THE JOY OF ATTENDING SCHOOL:  

There is something special in the atmosphere of a Waldorf school that reminds one of a healthy garden bursting with life. There is a quality of lightness, of levity, that permeates a Waldorf School like Mountain Oak, as well as a groundedness, a real connection to the Earth. This emanates from the living nature of Waldorf Education, from the living quality of growth that we experience in the blossoming forth of nature and in the blossoming forth of young human beings. To bring about this living, growing quality in education is an important goal of Waldorf schools.

Rudolf Steiner says, “We should educate children so that all their concepts are capable of growth, that their concepts and will impulses are really alive. This is not easy. But an artistic education succeeds in doing it. And the children have a different feeling when we offer them living concepts instead of dead ones, for they unconsciously know that what is given them grows with them, just as arms grow with the body.”

The joy of attending school also promotes success and in a host of arenas. Research clearly indicates that good attendance translates into better social and peer relationships, self-esteem, the acquisition of concrete learning skills and test scores to name but a few. Naturally, the school wants parents to keep their children home when they are ill and not feeling well. Home is the very best place to nurture our children and return them to good health. However, if your child is not ill, please remember the importance of good attendance. The reason I say this is that quite a few children at MOS are already between 12-20 absences at this juncture in the school year! Again, remember that excellent attendance is a must for students to be successful in school. Please support us by making sure your son/daughter attends school unless they are sick. Our school goal is to be at or above 95% in daily attendance.

- Merrill Badger, Principal

Happenings:

Saturday, December 17th, is the Garden of Lights Festival for kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades. Please read the information below regarding time and location, and remember this event is for these classes and their families only.

TAX CREDIT HELP!

Please take part in this worthy program to help your school financially this year!
Online Credit Form (277Kb PDF)

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SCHOOL NEWS

GARDEN OF LIGHTS FESTIVAL

This year, our Garden of Lights Festival will be held on December 17th at the Mountain Club Clubhouse. This peaceful and beautiful ceremony will take place in three sessions: Kindergarten at 5:30, First Grade at 6:15, and Second Grade at 7:00 p.m.

The Clubhouse will be set with a "garden" of fresh pine boughs that form a spiral path on the floor, leading in to the center where a single candle is lit.

Each child will take a turn to walk the pathway in, carrying a candle to be lighted at the center. Then, they turn to walk back out, along the path, and set their lit candle down by the boughs before walking out of the spiral garden. There is gentle harp music being
played all the while as the room becomes ever more brightened by the glowing lights. It is a dreamy, quiet "festival", as families gather to behold the "becoming" of a Garden of Lights.

How can you help with the preparations?  Every Mountain Oak family is asked to help gather fresh boughs; we will need a big pile of them by the 17th. Miss Therese in the kindergarten is the "Keeper" of this festival and will be preparing K-2 teachers with
sign up sheets. We will need: 2 Fire Marshals at each session, a Set Up Crew, and a Clean Up Crew.

Thank you in advance for helping out to make this a special and memorable event!

-Miss Therese

Fresh  Hand  Made
Beautiful  Wreaths