| Adolescent Ideals |  | | | | | This quote is from Windows into Waldorf by David Mitchell, available from Why Waldorf Works. The Waldorf High School In the high school, from grade nine through grade twelve, a new image of the adult stands in the young person's mind as an ideal. Truthfulness, thoughtfulness, self-possession, consideration, strong-mindedness, warm-heartedness - these are the qualities the adolescent holds as ideals. From around age fourteen, the student looks for such qualities in his teachers. No longer blindly accepting authority, he looks to a mentor who inspires him and who is clearly worthy of emulation. The high school student also needs teachers who have devoted themselves to and mastered particular subjects or skills-the logic in mathematics, the control of the hand and sharpening of the eye in metal-work and wood-carving ... Students will gravitate towards particular people and areas of study according to their individual preferences and talents. At the same time each student should continue to accept the discipline each subject demands and also appreciate the insights and broader perspective that an interdisciplinary approach makes possible. Go to Why Waldorf Works for Waldorf faqs, history, books and book reviews, quotes and testimonials, studies & statistics, alumni and teacher training. | |
| Open House on Sunday, October 16 | | | | | | Can you volunteer your time at the upcoming Open House on Sunday, October 16 from 12:30 – 3:30 PM? Prospective families searching for a school for their teenagers are interested in meeting current parents, students and, of course faculty. As a Waldorf High School parent, your presence will speak powerfully of your support for our school.
We are expecting many prospective families to attend and hope, as in previous years, that the fall open house will generate many new applications for this year as well as next year. We are actively recruiting students for the current 9th and 10th grades. Your help and support in this effort is vital to our success.
We are asking our student and parent volunteers to arrive at 12:30 pm for a brief orientation and to receive job assignments. The open house begins at 1:00 pm. At 2:00 pm we will have a Q&A followed by more tours, if needed. The open house ends at 3:00 pm and we expect everyone can leave at 3:30 pm. We need parents to greet families at the front door, help with name tags, help families find their tour group, help out at the refreshment table, and encourage famlies who are leaving to complete an evaluation form on their experience. Students who volunteer receive community service for the time they are at the open house plus a bonus of 2 hours for working on a Sunday.
Students lead the tours and parents accompany the group to keep the tour moving along and to make sure our guests visit all classrooms and have their questions answered. Susan Morris is available to speak with families about the admission process and Mara White is available to speak with families about the student council, clubs, student support, financial aid and the college application process.
Please Send email to Susan Morris if you are available to help at the open house, and thank you! | |
| 11th Grader Megan Boyle's Recycling Initiative | | A Giving and Recycling Initiative | | | | October 1, 2011 – November 22, 2011
Thanks to 11th grader Megan Boyle's initiative, we are participating in a school-wide community service project by teaming up with the Watertown Lens Crafters and Pearle Vision Centers to collect gently used prescription eyewear and sunglasses to be donated worldwide.
We need your help, so please look in draws and cabinets for discarded eyewear. Ask your family, friends and neighbors to look for any gently used prescription eyewear and sunglasses; then bring them to the eyewear recycling box located in the Student Lounge. | |
| WHS Welcomes Ray Liu to the 9th Grade | | | | | |  On Monday, September 19th, Ray Liu arrived to meet his fellow 9th graders just before heading off on the 9th &10th grade trip to Hi Rock, a YMCA camp in Mt. Washington, Massachusetts. The 9th graders gathered at the office door to say "Hi" and to introduce themselves, then off they went together. Ray comes from the Haidian District in Bejing, China. His favorite activity is basketball and he especially enjoys the moment he scores or makes a nice assist as it makes him happy for days! Ray recently read, The Secret Life of Steve Jobs, by Daniel Lyons. He appreciated the book because of its insights by Steve Jobs on overcoming difficulties, being optimistic and self-confident. Ray has traveled to South Africa, Vietman and Denmark where he widened his horizons and broaded his knowledge on different cultures and people.
Charlie Huang, PhD, Sino Specialist and Ray's guardian, shares his thoughts on Waldorf education:
I first learned about Waldorf education from driving by the Waldorf elementary school in Lexington and noticed more students dressed in a plain, natural style. I searched the internet and read more materials about the Waldorf education philosophy and survey results. It is a unique education which I like because of students participation in activities and building up skills and motivations to study. I myself am from a culture where the system kills a student's nature for learning by stuffing in knowledge. I am not saying knowledge is not important; I am saying a school should focus on training life skills and inspiring students’ motivation to learn. If both school and family, as well as society, all stress academics and test scores, eventually students grow tired of it and lack the motivation to learn to be creative. I see lots of Chinese students who are interested in the Waldorf education system and want to study under the Waldorf system to inspire an appetite for learning, instead of testing scores. As an educational consultant, I talk about the uniqueness of Waldorf with Chinese families. They are very interested and excited about Waldorf education methodology. I think more Chinese students are looking forward to a change and may come to Waldorf High School. | |
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| | Waldorf High School alumnus says: | | | | | | If someone were to ask me whether I think Waldorf prepares students for college, or the "real world', I would ask whether or not a student can fully appreciate the college experience or the real world without the humanistic approach that is so deeply rooted in a Waldorf education. | |
| The Comet Calendar | | | | | | The Comet Calendar will be issued approximately once a month to Waldorf HighSchool families to keep you informed of student and parent school activities. The Comet Calendar will also contain suggestions for learning more about Waldorf Education. The editor is Susan Morris. If you have comments & suggestions, in general, or in particular send email to Susan Morris. The Comet, a separate publication edited by Virginia Buhr, will be issued approximately four times a year and will contain stories from the classroom, field trips, alumni news and articles of special interest. | |
| Dates to Remember | | | | | | Thursday, October 6
Girls' & Boys' Soccer vs. Covenent Christian - away
Monday, October 10
NO SCHOOL - COLUMBUS DAY
Wednesday, October 12
Boys' Soccer vs. Learning Center - home
Girls' Soccer vs. Newman Prep - away
Friday, October 14
Boys' Soccer vs. BU Academy - away
Saturday, October 15
PSAT at Waldorf High School, 9:00 am
Sunday, October 16
OPEN HOUSE - 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Parent & Student Volunteers Needed
Tuesday, October 18
Girls'Soccer vs. Elizabeth Seton - home
Wednesday, October 19
Girls' & Boys' Soccer vs. Commonwealth - home
Wednesday, October 26
Boys' Soccer vs. Learning Center - away
Tuesday, November 1
Information Session for Prospective Families
10:30 am - Noon
To see events throughout the school year, go to our website calendar. | |
| Student & Parent Handbook | | | | | | Within a week you will be receiving the 2011-2012 version of the Student & Parent Handbook, updated directories and a section on Course Descriptions and Faculty Profiles.
New parents will receive this information in a small three-ring binder. Returning families will receive the new sections for the three-ring binder they received when they first enrolled. | |
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