ANNUAL GIVING HAS BEGUN
We have now launched our 2008-09 Annual Giving campaign. If you would like a copy of the letter and donation form, please get in touch with me or with the school office – then take a moment to read this year’s letter and consider the special school projects and programs that your donation could emphasize this year, as well as what your wishes are for our school.
This week we have tied lines to the cedar beams at the front entrance to the school. Each time we receive a donation to the campaign, we will tie a colourful strip of cloth onto the line – and each of the cloths will have the donor’s wishes for our school written on it. We are aiming to have 100% participation from our school families. And we hope to hear from many of our alumni, alumni parents, and other friends of the school. Please help us fill these lines with colour and wishes!
Our three main focus targets in the 2008-09 Annual Giving campaign are: Waldorf teacher training and certification for our faculty, our Tuition Assistance program, and a variety of programs and facilities for our students. As always, you can choose to give to something else in the school that you specify as being of particular interest to you.
Beginning next week, each Wednesday Notice for several weeks will feature in turn one of our main focus targets for the campaign. This will give you more information about the particular projects and programs you will be supporting with your donation.
Thank you very much for contributing as soon and as much as you are able to this year’s Annual Giving.
If you have questions, please contact Cathie Foote, School Administrator, at 287-1868 ext. 152 or c.foote@calgarywaldorf.org.
ADVENT FESTIVAL ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH IN THE ASSEMBLY ROOM (KINDERGARTEN CELEBRATION AT 5:00 pm; GRADE SCHOOL AT 7:00 pm)
The gift of light I thankfully hold
And pass to my neighbour its shining gold,
That everyone may feel its glow,
Receiving and giving, may love and grow.
When all our friends have lit their light
No more shall continue the darkness of night,
But joyful all folk the message shall hear:
“The Light draws near!”
A time of preparation for that which is to be born (Christmas), the festival of Advent helps us to prepare ourselves inwardly. We remember and honour the Light during the darkest time of the year. Historically this was a time of fasting, of quiet contemplation - a time for taking the little flame that began to shine brightly during Michaelmas on an inner journey towards the Divine Light. Advent lasts for four weeks (23 to 28 days) and provides an opportunity for young and old to participate in some of the inner preparation that so often gets lost in the commercialism that can cloud the significance of the season. Those closest to the mystery of birth understand this festival effortlessly. As adults, we may look to small children for inspiration to help us face what can often be a challenging time of year. We can be strengthened by their innate capacity for confident anticipation, their trust in the goodness of life, and their ability to accept mystery. Advent is a time to enable the bright fire of the human spirit to light the darkness. As we light each of the four Advent candles on each successive Sunday, we bring the light to the darkness and lighten the path for ourselves and for others.
Our school’s celebration of Advent involves the children walking the Advent Spiral. A spiral of greenery is laid on the floor, in the middle of which is a large, lit candle. As each child proceeds to the centre of the spiral in the darkened room, they light their own candle from the central light and then place it somewhere in the spiral on their way back out. As more and more children walk the spiral, the room becomes filled with light. Students and their siblings over the age of five years are welcome to come and walk the Advent spiral. As adults, as we watch the children, we may explore the deep spiritual symbolism of walking a dark spiral toward the light. In keeping with the mood of advent, quiet reverence is required for this celebration.
PLEASE BRING EVERGREEN BOUGHS FOR OUR ADVENT SPIRAL
On Sunday, November 30th at 5:00 pm (for the Kindergarten) and 7:00 pm (for the Grade School), we will celebrate our Advent Festival. This festival helps us prepare ourselves inwardly as we remember and honour the light during the darkest time of the year.
The celebration has the children walking the Advent spiral that we create from evergreen boughs (pine, spruce, cedar, etc.). If you have access to these types of trees, please consider doing a little (or a lot) of pruning and bringing us your boughs to help build our spiral. Or perhaps you know a landscaper, neighbour, or relative who has boughs they could donate to us.
Please bring any boughs you can offer (big or small, many or a few) and leave them outside at the north side of the main school by the staff entrance doors. Thanks for your help.
Pat Cook, for the Early Childhood Faculty
GRADE 8 PROJECT HELP NEEDED
Hello, my name is Patrick Dickau and I am in Class Eight. Remember all those tasty soups from the Cross-Country Run and the Waldorf Faire that made your mouth water? Wouldn’t you like to have all those soup recipes in one place (or cookbook) for you to enjoy any time of the year? For my Grade 8 Independent Project I am trying to collect all these tasty recipes from years gone by and compile a cookbook for sale. All proceeds of this sale will benefit the CWS Student Field Trip Fund. Please help me out by giving me your soup recipe(s) to add to this book. I will have a folder at the office with my name on it (Patrick Dickau) or you can e-mail me at joeduckman@hotmail.com. Please expect a phone call after the Faire for you past and present soup makers. Thank you for your help.
CLASS FIVE “GREEK OLYMPICS” BOOK/BAKE/CRAFT FUNDRAISER
Class 5 will be heading to Duncan, B.C. in the spring to take part in the annual Grade Five Waldorf Greek Olympics, along with a number of other Waldorf Schools from B.C. and the north-western States.
Our Class would like to raise some funds to add to the school’s Student Field Trip Fund. We will be collecting used books, DVD’s and games, all in great second-hand condition, from now until March to have a big sale in the early spring. Please help us reach our goal by not only donating your own used treasures but also by collecting them from friends, family, neighbours and co-workers. Do you have a craft cupboard full of unfinished projects? We’ll take those too: fabrics, sewing, buttons, needles, yarn, beads, scrap-booking items, and patterns – just to name a few.
All can be dropped off directly at Class Five or the school office.
Thank you in advance.
INFORM NEWSLETTER
Click here for Inform – A Newsletter for Waldorf School Communities – October 2008 issue
NEW EMAIL ADDRESS FOR ALL SUBMISSIONS TO THE WEDNESDAY NOTICE:
notice@calgarywaldorf.org
Submission deadline: Monday at 1:00 pm; if Monday is a school holiday, deadline is the preceding Friday at 1:00 pm
