As we move, sometimes struggling to find the dance, sometimes giddy with play, we form patterns. We make visible to one another a woven fabric, each one making visible the often invisible, intangible links of human relationships.
Sean Brekke: Musician, Teacher, Director
“If I had to describe it in one word, I would say otherworldly.” Orchard Valley Music Teacher Sean Brekke reflects on his time since joining the school in the summer of 2021. "I love being so connected with the surrounding woods and it's been amazing to teach in such a spectacular location. Sean was also recently named the Executive Director of the Green Mountain Youth Symphony (GMYS).
The History of Orchard Valley
During each of the two biggest snowstorms of this 2022 winter, folks gathered around their glowing zoom screens for a recollection of the history of Orchard Valley Waldorf School. These conversations ignited from a requirement by the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America, and set Orchard Valley on a path to begin composing a substantial self-study document. This includes a written history of our school that will be shared with our mentor school later this spring.
Martin's Dream Came Alive This Summer
Our Orchard Valley Waldorf School has always represented an effort toward an inclusive community. From the beginning, we have been dedicated to offering an accessible Waldorf program and for 17 years our community has worked tirelessly to make our program accessible to anyone who seeks a Waldorf Education. More recently, we took up a deeper examination of systemic racism in our habits and the Waldorf Movement, and I felt prepared and willing to take up the task of creating a Waldorf Anti-Racism Summer Camp.
The State of Childcare in Vermont
As we navigate the start of this second year of the pandemic, Orchard Valley is feeling the very real and uncertain challenges facing many schools, organizations and businesses in the United States. Finding, hiring and retaining qualified teaching staff is a clear and present challenge that is now affecting programs each day.
A Note of Gratitude
I wanted to send an email of gratitude to you and to all the teachers at Sweet Clover Nursery School (SCN). I've mentioned this specific story to a couple of teachers, but it occurs to me that this really is a sentiment that is across all of your wonderful teachers and assistants, even if I've only personally stopped to see it a couple of times.
Alumni Reflections
My introduction to Waldorf education came at a talk given at the Child's Garden by a former kindergarten teacher. What I heard that autumn evening changed, in an instant, how I thought about my three-year-old daughter’s developing mind, about parenting, about school. Through the many years that followed, my commitment to Waldorf education never wavered.
Miss Lucy Neel Visits Orchard Valley Waldorf School
by Meg Sherbatskoy, DEI Committee
Lucy Neel is the Nulhegan Education Coordinator for the Nulhegan Band of the Abenaki Tribe. Ms Neel is also a board member of the AHA, Inc. (Abenaki Helping Abenaki). She travels to several parts of Vermont teaching about Abenaki heritage in schools and coordinating with after-school programs.
With the benefit of a Title IV grant we were able to ask Miss Lucy to lead a workshop for our grades program spanning three days. She began with telling the history of the Abenacki Tribe and their many Bands, starting with the Vermont Abenaki History pre-contact, when the Europeans arrived, lifestyle changes, and Abenaki citizens in Vermont today. To help tell the story she had three baskets full of Abenaki crafts and art to pass around to each student.
The final day was spent outside. Miss Lucy brought her drum to share with the students. Students sat under a pavilion spaced around the drum, each with a drum stick as Miss Lucy led them in traditional Abenaki drumming, every student having a turn. Our new Facilities person, Tom Beck of the Nulhegan Band, joined the 5-8 grades and 3/4 classes in drumming. She then had them circle out in the grass to learn a dance and the Honor Water Song. Even though it was raining a little and a bit cold everyone sang, danced and the drumming could be heard throughout the school.
Miss Lucy wanted so much to spend time with the kindergarten students that she offered to donate one morning with them. She brought her drum, dance and song to the Apple Tree and Farm & Forest students and then to The Child’s Garden. Miss Lucy told me every day she was here that our students are incredible - so creative and so smart. She loves our school. She truly appreciated the Thank You cards from the 1/2 class and can not wait to come back for another visit next year.
To learn more about Miss Lucy and the Abenaki Tribe go to Abenakitribe.com.
Faculty and Staff Changes for 2021-2022 School Year
As the vibrancy of spring unfolds, our campuses and children are overflowing with energy and excitement. Many of us are yearning for a reconnection to each other and to the gatherings, celebrations and festivals that connect us to one another, to the seasons and to our school. Springtime is always filled with possibilities and in that light, the Board of Trustees has some exciting updates to share with you as we plan for our future together.
After months of analysis and reflection, the board along with faculty and staff have decided to restructure the leadership at OVWS. We have posted and are interviewing candidates for a Pedagogical Director position. This person, alongside Madelief Becherer as our Administrative Director, will lead our school forward.
An ongoing inventory of our strengths and our weaknesses has brought us to the conclusion that our organization will benefit from a more robust leadership team. The Administrative Director will continue to focus on administrative leadership, operations, financial and legal matters. The Pedagogical Director will focus on the overarching pedagogy of our school and programs, faculty support and mentoring and parent education. Together, they will engage in strategic planning and holding a holistic view of our school, as well as development, human resources and outreach. It is our belief that this new structure will enable us to be more nimble in making decisions and more cohesive as an organization, across and within our programs. Our hope is that these changes will allow for a stronger holding of students, families, faculty and staff.
This is a bittersweet time at Orchard Valley, as we say goodbye to some faculty and staff and welcome new people to our school. Cathie Ely, Jane Hill, Lindsey Benton, Kate Camilletti, Kelly Davis, Dana Cudney and Georgeanne Baker have dedicated a combined almost 60 years of tireless service to Orchard Valley. They have shared with countless children, families and colleagues their passions, expertise and love over the years and we are incredibly grateful. Each of them will live on in the soul of our school and we wish them well on their new adventures.
Hiring is underway to fill new and vacant positions, both on our administrative team and faculty. Under this new leadership structure, we will have both the Administrative Director and the Pedagogical Director in addition to a Front Office Manager, a Facilities Manager, an Admissions Director, a Marketing Director and a Registrar. We recognize that the administrative effort to run three different programs with different requirements, staffing, calendars and hours requires a more fortified team and we are very hopeful that we are putting the people in place to support our programs, and in turn, our children, families and faculty. In conjunction with administrative support, we are adding Music and Movement back into the grades program. Hiring for all of these positions is well underway and we are very excited as we welcome new faculty and staff and begin living into this new way of running our school.
Our new Facilities Manager, Tom Beck, has been working tirelessly along with faculty, staff and volunteers to tend to the land and buildings of Orchard Valley, including the animal paddocks and pastures, farmhouse fencing and windows and general maintenance. We are dedicated to pouring love into the land and buildings that support our work, making a beautiful space for all of us to play and work.
Please reach out to any member of the board with questions, ideas or concerns. We are always happy to hear from and connect with you.
With gratitude,
OVWS Board of Trustees,
Anna Rankin
Paule Bezaire
Don Haddox
Brian Basor
Michael Chartrand
Evan Premo
Jada Berg
Michelle Gullage
Christa Therrien
Madelief Becherer
Reflections on the Outdoor Classroom
by Stephanie Hoelscher, Child’s Garden Early Childhood teacher
Open up any social media site, and one will find images of the outdoor classrooms put up by schools as a response to the pandemic. Tents and pavilions, folding desks and movable chalkboards, whatever is required in order to bring an indoor academic curriculum outside.
Young children do not need such “outdoor classroom” for this purpose. The needs of a developing child before the start of formal academic learning are different. Indeed, the pandemic has brought this to the attention of early childhood educators in a potent way. Across the country teachers have been forced outdoors. This has brought a unique opportunity for reflection. What is truly essential? What is truly needed to nurture the growth and development of young children?
I teach at the Child’s Garden where I have for a good many years. (You may not know that what we now call the Orchard Valley Waldorf School began over twenty-five years ago at the Child’s Garden.) In the fall a big white tent greeted the children. This was our outdoor classroom. In practice, it served as a protective space for our morning wellness check and the children’s cubbies with extra gear. We now have a repurposed garage which serves the same purposes. While children and teachers need protection from the elements in extreme weather, these “outdoor classrooms” is not where the real learning takes place at the Child’s Garden. Blessed as we are with meadow, hillside, forest, and trails, and given the gifts of time, space, and social relationships, the children discover for themselves the ever-changing landscape for learning in the natural world.
