Making Sanctuary

Dear Members of The Waldorf School of Santa Barbara Community,

Here are a few revealing images from this week at The Waldorf School of Santa Barbara: the Second/Third Graders running through the sprinkler in the orchard as if there was no more urgent joy; Kindergartners in aftercare falling asleep to the sound of Ms. Marla's harp; the Fourth/Fifth graders eating lunch in the sun on the steps of the amphitheater; enamored Seventh/Eighth Graders unable to not smile while looking at each other while sitting on the grass in the field. Contemporary Nigerian writer Bayo Akomolafe writes powerfully about the importance of "making sanctuary" or "making kin with the world." He writes, "The times are urgent, so let us slow down." Such resonant language calls to mind the slowed-down, simple, vivid joys of WSSB: a place of sanctuary for our children; a place where children are making kin with each other and our beautiful world.

Important Update

* There is no school this Monday -- January 18th, 2021 -- in honor of our great American teacher, Martin Luther King Jr.

* For new students the priority application due date for enrollment for the 2021-22 school year is February 1st, 2021. If you are submitting an application for an unenrolled younger sibling, we encourage you to submit the application by this date.

The returning student registration fee is due Feb. 25th, 2021. Paying this will reserve your student’s space for next year. The returning student registration packets will be issued at the end of January.

Also: we greatly appreciate the many referrals from current families. Word-of-mouth is the most effective advertising.

* The Annual Fund link:

https://waldorfsantabarbara.org/annual-giving-fund

In great gratitude,

The WSSB Admin Team

PS -- The pensée of the week is by Bayo Akomolafe:

"It is no longer time to rush through the contested world blinded by fury and anger -- however worthwhile these are. Now is the time to ‘retreat’ into the real work of reclamation, to re-member again our humanity through the intimacy of our relationships. The time is very urgent -- we must slow down."

PPS -- The poem of the week is by Barry Spacks:

friend not seen for years:
gray whiskers
around the boyish smile