty has two-part weekly meetings on Thursdays. The pedagogical part of the meeting includes child study, artistic activities, pedagogical study, and special consideration about difficult situations that may be happening for a teacher, a student or a school family. The business part of the meeting addresses concerns relating to school policy, implementation of the 60
curriculum, calendar planning for festivals and all school activities. These meetings are mandatory for all full time teachers. . The Faculty works with the College of Teachers (see section below) to fulfill specific responsibilities through the following mandated committees: Upper Grades, addresses issues in the 6th-8th grades, and oversees curriculum development, standards, program needs and goals of these grades. Lower Grades, addresses issues in the 1st-5th grades, and oversees curriculum development, standards, program needs and goals of these grades. Early Childhood, oversees kindergarten, preschool, the preschool and kindergarten aftercare programs, Parent-Toddler group, early childhood education and related outreach. Subject Teachers, discusses issues and children in various classes or grades. Festival, oversees the planning and preparation for the school's festivals and assemblies, and facilitates multicultural activities. Teacher Review and Evaluation, staffs and coordinates teacher evaluations. Care Committee, oversees support for children in need, including child studies, assessment plans, outside services, and remedial and curative activities in the school. C. The College of Teachers The College of Teachers is a group of faculty who are committed to holding the vision of Marin Waldorf School, and to anthroposophy as a guiding principle. The College of Teachers is responsible for strengthening the spiritual, pedagogical and cultural life of the school, and for supporting the faculty’s decision-making process through thoughtful discussion of issues important to Marin Waldorf’s health and growth. The College of Teachers meets weekly. The content of the meetings includes anthroposophical study, self-development study or pedagogical study, as well as discussion of current school issues. A College of Teachers Chair is selected by the College of Teachers’ members annually, and represents or designates a member of the College of Teachers to represent the group in meetings and on the Board.
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D. Administration Marin Waldorf School’s administration is led by the School Director. Parents should contact the School Director for any questions about the curriculum or teaching matters and for all questions about office and business operations. E. School Director The School Director is responsible for overseeing and managing all pedagogical, curriculum and teaching operations. The School Director oversees the evaluation and mentoring of all teachers, all teacher reports and correspondence,the Master Teaching Schedule, teacher search serves as a delegate to AWSNA, oversees the Master Teaching Schedule, the teacher search and hiring/dismissal processes, oversees substitution and new teacher orientation, coordinates student teachers from various institutions, coordinates festivals, attends Parent Association meetings, and attends the meetings of the Board and the College. The School Director is accountable to the Board of Trustees for human resource issues regarding faculty as well as to the College of Teachers regarding pedagogical issues. The School Director is the chief business officer for the school, responsible for directing and managing all legal, administrative, financial and facilities operations and school-wide communications. The School Director manages the office and business staff of the school: the Grades Director, Admissions Director, Office Manager, Registrar and Finance Director. F. Grades Director The Grades Director works directly with the School Director and faculty assisting and supporting in Pedagogical decisions, hiring and implementing policies. The Grades Director works closely with the College of Teachers, faculty, and parents as a liaison between the various groups aiding in communication and transparency. G. Parent Association The Marin Waldorf School was founded by a group of dedicated parents. Our Parent Association functions under the guidance of the school administration. It is the on-going enthusiasm, support and commitment of parents that maintains Marin Waldorf School as a healthy and harmonious school community. The role of the Parent Association is to promote community life and support the school's fundraising endeavors and festivals. All parents are automatically members of the Parent Association. Class representatives volunteer to represent their classes at Association meetings and bring Parent Association news and projects back to the classes.
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The activities undertaken by the Parent Association are vitally important to our school, as is every family's participation. Monthly meetings are held during the school year to discuss and organize upcoming festivals and fundraisers and important issues, such as parent education, board reports, community relations and other topics arising from the life of our school. All meetings are posted in the school calendar and parents are encouraged to attend all Association meetings.
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MARIN WALDORF SCHOOL ONE-ON-ONE CONTACT / OVERNIGHT VOLUNTEER APPLICATION Your interest as a volunteer is appreciated. All volunteers who serve in positions that involve possible oneon-one contact or overnight chaperoning with a child other than their own are required to submit an application. Such positions include--but are not limited to--driving and/or chaperoning for field trips, coaching/assisting sports, and some forms of assisting in the classroom. Please complete the following information and return this form to the school office as soon as possible. I.
Personal Information Full Name: Address:
Home Phone:
Email Address
City
Work Phone:
Date:
State
Cell Phone:
Zip
II. Security Section Recognizing our concern for children, Marin Waldorf School has adopted a policy of screening applicants for volunteer service. The purpose of this policy is to promote a safe environment and to protect our students and school. This application is designed to elicit the information necessary for this purpose. The information provided will be treated confidentially and will only be used by authorized staff in reviewing your application. Please initial the following statements:
_________I declare that I have never been convicted of a crime related to sexual abuse, molestation, exploitation, or violence. I understand the term "Convicted" includes entering into a plea agreement including a "no contest" plea or a deferred sentence or deferred judgment arrangement in connection with a criminal charge.
_________I declare that I have not perpetrated physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or neglect against a child, student, or a disabled adult, and I have never been accused of these acts. If you are unable to initial one or both of the statements above and believe there are special circumstances the Business Administrator should consider in reviewing your application, please provide an explanation on a separate attachment of the circumstances, the outcome, and any other relevant information. III. National Sex Offender Registry Check
I acknowledge that by signing this application, I understand that Marin Waldorf School will check my name on the national sex offender (Megan’s Law) registry, which is a matter of public record. IV. Volunteer’s Certification I certify that the information contained in this application is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I understand that any misrepresentation of material or omission of pertinent information may result in my failure to serve as a one-on–one contact volunteer or overnight chaperone at Marin Waldorf School. Signature of Applicant
Date__________________
Student
Grade
Student
Grade
Student
Grade MARIN WALDORF SCHOOL DRIVER STATEMENT
All parents, volunteers, and school personnel operating their own vehicles to transport students on officially authorized school business or related school activities must have the following on file with the school prior to driving: 1. A copy of your Automobile Insurance Policy showing the following Liability Coverage: a. Bodily Injury: $100,000/$300,000 b. Property Damage: $10,000 c. Medical: $5,000 2. A copy of your driver’s license. 3. This form completed, signed and dated. All drivers should read, initial and be aware of the following: 1. The individual's own automobile liability insurance will always be considered as the primary coverage. The school does not carry insurance coverage for auto accidents. 2. School personnel, parents and volunteers who transport students must be at least 21 years of age. 3. The use of the back of pick-up trucks (with or without camper shells) shall not be permitted in transporting students. 4. No smoking is allowed in any vehicle while students are being transported. 5. I agree to read and abide by the Driver Guidelines (see Parent Handbook) and to observe all posted speed limits. 6. Driver records are a public record. I acknowledge that the school may check my driver record with the Department of Motor Vehicles. 7. I certify that the automobile listed below is regularly maintained and kept in a good operating and safe order. 8. I certify that my vehicle is equipped with one safety belt for each student riding in my vehicle. 9. I understand and agree that I am responsible for keeping this insurance information current and correct. I understand that I am responsible for notifying the school immediately if changes of any kind are made to the automobile insurance policy. This includes, but is not limited to, cancellation of the policy. _______________________________________ _________________________ ___________________ Driver 1 Name Driver's License # Vehicle License # _______________________________________ _____________ Driver 1 Signature Date _______________________________________ _________________________ ______ _____________ Address City State Zip _______________________________________ _________________________ ___________________ Driver 2 Name Driver's License # Vehicle License # _______________________________________ _____________ Driver 2 Signature Date _______________________________________ _________________________ ______ _____________ Address City State Zip
Live Scan Locations – Appointments are Necessary Fairfax Police Department 144 Bolinas Road Fairfax, CA 94930 (415) 453-5330 fairfaxpd@fairfaxpd.org Marin Co. Sheriff's Dept - Southern Station 850 Drake Avenue Marin City, CA 94965 (415) 473-5394 Mill Valley Police Department 1 Hamilton Drive Mill Valley, CA 94941 (415) 389-4100 pd-info@cityofmillvalley.org The UPS Store # 2464 936 B 7th Street Novato, CA 94945 (415) 899-1686 store2464@theupsstore.com Marin Co. Sheriff's Dept. 1600 Los Gamos Drive, Ste 200 San Rafael, CA 94903 (415) 473-7286 The UPS Store #2623 369-B 3rd Street San Rafael, CA 94901 (415) 457-6909 store2623@theupsstore.com Tiburon Police Department 155 Tiburon Blvd. Tiburon, CA 94920 (415) 789-2801