citing project will create

a lot of change for our

school environs, and we

will keep you updated in

the weekly ASA about

our progress.

We are excited to an-

nounce that, through a

generous donation by

grandparents Barbara

Schilling and Richard

Carr, we will have a new

middle school this year.

Three modular class-

rooms will be built at the

site of the current music

and extended day class-

rooms. The new build-

ings will be SAGE (Smart

Academic Green Enviro-

ment) green classrooms,

the recipient of a 2012

international SEED de-

sign award. The design

provides enhanced natu-

ral daylight, drastically

improved air quality,

spaciousness, and high

quality non-toxic materi-

als in a compact and

beautiful building. Use

of a “whole building de-

sign” approach increases

energy efficiency dra-

matically. This integrat-

ed design was a collabo-

ration between Port-

land State University.

Blazer Industries and

Pacific Construction

Services. We are the

first school in Oregon

to have these new

buildings. We will be

part of a project with

Energy Trust of Ore-

gon to evaluate their

efficiency. This ex-

New Green Middle School!

Inside this issue:

New Programs and staff 2

Michaelmass 2

Electives 4

Ask Agatha 5

Health Guidlines 6

Confluence

UPCOMING EVENTS

Join us for Michaelmas

on September 26 at 11am

SEPTEMBER 2013

Take a stroll on the new path

We have a new path that

circles the playground,

providing a wonderful

surface for running and

walking. It measures

exactly ¼ mile, and will

be used extensively by

Girls on the Run. Al-

ready students and staff

have been using it every

day. We invite parents

to take a stroll; each

footfall helps keep the

gophers away!

Many thanks to Tim-

berhill Dental, The Bark

Place and Ham/Mock

Landscaping for dona-

tions and discounts that

made the path possible!

The vision for this space includes porches, a new entry area and even bathrooms. If you are interested in mak-

ing a contribution to help fund this larger vision please contact Mrs. Thom.

New Programs and New Staff

year.

An ancient wisdom placed a

festival at each of the four

turning points of the solar

year. In autumn, this festival

is named after a mythological

figure, the archangel Michael.

The name Michael is Hebrew

and its meaning is the ques-

tion, "Who is like God?" Leg-

ends abound about Michael,

the most notable being of his

confrontation in heaven with

the rebellious angels, led by

Lucifer, who sought to over-

throw God. The forces of Mi-

chael cast these angels out of

heaven and held them in con-

trol in their earthly form as

dragons. Michael did not slay

the leading dragon, but held

it under his control through

his own inner strength.

This dragon is not an external

reality, but lives in all human-

kind, represented by cold,

dead, overly rationalistic

thinking. It is alive within

each of us as a potentially

negative, restrictive force.

Michael's message to human-

ity is not to try to slay the

dragon within ourselves, for

we would not live in

freedom if we did, but to

overcome the dragon with

conscious thinking and

strength of will. Michaelmas

is a festival of inner strength

and initiative, an opportunity

Why We Celebrate Michaelmas The following is an abbreviat-

ed version of an article by

David Mitchell, master Wal-

dorf teacher.

The autumn is a rare time in

Corvallis. The tree leaves un-

dergo their color changes, the

air become crisp and clear,

the evening skies show mete-

or showers visible even in our

city skies. Darkness starts to

wrap around us, and we are

moved inside to the comfort

of our homes. The dreamy

mood of summer is replaced

by a new vigor, and, for many

of us in a school community,

September is more a New

Year than

January 1st, as we establish

our rhythms for a new school

We have two new preschools

this year. Sweet Peas, a three

morning program for two

year olds, is taught by Jessica

Henry. We are currently ac-

cepting applications for a

waiting list. We also have a

three day preschool for three

and four year olds called Hon-

eybees, taught by Marcya

Rosecrans. There is still space

in this program if you have

friends looking for our special

early childhood programs.

The class of 2015, 7th grade,

is now being taught by Steph-

anie Croft. She is a California

native and has been involved

in Waldorf education in the

US and Canada since 1987.

Andrea Delos-Reyes is the

new Golden Rose preschool

assistant. She is excited to be

working at the school the

children attend. Julie Gust is

the new Extended Day Direc-

tor. Ms Gust worked as an

Extended Day Provider last

year. She has taught music

and elementary students for

the past eleven years. Liz

Riley and Anais Alexander are

sharing the job of Enrollment

Director. Liz worked as our

Development Director last

year and Anais, class teacher

of the class of 2010, has re-

turned to our school in an

administrative role!We are

delighted to welcome both of

them back in their new roles.

Page 2 CONFLUENCE

Michaelmas is a

festival of inner

strength ...

for our higher being to con-

quer fear and anxiety.

The backdrop for the drama

of history is the struggle be-

tween the powers that strive

for the forces of Goodness

against those that struggle

for the power of Evil. It is

within each individual that

this drama is enacted. We live

in an age of individuality and

personal freedom. We have a

multitude of personal choices

and live amidst the unsettling

realities of shifting forms of

social order, order that once

represented stability for man-

kind. We can no longer rely

on outer forms but must give

direction to our own lives out

of our personal initiative and

strength. In the legend of

Michael we find he offers

four gifts: strength, courage,

the will to do true deeds, and

love. To those who are willing

to undertake self-

transformation and look to-

wards that which is divine in

every human being, the

transformation and the battle

with the dragon are uniquely

individual.

At Corvallis Waldorf School

and Waldorf schools around

the globe, children hear sto-

ries and legends of

Michael. Then, this year on

September 26th, our stu-

dents and faculty will gather

on our grounds and

see the enactment of

Michael's battle with the

the back field for our Mich-

aelmas pageant.

dragon. Most of the student

body directly participates as

the pageant unfolds, and

each and every child inwardly

participates in feats of skill

and courage.

Please join us

this year at

11:00 a.m. on

Thursday, Sep-

tember 26th, in

Page 3

Join us for dragon

bread and a picnic

after the

Michaelmas

pageant.

Middle School Elective Program

programming.

There is more and more re-

search to substantiate these

concerns. See:

Endangered Minds:

Why Our Children

Don't Think by Jane

Healy

Failure To Connect: How

Computers Affect

Our Children's

Minds For Better

and Worse by Jane

Healy

Four Arguments for the

Elimination of Tele-

vision by Jerry

Mander

The Plug-In Drug by

Marie Winn

Evolution's End: Claim-

ing The Potential of

Our Intelligence by

Joseph Chilton

Pearce

What about computers and

Waldorf Education?

Waldorf teachers feel the

appropriate age for computer

use in the classroom and by

“Ask Agatha” If you have questions, bring them to the office!

Why do Waldorf schools rec-

ommend the limiting of tele-

vision, videos, and radio for

young children?

A central aim of Waldorf Edu-

cation is to stimulate the

healthy development of the

child's own imagination. Wal-

dorf teachers are concerned

that electronic media ham-

pers the development of the

child's imagination. They are

concerned about the physical

effects of the medium on the

developing child as well as

the content of much of the

Starting at the end of Septem-

ber, the middle school will

begin an elective program for 6

weeks. Topics offered include

Guitar, Baking, Yoga, Volleyball,

Health Care Professions and

Hip Hop Dance. Last year’s

electives were enjoyed by all,

and everyone is looking for-

ward to this year’s offerings!

Page 4 CONFLUENCE

students is in high school. We

feel it is more important for

students to have the oppor-

tunity to interact with one

another and with teachers in

exploring the world of ideas,

participating in the creative

process, and developing their

knowledge, skills, abilities,

and inner qualities. Waldorf

students have a love of learn-

ing, an ongoing curiosity, and

interest in life. As older stu-

dents, they quickly master

computer technology, and

graduates have successful

careers in the computer in-

dustry.

Page 5

March or over the summer,

please bring this information,

type of booster and date giv-

en, to the office. The school

must have an up-to-date Ore-

gon Certificate of Immuniza-

tion form on file for your child

by the first day of school. If

your family has a different

immunization philosophy, the

immunization form has a

“religious exemption” option.

One of these options must be

completed and form signed by

the parent. For information

from county health clinics,

call . If we can be of help,

please call

541-758-4674.

Flu season will be with us

soon and with that in mind we

ask that parents be vigilant in

adhering to our Illness guide-

It is time

to check your child/ren’s im-

munization record/s. There

are specific grades that may

require updates; prekinder-

garten, kindergarten, first,

second and seventh grade

students.

If you have a returning child

who has had additional boost-

ers since Re-enrollment in

lines. Please keep your chil-

dren home if they are experi-

encing flu or influenza-like

illness (fever with a cough or

sore throat). Children should

remain at home for at least 24

hours after fever is gone

(fever-free without the use of

a fever-reducing medicine.) If

your child is without a fever,

yet with symptoms that will

interfere with classroom activ-

ities, for example, if the child

has a continuous runny nose,

persistent cough, fatigue, or

the child needs to be restrict-

ed by not going outside, etc.,

then s/he should remain at

home.

Health and Illness Guidelines

The Corvallis Waldorf School is proud to be an independent, not-for-profit educa-tional organization. Unlike public or charter schools, independent schools receive no funding from the government. Our funding comes from family tuition, commu-nity donations, and grants. We welcome students of all nationalities, ethnicity, and spiritual backgrounds. There are four pillars of our interdependent and cooperative governance and decision-making. They include, the Board of Directors, Faculty and Staff, Administration and Parent Council.

Our Mission The mission of Corvallis Waldorf School is to educate independent thinking people who meet life with

courage and respond with initiative and creativity to the needs of the world and their fellow human beings.

Phone: 541-758-4674 Fax: 541-758-5091 www.corvalliswaldorfschool.com

Corvallis Waldorf School

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3855 NE HIghway 20 Corvallis , Oregon

Check out our website: www.corvalliswaldorfschool.com and Like us on Facebook!