Table of Contents 3-5 New Faculty Staff Bios 6-7 Parent Council 8
Announcements
9
Letter from Mark Reed, Board Chair
10 A Fond Farewell 11 In the Classroom 12 Upper School 13 Tim’s Big Adventure
G
reetings and a war m welcome back to the entire
Rudolf Steiner School Community! We hope you had a wonderful, restful summer and are looking forward to the star t of another school year. With this letter, we are pleased to bring you updates reg arding some of the school’s initiatives, and various personnel announcements as well.
We are sad to repor t that two longtime, highly esteemed, industrious and cherished staff members made the difficult decision to leave their posts at RSS. After twenty years of dedicated and insightful ser vice to our school, Business Manag er Marina Lopatukhin completed her last day on July 23 rd . In addition, after providing sixteen years of quiet, magical repairs on two 100+ year old buildings, not to mention taking care of all our needs, Morg an O’Shea left his position in the middle of August. T hey will be sorely missed and remembered fondly. Nadja Car neol has left her position as Early Childhood Administrative Director. Nadja and her husband are expecting a child this winter. In the interim, she will continue as a teacher in the Parent Child Prog ram. Nadja has ser ved as Early Childhood Administrative Director since 2006 and also ser ved on the Board of Tr ustees for the past two years.
She brought valuable gifts to her position over the years and is a respected colleague. We are g rateful for her many contributions to our community, and wish Nadja and her husband all the best. At the end of the 2010 school year, the Early Childhood Prog ram said g oodbye to Morg an Tr ujillo and Bianca Brousseau. Ms. Tr ujillo, a Waldorf alumna and a g raduate of Mount Holyoke Colleg e, was a beloved Assistant Teacher in the Downstairs Kinderg ar ten for two years. We will miss her war mth, her dedication to the children and her colleagues, and her beautiful nap time stories. We wish her all the best in her new life in Chicag o. Bianca Brousseau, also a Waldorf g raduate, brought her experience assisting in a Waldorf Kinderg ar ten in Califor nia along with her years of experience working with children of var ying ag es and abilities to our Upstairs Kinderg ar ten. Ms. Brousseau has accepted the First Grade Teacher position at the Brooklyn Waldorf School; we wish her a wonderful jour ney with her new class! Reg retfully, two long-time assistants will no long er be at the school. Ms. K ate Schlieben ser ved as the g rade one assistant for the past three years and also taught weaving in the high school. We will miss her insightful obser vations.
Because of the additional assistant position, David Anderson will no long er be here. He has been loyal in taking the children to the park in the after noons and in helping classes with drawing when needed.
Wel co m e
B ack
After doing excellent work teaching the Middle School orchestra and private cello students for ten years, Ms. Sher r y Chow has decided to attend g raduate school in media studies. We wish all three colleagues the ver y best of luck. Over the summer a number of capital repairs and improvements were under taken and completed. T he Lower School cornice was repaiared and the first phase of lower school window replacement completed: French windows were installed on the 1st, 3rd and 4th f loors. T he fire escape at the rear of the upper school was repaired and the old gutter leaders were replaced with new ones.
We are delighted to repor t that last year’s Annual Fund broke all previous records, both in levels of par ticipation and dollars raised. We offer special thanks to Joy Phelan-Pinto, our Development Chair. We are also most g rateful to Allen Kraus, our Annual Appeal Chair, and to all our Annual Appeal Class Ag ents. In addition, we extend our thanks to Scott Williams, our fundraising consultant of Changing Our World. T he school was ver y for tunate to receive two significant Annual Fund gifts, one to the g eneral operating budg et and, the second, a g rant from the Y C Ho Helen & Michael Chiang Foundation to suppor t the lower elementar y school and teachers. We offer our deepest g ratitude to Dr. Chiang and the Y C Ho Helen & Michael Chiang Foundation for giving the school this oppor tunity to have the personnel we need, to improve faculty capacities and Student Suppor t Ser vices, and to renovate two spaces in which our youngest elementar y school children lear n. T he two new positions funded for this year are: a second Assistant/substitute, assisting mostly in 2nd g rade plus substituting throughout Page 2
the elementar y school, and a Lear ning Resources Teacher (a Waldorf oriented lear ning suppor t person) working with the children, the teachers, and the rest of Student Suppor t Ser vices. We have hired Kelly Weimer as the Assistant/substitute and Renni Greenberg Gallagher as the Lear ning Resources Teacher. We hope the Foundation will extend the g rant for these positions for the following year and over the next three years as we integ rate the positions into the operating budg et. T his g rant also funded some significant improvements to the first and second g rade classrooms. Individual cubby spaces were built for each child in the 1st g rade room which will help create order and improve hygiene. Distracting elements on two of the walls were removed in the 2nd g rade room and the walls restored. A new blackboard was hung at the front of the room; new bulletin boards were installed, old shelves were replaced, and a new storag e closet was built to the right of the door. T hese improvements are making a tangible difference ever y day for the children and their teachers. Additional gifts from the g rant proposal include a five- to seven-day prog ram for teachers with Rachel Ross, a Waldorf lear ning specialist, who beg an the first week in September, to continue to build the faculty’s capacities to work more effectively with the diverse needs of all students. We are in an ong oing process of documenting and assessing how these new positions and faculty development opportunities suppor t our ability to respond to a wide rang e of students and, ultimately, student development and lear ning. We are delighted to welcome all of our new teachers and staff members to the school this year and to our entire community of families, faculty and staff, I extend all g ood wishes for a lively and rewarding beginning of the 2010-2011 school year. Rallou M. Hamshaw Speaker for the Colleg e of Teachers
Ms. Jennifer Touchstone has replaced Elea Robinson, serving as the Early Childhood assistant teacher in the Middle Nursery. Ms. Touchstone is a resident of Manhattan and graduated from Green Meadow Waldorf School in 2001. She received her Master’s Degree in urban Education from Mercy College in 2008. M Ms. Karina Petrarca has assumed a new role this school year, ttaking on the administrative work of the Early Childhood Program. SShe will continue to be part of the classroom in the afternoons and m mentor the new Assistant Teachers in the downstairs kindergarten. Ms. Shani Margolin-Cohen joins us as an Assistant Teacher in the Downstairs Kindergarten. She has a Master’s degree in Vocal Arts and has taught music in Israel for the last four years. She has become familiar with Waldorf Education through her husband who was a Waldorf student. Ms. Joey Korein joins us as an Assistant Teacher in the Downstairs Kindergarten. A graduate of Washington University, Ms. Korein is passionate about the arts, knitting and sewing, and working with c children. Ms. Brielle Korn is the new Assistant in the Upstairs Kindergarten. She most recently worked with children at the Boulder Waldorf Kindergarten in Colorado, taught nursery age children and offered private music lessons. M Shery Adams, having just returned from sabbatical, is the First Grade Ms. t teacher. Ms. Adams has twenty-six years of teaching experience, her most r recent years spent here at our school, where she took a class from grade o through grade eight. She taught for nine years and was a pioneering one t teacher at the Green Mountain Waldorf School in Vermont. Ms. Lucy Schneider, a long-time class teacher at our school, is the Third Grade class teacher. Ms. Schneider has twenty-seven years of experience as a Waldorf teacher, mentor, evaluator and administrator, twenty-two of which were at the Rudolf Steiner School as a class teacher. Ms. Schneider served on and led accreditations with New York State Association of Waldorf Schools in North America (AWSNA) and joint accreditations with New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) and Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS). Page 3
Ms. Rennie Greenberg Gallagher is pioneering a one-year pilot position as Learning Resources Teacher as funded by the grant from the Y C Ho Helen & Michael Chiang Foundation. Ms. Greenberg is working as a full-time colleague in Student Support Services, working closely with teachers to design ongoing instruction and assessments of student needs, including progress in movement, academics, social health, and behavior.
Ms. Daria Ilunga has joined us as the First Grade Assistant, helping to transition the children from kindergarten into the elementary school. Ms. Ilunga holds two master’s degrees from Bank Street and Sunbridge College where she completed her Waldorf teacher preparation. Ms. Ilunga is an active parent with three children in the school.
Ms. Kelly Weimer joins us as the second Assistant/substitute. She will spend much of her time with the Second Grade but will be available for assisting and substituting throughout the elementary school. She completed her Waldorf teacher preparation at Emerson College in England. She worked as both a learning support teacher and a classroom assistant at Michael Hall Steiner School in England. Ms. Whitni Roche is Ms. Lorinz’s new handwork assistant and the high school librarian this year. In June, she completed an M.A. in English at La Sierra University, where she taught writing to undergraduates and had responsibilities in the library. She previously taught second grade at the Linden Waldorf School in Nashville, TN.
Mr. Robert Leaver is teaching the Creative Writing elective course to senior students this year, a course previously taught by Chris Seagrave-Daly. Mr. Leaver is a screenwriter, poet, and journalist based in New York City. His articles have been seen in various national magazines and his poetry has appeared in numerous publications, most recently in the book “Riverine,” an anthology of Hudson Valley writers. He recently completed the teacher training program in Waldorf education at Sunbridge College and his son completed Kindergarten at the Rudolf Steiner School last year. Mr. John Anderson joins us as our interim High School English teacher this year, replacing Chris Segrave-Daly. Mr. Anderson will be taking up some English main lessons and run through classes. He has over seventeen years of experience teaching English, Drama, and History in Waldorf schools, and has trained teachers in four different countries. Mr. Anderson is a graduate of Mercy College in Detroit, Michigan with a B.A. in English and History. He also holds a diploma in Waldorf Training from the Waldorf Institute in Detroit and has had four years of Speech and Drama training at the Goetheanum in Switzerland.
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Mr. Ging Vann has joined us as our new Athletic Director. Mr. Vann comes to us from The Garden School, where he has worked for many years. Mr. Vann is well-respected by the League where he serves as the President of the Independent Schools Athletic League (ISAL) Big Apple Conference.
Ms. Ekaterina Ignatova (or Ms. Katya) has taken over as the new Middle School orchestra and private cello instructor. Ms. Katya worked closely with her predecessor, Sherry Chow.
Mr. Victor Catano is our new Business Manager. A g graduate of Children’s Storefront and Browning, he holds his B.A. in Economics from Haverford and his M.B.A. in finance from Baruch C College. Following six years at Fiduciary Trust, Mr. Catano had the o opportunity to pursue his dream of working in independent educattion by joining the Children’s Storefront as Business Manager. He has ssince spent the last four years as the Chief Operating Officer at Rockland Country Day School. Mr. Catano’s financial and operations skills, experience, energy and warmth will be a great asset to our school. Mr. Andrès Bélèn has joined our maintenance crew. Mr. Bélèn will be performing all aspects of building and systems repairs and maintenance, as well as fire safety. He is a highly experienced carpenter, craftsman, repairman and facilities manager. Mr. Bélèn’s experience includes that of facilities manager at the Children’s Storefront School in NYC on the night shift, carpenter for Tradesource, a construction and maintenance outsourcing company, and Maintenance consultant and wood shop manager for Rockland Country Day School. Ms. Jennifer Rosenstein will be on partial sabbatical after having gradM uated her eighth Grade class last June. When present at school, Ms. u Rosenstein will coordinate the various conversations that need to R ttake a place in preparation of the joint re-accreditation process with NYSAIS and AWSNA, which is scheduled for the 2011-2012 school year. N Ms. Rosenstein will be consulting with Lucy Schneider during this process. M
SEEKING ACCOMMODATION FOR A FEW NIGHTS A WEEK DURING TERM-TIME: Do you have or know of someone who may have a guest room or study that could be used on Sunday and Monday nights during term-time, and sometimes on Tuesday nights? Within walking distance from the school would be very much appreciated, but any location in the Manhattan area would be a great help. Please contact the school Therapeutic Eurythmist, Linda Larson, at 610-933-2822 or larson7@earthlink.net as soon as possible.
Thank you very much.
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Dear Rudolf Steiner School Parents, Faculty and Staff, On behalf of the 2010-2011 Parent Council, I would like to extend a warm welcome to both new and returning parents, to our wonderful teachers and our indispensable support staff as we embark on the journey of a new school year together. We hope your summer was filled with much laughter and joy and special memories formed with family and friends to be cherished for years to come. The goals of this year’s Parent Council are to cultivate school spirit, foster community involvement within our parent body, and encourage communication among families, teachers and our diverse Waldorf community. Parent Council will continue to support the school’s various fundraising efforts in order ensure the best learning environment for our children. On Monday, September 20th, at 8:30am after drop off, please join us as we welcome new parents to our community with our first Parent Council sponsored event, “Morning Coffee on the Terrace” upstairs on the second floor landing. We encourage returning parents to stop by and we will continue to serve coffee and tea on the Terrace every Monday morning until October 22nd. Parent Council has many volunteer opportunities throughout the school year. Please reach out to us if you are able to volunteer your time in support of the many community events we are planning which will be listed in future Bulletins and on signs throughout the school. We welcome your participation in any way that may seem comfortable for you. We look forward to a wonderful and exciting new year together! Warmly, Diane Mahiques President, Parent Council
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Parent Council 2010-2011 Diane Mahiques, President
Silvia Heller, Secretary
Susann Villanueva, Treasurer
Chrisann DiDonato, Liaison Grades 1-4
Dee Carstensen,
Event Committee Chair
Michele Melland-Strassberg, Early Childhood Liaison
Margot Silverman, Liaison Grades 5-8
Claudio Rodriguez, Dad’s Committee Chair
Carolina Smith, High School Liaison
Lydie Raschka,
High School Liaison
Parent Council Coffee on the Terrace
On Monday, September 20th, Parent Council hosted their first Coffee on the Terrace. Every Monday, starting at 8:30, Parent Council invites you to join them on the Lower School terrace for refreshments and light conversation.
Special Thanks to the Parent Council from the Rudolf Steiner School Thanks to our wonderful Parent Council, we now have new sound equipment in the Lower School Assembly Room. The new sound and projection system will greatly enhance lectures and performances by providing wireless microphones, a mixer, computer friendly remote control projector and screen, portable speakers for inside the room, fixed speakers above the door outside the room that will carry sound out to the landing, and sound connections in various convenient locations. We must also thank PC for providing funding for the school’s new AEDs (automated external defibrillators) which faculty and staff were trained to use prior to the start of the new school year. Because of Parent Council’s generosity, the school is now more equipped than ever to act quickly should the unforeseeable occur. We are so very grateful for these improvements and extend a huge thank you once again to the Parent Council for their foresight and generosity. Page 7
A n n o u n cement s
The Extended Day Program is underway!
Parent Study Group
On Tuesday the 14th, the After Care DropIn program began and spaces are already filling with regulars who come every day or a couple of days each week! Among the adventures the children have enjoyed so far are an excursion to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and collage making with treasures discovered in Central Park. The coming attractions promise to be just as engaging and interesting.
Each year our Parent Study Group takes up a text by Rudolf Steiner to read and discuss through the year. We welcome new members and we invite you to join us in the Upper School Library from 8:45—9:45 on Thursday mornings. We will begin on Thursday morning, October 14th. The text, “Turning Points in Spiritual History,” will be available at our first meeting.
The Spanish and Handwork programs begin the week of September 20th. Though sign-ups have been steady, there is still room in each program. If your first through fourth grader is eager to explore Spanish culture and games, then the Spanish program on Monday is just the ticket. On Wednesdays, Ms. Lorinz is offering a handwork program for students in grades four through six; projects may include creating an artistic quilt, making sewing kits and pillows, and much more. If you have a child in grades four through six who has expressed interest in joining the handwork program, please be sure to let April Pereyra know. On Tuesdays, Ms. Ani Niemann offers a dance program for children in grades four through six. A graduate of the Rudolf Steiner School and NYU, Ms. Niemann is an accomplished dancer who taught world dance to last year’s seventh grade Sign up now! If you have any questions, please get in touch with April Pereyra at apereyra@ steiner.edu or at 212-535-2130 x235.
Beginning October 14th
In this age of polarization and isolation of principles of thought, especially in spiritual belief, the need for understanding the deeper meaning of the figures who have been at the center of spiritual evolution is important. This year we will take up Rudolf Steiner’s “Turning Points in Spiritual History” as a central text to learning about a continuum of figures that brought new impulses to spiritual thought. We will look at other figures not included in the text, as well. Ultimately, we will explore the evolution of consciousness that is revealed to us in the impulses brought by these figures. Nothing casual comes to mind when we hear the words “turning point.” Rather, we get the idea of a crossroad, a defining or decisive moment, crisis or watershed, a time or incident that marks the beginning of completely new stage in life or something. Sometimes the starkness of a situation makes recognition of a turning point immediately obvious. More often the important ones lie concealed until a higher wisdom reveals them in retrospect. For all but the more penetrating vision, history writes the lasting verdict. (Edward Reaugh Smith, Introduction to Turning Points in Spiritual History by Rudolf Steiner) I hope that you will join us on October 14th! Linda Sawers Upper School Chair
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Board
O
Up dat e
n behalf of the Board of Trustees, welcome back to all! It is a thrill to have students and families coursing through our buildings again after a summer spent in quiet consultation from various points around the globe. The Board is looking forward to a school year of new challenges and opportunities. This year, we welcome six new Trustees and relieve nine from the 20092010 Board, leaving our number at 14. This Board will deepen last year’s work on strategic planning, development, governance, and of course, real estate. The Board works closely with the administrative staff of the school and the College of Teachers. While our decision-making process is more diffuse than typical institutions, we feel that it is more reflective of the principles of self-administration and community engagement upheld by Waldorf schools everywhere. Like in the classroom, the practice of these principles is not always perfect, but it is an unceasing effort yielding insights that I have not found in other professional experiences. Our non-traditional structure is not the easiest, most expedient way to govern a school, but we feel that it is at the core of our school. You should know that the Rudolf Steiner School is on strong footing. Financially, we concluded last year with a surplus and set several fundraising records, including Annual Fund participation of 76%, up 12% over last year, with four classes reaching 100%. Strategically, we evaluated an ambitious expansion plan and came away with a wide variety of feedback warranting greater reflection and analysis. Our enrollment continues to be strong in a difficult context for New York City private schools. The dedication and hard work of all members of our community makes this possible. I hope that after reading this, you will step more firmly toward your work in the school knowing that your efforts combine with others’ to form a vibrant, ever-changing whole. Mark Reed Chairman of the Board
First day of school Photos courtesy of Claudio Rodriguez
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A Fo n d
Fare we l l
M
arina Lopatukhin, our former business manager, was one of my best friends at school and I have many wonderful memories of her. My first look into her great personality and sense of humor came on one of my first days as the receptionist of the Lower School in 1993. I answered the phone one morning and the voice on the other end was gruff and heavy with a foreign accent. I thought perhaps it was one of Marina’s Russian relatives, who had called a few days before. I called Marina and told her that a Russian man was on the phone and transferred the call. Ten minutes later she called back hysterical with laughter. “Clio, I hate to tell you this, but that person was not Russian,” she giggled, “and more than that, it was not even a man!” It turns out that the caller was a German woman, an elderly anthroposophist, notorious for her unusual raspy voice. From that moment on, we became great friends and we would laugh about that phone call several times a year in the lunchroom, where we shared many other wonderful stories together over the years.
W
hat can one say as a farewell to Morgan O’Shea? …that we will miss him? Understatement. …that RSS will never be the same without him? Too sentimental. …that we miss the reliable, common-sense companion? Yes, again and again. …that we all wonder who will be there to coddle the boiler when the temperature drops below zero? Or to shovel the snow in the early am? Let’s not think about that…. Morgan’s presence was felt everywhere in the school; it’s true to say that he knows the school better than anyone else. He understood not only all the fire codes, how to fix just about anything, but he also was compassionate about all people: which faculty needed a little extra care, which staff member needed a warm greeting. He knew where to find obscure items at the best prices. He loved his work and he loves his family, Nicole and Justin. In fact, it was Justin that brought him to the school.
In a way Morgan became a legend before he ever reached 15 East 79th Street. His Uncle Leo, who managed 9 East 79th Street, had already told us all about him. When we called a reference in a small Irish Page 10
Along with other members of the staff, I truly looked forward to lunch time with Marina each day. Marina, originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, came to the RSS in December of 1990 with her husband Dmitry and son Mark who attended Rudolf Steiner School from grade seven, bringing with her a degree in economics and a basic knowledge of English. Years later, there was nothing about the school she did not know and her expertise made her a pillar of the school community. Mark, graduated from Steiner in 1998 and is now married. He and wife Amy, have a one year-old daughter named Alice. With Marina’s new hours and a job near her home in Westchester, she now has more time to dote on her baby granddaughter. I am sure the rest of the Steiner community will agree with me that she will be missed, but we all wish her the very best and hope she will visit us soon with some news and fun stories of her new life. Clio Venho Drama Instructor
village to confirm that Morgan was worth taking on, the accolades began to flow. He is a fine young man who will do us right, so we were told. And yes, he is ready for hard work, etc. So he got his green light and for sixteen years Morgan O’Shea kept our two old buildings in repair and the colleagues in good humor. Morgan was a man of few words and a lot of action. But sometimes he did share stories. They were often about families, about people in his neighborhood, parents he admired at Steiner and of course the children who surrounded him in the two buildings. One could see him riding a little bicycle up Madison Avenue, or he would cheer up a colleague who was struggling, or maybe even share a worry he was carrying. We know that legends are made of stuff that is both fact and fiction. But Morgan was honest – always – and was a gentleman through and through. It’s good he is already in Santa Fe getting ready for the new chapter in his life, because he would hate what I am writing here. Please don’t tell him. Don’t tell him that he is one of the best people who ever worked at our school. Irene Mantel Lower School Admissions Director
in the
High School
In t he
Bridge Breaking
C l as s ro o m
Last year the 10th graders become engineers, learning the mechanics of bridge building. Students work in pairs or solo to construct a working bridge. Each receives the same supplies, amount of wood and guidelines, and must design and build a bridge whose span will support the greatest amount of weight possible. The highlight of the project is the bridge breaking ceremony, which took place this fall. Once all projects are complete, Math teacher Dan Marsch piles on boxes of clay, weighing 50lbs each, to see how much weight the bridges will sustain. In the end, some bridges remained indestructible after sustaining up to 500lbs, while others were reduced to a mere pillar.
Building a Sukkah in the
3rd grade
Ms. Schneider’s 3rd grade class combines their studies of the Old Testiment and shelters by building a sukkah on the Lower School Terrace. A Sukkah is a temporary outdoor hut with an open roof, covered in vegetation. Many guidelines must be followed to properly build a Sukkah and, with the careful supervision of parent Mohamed Elwakil, the 3rd grade erected an impressive hut in which they sat as a class and enjoyed their lunches.
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SPORTS Fantastic Fall Beginnings
U p p er
S ch o o l
W
elcome back to school and play ball, everyone!! The Steiner Athletic Department has gotten off to a fantastic start, with both our Varsity Soccer & Volleyball teams kicking off the year with undefeated records. Both teams hold undefeated records with Varsity Soccer boasting a 4-0 start and Volleyball starting the season at 2-0 so far. Both our Middle School Volleyball and Soccer teams begin the start of their seasons this week with games versus LREI & The Dwight School. All of our students-athletes and coaches on our fall season sports teams have worked extremely hard during preseason training, which began back in mid-August. Everyone has returned back to school full of school pride, team spirit, and a joyful commitment to provide their very best effort to excel with their particular teams. We are all very proud of everyone who is participating on our sports teams and we will happily support and cheer you on to very successful seasons. We wish everyone the very best of luck!
STUDENT COUNCIL
M
y name is Charlotte McGuckin and this year I have the honor of being Student Body President. Along with Michael Robinov, our Vice President, and the rest of Student Council, I have the opportunity to assist the Student Body and act as liaison between students and faculty. Our first initiative as a Council this year is the Mentorship Program. Our goal with the Mentorship Program is not only to ease the transition of new students into the High School, but also to facilitate dialogue between current and incoming students. Last year’s program worked well and this year we are striving to improve the existing system by introducing Mentors and Mentees earlier and by hosting a lunch during the first few weeks of school to receive feedback and ensure that each new student has assimilated comfortably into our community. This year promises to be busy and, we hope, productive.
GO DRAGONS!!!! DRAGON FIRE AND PRIDE!!!! Ging Vann Athletic Director
Congratulations! The school is happy to announce that Burke Battelle, graduating senior of the class of 2010, was the winner of the “Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney 2010 Congressional Art Competition” for her district here in Manhattan. As the winner of the competition, Burke’s painting, a self-portrait from the Senior Oil Painting Elective, will hang in the Capitol Rotunda Building in Washington, D.C., for one year. We warmly congratulate him for this fine achievement. This year, Burke is studying fashion design at the University of the Arts, London.
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Tim’s B ig
W
Adve n t u re
hen we announced Tim Hoffman’s cross-country bike trip at the 2010 Spring Gala, an overwhelming response of support was shown from our community. Parents, faculty, staff and friends pledged dollar amounts for every mile Tim traveled and your pledges brought in close to $23,000 in support of the school. Tim’s trip took him from New York City up to Ontario, to KOA compounds in Michigan, on country roads in North Dakota, in the garage of a friendly stranger willing to offer a place for weary bikers , and finally to Seattle, Washington – where the last few miles were spent on a bicycle tour of the city. Tim kept in touch every step of the way; (even if technology failures meant we weren’t always aware he was maintaining contact) sending email and snail mail updates which marked both poignant and bizarre experiences which we shared in a public blog called “Tim’s Big Adventure.” Many of you followed along with Tim’s travels and posted motivational remarks. Tim read every one of them and was grateful for the encouragement along the way. He returned to Steiner with only a few nicks and bruises, more facial hair, and an obvious change in body weight but no less of a pleasant demeanor.
We are so grateful for everyone’s support and glad to have Tim back safe, sound, and ready to lead the 6th grade class through another memorable school year.
Re-Live The Adventure
Visit the “Tim’s Big Adventure” blog at
http://timsbigadventure.wordpress.com Page 13
A
F AL L FAIR F d e t n a c h n ores E n
t
We invite you to join us for our Fall Fair workshops Dolls
Fridays beginning 9/24 from 8:30 -10:30 Parent leaders: Nancie Min ~ Paulina Otcasek ~ Susanne Villanueva
Knitting
Thursdays beginning 9/30 from 8:30 -10:30 Parent Leaders: Anne-Marie Kavulla ~ Gerri Loizzo ~ Alison Thain
Woodworking
Fridays beginning 10/8 from 8:30 am -10am Faculty Leader: Renate Poliakine ’60 Parent Assistant: Gabby Ortiz ’83
Handcrafts
dates and time to be announced
Doll Making Workshop, September 24, 2010
Background image courtesy of Free Images http://www.freeimages.co.uk/