EWS Class of 2008
We did indeed watch graduation today and it was amazing to see. I wonder how they find the time for bigger classes to go through the process since this used more than the one and a half hours allotted to it. The teacher talked, each of the students talked, very well from prepared notes or without their notes from things they had worked out ahead of time, they sang, preformed, and cried. Some of the students had been together since preschool. One had joined the class part way through this year. They wore suits and nice dresses and all looked very sharp.
Some of them included their first grade buddies in their thank yous, others talked about the many class trips they had taken, their favorite memories from each grade, students who are no longer at EWS, and how EWS was different from other schools they had gone to.
Each student had their desk set around the wall of the room and on and around it was displayed a sampling of their work through the years. For some of them it included their kindergarten baby. Although I wonder now how those babies were preserved so well, Logan’s is so well loved that it is already dirty and faded. Perhaps there will be a new less washed and cleaner Fairy Flower made before that time, or perhaps only those who are kept very clean are displayed.
Someone quietly videotaped the whole graduation. At the end the first graders all took a rose up to their Eighth Grade Buddy. Logan and Ariel shared Celine and got to stand together with her in the line of eighth graders and first graders. Some pictures were taken by parents at least, and John and I will be sure to get a copy of one. It was a beautiful rainbow of people.
On the drive home we worked out how old the children are now who will be in first grade when Logan is in eighth grade. They were born between June 1 of 2007 and 2008. In all likelyhood Benjamin C’s baby brother will be one of those children, although currently his main business is nursing, crawling and drooling.
Previously I’d only seen the eighth grade classes as they came out from graduation, looking more ready to go out in to the world than most high school graduates. Now that I’ve actually attended a graduation I’m even more sure that attending a Waldorf school is the right place for Logan to be. EWS is turning out confidant well rounded individuals who are not afraid to speak to a gathered crowd about their life’s experiences and where they hope to be going. These weren’t valedictorian speeches but each person’s memories and comments. Mainly positive and often funny, not written to inspire or to proclaim their own greatness. This is what I hope for my daughter. To have this base for her life.
I am glad to hear that this seemed like such a positive experience. Sadly though I feel compelled to say that I wish Logan were in a place that did not discriminate against disabled people or those who learn differently, such as those on the autism spectrum. I hope Waldorf schools don’t discriminate against other minorities on top of that.
Sorry to put a damper on and feel free to delete this, but I feel very strongly about the rights of all people.
Xo
I know what you mean. What I have heard, although it is second or third hand, is that the school is concerned about “special needs children” and their ability to support them. I think those children are probably receiving their support outside of the school, as are many of the more squirrly neurotypical children. I worry that my off-the-scales-sensitive child with difficulties in the Sensory Integration realm will become too special needs next. I need to talk to the school people in person about this. It is being addressed so far, efforts are made to see that Logan is not pushed in the classroom, but this should be a normal thing anyway in any classroom. (Anti bullying measures will be coming I hope!)
I agree with you, I have very strong objections to anything that smacks of discrimination and have been very concerned.
@Erin: I beg to differ. Eugene Waldorf doesn’t “discriminate” against autism-spectrum children. There are a number of “autistic” children at the school, as well as a larger number of “special needs” children too. But it is true that, as a non-profit tuition-funded school running on a shoestring budget, EWS doesn’t have the personnel resources that a public school has (which are hardly lavish either!) to adequately serve all childrens’ needs adequately. If, after working with remedial and other relevant specialists, it does seem that a child is not being served adequately, then eventually s/he is referred elsewhere. EWS’ staff work hard to incorporate as broad a range of abilities and personalities in the student body as possible, so referring a child elsewhere is not taken lightly or done in a discriminatory manner.
Comments like that really get my goat.
Oh I forgot to type this — Logan may be a little sensitive, but whenever I see her with the class, she seems to be just fine! She did great in the play! But if you’re worried, the best thing is be proactive, and ask for suggestions and assistance, from the EWS faculty/staff and from the other parents in the class.
Max, I’m sorry to have to tell you this - I can see you hold the school in high esteem. However, it was clearly stated in the first grade interview process to me and to other 1st grade parents that the school IS NOT accepting any children with special needs of any kind. I was told that the teachers had requested this, and that there were not funds or appropriate services that the school could provide.
I was put in the strange position of having to prove my child did not have any higher needs than a typical child. Even when I provided a 1/4 inch stack of documents from the Northwest’s most respected hospial and research center to prove my child had no “Special” needs whatsoever AND our previous (Waldorf) school called 3 times on my child’s behalf, I was still given only a “conditional acceptance”. Why? On our acceptance letter is states my child needs to work on her “fine motor skills”.
I feel troubled by this and the other stories I am hearing from new families. I would hate to think this is why so many families are leaving our school and I shudder to think what reputation our school is creating in the Eugene community.