Tag Archives: Waldorf parents

A Letter to Parents in a Time of Unrest

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Su Rubinoff has been an Early Childhood educator at MWS for more than 25 years and has completed an in-depth training in Kingian Nonviolence Conflict Reconciliation and Mediation at URI. With families already facing unprecedented challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Su used one of her regular parent letters to offer support in addressing tensions arising from the recent terrible events in Minneapolis and elsewhere.

Waldorf education was born in 1919 in response to the trauma and social upheaval of WWI. While teachers of older students might speak with their classes about difficult social issues, a different approach is needed with younger children. In this letter, Su uses her expertise in teaching children aged 3 – 6 years to share how parents can best support the continued healthy development of their child.

 

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

~ Nelson Mandela

 

Dear Friends,

I am so shook up by what is occurring in our country. A lot is being asked of you these days; to be parents, teachers, and now you need to be present for your child in a way that you rarely have needed to before. How do we, as adults, process the events of this past week?

As with many things we are careful with what we say to the young child, because they are not little adults, but so often they pick up our inner mood. I have to believe the world is good and that is what I want to pass along to the children. I want to give them hope! I have seen and heard images of hope, even amidst the terrible scenes unfolding around the world, and those are what I am holding on to.

We work with kindness daily at Meadowbrook and certainly in our class. While we do not presently have a lot of racial diversity, we still plant the seeds, either overtly or through being a role model worthy of imitation. We end of our circle time every day by saying this verse together:

Kind hearts are the gardens

Kind thoughts are the roots

Kind words are the blossoms

Kind deeds are the fruits.

The values of understanding, cooperation, listening, being inclusive, and so much more are alive in Morning Glory. Even our  very youngest children quickly learn our customs; if there is a problem, get help, (when another wants to join) ‘there is always room for one more’, and treat others the way you want to be treated. This is their foundation and I am hopeful it will grow with them through their lives.

But we all need to be doing better as humans, now! I want to change the world which is why I became a teacher, and it is so hard to do while I am at home and not with your wonderful children. I don’t know what your children are aware of, or what questions they are asking, but I am here to support you. To listen and try to figure this out. Together.

Take good care and remember to feed yourself, literally and figuratively!

 

About the Fire of July 29, 2018

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What happened?

In the early morning hours of Sunday, July 29 fire broke out at Meadowbrook Waldorf School in Richmond, Rhode Island. The fire was caused by a lightning strike that also destroyed the electrical and telephone systems needed to activate the alarm and emergency response. Despite the efforts of  250 fire fighters from 22 towns, the building was declared a total loss and the remains were demolished.

Was anybody hurt?

We are thankful that nobody was in the building at the time of the fire. Three firefighters were taken to the hospital during the incident, one needed extended treatment for a condition not directly related to the fire, but all made a full recovery.  We are so grateful to all who responded to the emergency call for their acts of bravery and their dogged determination to bring the blaze under control.

Did Meadowbrook Waldorf School have fire protection systems?

Yes.  The MWS building was constructed in 2006/7 with all of the fire protection systems required by the RI State building code.  The Fire Marshall inspected the building annually  in accordance with RI Department of Education requirements and consulted with MWS throughout the year.

Will the school remain open?

Yes!  On September 4th, we welcomed our students back for another year of Waldorf education in a temporary space. Our programs for 145 children in nursery through grade eight are accredited by the Association of Waldorf School of North America (AWSNA) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). We also offer classes for younger children and their caregivers. From our play based pre-school classes, through the building of creative thinking skills in the elementary grades, to the rigorous academics of middle school we will continue to foster love of learning in our specially prepared home away from home.

We have signed a one year lease with the Town of South Kingstown, with an option to extend for a further year, to use a former public school building on South Road in South Kingston. MWS teachers see these unexpected circumstances as an opportunity for the students, with teachable moments about resilience and the value of community.

Was the school insured?   

Yes. Thankfully the school was insured for the cost of replacing the building that was lost. However, we had recognized before the fire that the building was too small for our growing community and some improvements were needed to meet the needs of the children. Planning for the expansion, and the fundraising campaign needed to pay for it, had already begun before the fire. These plans have been revised and are now included in Meadowbrook Rising: The Campaign to Rebuild Our School.

How is Meadowbrook Waldorf School funded?

MWS is an independent school and receives no federal funding.  MWS is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that strives to make Waldorf education as affordable as possible to those who seek it. We offer a Tuition Adjustment program that allows a generous sliding scale for families of various economic situations.  While tuition covers a portion of the operating costs, the school relies on fundraising to balance its annual budget.

How has MWS community responded to the devastating loss?

Our school has a long history and has touched many lives. Before the ashes had cooled, current and former parents and teachers came together to reflect and immediately set to work. Volunteerism is at the heart of MWS community life. A team of current and alumni parents made 40 baskets with home baked treats and jelly, fresh picked fruit and flowers and Thank You cards from the students and delivered them to the emergency response crews that attended to the fire.

In a matter of days, a network of volunteer teams was put in place to manage tasks ranging from sourcing furniture donations and coordinating deliveries, to creating class libraries and stitching felt crowns for the nursery children’s dressing up box. Our extended families are using their businesses and connection to organize fundraising events on behalf of MWS. All of us at MWS are filled with gratitude for the outpouring of help and support we have received from our local community and friends around the world.

What is needed, how can I help?

We are enormously grateful for the many donations of goods and services we received to help reopen the school. We are now fundraising for the new building and to assure that, during the rebuilding process, we can continue to deliver the high-quality Waldorf education our families have come to expect while keeping tuition as affordable as possible. In addition, it will allow us to continue to prioritize the well-being of our Faculty and Staff. To be successful, we must raise $1.75 million.

  1. Online donations can be made through our GoFundMe page at:
    https://www.gofundme.com/8wxzy-rebuilding-our-school

GoFundMe asks that you pay a ‘tip’ for their services in addition to your donation. Their suggestion is 15% but you may select an alternate amount in a drop down dialogue box. If you prefer to give to MWS online without signing up for GoFundMe, you may do so through the MWS website: https://mws.inexi.com/online-giving

The cost to MWS from donating via GoFundMe or the MWS website is the same and consists only of the credit card companies’ charges.

  1. Physical checks are welcome and can be added to the GoFundMe page at no charge. These gifts will be posted as ‘anonymous’ unless you note that you prefer your name be shown. In that case you may also add a dedication to show with your name and gift.

Please mail checks via USPS to:
Meadowbrook Waldorf School
300 Kingstown Road
West Kingston, RI 02892

  1. For giving from an IRA or other investment vehicle, or for employer matching gifts, please contact MWS Development Coordinator, Beth Riungu development@meadowbrookschool.com

Is my donation tax deductible?

Meadowbrook Waldorf School is a 501(c)3 so your donation may be tax deductible.  A receipt letter will be issued for all monetary gifts received with the donor name and a physical address. The Meadowbrook Waldorf School federal tax identity number is 05-0383653 and our organization is listed as Meadowbrook Waldorf Association.

When will the school be rebuilt?

Work has begun and we are pursuing an aggressive time line. If all goes well, we will begin swinging hammers early in 2019 and return the children to their woodland home in January of 2020.

Further Questions? Contact Beth Riungu development@meadowbrookschool.com

July 29 Honor Roll

Scott W.  Barber, Chief of the Richmond-Carolina Fire District in the Town of Richmond, listed the fire departments that responded to the Meadowbrook Waldorf School Fire as well as EMS departments. He said that this was a historic and overwhelming response to a tragic loss for the community.

Hot meals were donated and delivered to the emergency responders by K&S Pizza, Kingstown Pizza, Town Pizza II and Alaina’s Ale House.

We are grateful to you all. In any case of error or omission in these lists, please accept our apologies and send corrections to Beth Riungu development@meadowbrookschool.com

 

We Are Meadowbrook

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On Sunday, just one week since our school burned to the ground, we gathered to mourn the loss of our building and its contents. Much of the wreckage has been removed but a huge pile of debris remains piled on the concrete foundation behind a chain link fence. For some, on their first visit, the sight was overwhelming and tears flowed. For the children though, quiet thoughtfulness quickly turned to spirit of adventure as they greeted their friends. They raced around the path that encircles the school, discovering the ‘bunny hutch’ and play yards miraculously untouched. Shouts and laughter again echoed through the trees from the swings and jungle gym.

The short farewell ceremony took place in one the playing fields, the sun high above the sheltering ring of forest. We joined hands in one huge circle, teachers and staff, parents and Board members. Alumni parents who built the now lost floors and cabinets stood with newly enrolled families that have yet to celebrate their first Opening Day Rose Ceremony at MWS.  We sang our school song together,  ‘Alleluia for All Things’ by A.C. Harwood, a song of thanks for the beauty of world and for human beings working in service of others with courage and integrity. We recognized how much we have to feel thankful for, from the bravery of the emergency responders to countless acts of incredible kindness by so many former strangers.

Only days ago we were a small community, the little school in the woods. Now, as Administrator Jennifer Farrelly said, ‘Meadowbrook Waldorf School is no longer the best kept secret in Rhode Island’. So many people have come from near and far to offer their help. Our GoFundMe appeals has been shared by Waldorf Schools from Maine Coast to San Diego, Toronto to Hawaii, in Detroit and Colorado, and elsewhere. Local businesses are holding fundraising events to benefit MWS. Our public school community and fellow independent schools are rallying to share their resources with us. We are grateful to them all.

There is something else too. There is a sense of something almost sacred, a moment of destiny. We realized that MWS needed more space a number of years ago and have done much work over the past three years to prepare to build. We worked with the teachers and families to identify what was needed. We updated our master campus plan. In July, we engaged Panorama Fundraising, a consultancy firm to help us launch a capital campaign. Our building was well insured so now the campaign for rebuilding can be directed to adding the extra space needed to realize our dream of welcoming in the community beyond our own enrolled families.

Thanks to our newly extended community, we are well placed to have a beautiful, well equipped school for our students on September 4.  While the MWS campus is a noisy construction site, the students and their teachers will be focused on school work in a spacious temporary home, lovingly prepared to be a home away from home for them. As MWS parent Monica Rodgers said, ‘There are disguised gifts everywhere’. At the gathering, long time Early Childhood teacher, Su Rubinoff, spoke this verse;


The future is not some place we are going, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made. And the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination.  ~ John Schaar

These are exciting, heart-filled times. Thank you for joining us on the path!

We are heartened by the generous outpouring of support from around the world.  To make a contribution to the school rebuild and recovery, please visit our Meadowbrook Rising Go Fund Me page.  Donated goods & services can be offered  or email us at rebuild@meadowbrookschool.com.

Su Rubinoff – Early Childhood Teacher

Re-Imaginging Money: An Invitation

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money-butterflyImagine you had a voice in setting the interest rate for your loan. Imagine if your savings not only earned you interest but directly benefited nonprofit organizations working for social and environmental good in the world. Or if you could meet representatives from the companies you were invested in to hear firsthand about the projects your money was helping to fund. In an age of impersonal, disconnected finance, imagine stepping out of the conventional economic model and finding a more transparent, participatory way of using money. This is already happening at RSF Social Finance. By questioning assumptions about how money works, RSF is creating new models for engaging with finance, and for forming collaborative financial relationships with communities and organizations. RSF envisions a world in which money serves the highest intentions of the human spirit and contributes to an economy based on generosity and interconnectedness.

John Bloom, Vice President – Organizational Culture at RSF, will visit MWS on November 30, 2016 to explore how we as individuals might reach a new understanding of our economic selves. By re-imagining money, reconsidering our personal habits and cultural conditioning, we can participate in creating a new economic story for ourselves and our communities. Inquiry and dialogue are essential to transforming our relationships with money. By coming together, as investors, donors, and entrepreneurs, we can explore the role of money in achieving our shared goals and find new ways to connect more deeply with what we care most about. Each of us has a purpose in life, a journey of discovery and recognition. When we are able to serve that purpose to the benefit of others, and to recognize that we in turn benefit from others’ gifts, then money can move in a way that brings greater equity to our economy and compassionate action becomes possible.

Join us for a conversation about money, values, and the need for a new economic story. This community education event is open to all. November 30, 6:30pm ~ Admission is free. Your RSVP is appreciated to assist with planning –  please type RSF in the comments section below.

Further Resources

An article describing how Community Pricing Gatherings inform the RSF process for deciding interest rates for Social Investment Fund investors and borrowers.

A Social Lender Pursues a Radical Experiment in Financial Transparency and Participation

 

Visit the RSF Social Finance website to learn how it aims to transform the field of philanthropy. Shared Gifting Circles bring collaboration, transparency and community wisdom into the grant-making process and give distribution and allocation authority to the recipients of gift money to create mutually beneficial collaborations.

Shared Gifting Circles