Information for the Winter Session

Dear Enrolled and Enrolling Families,

Welcome to our winter session of our parent & child classes at the Whidbey Island Waldorf School.

For families new to our program, this synopsis of the parent & child morning may help provide a sense of what your child and you will experience each week. We try to make the class meet the needs of the children and parents, so I will adjust the rhythm if, for example, one of the classes has more younger or older children. Over the years, I have witnessed children of many ages thrive in a rhythm like the one described.

Here is additional information about our program:

Our classes take place in the Butterfly Room, the first room you come to when you go down the stairs in the main building.

Vegetables and Extra Clothes -- We will make vegetable soup and bread every week; children love to explore, play, and help when their parents and teacher join together in community work such as cooking. Please bring a vegetable if possible. Our classes try to make activities such as washing dishes inviting for children (and their parents). While I try to keep splashing to a reasonable level, your child may get very wet. Please bring a change of clothes.

Children will do well to have slippers or thick socks--we try to leave our wet and muddy boots out of the play area.

Our 7 class session runs from January 7 to March 5. There will be no Rosebud class on Friday, January 15, no Dewdrop class on Thursday, January 28 and no classes on on February 18 & 19 (both classes still meet 7 times this session--you are not being charged for off weeks).

If it is snowy or icy, call our school 341-5686. If school opens at 10am, we will have class as usual beginning at 10am. If school is closed , we have space for make-up classes on March 11 & 12. I will do my best to contact you if the weather is iffy--please make sure your contact information is up to date with the school.

All current, past, and future families are invited to our spring festival on Friday, March 19.

At 5pm on Wednesday, January 20, adults are invited to an hour long parenting talk in the Butterfly Room on supporting young children in times of conflict. More information will come separately about this talk.

Here are songs and rhymes I will sing and speak during circle time during our winter session. Again, I will adjust if the needs of children call for more gentle partner games or for more vigorous movement. I note that last year so many children requested "Then We Go to Market" in the closing circle that I made it a permanent part of our movement repertoire.

Here are songs and verses I say throughout the morning.


With warmth and light,

William Geoffrey Dolde