Dear Parents,
Welcome to Eugene Waldorf School. A Waldorf school differs from other educational institutions in a multitude of ways, and parent involvement is basic to the school's success. The purpose of the Parent Handbook is to provide you with a guide to finding your way into the life of the school.
It is hoped that the information in this handbook will clarify school policy, provide practical information and, most importantly, act as an invitation for you to explore your own personal connection to the school, thereby deepening and enriching your life and the life of your family.
President, Board of Trustees
Education in it's truest sense is an art, for only when subjectsare skillfully interwoven, can the mental, physical, emotional and moral capabilities of each child emerge in a balanced way.Just as the whole person reaches out to the world by thinking, feeling, and doing -- so learning a subject must integrate a doing, feeling, and thinking experience. The Waldorf approach to education brings concepts to life through the hands and the heart, as well as the mind. This interdisciplinary emphasis is essential, for if concepts are presented in such a way, they are fully experienced by the children as living and meaningful.
A Waldorf school is born out of a free social and cultural deed; it relies both morally and economically solely on the gifts of those individuals who support it. This handbook will provide an organized introduction to the life of our school, and help parents discern some of the areas and activities where their creative involvement is crucial to its well-being.
The faculty consists of class teachers, kindergarten teachers, special subject teachers, and school staff. The members of thefaculty meet Thursday afternoons to study Rudolf Steiner's educational works, to deepen their grasp of their educational task, and to develop their understanding of the children and their needs. Your child's teachers are the primary source of information for parents about Waldorf pedagogy, the curriculum, and your child in the classroom.
The College of Teachers administers the pedagogical affairs ofthe school, and consciously assumes responsibility for its lifeand its future. The College typically includes those teachers whose experience allows them to take on this responsibility. Basic decisions of school policy and direction (including the hiring of new teachers) are made by the College in its weekly Thursday meetings following the faculty gathering.
Our office staff meets the many business and communications needs of the school. Staff is available to assist you and the children from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm weekdays, except Thursdays when the office closes at 1:00 pm. They will respond to telephone messages left before or after these times.
The Board of Trustees is legally responsible for the school, and provides the link to our place in the broader community. It also concerns itself with finances and fundraising, and works closely with the faculty and the College. There are usually three appointed College members as well as elected parents (and possibly other community members) on the Board. Meetings are generally held on the first Monday of each month at 6:45 pm at the school. Agendas and minutes are posted near the office before each meeting, and parents are welcome to attend (the Board may occasionally hold executive sessions, closed for purposes of protecting confidentiality). Board members invite you to contact them with questions regarding the legal and financial organization of the school, or if you wish to introduce a topic to be considered for the agenda. Agenda items are requested ten days before meeting day.
WALDORF EDUCATION ASSOCIATION OF WILLAMETTE VALLEY, INC. (WEAWV)
WEAWV is the non-profit corporation which provides the legal framework of the school and includes all parents and friends of the school. The Annual General Meeting of the WEAWV is held in the spring and is an opportunity for parents to hear from all responsible school bodies and committees as they review the year's activities, and preview the coming year. There will be discussion time allotted for questions on tuition, school finances, and legal and economic policies of the school at this meeting.
"The healthy social life is found when in the mirror of each human soul the whole community finds its reflection. And when in the community, the virtue of each one is living."
--- Rudolf Steiner
All parents are members of the Parent Council. Meetings are held the third Monday of each month, and everyone is encouraged to participate. The Parent Council also has a faculty, and a College representative, and at least one parent and an alternate from each of the grades. Parent Council has three main functions. Thefirst is to act as a forum for parents' ideas, initiatives, and concerns. The second function is to maintain active and positive communications between the faculty and parents, and the third is to strengthen the bond among parents through social interaction and activities.
SERVICE GUILD
This year a guild is being formed to sponsor hospitality, social, and special fundraising events, as well as a number of other fun projects. Please inquire about these activities through the office staff.
Parent involvement in committee work is an essential contribution to the school's well-being. Ad hoc committees are formed to organize school activities such as fairs and fund-raisers, to perform certain essential maintenance tasks, and to promote enrollment and public awareness of our school through participation in various local community events. Standing committees include Finance, Development & Public Relations, Facilities, and Grounds.
QUESTIONS, INITIATIVES, PROBLEMS, AND ISSUES -- DUE PROCESS
Your child's class teacher is your primary resource when you need to discuss your child, the classroom, or the curriculum. The faculty or College may be addressed by arrangement with the College chair.Parents who are unable to resolve an issue with a teacher may bring it to the College for consideration. All College members, faculty, staff, Board members and Parent Council representatives are acquainted with the school organization and should be able to help direct your questions and issues to the proper forum for consideration. Serious allegations involving any members of the community -- students, parents, or teachers -- should be brought immediately to the full College via the College chair or one of its members. If legal implications are involved, the Board will be immediately informed. Should the situation require, specialized support services will be sought. Direct and forthright communications will further our common goals and understanding.
DAILY LIFE AT THE SCHOOL
In order that all of the children may receive the highest benefit from our common commitment to the educational ideals of our school, it is essential that parents and teachers work together to achieve a natural, wholesome, safe and orderly environment. Sometimes these expectations reach into the home; we hope that they reinforceout common values, but differences or lack of understanding should never remain unaddressed.
Please have your lower school children arrive by 8:20 am and high school children by 8:00 am so they are relaxed and ready to begin each new day. Children should not be brought to school before 8:00 am unless prior arrangements have been made with the class teacher. Parents should be here to meet their children when their class lets out. Children in Kindergarten through Grade-Three must be met at their classroom door at closing time by their parents or a designated person. Those not met will be taken to After-School Care, and parents will be charged for after-school care services at the drop-in rate.
On Thursdays, the teachers meet in the afternoon. All classes are dismissed at 12:30 pm.
**High school students will use this time for community workexperience.
ABSENTEES
If your child will be absent, please call the office by 8:00 am, so the class teacher may be informed. A message can be left on the answering machine. If your child is to remain inside during breaks (for purposes of illness recovery only), please send a note to the class teacher.
CHILD ILLNESS
If children are ill, they should stay home. Please consult your child's class teacher before returning to school, if there areany questions.
INSURANCE
The Eugene Waldorf School provides student accident insurance coverage for school time and school-supervised activities at a nominal fee per child. This insurance covers only part of the expenses for accidents the children might have during school or on their way to or from school.
SCHOOL OUTINGS
Seat belts are required for each student. Drivers must be insured. School liability depends on all traffic and safety laws being strictly adhered to.
LICE CHECK
Lice have no respect for age, education, or economic situation.A lice infestation can be a traumatic experience for all concerned, but we have been successful in curtailing outbreaks by enforcing lice checks at the beginning of each school term. Parents should make sure that their children have hair washed on check days. Families will be required to take responsibility for eradication if a case is detected. Check with the office if you think you may have a problem. Children found to have lice must be checked by the office staff and found to be free of the problem before they return to school.
SCHOOL ATTIRE
Teachers ask that children be dressed in comfortable, seasonal, simple clothing without distracting writing or media images. We realize that this may refer to your child's favorite T-shirt or jacket. Ask your child's class teacher for clarification if in doubt. Please label your young child's boots and indoor shoes with a permanent marker on the inside. Children in Grades One to Five are required to have indoor and outdoor shoes.
SCHOOL LUNCH AND SNACKS
We encourage wholesome, ample snacks and lunch for your child, with no canned soda (any label), and no candy bars. Please, no garish lunch boxes. Baskets or backpacks are commonly used.
AFTER-SCHOOL CARE
There is after-school care in the kindergarten room for kindergarten children and in the community room for grade school children until 3:00 pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Use of the program is $1.75-per-hour. Payment is required in advance on Monday mornings in the office. Drop-in fees are $2.00-per-hour to be paid within one week. There is a late fee of $5.00 for parents that come later than 3:10 pm, and of $10.00 for after-school payments over ten days past-due.
SPECIAL EVENTS
During the course of the year the school often sponsors extra-curricular events, such as potlucks, plays, and concerts, to which the general public is also invited. During these events parents are responsible for their children, and for teaching them appropriate 'audience etiquette'. Please do not send your child to an event without a responsible adult.
TELEVISION
TV and video games, regardless of subject matter, affect young children adversely, having an impact on the attention span, consequent learning abilities, and the images the children carry in their picture world. The effect on one child influences the entire class. We ask that parents cooperate to control and eliminate, if possible, TV viewing -- especially in the younger grades.
LOST AND FOUND
The Lost and Found Box is located near the downstairs office, across from the School Store. All items abandoned in Lost and Found will be given away at the end of each term.
PARKING
For school time and any school activities, please park only in the large lower parking lot. The upper parking lot is for faculty and staff use only. Do no drop off the children on McLean Blvd.because traffic is too dangerous. Traffic in the lower parking lot should proceed in a careful counter-clockwise direction from the entrance to the exit. We encourage carpooling. Children are not allowed in the parking lot except while being dropped off and picked up.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Each source of income to the school is essential. Tuition payments cover only about 75-percent of operating costs. The remaining 25-percent is brought in through fundraising and donations. Financial questions or concerns may be addressed to the business manager during school hours.
TUITION
Tuition is payable in ten monthly payments, or in full at the beginning of the year. To avoid additional expenses, 30-days notice is required to terminate enrollment. We prefer to receive checks made out to the Eugene Waldorf School, rather than cash. If you do pay cash, please be careful to keep your receipts in case of any question that may arise. A $20 fee is charged for returned checks. All tuition and other moneys can be given to the office manager, or mailed to the school. All checks should indicate children's name(s) and the purpose of the check. Any questions about tuition payments should be directed to the business manager. If you are unable to keep your commitment for tuition, immediately discuss the situation with the business manager. Accumulated debt will jeopardize enrollment.
LATE PAYMENTS
All tuition and fees are due on the first day of each month. Payments received after the 10th will cause a reminder letter to be sent and a $10 late fee to be applied to the parents' account. If payment is not received by the 20th, a final letter will be sent. This notice will advise parents that all past due tuition and fees must be paid in full to assure continued enrollment for their children. As of the last day of the month, parents not having met this requirement will be asked to withdraw their children from the school until all past tuition and fees are paid in full and re-enrollment is completed.
PARTICIPATORY SCHOLARSHIP
Families who are unable to pay full tuition may apply for participatory scholarship -- scholarship coupled with essential work opportunities within the school. Applications for the next year must be turned into the office no later than June 30th of the current year. Conversations with returning parents take place in July. RETURNING FAMILIES NOT MEETING THE JUNE 30th DATE WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR SCHOLARSHIP. Applications are available in the office in May.
FINANCE COMMITTEE
The Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees oversees all financial aspects of the school, including the development and tracking of the budget, and scholarship requests.
DONATIONS
The Waldorf Education Association of the Willamette Valley, Inc.,doing business as the Eugene Waldorf School, is a registered, non-profit, tax-exempt corporation, and thus is in a position to accept tax-deductible donations. For parents able to do so, we recommend incorporation of a pledge into your fee structure. The pledge amount will be gratefully acknowledged as a donation.
FUNDRAISING
Several important fundraising events take place every year, including our Christmas Faire, the Knit-a-Thon, and the May Faire. These events require participation from every parent in order to create the kind of special, generous atmosphere that attracts so many friends in the broader community to celebrate with us. Please plan to make time to contribute, and join in the fun. Check your calendar for dates.
Your child's class teacher will initiate three class evenings and at least one individual parent conference during the school year. These are four of the most important events of the year for parents; when the teacher can speak with you about the work being done with the children and describe the year's curriculum. Class Evening dates are on your school calendar. The class coordinator works with the teacher to keep parents informed of class meetings and other activities. Class projects provide one of the happiest opportunities for volunteer service and social interaction. Classroom maintenance and beautification, curriculum projects, and class trips all require parent help, and present the opportunity for teacher, children, and parents to work closely together. Classroom visitation by parents must be pre-arranged with the class teacher.
The College of Teachers invites the full parent body to meet twice per year, or as needed, in an open discussion to consider the quality of community life in our school. Specific questions, topics and issues are welcomed for discussion at any time. Please contact the College chair or Parent Council representative with agenda topic suggestions.
CHILDREN'S LIBRARY -- GRADES ONE TO TWELVE
We continue to develop a children's resource library and would appreciate books, art and maps either on loan or as a gift. Books will be accepted at the discretion of the teachers and are tax-deductible donations. Children's library books may be checked out. Please protect these precious resources.
There is a small reference/resource library located downstairs near the office. Materials may be checked out during the school year. These books are a treasure for all of us. Please be prompt in returning them and careful with them while in your possession. Instructions for checking out the books are posted in the library.
This is a regularly-scheduled morning meeting where parents discuss their parenting approach as it relates to the Waldorf School. A facilitator guides the discussion with the help of a book which gives nourishment and direction to the meetings. The meetings are announced in the newsletter and calendar.
The purpose of the monthly/weekly newsletter is to foster communication within the school community. In-school news, coming events, items of interest to the parent body, and classified ads are welcome.Contributions should be signed and given to the office staff. Classified ads cost $1.00 per issue. The College will exercisei ts discretion in editing submitted materials when deemed necessary.
Parents may post dated material on the bulletin board downstairs near the parent library. Please remove items after 30 days. There is a reserved section displaying recent Board activities.
Anthroposophy is the philosophical foundation of Waldorf education. If you are interested in Anthroposophy, there are several opportunities for study. Information about study groups is available from the office staff, teachers, and through the newsletter.
The School Store is a wonderful source of artistic materials and books for both children and adults; gifts that will stimulate hand, mind and heart. Store hours are irregular.
PARENT PARTICIPATION
As you can see, there are opportunities for involvement in many aspects of school life. This handbook lists only a few of them. It is important for the health of the school that every parent find a place to participate. Parents, Teachers, Children and Staff-- working together -- makes the school effective and creates the warmth of community that is so valuable to all of us.