Festivals & School Events
Community festivals full of reverence and joy
Seasonal festivals foster a sense of growth and return, a sense of predictable change that builds trust. They offer an opportunity for our community to come together with reverence for the other and the natural world.
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The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility; these are the very nerve of education.
Rudolf Steiner
awakening natural reverence
At the Davis Waldorf School, we celebrate universal spirituality. Our school’s interest in spiritual matters is aimed at awakening the child’s natural reverence for the wonder and beauty of life. While religion is not taught at our school, we do observe traditions associated with Christianity, Judaism, and other religions, when appropriate. We recognize and honor the diverse faiths of all our families. The curriculum itself, through the Old Testament and Hebrew studies, Norse, Indian, Egyptian, Roman and Greek mythologies, provides many opportunities to share religious and cultural traditions in the classroom.
A deeper significance in many everyday occurrences
We like to acknowledge and share the religious customs and celebrations enjoyed by our families. If you are interested in celebrating special holidays in your child’s classroom, we encourage you to give suggestions to your child’s class teacher. Parent participation helps to make these festivals meaningful and special. Parents are welcome to keep their children home in observance of their own religious holidays.
We feel the ceremonies and rituals associated with the rhythms of the seasons of nature help reveal the deeper significance in many everyday occurrences. The living rhythms of the year, though taken up in each class in different ways, help provide a common foundation for the children. Children love preparing for the festivals by decorating the room, baking special treats, learning special songs, etc. Nature stories, songs, poetry, and special tales help bring deeper significance of the season to the children in a pictorial way.
Fall Events
All School Beautification Day
Saturday, August 24th on campus from 9:00-12:30
“Many hands make light work,” by John Heywood
Let’s work together at the All School Beautification Day, an event that brings our community together to connect, collaborate, and prepare our beloved campus for the new school year. From weeding gardens to sprucing up classrooms, every contribution helps create a welcoming and inspiring environment for our students. It’s a day of teamwork, laughter, and preparation. Let’s roll up our sleeves and make our school beautiful!
New Parent Orientation
Wednesday, August 28th, In the Multiple Purpose Room from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
The Davis Waldorf School is thrilled and honored to welcome new parents! The purpose of the evening is to provide parents an opportunity to become connected, informed, engaged, and enlightened about the Waldorf Principles we teach from and how parents can help support their children’s education and development. There will also be some business to take care of – communication, volunteer opportunities, festivals, info from the office, time for questions and so on. This is an educational gathering not to be missed! Start the school year off right, by showing up for an immersive informative night with your DWS community.
Opening Day - Rose Ceremony
On the first day of school for the grades, we commence the school year by introducing the new year’s classes and teachers. We give parents a glimpse into the curriculum of the year. The new first grade class is welcomed into the grades by our eighth grade class. The eighth graders present a rose to each child, establishing their bond as first and eighth grade “buddies” for the coming year. The newly minted first graders then walk under the “rainbow bridge” held by their former kindergarten teachers. The buddy pairs then take a tour of the school together, ending at the door to the new first graders’ classroom. First grade parents create a sunflower arch in front of the classroom for the children as they enter their classroom for the first time.
Back to School Picnic
The DWS community picnics on the lawn to kick off the new school year, receives important information for the year and get to know new families and rekindle old friendships. Music, dance and camaraderie mark this event.
Michaelmas
The Michaelmas festival takes place in late September where we have a play and all school pageant about conquering a troublesome dragon. Michaelmas is most commonly celebrated in Europe, but the message of courage in the face of evil is universal and timeless. Michael is an archangel mentioned in the Bible, Apocrypha, and the Koran. He appears as a spiritual figure and protector of human kind, inspiring strength and courage. The motif of the dragon conqueror can be seen in Chinese art, in Apollo and the serpent, in Krishna slaying demons, and in the story of Saint George and the Dragon. Michael overcoming the dragon with his sword of light is an image that calls us all to be courageous, to take command of the dragon and transform it. The students learn that everyone has their own “dragon” – fear, greed, thoughtlessness, or apathy. Michael’s qualities of courage, compassion, and steadfastness can be an inspiration to greatness.
Halloween Festival - All Hallow's Eve
All Hallow’s Eve, or as it is better known, Halloween, was originally one of the four Celtic “cross” festivals; that is, a festival occurring at the time between, instead of on, the Solstice or Equinox. It falls at a time of growing darkness, when the shadows are lengthening and the sun moves down through the sky. At one time celebrated as a year’s end/beginning, it was thought at this point the veil between the physical world and the spiritual world was thinner and that movement between the two was possible. It was a time of purification and guarding against those spirits who would cause harm to humanity. It was also a time to honor those friends and companions who had passed on to the other side. It was thought that by acknowledging and honoring the darker side of existence, we would gain the power to resist that which is harmful.
At DWS, we celebrate Halloween with a blend of the old and new. Children in fourth grade and younger enjoy the Protected Path, a journey through the world of vignettes, fairy tales, and far-off lands. Led by an “Angel Guide,” they hear stories and gather treats along the way. Students in fifth grade and older are given a chance to venture into the world of darkness in a safe and challenging way on the Perilous Path. The students travel the Perilous Path alone, facing challenges to be overcome and a treasure to be won at the end. Our evening ends gathered around a bonfire for singing, food, and sharing of treats and tales of wonders seen.
Costume Note: We ask that your child wear a “traditional” Halloween costume rather than one that reflects a commercial “character” theme. Suggestions: pirate, fairy, princess, dragon, knight, etc. No scary masks or makeup, please.
Dia de los Muertos
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and in other cultures around the world. At one time it was thought that at this point the veil between the physical world and the spiritual world was thinner and that movement between the two was possible. It was also a time to honor those friends and companions who had passed on to the other side.
Martinmas
The kindergarten and the 2nd Grade each hold lantern walks on separate evenings on or around November 11th. They light the lanterns they have made, sing the lantern songs they have learned during Morning Gathering Circle, and walk around the school grounds as it gets dark.
Winter Events
Winter Spirals
December celebrates a turning point when darker and shorter days become even more illuminated by candlelight. We experience a mood of anticipation, preparation, and waiting. In walking the spiral of the Winter Garden, the children receive, in reverence, the light for their own candles which they place around the spiral of evergreens
Advent
The Grades students celebrate during the four weeks of the Advent (meaning “anticipation”) season on Monday mornings in December at an opening assembly that includes the lighting of candles on a wreath and the recitation of a verse that observes the kingdoms of minerals, plants, animals, and humans.
Family Craft Day
Family Craft Day offers live music, storytelling, food, and the opportunity to make seasonal craft projects. Dipping candles, tin-tapping ornaments, building gnome homes, folding window stars, are just a few examples of the day’s activities. Family Craft Day is a non-commercial way to welcome in the holidays and to make handmade gifts for loved ones, while supporting our 6th, 7th and 8th Grades and handwork program with this fundraiser.
Saint Nicholas Day
Celebrated on or around December 6th for Preschool through fourth grade, a special visitor leaves some treats in the children’s shoes. St. Nicholas (the original Santa Claus or Sinter Klaus in Holland).
Santa Lucia
Following an old Italian and Swedish tradition, crowned with lighted candles, the oldest girl in the second grade leads a Santa Lucia processional with song, delivering traditional cookies or bread from class to class.
Winter Concert
The winter concert is held on a December afternoon/evening concert, featuring seasonal instrumental music, poetry, and songs performed by Grades students and faculty. This can be joyous way to welcome in the holiday season and is a signature event that many grandparents and friends enjoy attending.
All School Open House
Held in February, our Open House showcases the work of the children! Each classroom, preschool – 8th grade, will be open with samples of work on display (grades only). The multi-purpose room will showcase our grades subjects and the subject teachers will be on hand for you to meet. We will also have our summer camp represented. The Davis Waldorf Fiddlers will round out the experience. Open to the public, this is a great event to bring friends and family to show them what a Waldorf school looks like.
St. Valentine's Day
Celebrated on or around February 14th, Valentine’s Day is celebrated by creating special crafts, a focus on kindness in our stories and songs, and sharing our sentiments of friendship with one another. Observation of Valentine’s Day is at the discretion of the class teacher.
Spring & Summer Events
Annual Benefit Auction
Our Annual Benefit Auction is always a fun evening out for parents and their friends and family to get together as a group and raise funds to support our school. A live and silent auction is part of the evening filled with food, drinks and dancing. Plan on supporting our school by bidding on unique items and class projects to support DWS.
May Faire
May Day celebrations reflect an ancient tradition of celebrating the beginning of summer with its light and warmth. It is traditionally held on the first of May, a date midway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. May Day is a joyful celebration of life, an outward manifestation of the spirit we turned inward during the winter season, now refreshed and renewed, full of zest for life. The children in each class weave a crown of flowers to wear. Then the children walk the circle, coming to bow in front of the Royal Court before being seated in the circle. Grades 3 – 7 offer a performance in celebration, and then it’s time for the 8th graders to enter! They skip in and circle the May Pole, which is topped by a garland of flowers with colorful ribbons trailing from it. The first and second graders skip among them, strewing flower petals as they go. The kindergarteners join the circle, sitting under the May Pole to become an integral part of the celebration. They look up in awe as the 8th graders perform the May Dance, weaving the ribbons into intricate patterns, to the delight of all. This is a special moment for the 8th graders and their parents, one of the final steps on their journey through the grades. The celebration also features festive music, arts and crafts, games and activities, food, a puppet show, and a petting zoo.
Spring Concert
Our springtime evening concert, features our strings and band classes in a variety of musical offerings, from small ensembles to large group numbers and usually featuring 8th grade soloists. This is an impressive event that many grandparents and friends enjoy attending.
Closing Rose Ceremony
We “promote” each class to their new grade at this gathering. All families are welcome to join us as we celebrate the year’s end. During the Closing Rose Ceremony, the 8th grade class is recognized by their teacher to acknowledgement and honor this time of completion of their education at our school. Each 1st Grader presents a rose to their 8th Grade Buddy in a parting gesture of warm appreciation and love.
