Parent Bulletin, January 2009

Ru d o l f S t e i n e r S c h o o l

B ULLETIN BLESSINGS AND GRATITUDE

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS:

REFLECTIONS

BY CHAIR,

The Soul of Discipline: Raising Respectful Children in a Culture of Disrespect; A Presentation with Kim Payne; 6:00 pm LSAR

1/15

School Closed for Parent/Teacher Conferences

1/16

School Closed; Martin Luther King Jr. Day

1/19

Understanding and Living w/ Your Six Year Old; A Presentation w/ Nancy Blanning; 7:00 pm Lower School Assembly Rm. Community Association Winter Dinner & Meeting; LS Café & Assembly Room

January 2009

2/5

2/10

FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE JOY PHELAN-PINTO

The power of a strong community…

I recently read an excerpt from “Outliers,” the latest book by New Yorker journalist Malcolm Gladwell (“The Tipping Point” and “Blink”) that told a compelling story about the power of a very special community, causing me to reflect on some of the ways in which it’s akin to our Rudolf Steiner School community.

Gladwell writes about the small town of Roseto, Pennsylvania, whose ancestors emigrated from the foothills of Rome in the late 1800s and created a medical mystery in America in the 1950s, enjoying abnormally good health through several generations.

In Roseto, virtually no one under 55 died of a heart attack or showed signs of heart disease. The death rate from heart disease was roughly half that of the national average and 30-35% lower than other diseases. There were no ulcers, no suicides, no alcoholism, no drug addiction and very little crime. No one was on welfare and when people died, they died of old age.

For a complete and up-to-date CalDoctors examined their diet, blood and DNA and found no explanation. In fact, endar of Events for the month of many of the villagers smoked and were overweight and, on average consumed an January logon to www.steiner.edu.

alarming 41% of their calories from fat.

Dear Parents of the 1st through 6th grades, The special subject teachers would like to thank you for your gracious and generous gift. It is very much appreciated by all of us.

Denise Crane for the elementary school special subject teachers Reminder: The Diversity Committee will meet on Wednesday, January 14th from 4:15-5:45 in the 4th grade classroom. Childcare will be provided.

Investigators ultimately concluded that what protected the citizens of Roseto was an incredible sense of community – a powerful, protective social structure capable of insulating them from the troubles of the modern world. The values of community and the people we surround ourselves with have a profound effect on who we are.

Indeed!

While the comparison is not exact, I see Rudolf Steiner School as our Roseto in many ways.

A Waldorf education seeks to build community at every level of the education, within the classroom and outside of it. The Waldorf tradition of non-hierarchical governance and administration enhances a strong and healthy school community, while parent participation in school committees, in the classroom and on the Board also builds community. Evening classes, lectures and study groups draw interest from every sector, thus widening the embrace of a Waldorf community.

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BLESSINGS AND GRATITUDE CONTINUED Our school community supports each other emotionally, personally and professionally, connected though caring, interlocking interests and our children. And through the Waldorf movement we are also connected to a larger society… descendants in a way, of past generations of Waldorf parents and educators. When I consider the values of our community, especially as demonstrated by our own College of Teachers and Staff, I am filled with awe and proud to be a member of such a remarkable society.

Moreover, there are many layers of community at Rudolf Steiner School: the overarching Waldorf community worldwide, the entire RSS community, our children’s classroom communities, craft workshop communities, and committee-serving communities—not to mention the community of parent friendships formed on the sidewalk outside of school, in Central Park and the Three Bears playground.

Our school is vital and rich, providing myriad opportunities for members to engage, participate, learn and feel kinship to each other and the Waldorf experience. There are assemblies where we sing together, festivals where we celebrate together, concerts where we marvel at faculty musical talent together, parent education lectures where we learn together, as well as class plays, drama club performances, square dances and park picnics. All within the framework of a strong and nourishing Waldorf pedagogy—the heart of our Roseto.

But why, you may be wondering, these sudden meditations on our Steiner community? … Because in the tough financial times that lie ahead for many of us, it is useful to be reminded that we are surrounded by a strong community that will be there for us, offering more nourishment than we may realize. … Because we may need to be reminded that through active participation in the community, we will surely find pleasure and strength.

Support Rudolf Steiner School in every way you can, spiritually and financially. More than ever, we need strong gifts to the Annual Fund to keep our community healthy.

In challenging times, there can be no better investment than in your children’s education and in your community. Please give generously if you are able.

Extraordinary things have happened in bad economies when gifts to cherished institutions have unexpectedly increased as people recognized its value and importance in their lives, and the need to secure its future.

The power of a tightly-connected community is profound. Our Roseto can indeed be Rudolf Steiner School.

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COMMUNITY EDUCATION LECTURE: A PARENTS PERSPECTIVE

BY PARENT ROBYN PLATT

This past October, I attended the lecture by Dr. Gerald Karnow. Dr. Karnow is the school doctor who has been visiting and consulting with the Rudolf Steiner School since 1978. He comes to RSS to observe and meet with staff approximately twice a month. Otherwise, he has a medical practice and lives at the Fellowship Community in Spring Valley, NY, next to the Green Meadow School.

person (again the body, soul and the spirit). Steiner's first student, from whom he developed a lot of his philosophy, was a boy who was hydrocephalic (he had an oversized head and smaller body) and who could not read, write, or act appropriately socially. The people around this boy thought he was hopeless, that he was an unsalvageable savage who ate from garbage cans. Steiner worked with this boy to develop his whole person I am the mother of three boys, two of which atand the boy made remarkable progress, such that tend the school (1st and 3rd grade). Since my eld- he became a doctor himself and a productive est son attended nursery six years ago, I have been member of society. For Steiner, he realized that trying to attend all the Community Education lec- the physical was very much connected to the mentures. I have found that with each lecture, I come tal and the spiritual, and that an education which in with preconceived ideas about what I am going responded to all three could also affect all three. to learn, and leave the lecture having learned something entirely different and often, something At each stage in our development, Steiner also saw that changes my perspective on the world. that there are forces acting on us that cause our growth, and as we react to these forces, we release This is especially true of Dr. Karnow's lectures. I light as we move to each next stage. This light have attended two of his lectures now, as each year may be seen as an acting out or a kind of commuhe presents ideas on a different topic. This year's nication, but if we don't see this life force released, discussion was about child development. The first then we become worried (perhaps you could think thing that always strikes me about Dr. Karnow is of how an autistic child's development differs from that despite being a traditionally trained doctor one who is not autistic). Dr. Karnow's most basic (University of Chicago), he truly cares about peo- example, was the life forces acting on a child in the ple in their entirety (their body, spirit and soul). I womb, but it is only once the child has come out think this says less about Dr. Karnow, than what it of the womb and begins to use its own bodily says about the mainstream doctors I have encoun- functions, to breathe and to excrete on its own, tered. In my experience, many mainstream docthat it become conscious. tors simply don't seem to care about me; it almost seems like they are a mechanic and I am just a broIn summation, Dr. Karnow said that the ultimate ken thing (not a person). Dr. Karnow demongoal of a Waldorf education according to Steiner is strates that doctors could aspire to be true healers to develop free human beings (light beings) who of the body, soul and spirit. can act for themselves; and this can be the “medicine for civilization.�

Nevertheless, I have to say that the concepts that Dr. Karnow presents in his lecture are multiAs you can see, it's pretty hard for me to encapsulayered and complex and require a deep underlate the complexity of Dr. Karnow's discussion, so standing. Therefore, I don't feel that I can fully I encourage you to attend his lecture next year! represent what he said last October and encourage you to attend his lecture next year.

I will mention briefly what he discussed to give you an idea. He talked about how Steiner's philosophy of teaching the whole child could be beneficial not just academically, but affecting the whole

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THE SOUL OF DISCIPLINE: RAISING RESPECTFUL CHILDREN IN A CULTURE OF DISRESPECT WITH

KIM JOHN PAYNE Thursday, January 15, 6 pm / Lower School Assembly Room Parenting and discipline styles have changed over the years yet often these influences flow into our family and classroom life today. It is so revealing to explore discipline styles past and present, from the old “blind obedience” to behavior modifications based on punishment and reward or even to our present day behavior affirmation, often expressed as the “good job” culture.

While these tools have their place, Mr. Payne will set out three cumulative discipline phases. Firstly, training creative compliance for the young child, secondly, building emotional skills for the elementary age, and lastly, for the teenager, managing critical choices.

Topics will include: Getting discipline back on track Creating healthy transitions Creating calm and safety through discipline Giving children appropriate choices Supporting our children’s relational skills Kim John Payne is an Australian who has worked for 27 years as a counselor, adult educator, consultant/researcher and educator. Mr. Payne has researched and implemented a Social Inclusion Approach in many communities, which helps students overcome anti-social behavior, bullying and teasing. Mr. Payne is the Project Director of the Waldorf Collaborative Counseling Program at Antioch University New England, a training course for Waldorf School and Family Counselors. Based in Harlemville, New York, Kim is the author of the book The Games Children Play and Simplicity Parenting, which will be published in August 2009 by Random House.

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COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE

This unique store has been opened by Steiner alumna Stella Metzner ’96.

Press Release: Fashion Designer Stella Metzner and Event Planner Cristina Dodd have teamed up to combine over 35 years of art and crafting experience to open a retail venue where individuals, couples and families commune to create a variety of fun and engaging projects around one enormous, beautifully handcrafted table.

SpaceCraft refreshingly provides a destination for constructive recreation. The inviting atmosphere is reminiscent of youthful days spent sitting around the family table discovering one’s own creativity and skill.

The “menu” of daily, walk-in crafting projects includes sculpture from beeswax and clay, beading, printmaking, and decorating shirts, bags, boxes, cards, and skateboards, to name a few. Weekly workshops and six-week courses present modern translations of traditional crafting techniques taught by local artists; and the space is also available for hosting parties, showers, and special events.

The creating of something, from nothing but natural materials and imagination, is proven to elicit an ameliorative effect. Not only do customers leave with a one-of-a-kind handmade item, they also find themselves left with a sense of tranquility and accomplishment.

ANNUAL REPORT OF GIFTS 2007-2008 CORRECTIONS We are grateful for the support of all our donors and in every way wish to acknowledge their thoughtfulness and generosity. Due to an undetected typographical error the following information was omitted from the report. Please accept our sincere and deepest apology.

ANNUAL GIVING: RESTRICTED AND UNRESTRICTED GIFTS $1,000-$2,499 Mark and Stacey Adkins, Belinda Agar, Adam Beckerman and Beth Lee, John and Gaily Beinecke, Peter Bing ’72, Alex and Evelyne Bize, Kevin and Eugenia Bone, Brian Bowes and Heather Mallow, James and Blanche Christerson, Joel Cohen and Karyn Zieve, Pierre and Connie Crosby, Robert Dandrew and Dale Bennett, Elizabeth De Cuevas, Beth Rudin DeWoody ’70 KACEY CISYK RAKOWICZ FUND Named in memory of parent Kacey Cisyk Rakowicz, mother of Eddie Rakowicz ’09 and an outstanding vocalist who cared deeply about music education, this fund is dedicated toward the enrichment of the music program 2007-2008 Contributors Gene Diduch, Edward J. Rakowicz and Lisa Gustin

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SPORTS SCHEDULE BOYS’ JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL Day/Date Fri/1-9

Opponent Loyola

Tue/1-13

Browning

Fri/1-23

Trevor Day

Fri/1-30

York Prep

Day/Date Fri/1-9 Wed/1-14 Fri/1-23 Wed/1-28

Location Pace University 3 Spruce St. Pace University 3 Spruce St. Pace University 3 Spruce St. Pace University 3 Spruce St.

Time 4:15 4:15 4:15 4:15

MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS’ BASKETBALL Opponent Location Time Calhoun Baruch College 4:15 th 24 St. & Lex. Ave. York Prep York Prep 4:15 th 40 West 68 St. LREI Baruch College 4:15 24th St. & Lex. Ave. Garden School Garden School 4:30 th 33-16 79 St. Jackson Heights, Queens

Day/Date

MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS’ BASKETBALL Opponent Location Time

Mon/1-12

Brooklyn Friends

Fri/1-16 Wed/1-21 Fri/1-23 Wed/1-28

Brooklyn Friends 375 Pearl St., Brooklyn Calhoun Baruch College 24th St. & Lex. Ave. Trevor Day Chelsea Piers 23rd St. & West Side Highway LREI LREI Athletic Complex 143 Thompson St. Birch Wathen Lenox Pace University 3 Spruce St.

4:00 4:00 4:30 4:15 4:15