November 17, 2023
IMPORTANT DATES
November
11/17: 10th Grade Play: Medea
5:30pm at the School of Rock
11/18: Foundation Studies, 10-3pm
11/22 - 11/24: FALL BREAK (NO SCHOOL)
December
12/1: Community Singing, 8:30am (Community Room)
12/2: Sibling Admission Visit Day, 9:00-9:45am
Holiday Faire, 10:00-2:00pm
12/6-12/7: Wintergarden (Grade 1 - High School)
12/8: Community Singing, 8:30am (Community Room)
12/13: Seasonal Craft and Preschool Information Evening
12/14: Winter Music Choral and Strings Concerts
Grades 4-6, 4:00-5:00pm
Grades 7-12, 6:30-7:30pm
12/15: Community Singing, 8:30am (Community Room)
Wintergarden (EC)
Winter Music Choral and Strings Concert
Grades 4-12, 1:20-2:40pm
12/18-1/2: Winter Break (NO SCHOOL)
REMINDERS:
FALL BREAK NEXT WEEK! 11/22 -11/24
Please remember that we will be on break 11/22-11/24. We will return the following Monday, Nov. 27th. Enjoy the break!
Wanted: Volunteers for School Lunches!
Our amazing Chef Lex wants your help... yes, you! Offering a few hours of your time a couple days a week can reward you with a discounted lunch for your student. To volunteer, please email Chef Lex at alexisdunn53@gmail.com
Please Check the Lost and Found
The lost and found is growing! Remind your student/s to check the lost and found or walk by yourself to collect your missing itesm.
Get Your Holiday Faire Tickets!
Holiday Faire is back! You can purchase advance tickets and reserve times for Angel Room and Treasure Gnome now!
All children and adults attending need to purchase a Holiday Faire Ticket that includes ALL of the following:
Vendor Village with handmade gifts sold by CWS families, friends and alumni
Visit the Treasure Gnome
Chai tea and a baked good
Hot cocoa and a candy cane
Face painting, card making, candle dipping, pomanders, bracelet making, access to the musical performances
Angel Room Tickets are purchased separately, and one ticket will allow children to select one handmade gift. Multiple tickets can be purchased. After purchasing tickets, please reserve times in advance for the Treasure Gnome and Angel Room via the links you'll receive via email. This is intended to decrease time spent waiting in line so everyone can enjoy all of the activities of Holiday Faire!
Chef Lex will also be selling lunch, which can be pre-ordered HERE.
Also, sign up to volunteer, perform, or sell items in Vendor Village!
Sign up to help with your child's class activity! https://www.signupgenius.com/tabs/13572D901A2CAEAC5A18-holiday1#/
Sign up to perform in the Tea Room or Gym! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094BABAB2AA4FECF8-45247736-tearoom#/
Sign up to sell items in our Vendor Village! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094BABAB2AA4FECF8-45247322-vendor#/
Please reach out to Amie Duncan (amieduncan@gmail.com) with any questions.
Spring Benefit Planning Kicks off Monday 11/20!
This year's Spring Benefit is March 23, 2024, and the theme is "Let's Work Out for CWS"!
What's the Spring Benefit you ask? It's an amazing, fun party that also raises $$$ to support our school! Check out a groovy video of last year's event here.
Right now we're looking for some party planning muscle 🏋🏽 Whether you have one hour or twenty or whether you're good with decor or data, there's a spot for you on our team! Join us Monday, November 20th at 8:15 in the Community Room to get this party started right, or email bmcdaniel@cinciwaldorf.org if you're game to work out your party planning muscles!
Save the Date for Wintergarden!
Each December CWS joins Waldorf schools around the world to celebrate Wintergarden. Wintergarden offers students an opportunity to reflect on the light they carry within as they journey through winter's cold and dark and to feel how their light joins with the light of their classmates to create a warm and supportive community.
In preparation for this beautiful and reverent event, which parents are invited to attend, please mark your calendar for the date of your student/s' Spiral Walk.
Wednesday, December 6th | Thursday, December 7th |
9:45 - Grade 8 | 8:35 - High School (9-12) |
11:00 - Grade 7 | 9:45 - Grade 6 |
11:45 - Grade 3 | 11:00 - Grade 2 |
1:20 - Grade 5 | 11:45 - Grade 1 |
1:20 - Grade 4 |
High School students should be dropped off at the Lower School in the morning, so please plan for this. NatureTots, Preschool, and Kindergarten classes will have their Wintergarden celebration on Friday, December 15th. If you have a child in these classes, please look for information coming via email from your teacher. We will also be holding a Community Walk on Wednesday, December 6th at 5:30pm. More details about this to come.
More information will be coming soon about this event. You can also read about Wintergarden here.
CWS Re-enrollment & Tuition Assistance Policy Changes!
Re-enrollment takes place in early January!
Why? Our classes are very full (the Preschools, Kindergartens, and several grades are completely full), and re-enrolling our students in January gives us early and timely information about how many openings we will have for new students! Your $400 deposit ensures that we will hold your child's place at CWS for the 2024-25 school year.
How? Re-enrollment will take place online in your FACTS Family Portal. When? Your 2024-25 contract will be available for online re-enrollment in early December (we will send a separate announcement when it’s live) and will be due no later than Monday, January 8, 2024 - the first Monday after we return from Holiday Break. Contracts become binding on April 1, 2024. FAQ
Q: What will tuition be for next school year?
A: Tuition and student fees for 2024-25 have been determined by the CWS Board of Trustees and the information is posted on the CWS website.
Q: Is the deposit $400 per child, or per family?
A: The $400 deposit is per child.
Q: Is my $400 deposit refundable?
A: Your $400 deposit will hold your child's place at CWS. It is not refundable, but is applied toward your 2024-25 tuition invoice as long as the deposit is paid by January 8, 2024. If paid after January 8th, it is a fee and is not applied to your tuition; we cannot guarantee that your child’s space will remain available without a signed contract and deposit.
Q: What if I can't come up with $400 by January 8?
A: We are letting you know this date now in order to give you plenty of time to get your deposit together. The online FACTS re-enrollment process allows you the option to make either credit card or ACH payments. Please contact Libby Rupp if you have additional payment concerns. lrupp@cinciwaldorf.org / 513-541-0220 x.201
Q: What if I have an EdChoice "low-income" designation by ODE?
A: If you already have a low-income designation by ODE, you are not required to pay the tuition deposit, but you still must sign your contract online in order to hold your child's place for the 2024-25 school year. All student fees will be due by June 1, 2024. New EdChoice applicants are required to pay the non-refundable deposit.
Q: What if I plan to pay my tuition in full, rather than in monthly installments?
A: If you plan to pay your tuition in full, you do still need to pay the $400 tuition deposit by January 8th in order to hold your child's space. Your remaining tuition balance will be due on or before June 1, 2024.
Q: What if I need tuition assistance?
A: We have entirely revised our tuition assistance policies at CWS in response to the Ohio Department of Education’s July 2023 decision to make EdChoice scholarships available to all families in Ohio with students in Grades K-12. You can read our new CWS Tuition Assistance Policy HERE. Only families with preschool students, or families that do NOT live in Ohio, should apply for assistance through FACTS Grant & Aid - that application window opens December 1st and closes January 15th. Ohio K-12 families must first apply for or renew their EdChoice scholarship; income verification should then take place at the ODE website and assistance will be granted on a sliding scale as detailed in the policy attachment.
Q: What if my child is entering Kindergarten and may be eligible for an EdChoice scholarship? A: If your child is turning 5 years old by 1/1/2025, then you are eligible for an EdChoice Scholarship. Depending upon your school district, you could be eligible for a full location-based scholarship. All Ohio families, regardless of district, are now eligible for an Expansion scholarship, the amounts of which vary based on income. Please see the ODE website for details. If you think your child will be eligible for an EdChoice Scholarship for the first time next school year, please contact Karen Crick at kcrick@cinciwaldorf.org so that we can prepare your enrollment contract accordingly. Q: What if my student will be continuing on to our Waldorf High School? A: For students re-enrolling from Grade 8 to Grade 9, follow the same steps and timeline as above. Please note that our High School Director, Janelle Johnson, will be in contact with you regarding any additional information needed for successful enrollment at the High School. Signing this contract is the necessary first step to move forward with admission into CWHS. For more questions about the High School, please contact Janelle Johnson at jjohnson@cinciwaldorf.org.
Please contact Libby Rupp with any questions about tuition assistance at lrupp@cinciwaldorf.org.
Kroger Plus Rewards Earn Big Bucks for CWS!
From August — October, CWS families raised over $430 for CWS simply by linking our school to their Kroger Rewards card! A big thank you to those 100 households, and to the Kroger Community Rewards program!
From August 2023 - October 2023
100 Households
$437.64 Total in Donations!
If you haven't linked CWS to your Kroger Rewards card, consider doing it now! It only takes a minute. Then, every time you shop, Kroger will donate $$$ to CWS! It's an easy way for you to make a impact at your Cincinnati Waldorf School. So, don't wait ... link CWS to your Kroger Rewards card now!
Bring donations for Blessing Bags!
The fourth grade is leading the Blessing Bag project. They will be selling items at Holiday Faire to raise money for the items. December 13, fourth grade and the SAC will lay it all out. Each student grades 1-8 will have the opportunity to make a bag to hand out to the homeless.
The Blessing Bag project is the chance to give to our less fortunate and homeless population in Cincinnati. This year our goal is to make 180 Blessing Bags so that every grade school student can bring one Blessing Bag with them to give out. Please bring your donations to the Cincinnati Waldorf School or drop them off at Sonya Warren's house by December 8, 2024.
Click HERE to sign up for items to donate!
The High School Is Moving!
We are excited to announce that the Cincinnati Waldorf High School will be moving to our Lower School building in time for the 2024-2025 school year.
Click HERE to read more.
The Competition Is Heating Up for this Year's Class Pizza Party & Games Night!!!
(Click the image to see last year's 2nd Grade go wild!)
The CWS Annual Fund Campaign is underway, and that means the competition for the class Pizza Party & Games Night is ON! The first class to reach 100% participation in the Annual Fund Drive will WIN a night of games and pizza with Mr. Thomas!! Gifts of any size count, so please consider making your Annual Fund gift now — and help your child/ren WIN!
The Annual Fund is a vital fundraising campaign for our school, so this is a great way to support our school AND give your child/ren a chance to win a fun night with Mr. Thomas! And, this year, you can choose where you want your gift to go: Click the links to learn more:
Invest in Our Teachers & Curriculum: https://factsmgtadmin.com/give/appeal/y8jOKrhxG Enhance Our Buildings & Classrooms: https://factsmgtadmin.com/give/appeal/CMrJusSQ5
Show Your Love for Our Gardens and Grounds: https://factsmgtadmin.com/give/appeal/rGppvgW4E
Check out class rankings here!
Did you know? FACTS Has an App!
If you haven't yet, be sure to try out the FACTS Family App. While not all features are enabled, you can use the FACTS Family App to check the school calendar, utilize the directory, enroll/re-enroll, check progress reports, review the school handbook and other school documents, and update forms as needed.
Once you start using the app, we'd love to hear any feedback you have! Send that to bmcdaniel@cinciwaldorf.org.
Fall '24 Preschool Admission Visit Day
Sibling Admission Visit Day will be held on Saturday, December 2, 2023, from 9:00am- 9:45am in the Woodland Preschool classroom. This is a special visit day reserved only for younger siblings of current CWS students, and children of faculty members who will be ready for Preschool in the fall of 2024. Action Steps for Parents: 1. Please submit an online application for enrollment HERE. The application window for next school year will open in early November, 2023. 2. Sign up for your child's visit HERE Spots are limited, so please sign up quickly! Once you have signed your child up for the visit, Karen will contact you with further details. Please let Karen know if you have questions kcrick@cinciwaldorf.org
Seasonal Craft and Preschool Information Evening!
NOW ENROLLING for Spring 2024 NatureTots!
Registration is now open for the 2024 Spring term of NatureTots with Ms. Kyle!
These popular Parent & Child classes for children 16 months to 3 years provide an opportunity for young children and their parents or caregivers to come together in a joyful and nurturing environment where children are introduced to their first school experience in a safe and gentle way.
Classes are offered Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 11:00am, and on Mondays and Fridays from 12:30pm to 2:30pm, at the CWS lower school campus, located at 6743 Chestnut Street in Mariemont.
Now enrolling for Spring Term!
Begins January 15, 2024 Monday through Friday
• 9-11am • $399 Monday/Friday
• 12:30-2:30pm • $399
15 classes per session
For more information, contact Karen Crick, our Enrollment Director by phone at 513-541-0220, ext. 103, or kcrick@cincinnatiwaldorfschool.org.
Visit our website to learn more about our school's programs and to register for classes.
Support the PA's Winter Flower Power Fundraiser
Get a jump start on your holiday gift giving or order some beautiful winter blooms to brighten your house during the upcoming holidays. Shop the PA's Winter Flower Power Fundraiser now! Check out a large selection of amaryllis, plus a few other winter bulbs!
50% of all sales go directly to the CWS Parent Association to support its mission and fund parent education, faculty appreciation, and other community initiatives. Holiday orders ship starting mid-November, in the order they are received. All orders placed by December 1st, will arrive in time for gift giving for the holiday season!