Grades News & Projects

by Lindsey Benton, 5/6 Grades Teacher

Throughout much of February, the 5/6 grades has been diving into physics experiments related to sound and light. This has led to a variety of engaging experiences, and the students took up their work with curiosity and glee. For example, when experimenting with how well sound travels through solids, students wrapped silverware with string, wrapped the string around their fingers, plugged their fingers in their ears, and then banged the silverware on their desks and chairs. The result? A lot of joyous astonishment at the beautiful metallic sound that was produced- and some laughter at how silly they all looked performing the experiment! They also really loved experimenting with the tonal sounds that wine glasses produce when they were filled with water and rubbed on the rim.

Each day carried a very lively experiment like this. We spent the next day recalling what materials we used, what procedure we followed, and what observations were made. We then drew conclusions. In the example above, students concluded that sound traveled well through the metal silverware and string. We then compared the rate that sound travels through air (343 m/s) versus metals like steel (5,960 m/s) or silver (3,650 m/s). Because of last month's math unit on the metric system, the 5/6 graders had a concept of the "meters per second" labels listed above.

A clearly written lab report was then produced. Students used precise language to describe all the components of the experiment. This exercise allowed students to slow down and objectively record what they observed. Oftentimes, at this age, students like to jump straight to a judgement about their experience ("That was so cool!") or a conclusion ("I know why that happened!"). Recalling the experiments in detail and going through the process of recording their findings in these lab reports gives students the chance to hone their observation skills, and from there, arrive at informed conclusions.

This is the underlying developmental touchstone in the middle school physics block. At an age where it is all too easy to rush to snap judgements and big feelings, students are given the opportunity to step back, accurately assess what happened, and reach solid discernment.

Our physics block coincided with Black History month, so a portrait of Louis Armstrong graced our classroom chalkboard. This has been an incredible opportunity to tie together our studies of acoustics with the history of jazz music. In language arts classes, students read articles about different styles of jazz and how they came to be. They have listened to sound clips of key musicians like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald. The 5/6th grades used information from the articles and sound clips to compose a written piece about the history of jazz. Together as a class, they have also composed and performed percussive rhythms that highlight solo improvisation that is featured in jazz music.

Our studies of jazz expanded to look at the greater time period of the Harlem Renaissance. We talked about the Great Migration, why it happened, and how such compelling art, music, and poetry arose during this time. The class read poetry by Langston Hughes and composed a poem in his style. As a collective art piece, the class listened to a poem by Langston Hughes called "Dream Variations" and created artwork for Orchard Valley's hallway bulletin board. They used their knowledge of chalk pastels to create an inspired image of the poem, and each student completed an artistic rendering of a couple lines of the poem. The result was a composite piece of art that beautifully showcased these beautiful words by Langston Hughes.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at OVWS

by Marianne Perchlik, Child’s Garden Early Childhood teacher

Martin’s Dream Family Summer Camp and Inclusion work at Orchard Valley

Over the last several months, Orchard Valley Waldorf School faculty have been deeply examining ourselves, our organization and recommitting ourselves to becoming allies to our black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) community.  We are grateful to be working with members of the Nulhegan band of the Abenaki Community.  In the coming weeks we will be hosting Miss Lucy, Abenaki Community Elder in our classrooms, and exploring ways we can actively make reparations on the lands of Grace Farm. 

Our Orchard Valley Waldorf School Land Acknowledgement:
We acknowledge that Orchard Valley Waldorf School’s Grace Farm, Child’s Garden, and Sweet Clover Nursery all sit upon the unceded traditional lands of the Abenaki people. The Abenaki, who are members of the Wabanaki Confederacy, are indigenous to this land they call Wabanahkik, or “Dawnland.” We at Orchard Valley honor the continued resilience and resistance of the Abenaki people in the face of historical and ongoing oppression. As a school community, we are grateful for the privilege to learn, play, and grow on Abenaki land and recognize the responsibility we have to care for it with reverence and learn from it with respect

Our revised and updated Inclusion statement for our organization.  

Yet we know that our words must be represented by whole hearted action. If you would like to become involved in supporting these efforts please join our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group at the Orchard Valley Waldorf School.  Please contact: georgeanne.b@ovws.org.

~ ~ ~

Recently our Early Childhood Staff from all campuses attended the Waldorf Early Childhood Conference: Toward a Kinder, More Compassionate Society: Black Lives Matter in Waldorf Early Childhood Classrooms and Communities.  We are aware that we are blessed and endowed with amazing resources in our school and lands, and wish to grow our capacity as an organization to extend a wider welcome as allies to families in the BIPOC community.

In these last several months we have witnessed extreme historic events too numerous to list.  Our own organization also overcame many historic challenges.  We celebrate the generosity that has kept our children in school, supported our employees, transformed our learning environments with ventilation systems and outdoor classrooms.  We stand in the care and keeping of an unusual wealth of educational resources.  2019 marked 100 years of Waldorf Education which was initiated as a healing education in the aftermath of the Great War.  

The arts rich pedagogy of Waldorf Education provides daily practice with self-initiated expression of the soul life through art and movement. Daily artistic practice integrated with academic study,  supports the development of an internal moral compass in our students.  This is the foundation of our healing education.

Please join us in endeavoring to become an ambassador for greater inclusion, healing  and support of our BIPOC community.  

~ ~ ~

This summer we will offer Martin’s Dream Family Summer Camp:

A family camp experience for healing through story, song and nature.  We wish to support and develop an environment of greater diversity, inclusion and equity on both of our campuses.  The camp includes a component for parents as well as a mixed-age offering for children age 6-12, and mentor opportunities for students age 13-17.

Students will share in eurythmy as well as songs and poems from the African American experience. We will create a silk marionnette presentation of the story of Araminta to be shared with early childhood students and parents at the end of the week.  Araminta is the original name of Harriet Tubman.  Harriet had to rely on all kinds of inner resources to recognize friends and supporters, to navigate her way to freedom and to bring others to freedom.  Students will also share in talking circles about how they recognize friendship and create shared agreements about how to be a friend.

Younger children may attend the puppet presentation and sharing of parent stories to end the week.

Parents will share an opening meeting and eurythmy, participate in 2-3 brief readings or podcasts, prepare a brief story, participate in a parent evening and attend the closing presentation.

July 19-23 at The Child’s Garden

July 26-30 at Orchard Valley Waldorf School

8:30 am to 3:00 pm

$325 per child

Please consider participating as a family in our camp or sponsor a family from the local community.
For more information contact: cathie.e@ovws.org

The last several months reveal many challenges ahead of us, many of which fall on the shoulders of our children.  We embrace and celebrate the principles of Black Lives Matter in offering an intergenerational summer camp environment for the development of skills to be stronger allies in these difficult times, and to grow a school environment where BIPOC community members feel supported and welcomed.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at OVWS

by Cathie Ely, OVWS Enrollment Director

Beginning in early June a new committee was formed at Orchard Valley -  Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Its membership consists of parents, teachers, and staff with the purpose of taking a close look at the school’s commitment and work with racism and White privilege. 

DEI began by studying and editing our original diversity statement, but words alone were not going to move our school forward in this crucial work! 

The “30 Day Anti-Racism Challenge” was issued, asking faculty and staff to engage in reading books, articles, viewing videos, and holding discussions around race and racism. The group formed an adult and a children’s library with content that challenges outdated beliefs. 

DEI invited Corazon Swanberg, a Wadorf alumni and a young woman of color, to speak with the faculty during their August work week. Cora shared her history, daily experiences, and challenges related to race. She encouraged teachers to examine the Waldorf pedagogy. How can we bring these important lessons to our students within a Waldorf curriculum?

 Connections have been made with a Vermont organization called Building Fearless Futures, a group of activists who carry  the mission to mitigate racial stress in our schools and communities. On October 9th, four people from Building Fearless Futures spent the morning at Grace Farm sharing information and deepening the faculty’s understanding of racism, white supremacy and how we can stand up to what we are seeing today. There was another workshop with Building Fearless Futures on the afternoon of  November 5th. 

Most recently a land acknowledgement statement is being crafted. Orchard Valley  recognizes that their beautiful 55-acre campus does not have an honorable past. This land was taken from the Indigenous people of this region, the Abenaki.

DEI is committed to keeping this work alive with the faculty, staff, and administration of Orchard Valley and upholding the diversity statement and putting into action the required steps needed to ensure the community is adopting an anti-oppression lens and committing to justice for all.

Orchard Valley’s Diversity Statement, revised June 2020

Orchard Valley Waldorf School commits to creating an educational and social environment in which families, faculty, and staff of diverse backgrounds feel welcomed, respected, and expressly valued. We define diversity as the broad spectrum of cultures, races, ethnicities, language speakers, genders, sexual orientations, religions and creeds, socioeconomic backgrounds, and abilities that together make up our communities, country, and world. 

As a Waldorf school committed to the evolution and growth of our philosophy and our educational approach, we do not condone, and pledge not to perpetuate any of Rudolf Steiner’s work that subtly or overtly suggests discrimination or judgement toward any race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, or socio-economic group. 

We are committed to deepening our understanding of how the privilege of dominant culture affects and shapes both our pedagogy and our society, and to engaging in the personal and collective self-reflection and inner work necessary to actively dismantle systems of oppression within ourselves, our school, and our communities. 

Reflections on the Outdoor Classroom

by Lottie Maker, OVWS 3/4 Grades Teacher

This year has brought a myriad of changes to all of our lives. The routines of daily life have been tipped upside down and all that we know and expect is shaken by an ever-shifting landscape of information and expectations.

In the midst of that background of uncertainty I have cherished the opportunity to be a part of creating an environment where children can be together in person, in communion with the natural world. As we’ve moved our programs outside, I have watched as the children lived into the experience of immersing themselves in the landscape, developing a sense of place and connection that has deepened my understanding of what it means to educate the whole human being. 

Each morning we watch the mist rise over the mountains to the East. Over the first weeks of school, we bore witness as summer green turned to the fiery orange and rusty red of October. As the leaves fell we noticed the contours of the distant roads curving up the hills. Houses tucked away in the trees gave away their presence with thin wisps of smoke rising from chimneys. 

The gift of this year has been finding those places where the curriculum is deepened and lifted up by the connection and integration with the land. Our outdoor classroom sits in the midst of a beautiful meadow at the top of a path down to the woods. During our animal study, this made it a perfect launching point for forays into the fields and forest in search of habitats to explore and creatures to observe. 

As part of a measurement study, the class built a simple board balance to measure and compare weights. By attaching a pivot point at the center of a board, the class could measure the approximate weight of items by placing them on one end of the board and adding known weights to the opposite side. 

This in itself was an activity well-suited to our outdoor setting. By simply stepping outside our tent to the grassy yard beyond, we more than doubled the size of our “classroom.” There was room for taking turns in the construction of the balance and then weighing various items. Students cycled between this hands-on, practical work and moving to their desks to record their findings in their notebooks. 

The real beauty of the experience came later during recess. A group of students wanted to use the board balance to weigh a field stone we’d recently excavated from the cattail patch where students like to play and build forts. It was fairly large and difficult to maneuver. The excavation had required several students taking turns slowly rolling and lifting the stone out of the play yard. 

The group of students positioned the stone on one end of the balance and set to work adding counterweights. They added a 20 lb weight. The stone end of the balance sat firmly on the ground. They added a second 20 lb weight -- still no movement. They added one 5lb weight and then another -- still no movement. They added a 2lb stone, and then a 1 lb stone. At 53 lbs, they still didn’t have enough counter weight. Having used all our known weights, the group was temporarily stymied, unsure of how to proceed. Then one student looked over at the neatly stacked pile of tree stumps recently gathered as future seating around a fire ring in our forest classroom. 

Eagerly, students realized they could find the weight of a stump and use that weight as another “known” weight to find the weight of the stone. Together they removed the stone and set to work. The interconnected nature of their play, their classwork, and their growing intuitive understanding of the landscape has brought new meaning and purpose to the children’s studies. 

As the weather has shifted and cold winds sweep through our valley, we continue to spend the majority of our day out on the land. Over the last few weeks we’ve started each morning of our local geography study with exploratory walks through the fields and forests surrounding the school. Students marvel as we emerge from a pine stand into the well-known field below our forest classroom. They ask each other, how did we get here from there? Did we just go in a circle? Through these questions and the pondering of the answers, their sense of place broadens and deepens. When we return to our desks we draw maps of all we’ve seen and explored.

In the last week of our study, students started each morning by studying a hand-drawn map of the landscape around our school. The view stretched from our outdoor classroom in the northwest corner to the Kingsbury branch of the Winooski river to the east. Each morning a new point was marked on the map and students mused over what area it represented and how best to get there: 

“We could start by going down the path and then cut into the woods by the fence and head to the mossy spot,” suggests one. Another student chimes in “Or we could head to Kingsbury Clearing and cut back along the river like we did last week.” 

They discuss which route is most direct, which covers difficult terrain, which might offer a glimpse of unexplored regions. After coming to a consensus, we set off. When they find the spot each morning they fan out searching for a sign that they’ve found the right location. A shout goes up and all the students gather around the tree where the latest clue hangs from a purple ribbon - a piece to add to the growing puzzle back in our classroom. They’re fairly certain the puzzle is a map of our indoor classroom but they’ll have to wait for the final pieces to be sure and to see what comes next! 

As I reflect on where we are as a school, I am incredibly grateful for the gift of the last three months. Though it was the pandemic that necessitated the shift to the land, I am continually awed by the lessons I have gained as a teacher. Our immersion in the outdoors has created for us all a more intimate relationship with the land, the creatures we share it with, and the seasonal rhythms of the natural world.

From the Board of Trustees

We are excited to announce that we have officially launched our Annual Campaign for OVWS. This is a thrilling time for the school as we witness our little learners demonstrate what resiliency and optimism looks like despite the new context we all find ourselves in. The children are invigorated to be together, are learning and actively engaged with one another, their teachers and the natural world around them. The dynamics of operating a school with multiple programs and campuses in the time of COVID is forcing us to confront some very challenging realities. Many of those realities are directly impacting the financial health of our organization. Specifically, in order to ensure that all members of our community are as safe as possible, we reduced class sizes and enrollment. This step enables us to provide our students and teachers with enough space to allow for physical distancing inside the buildings and out. We also spent money on modifying our facilities to accommodate outdoor learning (brrrr!) through the construction of semi permanent classrooms.

The compounded result of lower tuition income and increased expense has, as can be expected, forced us to eat heavily into our reserves from the Payroll Protection Loan we obtained during the Spring lockdown. We are forecasting a budget deficit of approximately $240,000 for the school year ending in June. Every year we extend a hand to our community of friends and family to help support OVWS and this year, while the ask is greater, we are doing the same. But we are not stopping there! We are presently seeking financial support from the State of Vermont and are researching grant opportunities from private and public Foundations that support organizations like ours.  

Looking forward, the Board believes that if we can overcome this year’s funding shortfall amidst the COVID pandemic, then we will be in a position to move forward with intention and sustainability. The rise in interest in Vermont is very real, as new families move to the state everyday. Orchard Valley is a unique organization amongst the other educational options for families that live in the surrounding counties. We believe our model - of supporting families regardless of financial means, of supporting teachers and staff with a liveable wage and of utilizing our precious campuses to maximize appreciation and knowledge of the land - will differentiate OVWS and attract new families to our community. 

It is critical that in this unprecedented time, members of our community come together and support the school by making a donation before the end of the year. We need to secure the present of OVWS, while also developing a sustainable financial model for the future. This model is based on the core tenets of what launched OVWS from the very beginning. At the same time, we also must ensure that we can continue to invest in the programs and services of the future to serve the core needs and values of our growing community. We look forward to doing this with you and with your support, will embark on a path of growth and financial stability for years to come. 

With much gratitude and respect, 

The Board of Trustees

Meeting 8th Grade End-of-Year Milestones with Creativity

From Lindsey Benton, 8th grade teacher

During a typical last week of school, Orchard Valley offers a variety of anticipated end-of-year experiences for its graduating 8th graders. As one last opportunity to move and work together, the 8th grade traditionally challenges faculty to a friendly, yet competitive ultimate frisbee match amidst the cheers and chanting of younger students on the sidelines. Then there is the last day of school, which usually begins with a rose ceremony where 1st graders, who have been working with their 8th grade buddies all year, present their 8th graders with a parting rose. Finally, there is graduation, which is typically been an outdoor celebration on the Kindergarten lawn, complete with a view of the mountains as students and faculty give words of appreciation and congratulations.

Naturally, given the realities of social distancing and remote learning, all of this needed to be re-imagined. It was an opportunity to branch away from how things were traditionally done while upholding the spirit of the tradition itself.

The ultimate frisbee match transformed into a faculty car parade that surprised each 8th grader at their house. The faculty, driving festively painted vehicles, traveled a 227-mile loop throughout Vermont, from Essex, to Waitsfield, to Hyde Park, to Cabot. Indeed, there was a deep appreciation for the commutes families had to make to attend Orchard Valley! Upon arrival, families made sure that their unsuspecting 8th grader was poised and ready to receive their surprise - a visit from the faculty and a frisbee, complete with their name and "Orchard Valley Graduate" written upon it. Each 8th grader caught their frisbee through a cacophony of applause. The faculty officially conceded a win to the 8th grade!

The last day of school rose ceremony was beautifully upheld in a new way by first grade teacher, Dana Cudney, and 2/3rd grade teacher, Lottie Maker. This graduating 8th grade was in a unique position in that they had 1st grade buddies as 7th graders and 8th graders. This meant that on the last day of school they were set to receive roses from 1st grade and 2nd grade buddies. Because this could not happen in real-time in person, Ms. Cudney and Ms. Maker had their students create beautifully drawn cards with roses on the front and personalized notes on the inside. They were all created and collected at school just in time for 8thgraders to pick up their materials on the last day of school. 8th graders melted into smiles when they received these original cards from their 1st and 2nd grade buddies.

Lastly, the graduation ceremony took on an entirely new look this year. Working from the state requirements for graduation ceremonies at the time, it was clear if an in-person gathering was to happen it would need to happen in cars. Therefore, the faculty went all-in on a drive-in themed graduation. A giant, inflatable movie screen was rented. Student and faculty speeches were filmed in advanced on campus and edited into a graduation movie. National Life's parking lot served as the venue.

By the time the day of graduation arrived, state requirements for graduations eased, allowing graduates to stand outside and receive their diplomas as long as they were standing 6 feet apart. In effect, Orchard Valley's graduation ceremony definitely looked different, and it looked sharp! Hand-painted signs and hand-made pinwheels marked the way from Route 2 up to National Life's parking lot. Large tables were placed below the movie screen and were decorated with lights and flowers. Each 8th grader was called forward to a chorus of car horn applause. They each received their diploma and a large gift bag containing a personalized cake, plates, and cutlery. Then everyone settled in to watch the graduation movie, complete with a breathtaking sunset and view of the Green Mountains behind the towering movie screen. It was a magical and uplifting graduation ceremony.

Indeed, in the face of so much upheaval and change in the midst of this pandemic, Orchard Valley did not give up. In fact, the challenges rattled the faculty into a place of intense and inspiring creativity to meet what the times were calling for. Any situation is merely the prompt, the material to work with- the action in response is yours to choose. And, in the end, isn't this the lesson that we want to leave our 8th grade graduates with, that turbulent and uncertain times can be met with courage and ingenuity? This year's 8th graders had a most unusual culmination, but perhaps they left with the most powerful lesson.

Plans for the 20-21 School Year at Orchard Valley Waldorf School

As an established Waldorf school with low student to staff ratios and extensive outdoor spaces in which to expand our programming, we are well-positioned to provide a safe, creative, and enriching learning environment in these uncertain and changing times.

The school's protocol for reopening is based on the "Strong and Healthy Start Safety and Health Guidance for Reopening Schools" written by the Vermont Depa rtment of Health and Agency of Education.  Using this document as a guide, teachers worked closely with the OVWS COVID Task Force to design a program for the 2020-21 school year that is informed by current scientific data and inspired by the desire to maintain a joyful learning environment for your children.

Please read through the information outlined below and reach out with any questions that arise.  

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES:

The State has outlined three different scenarios for schools.  We have prepared policies and procedures for the following:

• Step I: Schools are closed for in person instruction. 

• Step II: Schools are open for in-person instruction with enhanced physical distancing measures.

• Step III:  Schools are open for in-person instruction with distancing measures.

Per the states guidance we are preparing for a Step II opening in the fall and all our policies and procedures are based on Step II precautions.  (Step III applies to schools that bus, have a cafeteria, and offer large group activities). Please take a moment to read through the attached Drop off and Pick Up Procedures, Health and Wellness Policy,Healthy Hygiene and Cleaning/Disinfecting Policy, Practices for Physical Distancing and Other Procedural Precautions and PreK-Grade 8 Teacher and Parent Shared Agreement in the PreK through Grade COVID-19 Policies and Procedures folder (also linked below). We expect updates in the guidance from the Department of Health and Agency of Education as science and best practices evolve and will adjust our planning accordingly. These policies and procedures should be considered living documents and revisited frequently. We will share and highlight changes as they are presented to us. 

OUTDOOR LEARNING:

In the reality of the ongoing pandemic crisis, teachers, parents, and state officials agree that having students outdoors as much as possible provides the most healthy school environment.  For the past several weeks, teachers talked about how to bring this opportunity for more outdoor learning to reality.  To start the year all classes will have an outdoor space for as much outdoor instruction as possible.  These intentional spaces will be located close to indoor facilities.  We expect that as outdoor learning unfolds our outdoor learning spaces will evolve and transform.  We are very excited at this opportunity to use our land in new ways.   

INDOOR LEARNING:

We live in Vermont and know our winters well!  At some point in the year, being outside to learn simply is not an option.  Other weather conditions also make it unsafe to remain outdoors.  For this reason each class will have a designated classroom inside.  Indoor classrooms will be used when weather or learning needs of specific age groups demands.  Teachers will ensure that their indoor classroom meets all health requirements to create a safe and healthy indoor learning space. This may look like different seating configurations, various materials/toys no longer being readily available and consideration of air quality and humidity. Individual class teachers will be able to provide you with the best description of outdoor/indoor learning as it applies to your student.  

EXPERIENTIAL CHANGES FOR STUDENTS: 

Parents and students should expect other changes as well when we return to school.  Some of the more significant changes are as follows: 

• Relocation of the front office at Grace Farm to a larger space in order to improve ventilation and provide a contained infirmary room.  

• Subject teachers will come to classrooms rather than classes moving to subject class rooms.  

• Each child will belong to a pod that will not mix with other pods. For larger classes this will be a single class. Smaller classes will be paired with another small class to form a single cohort.

• Aftercare for the Early Childhood programs will be ending at 3 pm in order to properly disinfect buildings and preserve our facilities and human resources. 

• Outdoor structures will not be shared between pods. Each pod will have a designated outdoor area.

• Facial coverings will be worn indoors by teachers and students.   

• Health screenings will be conducted every morning.  The daily health checks will involve  a temperature reading with a non-touch thermometer and answering a series of simple questions specific to COVID-19 symptoms and exposure.  Staying healthy and open means that anyone who feels unwell must stay home.  Any student who has a temperature exceeding 100.4 or showing other COVID-19 symptoms will need to go home immediately.  

• It is critical that every student be prepared attire-wise for outdoor learning.  For this reason, students can expect a gear check every morning as well.  Warm weather will require sun hats and rain gear.  Cooler weather requires thermal layers, well-fitting hats, wool socks, and insulated outer gear.  A specific gear list will be provided later in the summer.  Children who are missing proper gear for the start of their school day will be asked to go home.

CLOSURES AND EXTENDED ABSENCES:

We anticipate that there will be a need to close at some point during the school year. We are working on two overlapping scenarios to prepare for possible closures. 

• Depending upon expected approval from the Agency of Education, we will build flexibility into our calendar to avoid/reduce the amount of Beyond the Classroom instruction. Adding weeks at the end of the year would allow 5 weeks of closure WITHOUT remote learning and having an end date of July 2 should we have closures, and May 28th should we not experience closures.  

• In the event of a school closure exceeding 5 weeks, all class teachers will use the same platform through which to share materials and communicate. Advanced planning by teachers will facilitate a smooth transition to remote learning if necessary.  Parent survey input as well as group reflection from teachers has been critically helpful in this work to provide a consistent and unified learning plan.  

• New stringency in our Health and Wellness Policy likely will bring more absenteeism in students and teachers.  For this reason, we are planning on the following: 

  • Support materials for learning at home will be available for extended absences due to illness.  

  • Unwell teachers also must stay home. To address the anticipated higher need for substitutes and to reduce the number of substitutes moving through the school, we plan to hire three full-time, in-house substitutes.  Substitutes will receive training on health and hygiene protocols.  These employees also will support other areas of the school when not needed for substitute teaching work.  

DISINFECTING/CLEANING/FACILITIES:

In preparing for a new degree of outdoor learning, remote learning scenarios, and greater social and emotional needs of their students, teachers cannot be expected to also take on the responsibilities for heightened cleaning and facility work.  In order to ensure that teachers are able to focus on teaching and the children, we are bringing two supplemental budget items to our operating budget this year.  

• Hiring a full time skilled facilities person to work with our part time Facilities administrator.

• Hiring cleaning staff for 30 hours a week to take on the disinfecting and cleaning needs.

In addition, an infirmary space will be identified for each program to isolate students who develop symptoms during the day.  We will meet all requirements for air ventilation and recommendations on ideal humidity for indoor spaces. 

HOW WILL WE DO ALL THIS FINANCIALLY?

The Board passed a budget on June 16th that had $1.4 million in income and $1.4 million in costs. Balanced, but based on a "normal" year. It also had $179,000 in dedicated funds to be able to respond specifically to COVID-19 needs and adjustments. As of July 23rd we have allotted $70,000 towards outdoor infrastructure, increased cleaning needs, increased needs for substitutes (with the hope of hiring 3 full time in house substitutes) and increased facilities support. 

WHAT WE ARE STILL WORKING ON

The teachers just concluded faculty work weeks dedicated to making plans for the fall. This month we will dig into the work of moving classrooms, building outdoor classrooms, adjusting our facilities to accommodate the added hand washing sinks and infirmary spaces, creating systems of support for the social/emotional health of students and teachers, digging into anti-racism curriculum and self reflection among many other details. We will be sending updates along the way as we have more to share. 

Please don't hesitate to reach out to any of the folks on the COVID Task Force, the Board of Trustees, Finance Committee or your teachers (all listed below). We are all available to answer questions, receive ideas and share nervousness and excitement for the year ahead. 

Warmly,

COVID-19 Coordinator: Madelief Becherer

COVID Task Force: Lottie Maker, Stephanie Hoelscher, Jada Berg, Madelief Becherer, Anna Rankin

Board of Trustees: Joe Astick, Anna Rankin, Johanna Polsenberg, Jason Boss, Lydia Russell, Eileen Jones, Ken Russell, Michelle Gullage, Jada Berg, Lindsey Benton, Madelief Becherer

Finance Committee: Johanna Polsenberg, Kate Camilletti, Madelief Becherer

PreK through Grades COVID-19 Policies and Proce...

Practices for Physical Distancing and Other Pro...

Healthy Hygiene and Cleaning/Disinfecting Policy

Health and Wellness Policy

Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures

PreK-Grade 8 Teacher and Parent Shared Agreement

Libby Case Is Retiring

*Hard working, determined, compassionate, encouraging, unflappable,

a gift to children, parents, and teachers*  

For nineteen years Libby Case has given her heart and soul to the Orchard Valley Waldorf School. We have all been touched by her efforts as she worked tirelessly in every area of our school. Libby was a devoted class teacher in early childhood and in our grade school. She prioritized creating beautiful festivals and was always present for our community work days, rolling up her sleeves, wielding a paint brush or a cleaning rag, and staying until the very end. Libby served on nearly every Orchard Valley committee, taking on leadership roles and leading the charge to strengthen and grow our little school. For many years she devoted herself to the governance of our school, always providing solid, practical advice that helped guide us further along.  Libby noticed the small details around our school building that needed care or cleaning and she never hesitated to scrub, mop, or tidy up even after a long day of teaching.  Libby was truly a dedicated community member and she daily went beyond her classroom in service to our Waldorf families and staff.  

Libby began her career as an environmental educator, traveling across the United States, visiting schools and learning about different educational approaches. During one of these expeditions, she and her husband, Ben, met a young woman who was grounded, comfortable in who she was, and had a keen interest in the world. And no wonder, she had been a Waldorf student! This acquaintance planted seeds for what would become a passion of Libby's - Waldorf education that would also incorporate her work as an environmental educator.  
As Libby began to learn more about Waldorf principles, she knew she wanted to dig deeper as well as have her own two children experience this rich and unique education. She had the good fortune of working in a Waldorf early childhood classroom where she became an assistant for a master teacher.  When the opportunity presented itself, she enrolled in a Waldorf foundations class.  In 2001, Libby and Ben made their way to Central Vermont and to Orchard Valley Waldorf School.  Libby was hired as the lead teacher at the Child's Garden where she remained for three years. From here she moved on to the beloved farmhouse at the Grace Farm campus. 
After ten years as an early childhood teacher, Libby decided she wanted to further her own Waldorf education by becoming a grade school teacher. Libby is a life-long learner.  Her early childhood parents encouraged her to take the first grade class, and she was ready! Libby was one of very few who made the inspiring journey from grade one all the way through grade eight. Libby counts this as one of her greatest blessings. "It was an amazing experience" that presented lasting, rich relationships with her students and their families. Libby then continued to guide another class for two more years.  With a wistful sigh, Libby said,  "I will miss those kids! Making them smile was the highlight of my day!"

Beyond the Classroom: Bringing the Waldorf curriculum to grades students at home

From Grades Teacher Libby Case:

The Waldorf curriculum relies heavily on a multi-sensory approach to education. When preparing lessons for the class, teachers attempt to present the material in ways that meet all the different learning styles of the class. They do this through traditional means of learning -- reading and writing; but they also do this through story, song, dance, and games. So when teachers were told they would be teaching from their homes and not seeing the students on a daily basis, they were presented with quite a challenge. Our grades teachers here at OVWS have risen and met this challenge in many diverse and creative ways. I thought I would share a few of those with you.

To begin with, all teachers initially prepared and sent home packets and materials to their students containing three weeks of lesson plans. These included readings, writing assignments, math worksheets, main lesson books, class readers, colored pencils, paints, beeswax, clay, and recorders. These packets were well organized and included suggested daily schedules, step by step guidance for completing assignments and teacher availability to help with work. Beyond that, teachers are reaching out to their students in a myriad of ways.

In grade one, In addition to all of the wonderful practice sheets on writing and math, teacher Dana Cudney has been sending her flute lessons to her students via video. Students receive audio recordings of songs they have been learning in class as well review of poetry and math games. She has a weekly read aloud session with the whole class which the students love.

In grade two/three teacher Lottie Maker greets her children daily with an audio greeting that goes over the work of the day. She has created a Google file that her families can access that contains weekly recorded songs and stories. She meets daily with certain students and maintains direct contact with each student at least once a week.

In grade four/five, teacher Libby Case has been guiding her students through a study of Ancient Egypt through stories, readings, paintings, drawings and clay work. She meets with her whole class once a week on a Zoom call and with individuals at least once a week, and more as needed, to go over assignments. Each morning her students are greeted with a written welcome letter that recaps the work from the previous day, presents the work of the current day and gives a heads up for what is to come. After April break her students will be receiving a daily audio file of the story of the day.

Middle school teachers Jane Hill and Lindsey Benton began teaching beyond the classroom with packets just like the rest of us. They have since moved to daily Zoom lessons with their class. Both have embraced this new method of teaching and are making it work. Ms. Hill is teaching Physiology utilizing numerous hands on exercises to demonstrate the functions of the body. Ms. Benton performs organic chemistry experiments for the students out of her kitchen and has students give some of them a try in their own kitchen.

French, On-the-Land and handwork teachers, Jan Erkelens, Kelly Davis, and Kate Camilletti, all prepared assignments and materials for students to pick up and in addition have prepared audio files and video instructions for the students. Some have directed students to online resources to help with learning songs and new skills. Ms. Davis has all students getting outside each day, exploring nature and keeping a nature journal.

All and all it is a challenging but creative time for all of us here in the grades. We could not do any of it without the support of the parents at home! We are so grateful for this amazing community and we thank everyone for all you are doing during this time. Our greatest hope is that families will feel supported, connected, and loved.

On The Land Curriculum Shifts with the Seasons

On The Land is one of the "specials" classes in the Orchard Valley grade school curriculum. Through this class, students broadly learn about and move upon the 55 acres that comprise the Grace Farm campus. The curriculum varies by year and by season.

On The Land classes worked with fire throughout the late fall. As the hours of darkness increase with the season, tending to fires brings much needed warmth and light. The younger grades (1-3) learned to build and tend fires, gathering around for stories about how the forest creatures prepare for winter. Class 4/5 learned to cook over the fires they built, making delicious treats such as baked honey apples and bread on a stick! Grades 6-8 worked with friction fire and carved bow drill kits of their own. Friction fire making will continue throughout the winter when the snow is thin.

As winter settles in, the curriculum shifts to ski season. All students in grades 2-7 have been outfitted with cross-country skis, and this week class 2/3 had their first cross-country ski lesson! Grade 1 students will continue to explore the forest in winter, on snowshoes when needed.

While waiting for snow, Grades 6-8 continued their work with friction fire, while grades 4-5 began to work with the Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District to learn how the school can improve its waste management and work toward greater sustainability. Grade 2/3 has cycled back to their work with the Three Sisters garden they tended in the fall, baking cornbread from corn they grew and ground into cornmeal themselves! Grade 1 has been working on a large shelter, adding greenery to make a cozy outdoor space to gather in the winter.

Grade 8 will be skiing during Movement class with Mr. Maynard, and will use their On The Land class time in service to the greater community. The class has been split into three groups and each will cycle between working at three locations: 1. North Branch Nature Center, where they will work to protect trees from beaver damage; 2. Orchard Valley's Sweet Clover Nursery, where they will help in the infant room; 3. Good Samaritan Haven, where they will help staff at the homeless shelter to prepare for the winter. Each group will have a chance to visit all three of the sites. The class will then shift into a deeper look at the issues of Global Climate Change and Food Justice.