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B ULLETIN
October 2008
NINTH GRADE GEOLOGY TRIP
CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS:
BY UPPER SCHOOL TEACHER MARINA MCGREW
On Monday, September 15 the ninth
Workshop on Internet Safety; 8:15 am OR 6 pm. Upper School Assembly Room School Closed School Closed High School Open House for Current RSS Families; 6:30 pm An Evening with Dr. Karnow; 7:00 pm. Lower School Assembly Room
10/6 graders and their three teachers, Rich
Turner, Sam Margles and Marina McGrew embarked on a journey to The Pocono Environmental Educa10/9 tion Center, located near the Delaware River, in the Poconos. We squeezed 10/13 mass amounts of camping and cooking supplies, as well as 22 bodies into two 10/14 vans and a jeep and took off on a twohour ride into the wilds of Pennsylvania. 10/16
Our five day adventure included participating in the social and physical program offered by the center and outings each day led by Rich Turner, the Geology main lesson For a complete and up-to-date teacher. Evenings and mornings were spent procuring and preparing food in groups Calendar of Events for the month and sleeping on five wooden platforms covered with sturdy canvas tents. Food was preo f O c t o b e r , l o g o n t o pared over two propane camp stoves on picnic tables under shelter. www.steiner.edu. On our first afternoon, after depositing camping supplies in assigned tents, we were met by two young environmental leaders, who took us through a few social games, followed by a low ropes course, where students were taught to support each other by spotting while individuals maneuvered the challenges of strength and balance. This experience initiated the group with a playful and responsible relationship to each other. After the shopping group procured food supplies for the next three meals at a nearby grocery store, working with a budget, and plans for menus, including meals for the eight vegetarians, goods were stored, dinner was prepared, and we shared our first meal together. We found that our camp was shared by a few garter snakes, and just to prove how non-threatening they are, Mr. Turner caught a large snake by the neck and held it while the students touched its back and belly. After cleaning all dishes and the kitchen, Mr. Turner led us on a two hour night hike on a marked path to waterfalls. Our way was lit by a full moon and by flashlights when needed. Just when Mr. Turner persuaded the group to eliminate noises in order to hear sounds of the night, we heard the hauntingly beautiful call of an owl. Upon reaching the waterfalls, some sat listening to the falling water, while others pulled up their cuffs and ventured into the dark water. Tuesday morning, well fed with a camp breakfast prepared at 6:00a.m. by one of three cooking groups, we drove to Allamuchy State Park, an area containing exposed rock masses, where we met with four rock climbing guides from Eastern Mountain Sports. Our guides equipped us with climbing shoes, harnesses and helmets, and we started off in two groups to climb and to rappel. The climbing rock face rose to about sixty feet, and students were provided with several different climbing possibilities, with different degrees of difficulty. The rappellers hiked to the top of a 200 foot rock face and were guided down backwards, swinging themselves over the crevices and surface while controlling their own pace. Packed lunch was shared below the cliffs. Continued on page 2...
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NINTH GRADE GEOLOGY TRIP CONT. On Wednesday, we piled into the vans and rode for an hour and a half to The Lackawanna Coal Mine, where we met with eighty year old Harold, our guide for the day. He led us down three hundred feet into the mine in an old miner’s car. He showed us the complexities of blasting, creating pillars of coal to hold up the areas that were mined. He talked about the use of mules to pull the carts, as well as the social and economic hierarchy of mining life. We were surprised by the use of children as young as eight years of age to break the coal, as well as by the poverty and unfair dominance of the miners by the mine operators and owners. The class was extremely perceptive and cooperative, as were they moved by the history of mining. We saw the shiny coal, many plant fossils, and learned of its formation from ancient swamps that had subsequently been formed into mountains. The coal mine and museum offered a view of the pictorial history of the lives of the miners and their families. We also viewed the women’s work in fabric weaving factories, as only men worked in the mines, and we saw examples of the living quarters. This tour was informative in many historic areas, geological, social, and economical. Our leader, Harold had an enthusiastic, engaged audience, and he was an excellent presenter, capturing our complete attention. Returning to camp, we once again bought groceries, prepared dinner, cleaned up and collected wood for a campfire and some singing before a well-deserved rest. To our surprise, we heard a chorus of howling coyotes, which sounded quite close. Some thought at first that the sounds were from humans, not believing that we were sharing our space with these shy but fierce-sounding creatures. On Thursday we drove to the Delaware River, met our canoe supplier, and Ms. Margles gave the students some lessons in canoeing and kayaking while the vans were driven downriver eleven miles to our final destination. The weather was cool, slightly cloudy, but the sun made an occasional appearance. Mr. Turner led the group, with two students per canoe, and two single kayaks, while Ms. Margles and Ms. McGrew followed, “sweeping” the novices, and helping them to learn steering. While there were those who traversed the river from side to side initially, eventually, we were all headed downriver. There were a few accidental spills, some intentional swimming, and a rest for lunch. We saw birds of prey, a bald eagle, and many fossils along the way. On Thursday evening, we were invited to a camp fire by Justin, one of the center’s young leaders, and he told some scary stories, which were followed by a sharing of each of our most challenging and most enjoyable experiences, as well as reflections on what we had learned. Friday morning was spent preparing our final breakfast, packing lunches, and cleaning, and packing up the vans. We headed back to the city, leaving our green, quiet surroundings, tired, but full of new experiences. We now had a bond as a class, whose new students folded into harmoniously.
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RUDOLF STEINER UPPER SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE Please join us for an informational Open House Learn about the High School! • •
Enjoy a panel of current students, parents, and faculty Choose a mini-class with a High School faculty member • Refreshments will be served
Tuesday, October 14th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Rudolf Steiner Upper School / 15 East 78th Street
Grades 7 and 8: Students and Parents Welcome Grade 6: Parents Only Please Questions to Julia Hays, Director of Admissions 879.1101 x 340 RSVP to Dianna Peralta: 879-1101 or: dperalta@steiner.edu
FA L L H I G H S C H O O L D R A M A C L U B P E R F O R M A N C E S Who Am I This Time? and I Never Saw Another Butterfly will be presented on Sunday, November 3rd, at 3:00pm, Tuesday, November 4th, at 7:00pm, Friday, November 7th, at 7:00pm and Saturday, November 8, at 7:00pm. These two one act plays are as different as can be. The first play is a comedy about some folks in a small town community theatre group, and the second play is a serious drama based on the true story of a young girl who survives the holocaust and brings to light the beautiful poems and drawings of the children of Terezin. These two short plays give the students in drama club the opportunity to take on very different roles. The entire ensemble appears in both plays. The first play is recommended for all ages. The second play is recommended for fourth grade and up. You are welcome to come to either or both. There will be a break after the first forty-five minutes to regroup.
FOR RESERVATIONS: Please call (212) 327-0543 ext. 201. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
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SPORTS SCHEDULE VARSITY SOCCER Location: Harlem River Park; 128th & Lexington Harlem River Park; 128th & Lexington Randall’s Island Field #82 Randall’s Island Field #83 Harlem River Park; 128th & Lexington Neville Coleman Field 107th & Riverside Neville Coleman Field 107th & Riverside Pier 40 Randall’s Island Field #85 MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCCER Date: Time: Opponent: Location: 10/3 3:00 pm Churchill Randall’s Island Field #83 10/8 4:30 pm St. Hilda/St. Hugh’s Randall’s Island Field #81 10/10 4:00 pm York Prep Central Park North Meadow Field D 10/17 4:00 pm Garden School Pier 40 10/20 4:00 pm Columbia Prep Pier 40 10/22 3:30 pm Trevor Day Randall’s Island Field #85 10/24 4:00 pm BWL Thomas Jefferson Park 112th St & 1st Ave 10/29 4:00 pm Calhoun Randall’s Island Field #11 10/31 3:30 pm Browning Pier 40 If team qualifies for playoffs they will play on Monday, November 3rd with times and locations to be determined. MIDDLE SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL Date: Time: Opponent: Location: 10/3 3:45 pm Trevor Day Trevor Day School /11 East 89th St 10/8 4:15 pm York Prep York Prep/40 West 68th St 10/10 4:15 pm UNIS UNIS/ 24th St & FDR Drive 10/15 4:15 pm Columbia Prep Col Prep/5 West 93rd St 10/17 5:00 pm BWL 92nd St Y/92nd St and Lexington Ave 10/22 4:15 pm St. Hilda/St. Hugh’s St. H/St. H/619 West 114th St 10/24 4:15 pm Dwight Hunter College/ 68th St and Lexington Ave 10/27 4:00 pm Dalton Dalton Athletic Complex/ 88th St and 3rd Ave 10/30 TBA Middle School Semi-Finals TBA 11/3 TBA Middle School Championship Dalton Athletic Complex/ 88th St and 3rd Ave VARSITY VOLLEYBALL 10/3 6:15 Trevor Day Trevor Day, 11 East 89th St 10/7 4:15 Loyola Pace University, 3 Spruce St 10/14 5:15 Brooklyn Friends Bk Friends, 375 Pearl St, Brooklyn 10/17 4:15 Calhoun Calhoun, 106 West 74th St 10/20 4:15 Columbia Prep Pace University, 3 Spruce St 10/21 4:15 Dwight Pace University, 3 Spruce St 10/23 4:00 Loyola Loyola, 980 Park Ave (between 83rd and 94th St) 10/24 4:30 Green Meadow Waldorf 307 Hungry Hollow Rd, Chestnut Ridge, NY 10/28 TBA GISAL Semi-Finals TBA 10/30 TBA GISAL Championship TBA 11/3 4:00 Senior Game York Prep, 40 West 68th St Date: Time: 10/3 4:00 pm 10/7 4:00 pm 10/10 5:00 pm 10/15 4:30 pm 10/17 4:00 pm 10/20 4:00 pm 10/21 4:00 pm 10/24 4:00 pm 10/27 5:00 pm
Opponent: Churchill Trevor Day Loyola Browning Calhoun York Prep BWL Garden LREI
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2 0 0 8 - 2 0 0 9 A N N UA L A P P E A L The 2008-2009 Annual Appeal officially kicks off on Monday, October 6th. Be sure to get your complimentary gift from your class agent or from a Development Office staff member. Let’s make this year, Rudolf Steiner School’s eightieth, the best fundraising year ever!
COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE GREEN MEADOW WALDORF SCHOOL FALL FAIR Saturday, November 18th, 10:00 am—5:30 pm 307 Hungry Hollow Road, Chestnut Ridge, NY www.gmws.org Pumpkin carving, hayrides, children's activities and puppet shows, unique handcrafted gifts, toys and clothing, delicious food and great music.
HOUSE EXCHANGE Bongiorno! We are a family of four from the Rome Steiner School and we will be visiting NYC for the Christmas holidays. If anybody is interested in exchanging homes...or of subletting their NY home while they are away, we would love to talk to you! My name is Laura Cardelli and you can e-mail me at: laura.cassandra@fastwebnet.it or you can contact my friend, Kyra Robinov (at your school) at kyrarobinov@rcn.com. Grazie mille!
SUN NETWORK As many of you may already know, the Rudolf Steiner School is part of the Schools Unite Network (SUN). The SUN program provides independent schools with pertinent and reliable information about safety issues and emergencies in the area. Information is delivered promptly to member schools and registered individuals via the Internet. Before transmission, SUN alerts are carefully reviewed for accuracy by the Police Liaison Group and the person or organization providing the information. Names of schools and children involved in incidents are considered privileged and are not included in SUN alerts. The police connection with SUN provides a measured, credible and accurate reporting of situations in our neighborhoods, and is an excellent source for dispelling rumors that are often fostered on the Internet. SUN also rapidly responds to situations, and provides the police recommended course of action to take in emergencies. Finally the SUN website offers updates and reports on lower profile situations and programs monitored and initiated by the police, as well as safety tips and maps of school patrol areas. You may learn more about SUN and sign up through its website at www.SUNnyc.org. E-mails alerts will then be sent directly to you. Please feel free to contact Josh Eisen, School Administrator if you have any questions.
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Join in the fun‌.
Fall Fair 2008 Workshop Update No experience necessary! Needle Felting with parent Gloria Mills Begins Tuesday, October 7th, 8:30 am Lower School Cafeteria *this workshop will run for 4 weeks Crown Making with parent Jeanine Lobell Wednesday, October 15th & 22nd, 8:30 am Lower School Cafeteria *this workshop will run for 2 weeks Woodworking with teacher Renate Poliakine Wednesday evenings 7:00 pm and Friday mornings 8:30 am *this workshop will run every week until the Fair Knitting Circle led by parent Kathleen Kearney Thursday mornings, 8:30 am Lower School Cafeteria * this workshop will run every week until the Fair Doll Workshop led by parents: Sarah Brooks, Susann Villanueva & Nancie Min Friday mornings 8:30 am Lower School Cafeteria * this workshop will run every week until the Fair All items created in the workshops will be sold at the Fall Fair on Saturday, November 22nd. Funds raised through the fair, directly support the RSS student tuition assistance line in the budget