Parentbook Answers

Parent/Teacher/Student Handbook
Table of Contents
Welcome

................................................................................................. 1

Chapter 1

Introduction.............................................................................. 2
Our Vision................................................................................ 2
Description and History of the Organization............................ 3
Waldorf Education ................................................................... 4
Handwork ................................................................................ 5

Chapter 2

Overview of the School ........................................................... 6
Roles and Responsibilities
within the School.......................... 7
Teaching Faculty ..................................................................... 7
Administrative Staff ................................................................. 7
Core Council............................................................................ 8
Parent Body............................................................................. 9
Committees: .......................................................................... 10
Student Council ..................................................................... 12

Chapter 3

Communication ..................................................................... 13
Questions and/or concerns and where to direct them:.......... 13
Newsletter ............................................................................. 13
Website ................................................................................. 13
School Directory .................................................................... 14
Mailboxes .............................................................................. 14
Bulletin Boards ...................................................................... 14
Volunteer Vouchers............................................................... 14
Parent/Teacher Conferences ................................................ 14
Parent meetings .................................................................... 14
To get help with an unresolved conflict or difficulty............... 15

Chapter 4

Registration, Enrollment and Tuition Policies........................ 16
Registration ........................................................................... 16
Tuition.................................................................................... 16
Supply Fee and Extra Expenses ........................................... 17
Membership........................................................................... 18

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Chapter 5

Practical Information.............................................................. 19
Responsibility for Children at School Events ........................ 19
School Hours and Punctuality ............................................... 19
Absences............................................................................... 20
Parents Visiting/Assisting in the Classroom.......................... 20
Policy for Parents Performing Volunteer Hours
During School Hours .......................................................... 20
Visitor Policy.......................................................................... 20
Visiting Student Policy........................................................... 20
Computer Use Policy............................................................. 21
Sick Policy ............................................................................. 21
Health, Wellness and Safety ................................................. 22
Transportation (Bus, Parking, Carpools) ............................... 23
Outings and Field Trips ......................................................... 23
Fire Drills ............................................................................... 24
Inclement Weather Policy...................................................... 24
Evaluations and Conferences ............................................... 24
Lunches and Snacks ............................................................. 24
Playground Policy.................................................................. 25
Injury Prevention Plan ........................................................... 25
Lost and Found ..................................................................... 25
Recycling ............................................................................... 25
Photographs .......................................................................... 25
Reporting Physical and Sexual Child Abuse and/or Neglect .................................................................... 26
School Store .......................................................................... 26
Library ................................................................................... 26

Chapter 6

Staff Policies and Procedures ............................................... 27
Everyday Policies and Procedures........................................ 27
Contagious Illness ................................................................. 30
Employee Policies ................................................................. 31
Staff Training for Emergency Evacuation Plan ..................... 32
Staff Emergency Procedures ................................................ 32

Chapter 7

Curriculum ............................................................................. 33
Three Phases of Growth in the Child .................................... 34
Kindergarten and Nursery ..................................................... 34
Grade School Day ................................................................. 35
Individual Grade Curricula..................................................... 38
High School ........................................................................... 40

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Chapter 8

Behavior Guidelines, ............................................................. 41
Discipline Philosophy and Policy........................................... 41
Codes of Conduct.................................................................. 41
Dress Code ........................................................................... 42
Discipline Policy .................................................................... 43

Chapter 9

Festivals and Seasonal Events ............................................. 44
Michaelmas ........................................................................... 44
Fall Festival and the Fairy Tale Walk .................................... 45
Thanksgiving ......................................................................... 45
Advent ................................................................................... 46
May Day ................................................................................ 46
Graduation and Closing Ceremony ....................................... 46
Canoe Trip............................................................................. 46

Chapter 10 Fundraisers and Other Events .............................................. 47
Wrapping Paper Sale ............................................................ 47
Holiday Bazaar. ..................................................................... 47
Hootenanny. .......................................................................... 47
Auction .................................................................................. 53
Annual Fundraising Letter. .................................................... 47
Grant Writing ......................................................................... 48
Raffles, Concerts and Other.................................................. 48
Chapter 11 Parent-Teacher Partnerships ................................................ 49
Parent/Teacher Relations......................................................
49
Rhythm and Home Life.......................................................... 49
Home Visits ........................................................................... 50
Birthdays and Birthday Invitations ......................................... 50
Volunteering .......................................................................... 51
Children and Media ............................................................... 51
Chapter 12 Resources ............................................................................. 52
Bibliography........................................................................... 52
Sources for Ordering Books .................................................. 57
Sources of Toys, Supplies and Equipment ........................... 57
Food Coop............................................................................. 58
Chapter 13 Building Layout...................................................................... 59

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Welcome

“Receive the children w ith reverence
E ducate them w ith love
Let them go forth w ith freedom ”
Rudolf Steiner

A note about the Parent, Student, Teacher
Handbook
The purpose of this handbook is to provide you with a guide to finding your way into the life of Hearthstone School. The role of parents and staff at Hearthstone
School are vital ones; your involvement and understanding of the objectives are basic to the school’s success.
It is hoped that the information in this handbook will clarify school policy, provide information about Waldorf education and, most importantly, act as an invitation to explore your own personal connection to the school.
The production of the Handbook has been a collective effort that continues to evolve. We are grateful to all whose work this handbook is built upon. It has been designed to be a permanent, easily update-able manual for reference throughout your child’s life in the school. Updates will be provided periodically; each page is numbered so the updates can be inserted quickly in the correct place. The school will save a great deal of time, expense and paper with this system. Please take care of this handbook as it will provide you with answers to many questions over the years.
We have tried to anticipate every possible subject, but if you still have further questions, this handbook and its accompanying directory should help you find the right person to answer them. Errors, insufficiencies and omissions may have occurred in the making of this handbook. Please pass your comments on to
Jane Mullan or Lisa Powers.
We look forward to a successful and exciting school year. choosing to join the Hearthstone community.

Thank you for

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Chapter 1
Introduction
Our Vision
Hearthstone School educates children in a loving, enriching environment
We offer an in-depth curriculum that awakens the imagination, opens the heart, and engages the hands by developing each child 's ability to think clearly, feel deeply and act purposefully. Hearthstone is an active partnership of students, teachers, families, and others in the surrounding community who create an atmosphere of safety, belonging, and mutual support.
At Hearthstone we are committed to: honoring each child 's spirit while emphasizing responsibility and cooperation; fostering academic excellence through an integrated, Waldorf-based curriculum that reveals the interrelatedness of all knowledge, and which teaches children how to learn rather than merely how to memorize information; an experiential approach that allows each subject to be explored through many modalities and hands-on activities including discussion, field investigations, drama, drawing, film, photography and music in addition to written material; periodically re-evaluating our curriculum and assessment strategies, incorporating new approaches where necessary while preserving the strength and stability of the existing programs; making a Hearthstone education available to children of all backgrounds and families of all means; creating employment opportunities for local residents that offer meaningful work at a living wage; cultivating a spirit of ownership and community, where children see their parents involved regularly in the daily life of the school; and respect for others, reverence for nature, service to the wider community and a sense of unity with all life.

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Description and History of the Organization
Founded in 1996, Hearthstone School serves a six-county region in the Virginia piedmont where the school meets a significant, growing need for alternative education.
Hearthstone 's arts-based curriculum, encompassing nursery school through 12th grade, is designed to nurture and educate the whole child, "head, heart and hands." Children are encouraged to see meaning and purpose, not simply facts. Small classes provide quality, individualized instruction. Learning takes place in an environment of compassion and safety.
Hearthstone 's program was inspired in part by the Waldorf curriculum, an interdisciplinary educational system used successfully throughout the world for over 80 years. Many of the founders of Hearthstone have been interested in the curriculum of the worldwide
Waldorf School movement, and the Hearthstone curriculum has incorporated aspects of the Waldorf School’s methods. However, Hearthstone intends to develop its own methodologies, drawing from many educational approaches, and adapt them to the children in the local six county area. Students at Hearthstone are taught through an experiential, developmentally-appropriate approach that reveals the interrelatedness of all knowledge. Not only academic subjects but also life skills are learned—from hand crafts to conflict resolution. Children see their parents involved regularly in the daily life of the school, form close relationships with teachers and staff, and are actively involved in the wider community through service projects.
Hearthstone serves families who prefer its individualized, interdisciplinary, hands-on approach to learning or whose children are not learning, not happy, underserved or under-challenged elsewhere. Some students attend Hearthstone from nursery school through graduation in 12th grade; others transfer from other schools at various ages.
Hearthstone also supports the homeschooling community by offering part-time participation in classes and activities such as art, music, dance, foreign language, and sports. Finally, Hearthstone is a resource for all area educators, developing and sharing innovative educational methods with other teachers and schools.
In the spring of 2000, Hearthstone 's Board recognized that the school had reached the limits of growth in its former location on a private estate in Rappahannock County,
Virginia. Both a larger building and a commercially zoned location were necessary to meet increased enrollment and to achieve long-range fiscal stability. With the help of several major gifts and the financial assurance of two members of the Board, the organization acquired property for a new location on seven acres of commercial land on
Route 211 in Sperryville, Virginia, adjacent to Shenandoah National Park. Here we have undertaken a major renovation project. There will be ample space to support all school activities as well as after-school, evening, weekend, and summer enrichment programs that will benefit the whole community. During our first year in the new location, as part of
Construction Phase I, a barn on the property was converted into the Nursery/
Kindergarten Annex, with extra classrooms, a kitchen, and three bathrooms. This building and a donated trailer provided the space where school was held for our students while construction on the main building progressed.

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After construction of the main building is complete, the facility will include:
Lower School which consist of Nursery/Kindergarten and 2 other classrooms 4 classrooms in the Main Building
Community Room, Dance Studio
Library and Teacher Resource Room
Commercial Kitchen and Administrative Office
Craft studio and a darkroom
Art Studio with pottery wheels and a printing press
Computer Lab and Music Room
Playground
Organic herb, vegetable and flower gardens

The s e c r e t of ed u ca tio n lies in resp e ctin g th e pupil.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Waldorf Education
From An Introduction to Waldorf Education by Rudolf Steiner College, Fair
Oaks, California
The first Waldorf school was founded in 1919 in Stuttgart, Germany when
Emil Mott, a wealthy industrialist and owner of the Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette
Factory, asked Dr. Rudolf Steiner to help him create a school for the families of his workers. Dr. Steiner was well-known at this time for his ideas in education and for his spiritual-scientific research leading to an understanding of the nature of man and the world. This path of knowledge he called anthroposophy, from the Greek anthropos (man) and sophia (wisdom).
Waldorf education is designed to develop the full spectrum of human wholeness—hand and heart as well as mind. It aims to support a harmonious development of the three soul faculties—willing, feeling and thinking—taking full account of the physical and emotional growth phases of the child. There is a particular emphasis on the development of the will during the first seven years of home and kindergarten education. The children learn most by what is worthy of imitation, through activities. During the lower school years (grades
1-5), the feeling life of the child is nurtured through the guiding authority of the teacher who integrates artistic, imaginative elements into the learning process. During the middle school years (Grades 6-8), the thinking capacity is just starting to develop. Math and sciences meet the budding intellect which later develops in the high school. During the upper school years (Grades 912), the faculty of thinking is more directly emphasized, by challenging the

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adolescents to individual judgement and to more conscious participation in their education.
Through Waldorf education, Rudolf Steiner hoped to cultivate in young people capacities of heart and mind and the strength of will that will enable them to meet the challenges of their own time and the future. He laid the foundation for an art of education in which the teacher, ever aware of the inherent dignity and individuality of each child, would strive to awaken and draw out the child’s individual gifts. This is in keeping with the true meaning of “to educate” from educere, “to draw out” rather than to put in.
Children are taught in chronological age groups of mixed ability. The school is coeducational and nondenominational, and by welcoming students of diverse social, ethnic and religious backgrounds, it attempts to reflect and serve the whole of society.

Handwork
By Patricia Lynch and Lesley Cox
Handwork is one of the unique subjects in the curriculum of Waldorf schools.
Rudolf Steiner saw handwork as a remedy for the fast-paced and highly technical modern world. He thought that because handwork would help children develop an appreciation and respect for things that are man-made, they would have a greater opportunity to support that which is practical and beautiful. In addition, handwork more obviously requires concentration, dexterity, attention to detail, willingness to “fail”—to undo mistakes and start again, and a commitment to see something through for days, and eventually for weeks, until finally there can come the pride of accomplishment.
Throughout all of the grades, an effort is made to use materials from nature.
Doing so encourages the children to be aware of all that the world has to offer. Understanding the origins of the materials that are used helps to develop a love, a respect, a wonder, and an appreciation for the trees, plants, and animals whose wood, fibers and fleece have provided them with the tools for their work.

Children who learn while they are young to make practical things by hand in an artistic way, and for the benefit of others as well as themselves, will not be strangers to life or to other people when they are older.
They will be able to form their lives and their relationships in a social and artistic way, so that their lives are thereby enriched.
Hedwig Hauck, Handwork and Handicrafts: Part I

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Chapter 2
Overview of the School
In May of 1996, a small group of families joined together to form a home school cooperative. They wanted an alternative to the public and private schools in the area and they wanted their children to be educated in a socially diverse environment. Hearthstone School was the result. While we are not an accredited school, we are currently incorporated and have attained tax-exempt, non-profit status as an independent school.
Purpose
Hearthstone strives to guide and nurture the student 's head, heart, and hands. It is an education that stimulates the intellect and nurtures the spirit. Hearthstone is also a parent cooperative. This is not merely a school to send children to — it is a commitment for the whole family.
Organization
We see Hearthstone as a living organism, requiring active participation from its members (some of whom are teachers). Members are required to perform volunteer hours (please see the Membership section) and attend
monthly meetings. The Core Council (a group of five or six leaders) meets every week throughout the year. Recommendations for the school may be submitted to the
Core Council.
Curriculum
Although we are not strictly a Waldorf school, Hearthstone finds particular inspiration in the Waldorf approach. Many of the teachers follow the Waldorf curriculum and daily schedule, and all follow the Waldorf commitment to an environment that nurtures each step of a child 's development.
In a Waldorf classroom, and at Hearthstone, careful attention is paid to the child 's spiritual, physical, emotional, and intellectual growth. The arts (poetry, drama, studio art, music, sculpture, textiles, and cooking) are used as tools to teach, among other things, inner grounding and focus, creativity, and individual empowerment. These art forms bring the world of ideas not just into the mind of a good student, but into the mind, hands, heart, and soul of a good person.
The Waldorf classroom also emphasizes direct experience of and application of learning. And so, alongside a traditional classroom experience, the students once built a geodesic dome in math class, hatched chickens in biology class and flew real airplanes in physics class. They plant vegetable gardens and put on plays in
English class. In Wildlife Ecology class, the students found a Least Brook
Lamprey and a Fence Post Lizard never before documented in this region. Field trips to art collections, plays at the Kennedy Center, museums in Washington
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D.C. and Richmond, and hikes up local mountains complement the curriculum.
Guest lecturers are invited in to speak on topics ranging from ceramics to the
Holocaust. It is a practical and exciting curriculum for the students and faculty.
Also, the Waldorf system and Hearthstone pay close attention to the rhythms of the changing seasons. We find in these forces of natural growth, blossom, decay, death, and regeneration an "outer" complement to the "inner" processes of the child. We recognize the changes in the natural world with various festivals and holidays. Conclusion
Hearthstone sees a child as a complex, evolving organism. He or she is not a passive vessel to be filled with information. For us, the child is a powerful and precious force of Being, struggling to come into the world, and in need of guidance, protection, inspiration, and nurturing. Just as a child 's body grows, so does his or her inner life. Of paramount concern to us at all times is the inner and outer development of each and every child.

Roles and Responsibilities within the School
Teaching Faculty
The teaching faculty is comprised of full-time and adjunct teachers. The fulltime teaching faculty is the guardian of the curriculum. It is made up of individuals who have either had teacher training for Waldorf teachers or training in a specialty area, or who have demonstrated a working knowledge and understanding of the Waldorf approach to education. In addition to their primary tasks as teachers, full-time faculty members contribute to the school by serving on committees, participating in curriculum and policy development, assisting with fairs and festivals, and helping to organize special events.
Adjunct faculty members play an important role in the school. These parttime teachers provide a rounded education for the students by using their talents to teach subjects such as music, knitting, art, photography, gardening,
Spanish, cooking, physical education, cooperative games, and pottery.

Administrative Staff
The administrative staff is responsible for managing the office and attending to matters having to do with the day to day operations of the school. This includes answering the phone, filing and record-keeping, helping children who become ill at school, sending and receiving correspondence, making copies of information available, and a variety of other activities.

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Core Council
The Core Council is a small group of individuals who are representative of the school membership and that are the governing body of the school. It is made up of a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer and 3 or more members at large. Core Council members may be parents, teachers, or administrative personnel who have been a member of Hearthstone for at least
2 years and are willing to commit their time and energy to the responsibilities of this important position.
Core Council Qualifications
1.

A Core Council member stands for the vision and philosophy of
Hearthstone.

2.

Core Council members are expected to be committed and active members of the school for two full years prior to being on the Core
Council.

3.

Core Council members are expected to be objective, keep the best interests of the school at heart and in mind, and be able to work for the good of the entire school and not only for the class of their child or children. 4.

Core Council members are expected to have an executed Enrollment
Agreement on file for each school year, and must live up to the obligations therein.

5.

Core Council members are expected to be in financial good standing with the School.

6.

Core Council members are expected to display the ability to work as part of a team (ability to work with others and ability to compromise).

7.

Core Council members are expected to have the abilities of discretion and confidentiality.
Core Council Duties

1. Core Council members will work closely together with the faculty.
2. Core Council members will keep all discussions and Core Council activities confidential.
3. Core Council members will attend all Core Council meetings and arrive on time. 8

4. Core Council members will attend all monthly membership meetings and arrive on time.
5. Core Council oversees the operations of the entire School.
6. Core Council members will have additional duties outside of Core Council meetings, and will perform these required council duties.
7. Core Council members will participate in problem solving and brain storming new potentials.
8. Core Council members will review recommendations from the membership body for upcoming new Core Council members, and present those who are eligible and meet qualifications (see above) for voting by the membership body.
9. Core Council members facilitate (with parent chairpersons and committees) fundraisers, festivals and other school events and activities.

Parent Body
The parent body is made up of all the parents of all the students enrolled at
Hearthstone. The parent body has the most diversified role. Parents’ responsibilities are to nurture and sustain the school through:
Familiarizing themselves with the philosophy of Waldorf education;
Contribution of specialized services and expertise;
Membership on committees;
Social involvement (attending school functions, festivals, parent activities and workdays)
Direct classroom volunteering, helping with field trips, etc.
Financial support
The community, created by parents sharing in nurturing the school’s development, provides a mantle of warmth around the school. Participation in creating the festivals and social activities can be rich and rewarding for the whole family. Each family is asked to contribute time and energy regularly to support school activities.

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The economic health of the school is dependent on the ongoing financial support and work of the parents. Tuition alone does not cover the operating costs of the school; therefore donations and fundraising are vital to the strength and economic soundness of the school.
Committees:
Participation on committees is a fun and productive way for community members to develop social relations, while directly enhancing the educational environment for the children and faculty of our school. This process of investing ourselves in the school together through meaningful work is one of the most important ways in which we knit the fabric of community. Maintenance and Grounds Committee
The Maintenance and Grounds Committee is responsible for the physical plant and grounds of the school. Membership includes faculty and parent representatives.
Maintenance and repairs are coordinated for the building, playgrounds, parking areas, walkways and landscaped beds. Particular attention is given to health and safety on the premises.
Some of the responsibilities of this committee include:
Maintenance of buildings, minor repairs, and painting
Repairs and upkeep of playground area
General clean up
Weeding of flower beds and plantings and mulching
Oversee construction projects
Establish area for tools, materials, building supplies
Newsletter articles announce workdays and identify projects. Often initiatives for classroom improvements come out of parent meetings, reflecting the needs of the class teacher. Project ideas and initiatives for improvements are also welcomed from parents and faculty. Parent support for the work of the Maintenance and Grounds
Committee is always needed, encouraged and appreciated. Those wishing to help can contact any committee member or the committee chairperson.

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Fundraising and Events Committee
The Fundraising and Events Committee is responsible for helping organize fundraisers and special events in coordination with the
Core Council. To facilitate this coordination of efforts, a Core
Council member is also a member of this committee or subcommittee for any given event. This committee’s responsibilities include:
Publicity for any fundraiser or event
Organizing volunteers for setup/clean-up
Assisting teachers with special events such as Michaelmas,
Advent, May Day, Thanksgiving, and Fairy Tale Walk
Assisting with organizing fundraisers such as Fall Festival, the Auction, the Hootenanny, raffles, the Christmas Bazaar and more.
Committee members on the Fundraising and Events Committee may choose to form subcommittees for each event, asking other parents, students and faculty to help with the subcommittee work.
Parents are encouraged to volunteer to help with at least one event during the school year.
Curriculum and Academics Committee
This committee is made up of teacher and parent members and at least one Core Council member who are interested in assisting with curriculum development for each grade. This committee also does research to provide additional current resources to the teachers, and assists with field trips and activities
Recruitment and Public Outreach Committee
The Recruitment and Public Outreach Committee is responsible for organizing recruitment events such as Open House in the spring.
This committee also seeks positive publicity in local newspapers by sending in articles to be published about events going on at
Hearthstone. Other responsibilities include advertising for Open
House and putting together recruitment packages. Also, members of this committee will try to set up information tables at other community events where new students may be recruited.

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Discipline and Mediation Committee
The Discipline and Mediation Committee researches new and innovative ways for disciplining the students at Hearthstone in accordance with its philosophy of educating the whole child. This committee may make recommendations to the Core Council on ways to improve discipline at Hearthstone. The committee may also provide resources for conflict resolution such as mediation to resolve conflicts within the school between teachers, students, parents or administrative staff. This committee should have at least one member who is knowledgeable about conflict resolution and mediation. Student Council
A Student Council is elected each year from among the high school students.
The Student Council consists of a President, Vice President, Secretary and
Treasurer. The Council meets as needed with the high school student body or with Council members only to discuss things such as high school trip plans, problem solving or resolving conflicts, fundraisers done by the students, community service options, or anything else that they think is important. The
Secretary takes minutes at every meeting and keeps a copy of them on file in the office. The Treasurer does record keeping for fundraisers and makes deposits in the Student Council bank account.

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Chapter 3
Communication
Questions and/or concerns and where to direct them:
If you are wondering to whom you should speak regarding a particular question or concern, the following list can be your guide. Questions or concerns regarding: Your child, his/her class or teacher(s) or questions about curriculum should be taken directly to your child’s teacher. If more help is needed, contact the
Teaching Faculty Chairperson. Concerns which are not resolved through these steps can be submitted in writing to the Teaching Faculty for consideration by the entire teaching staff.
Financial concerns relating to tuition and payments should be taken to Jane
Mullan.
General school business including school calendar of events, items for the newsletter, openings and closings for school, and so forth should be directed to the school office personnel.
Committees should be directed to the chairperson of the committee in question.
School policies and/or procedures should be directed to the Core Council in writing or verbally to one of the Core Council members.

Written Communication:
Newsletter:
Clear communication is vitally important to our school. Most school announcements, as well as other information about the school and its programs, will come to you via our newsletter. Submissions are accepted in the office and deadlines for submissions are printed in each newsletter. The school reserves the right to edit, omit or decline any submitted material due to length or appropriateness.
The newsletter comes out every other month during the school year and once during the summer months.
Website:
The website address is www.hearthstoneschool.org and is updated periodically.
It contains a variety of information and pictures and links to other sites pertaining to Waldorf education.

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School Directory:
Each year the office personnel produce a current list of faculty and families with telephone numbers and addresses and email addresses. This directory is distributed to all members of the school community at the beginning of the school year and should be placed in your School Handbook. Every effort is made to insure that the information is accurate, but periodic updates may be included in the newsletter throughout the year. Please use the directory as a tool for school communication only. The information contained in the directory is never traded, sold or used for any commercial purposes. Please respect this policy.
Mailboxes:
Mailboxes for the staff, faculty and certain parents with responsibilities that require written communication are located in the office. No commercial solicitations are allowed in school mailboxes.
Bulletin Boards:
Hearthstone has two bulletin boards: one located downstairs in the Main
Building at the Parent Corner inside the middle set of doors at the back of the building, and one in the lower school in the kitchen. Any information relevant to the Hearthstone community may be posted on these boards.
Another bulletin board is located just inside the main entrance to the large building upstairs. It is for use by Hearthstone, the Rappahannock Wellness
Center, and the larger community.
Volunteer Vouchers:
Nine vouchers (one for each month) will be sent to each family for recording their volunteer hours. The vouchers must be turned in each month by placing them in the voucher box located in the school office. If your voucher is not turned in, you will be billed for the monthly maintenance fee of $96.00.
Parent/Teacher Conferences:
These conferences provide a time to discuss the development and well-being of your child. Scheduled conferences are held twice a year or at the request of the parent or teacher. Please consult the school calendar and sign up at a time that is convenient for you.
Parent meetings:
Parent meetings are held every month on the first Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in the community room, to facilitate discussion on topics that concern our entire community. Agendas are planned by the administration and can be added to by parents and teachers ahead of time. Anyone wishing to add an item to the agenda may do so by writing it on the sheet posted at the Parent Corner. The dates of the parent meetings are also listed on the school calendar.

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To get help with an unresolved conflict or difficulty:
In every community individuals come into conflict with each other. When a conflict arises, we encourage direct communication between the individuals involved. If the individuals reach an impasse and need help keeping the process moving, a faculty member either acts as a mediator or asks a trained mediator to help. The following is the procedure if successful communication between individuals breaks down.
1. One or both individuals request a meeting with the faculty member to discuss the area of concern and determine whether there is the need for a mediation meeting.
2. If needed, the individuals, faculty member, and perhaps an additional listener and/or note taker meet. The goals of the faculty member during this meeting are:
A. To help the individuals discuss their thoughts clearly and hear each other’s point of view.
B. To facilitate a resolution.
3. Sometimes resolution requires more than one meeting, but at the end of each meeting there should be agreement that there has been forward movement on both sides.
4. If the faculty member feels that there is not progress after one or more meetings, he or she may discuss this with the individuals and may recommend that the issue be forwarded to the Core Council for consideration.
5. After the resolution, the faculty member follows up with both individuals.

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Chapter 4
Registration, Enrollment and Tuition Policies
Registration:
Application forms can be downloaded from the website at www.hearthstoneschool.org or picked up in the office. Hearthstone School admits students of any race, color, gender, nationality or ethnic origin. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, nationality or ethnic origin in admissions, educational policies, or in any school program.
Tuition:
A schedule for tuition for full time students, part-time students and homeschoolers and multi-child discounts is available in the office and on our website, www.hearthstoneschool.org. Tuition cost is voted on by the parent body when an increase is deemed necessary to meet budgetary requirements of the school.
Tuition may be paid in advance or monthly by the first day of each month.
Checks may be made out to Hearthstone School. A limited amount of tuition assistance is available each year for families who cannot afford full tuition.
Assistance is granted on the basis of the family’s financial need each year.
Tuition assistance forms are available in the office and must meet the deadline for applying.
The principal expenses of the school are fixed on a yearly basis, and the tuition fee has been budgeted accordingly. Parents are legally responsible to pay tuition as agreed to in the enrollment agreement and contract. Contracts are mailed out to the parents for them to sign and return by the first day of school.
Parents are not entitled to any deduction or refund in tuition for any absence of the child, due to illness or for any other reason. In the event that a child is withdrawn during the school year, the parent is responsible to pay the remainder of the tuition for the trimester in which the child leaves.
When tuition payments are later than 15 days, a 5% late fee will be automatically charged to the parents. After 30 days, the parents will meet with the Core
Council to discuss and arrange a payment plan. After 60 days, if payment is not made, the child will separate from the school. A child cannot begin a new school year until all of the previous year’s tuition is paid. The school reserves the right of withholding school records, transcripts and graduation certificates if there is an outstanding balance on the account.
TUITION POLICY GUIDELINES

There are four options for payment of tuition, all of which are determined prior to the beginning of each school year:
1.

Payment of full tuition. For families who do not qualify for financial aid and do not perform essential jobs under the Work/Trade option (see below).
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2.

Financial Aid. For families who do not have the income needed to pay basic and essential living expenses in addition to full tuition. Applications for financial aid must be received by the deadline in order to be considered. If a family qualifies for financial aid, a percentage of tuition will be covered. The amount of tuition covered will be determined by the family 's need and the financial aid parameters in place to calculate the amount of aid available.

3.

Work/Trade. This option covers jobs which the school needs to have done, and would otherwise be required to pay an outside contractor or individual for performing. If a parent is capable of performing a needed service to the School 's satisfaction, families may be eligible to work these jobs in trade for a portion of the monthly tuition due. Trade will be equal to a pre-determined amount paid per hour, which will be deducted from monthly tuition on an as-worked basis. Parents must keep track of their hours, complete and sign Work / Trade vouchers each month in order for these hours to be deducted from tuition for that month. It is the responsibility of Hearthstone parents to ensure that their hours are provided to the school each month or the full amount of tuition will be due.
Work/Trade is ONLY available for jobs which the school needs for efficient operation and would otherwise need to come "out of pocket" to pay. If you are interested in this tuition payment option, please contact
Jane Mullan or one of the Core Council members to discuss any jobs that may be available, and your qualifications for performing it.
Please note, as well, that all Work/Trade MUST be authorized in advance of the work being done. No work shall be credited against monthly tuition if it has not been approved in advance.
Work/Trade, like Financial Aid, is set up prior to the beginning of each school year, unless a special need or circumstance arises that the school needs to address. If you think you have a skill that the school could use, please contact a Core Council member.

4.

A combination of Financial Aid and Work/Trade. Based upon a family 's financial need and the needs of the school, a combination of these two options may be utilized to cover a portion of monthly tuition. Again, financial aid is only provided to families who have applied in a timely manner and have been approved, and Work / Trade is only available for jobs which the school needs to have performed.

Supply Fee and Extra Expenses:
During the course of the year, the cost of some activities is not covered by tuition.
Parents should expect to incur costs for field trips, the yearly six week ski and snowboard program, the annual canoe trip, Hearthstone shirts for music, and special projects. Advance notification of extra expenses will be sent home with your child prior to the need for these payments.

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In addition to tuition, a yearly supply fee of $200 will be due from parents for each child by August 1st. This fee guarantees that your child will have a space held for them for that school year. This supply fee covers the expenses of day to day items needed for classroom learning such as cooking supplies and arts and crafts supplies.
Membership:
Hearthstone is a parent cooperative which requires its members to work a certain amount of volunteer hours per month.
Volunteer Hours
•

Grades 1-12th

8 hours per month or
$112.00 maintenance fee

Nursery/K
Per family

Full Membership

6 hours per month for fulltime (4 days/week) or
$84.00 maintenance fee
(For part-time, the fee is adjusted according to how many days your child(ren) attend) •

Associate Membership

Part-time

Pro-rated

•

Members at large

Per family
1-3 classes per month 0 hours

•

Members will have the option of working for the school for $14 per hour for a limited amount of hours, which will be credited against the following month’s maintenance and tuition fees.
Maintenance and tuition fees will be due on the 1st of each month. Please be prompt with your payment.
Tasks will be assigned on an as needed basis.
Full Members and Associate Members are required to attend monthly meetings. Nine vouchers (one for each month) will be sent to each family for recording their volunteer hours. The vouchers must be turned in each month by placing them in the voucher box located downstairs in the Main Building lobby. If your voucher is not turned in, you will be billed for the monthly maintenance fee of $112.00. Additional hours worked each month above the required 8 hours can be carried over to the next month.

•
•
•
•

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Chapter 5
Practical Information
Responsibility for Children at School Events
Every school day, the children pass from the hands of their parents to those of the teacher, and back again. This is how it should be, with the children constantly under the loving eyes of those who have responsibility for them.
But what of those times when it is unclear who is carrying the responsibility, such as at a school event? Accidents are more likely when adults are not fully conscious of the children’s actions. Generally speaking, parents are responsible for their children at all events, except when the teachers are with the children as a class. School Hours and Punctuality
School begins at 8:45 a.m. and ends at 3:15 p.m. The school does not supervise children who arrive before 8:40 a.m. or who stay later than 3:30 p.m. Students in grades Nursery through 4th grade must be escorted to their classroom upon arrival. Please do whatever you can to ensure that your child is punctual and you are not rushing him/her to school every morning. Young children learn through imitation of adults, and when they see our striving to be punctual, they will begin to realize its importance. Try to arrive five minutes earlier so that the children can visit the bathroom and get a drink of water before they enter the classroom.
A discreet entry into the classroom after morning lesson has started is essential for the harmonious, rhythmical work already begun. The children feel left out and uneasy if they are not there to start the day with everyone else. When tardy, please accompany your child to class and sign in. If your child’s classroom door is closed, we ask that you and your child wait outside the classroom until invited in. This will be after the morning circle or after the 1st class period. The only exception is in Nursery/Kindergarten, where the child who arrives late will be welcomed into the classroom and brought into the current activities. Each teacher will have specific procedures for students’ late entry to the classroom which will be discussed with the parent at the beginning of the year. Please contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions about this process.
• 3 tardies = 1 absence
• 20 absences per year may mean failure

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Absences
Regular attendance is necessary for optimum experience in learning. The child is an important part of the whole class. When children are absent even for one day, they miss something and feel a loss. When your child is ill, please keep her/him at home, to give them the loving nursing care of home at such times, and out of consideration for others, in case the illness in contagious. In the event of a planned or unplanned absence, please call the school or notify your child’s teacher directly or ask the office personnel to let their teacher know.
Parents Visiting/Assisting in the Classroom
To ensure continuity and minimize disruption in class, parents who wish to observe or help in the classroom must have prior permission from the teacher.
Policy for Parents Performing Volunteer Hours During School Hours
When parents perform work trade and/or volunteer hours during school hours, the following procedures should be followed:
• No interruption of classes for any reason without prior permission of the school administrator or class teacher.
• No cleaning of classrooms while classes are in session.
• No interference in classwork or students’ day-to-day activities.
Appropriate behavior, language and attire are expected from all parents at all times while on school grounds.

Visitor Policy
Visitors must report to the office upon arrival at Hearthstone. Visitors must go through the office to obtain the teacher’s permission to observe a class.

Visiting Student Policy
Students attending school for the day must:
• Pay daily tuition
• Fill out and sign a form and adhere to codes of conduct
**This does not apply to first-time observations for enrollment purposes.
Students attending field trips must:
• Pay field trip fee
• Pay daily tuition
• Fill out and sign a form and adhere to codes of conduct
• Be invited by faculty

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•
•

Give one week notification to teachers and administration
Sign waiver

Computer Use Policy
The computer in the office is to be used by office staff only. The computer lab is located downstairs in the main building and is available to teachers and students
(with the permission of their teacher) to use when it is not being used for a class.
There is one computer in the library and one in the photography lab for teacher and student use. Students must have their teacher’s permission to use these computers also.

Sick Policy
Children should not attend school if they have the following symptoms:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

fever mucus that is not clear or is very runny bronchial cough sore throat flu-like symptoms (body aches, chills, fatigue, etc.) nausea unexplained rash vomiting diarrhea head lice known contagious ailment

Children must also remain at home for 24 hours after experiencing a fever, vomiting or diarrhea.
Any child experiencing any of the above symptoms at school will be sent to the school office. Parents or emergency contacts will be called directly to take any child home that is experiencing any of the above symptoms, and should come to the school office to pick up their child.
When picking up a child, the parent / guardian or emergency contact will sign the
Illness Report and will receive a copy of the report to take home.
This policy is to protect both the child and other students and teachers at the school. Thank you for your understanding and compliance.

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Health, Wellness and Safety
An emergency form with parents’ home and work telephone numbers and an emergency number for someone who can be responsible for your child is required for every child and should be handed in to the office no later than the first day of school. It is the parents’ responsibility to inform the school of any changes. Illness Guidelines:
• Cold symptoms: Keep children home if symptoms will interfere with classroom activities. For example, if the child has a continuous runny nose, persistent cough, fatigue, the child needs to be restricted by not going outside, etc., then he/she should remain at home.
• Medications: All medication (prescription, allergy, aspirin, etc.) that is brought to school must be accompanied by a note from the parent, and will be kept with the class teacher at his/her desk.
• Child Sick at School: If a child becomes sick during the day and needs to leave school, the parent(s) are called. There is a couch in the school office where the children can lie down until they are feeling better or are picked up by the parent(s). Parent(s) need to come when called or designate someone else to retrieve their sick child.
• Head Lice: Lice spread from person to person. They are most often transferred when children share brushes, combs, hats, coats, bedding or other common material or furnishings. Any type of close contact with another person or his/her belongings creates opportunities for lice to spread. In school, children’s susceptibility increases because of the large number of children, as well as the large common space and close contact.
Lice are most often detected by the eggs (nits) which are deposited on the hair shaft. The nits are a clear, milky color which some would describe as white, yellow, black, or grayish. They are shaped like a jelly bean, about
1/4-1/2 the size of a pinhead. Nits are most often attached to the hair shaft about ½ inches from the scalp and will not s lide on the side of the hair shaft where they are firmly attached. It is important that every family check their own children on a regular basis. Checks should be made with dry hair and in direct sunlight for best visibility. If you find a nit (sometimes one or two is all that can be found) please notify you child’s teacher and the office immediately so that the classroom can be thoroughly cleaned and class families can be notified. Please do not send a student with known lice to school. Treatment for lice is outlined on an information sheet available in the school office. After all treatment procedures have been completed, your child may return to school with a signed form stating that the treatment has been completed. The time, cost and energy which this “little” problem can require is often underestimated until it is experienced. Help our school community stay lice free.

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Homeopathic remedies and/or basic first aid are used for standard children’s injuries. Should a child have an injury which warrants further attention, the parent will be notified.

Transportation (Bus, Parking, Carpools)
Hearthstone School owns and operates a school bus which runs each morning and afternoon from the school to Clevenger’s Corner at the intersection of Hwy.
211 and Rt. 229. Morning pick up time is 8:10 a.m. and drop off in the afternoon is at 4:00 p.m. Please call the bus driver by 7:00 a.m. if your child will not be riding the bus. A monthly fee of $90 is charged for each child for this service.
The bus driver has the authority and responsibility for maintaining order and providing a safe environment, therefore the following rules must be observed and followed by all riders on the bus.
Students must:
1. Remain seated while the bus is moving and until it comes to a complete stop.
2. Not throw anything out of the window or put any body part out of the window. 3. Hold any large objects, band instruments or science projects in their lap. 4. Not fight on the bus or at the bus stop.
5. Not use profanity, make loud noises or yell.
6. Sit in designated seat if so assigned by the bus driver.
7. Not chew gum on the bus.
8. Not smoke, do drugs, drink alcohol or bring weapons on the bus.
9. Pay for any damage they may cause.
10. Help keep the bus clean by not littering.
11. Obey the driver at all times.
12. Wear seat belt while the bus is moving.
Hearthstone School encourages carpooling, when possible, to reduce traffic flow at the school and for the positive environmental effects. Currently, families work out carpool arrangements on their own, using the school directory and the office staff as resources to help make carpooling connections. A gathering at the beginning of the school year is helpful in making plans and connections with other parents who might be potential carpool members.
Ample parking is provided in front of the school. Parking on the grass is discouraged as this can often create puddles and ruts. FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR
CHILDREN, PARKING IS NOT ALLOWED BEHIND THE SCHOOL.
Outings and Field Trips
At the time of enrollment, all parents complete a Field Trip and Emergency
Medical form. These are kept on file in the office for all school outings. Parents

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who serve as drivers on field trips will be asked to leave proof of auto insurance with the office. The cost, if any, of field trips varies by activity.
Fire Drills
The Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Social Services Child Care
Division requires monthly fire drills for Day Care Licensure. Also the school is inspected yearly by the Fire Marshall and all fire extinguishers are checked monthly. The school is also inspected yearly by the Health Department.
Inclement Weather Policy
When school must be closed due to inclement weather, parents will be informed through the use of our phone tree. Please be sure to call the person below you on the phone tree to inform them. If school is not cancelled, parents retain the option and are encouraged to keep children home if road conditions are dangerous in their particular area.
Evaluations and Conferences
Hearthstone School does not grade children’s work. Rather, class teachers and subject teachers write detailed descriptive reports at the end of each trimester.
Exceptions are made and grades given in high school for transcript purposes when another school or a college or university requires them. The reports provide a comprehensive picture of the child’s academic, artistic, and personal growth and development, as well as a description of the material covered in each subject. The report is usually reviewed by the teacher and parent(s) at a parentteacher conference. These conferences provide a time to discuss the development and well-being of your child and days are provided on the school calendar.
You are asked to schedule a time that is convenient for you. If you cannot schedule a conference within the calendar days please let your child’s teacher know and work out another date and time that is convenient for you and the teacher. Teachers are grateful to hear immediately about significant changes or circumstances in the child’s life. Inviting your teacher for a home visit is also encouraged. Lunches and Snacks
Earth who gives to us this food
Sun who makes it ripe and good
Dearest Earth and Dearest Sun
We’ll not forget what you have done.
Hearthstone School requests that food and drink sent for snack and lunch be wholesome and nourishing. Processed foods (including sugar) are discouraged.
Gum is not to be chewed on school premises. Parents are responsible for providing a morning snack and a lunch.
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Playground Policy
Teachers whose classes are on the playground share responsibility for supervising the children. Teachers and supervisors ought to feel comfortable in guiding appropriate play among age groups with an eye to suitability, roughness, etc. If you see something that makes you uncomfortable, tell the child’s class teacher if they are present. If they are not present, intervene and tell them afterwards. Shoving, pushing, tackling, use of excessive force or throwing objects such as stones, sticks or snowballs are not allowed on the school grounds.
There are other outdoor rules that the faculty have developed for the safety of the students. After school has ended for the day, if children are on the playground an adult (a teacher or parent of Hearthstone) must be present to supervise. Parents are expected to pick up their child (ren) on time so that other parents or teachers are not held up from other activities they need to pursue. Parents who wish to let their children play on the playground after 3:30 p.m. must stay and supervise them. Injury Prevention Plan
We maintain a 1/5 Adult/child ratio in the Nursery class. Play areas are mulched regularly. Lost and Found
The Lost & Found box is located in the closet inside the middle set of doors near the Parent Corner at the back of the main building. Unclaimed items are donated at the end of the school year to charitable organizations.
Recycling
The goal of our school’s recycling efforts is to recycle 100% of our recyclable materials. We recycle paper, glass bottles, aluminum and plastic containers, etc.
Recycling collection containers may be found throughout the buildings.
Photographs
Local newspapers often publish articles about Hearthstone School and include pictures of the children. There are also pictures posted on our website, in brochures and on posters of students doing various activities. If you do not want your child’s picture appearing in any of these forms of media, you may sign a waiver to that effect. The waiver form may be found on the last page of the application.
Also, Hearthstone tries to have yearly pictures of each class taken and offered for sale to the parents. You will be notified when this is going to occur.

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Reporting Physical and Sexual Child Abuse and/or Neglect
The teachers and staff at Hearthstone School are mandated by Virginia state law to report within 24 hours any actual or suspected physical or sexual abuse or neglect to the Department of Social Services. DSS then determines whether to investigate the situation. As a faculty and staff, we maintain confidentiality on all of these issues and work carefully with the children, families and therapists or agencies involved.
School Store
The Hearthstone School store is located to the right just inside the front door of the main building that houses the office and is managed by the office staff. You will find there a variety of vitamins, herbal tinctures and gifts for children and adults. The store operates on the honor system and is open whenever the main building is open. When making a purchase, write down your name, date, and item bought and put this in the box along with your money.
Parents are welcome to sell items in the store on consignment. These items must be limited to homemade items made from natural materials. If you are interested in doing this, contact someone in the office to let them know.
Library
The Hearthstone School Library is located downstairs in the Main Building and is open whenever the school is open. Books for children and adults are available which must be checked out and returned according to the system established. A teacher resource section is also located in the library. Anyone wishing to donate books to the library may drop them off in the office.

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Chapter 6
Staff Policies and Procedures
Everyday Policies and Procedures
The following is Procedural and Policy information for the Administration,
Teachers, Staff and Parents of Hearthstone School.
Confidentiality
All staff members must maintain strict confidentiality regarding students and their families Child Abuse Reporting
Teachers are mandated by Virginia Law to report all suspected cases of child abuse or child neglect.
If the teacher suspects neglect or child abuse, social services will be contacted and documentation will be made.
Accidents
All accidents will be written up on the accident form as soon as possible, following seeing to the child 's / children 's injuries.
Discipline Policies
It is our policy to try to redirect the child 's behavior in a creative / constructive way
If required, the parent / guardian will be contacted
We do not use physical punishment
For more detailed information see Chapter 8
Head Count
The teacher / teacher 's assistant will count children each time they enter and exit the classroom and on field trips
Playground Safety
The staff and parent / guardians will maintain the playground resilient surfaces. Children will be watched closely at all times while on the playground.
Child 's Arrival
School begins at 8:45 a.m.
Parents / Guardians are to park in the parking area in front of Hearthstone
School 's main building.
Parents/ Guardians are to accompany their child to the Nursery /
Kindergarten and/or First and Second Grade classroom door, located in the

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lower school, where they will deliver their child to their teacher or teaching assistant. Child 's Departure
School ends at 3:15 p.m.
Parents / Guardians are to park in the parking area in front of Hearthstone
School 's main building.
Parents / Guardians are to collect their child from the Nursery / Kindergarten and/or First and Second Grade classroom at the end of the child 's school day. Parents /Guardians must inform their child’s teacher if someone other than parents/guardians will be picking up their child from school.
If there is someone whom the custodial parents do not want to pick up their child (i.e., non-custodial parent, etc.) please inform the office.
Late Pick Up
If the parent / guardian is more than 15 minutes late - we will call home.
If the parent / guardian is more than 30 minutes late - we will call their emergency contacts.
Tardiness
If a child is tardy, the teacher or office staff will attempt to reach the parent / guardian to inquire why.
In Nursery/Kindergarten, when the child arrives, the child will be welcomed into the classroom and brought into the current activities.
In all other grades, refer to the policy on tardiness under School Hours and
Punctuality in Chapter 5.
Child 's Absence
If a child will be absent, please notify the teacher or office staff.
If the child is absent and the teacher has not been notified, the teacher or office staff will place a call to the child 's parent / guardian requesting why.
Identifying Where The Child Is At All Times
The child is always to let teacher or teacher 's assistant know if they need to use the bathroom.
For Nursery/Kindergarten, if the class is outside, the teacher 's assistant will accompany the child inside to the restroom.
Parent / guardians must always let the teacher know when the child is leaving the class before leaving the school premises.

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If A Child Becomes Lost While At School Or On A Field Trip
Hearthstone School and its teachers are committed to knowing where each child is at all times, but if, for some unknown reason, your child becomes separated from the group, the following will happen:
The teacher 's assistant will stay with the class and call 911, contacting the police for their assistance.
The teacher will begin looking for the separated child with the aid of the police officer.
In the event of serious or significant injuries, the teacher 's assistant will call
911 while the teacher remains with the children.
Children 's outside playtime is not a social event for teachers!!
Field Trips
While in the vehicle, all children are required to wear a seat belt, or, depending on the child 's weight, must be strapped into a child safety seat.
Each child 's Emergency Contact / Health sheet must be in the possession of the adult in charge, along with any current medication.
A first aid kit including a working flashlight must be in each vehicle.
Emergency Contact / Health sheets must also be provided for any accompanying adult.
In the event of serious or significant injuries, the teacher 's assistant will call
911 while the teacher remains with the children.
Home Visits
The teacher will make a home visit to each child 's home once per year for
Nursery/Kindergarten students. Home visits are optional for all other grades.
Parent / Guardian 's Concerns
If a parent / guardian has a concern about their child in the school, they should:
First, go to the child 's teacher.
If the parent is not satisfied with the teacher 's response, the parent / guardian may then go to the Director of Hearthstone School.
Terminating a Child
A child may be terminated if:
The tuition is not paid
Extreme behavior problems that we have tried to work with are not resolved successfully. Contagious disease.
Illness While At Hearthstone School
In the event that the child becomes ill while at school, the teacher or office staff will place a call to the parent / guardian to come and take the child home. If the child 's parent / guardian cannot be reached or is not able to come for some reason, the child will rest with an assistant or in the office.

29

In the event of serious or significant injuries, the office staff or an assistant will call 911 while the teacher remains with the children.
Contagious Illness
The parent will inform the school within 24 hours or the next business day of a communicable disease within their immediate household. If the disease is lifethreatening, they must report it immediately.
The child should remain at home, in the event that the child is exhibiting such symptoms as:
Fever, watery stool, vomiting, lice and any other forms of contagious illness
Returning To Hearthstone After A Contagious Illness
Please contact the teacher or office staff prior to bringing the child back to school to discuss the child 's state of wellness.
At the discretion of the teacher or office staff, a doctor 's note may be required before the child may return to school.
Medications
The administration, teachers and staff are committed to the health and well being of the children enrolled at Hearthstone School.
The teacher or office staff will administer most medication; however, they reserve the right to refuse to administer any medication that they do not feel qualified to administer.
All medications must be labeled with the child 's name, name of medication, date, directions on how to administer the medication and proper dosages.
(Note: Asthma medications must provide a copy of the prescription label.)
All medications will be stored in the office or with a teacher in a safe area.
Being a Field Trip Driver
Parents / Guardians are welcome and needed as drivers on field trips provided they have the following:
Current valid driver 's license.
Current insurance, registration and tags.

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Employee Policies
•

Employees must be on time and arrive by 8:30 a.m.

•

Teachers are to never leave children unattended on or off campus.

•

Hearthstone requires employees to have a neat and clean appearance and to dress in appropriate attire.

•

Core Teachers will become Members-At-Large, and must attend monthly parent meetings, the 1st Thursday of each month.

•

Hearthstone has employed and self-employed teachers.

•

Employees will be paid bi-monthly on Fridays of each month.

•

Core Teachers will be paid for approximately twenty-six (26) holidays if those days fall on their work days (these are other than snow days).

•

When Core Teachers are sick, they will be paid $5 per hour for five (5) sick days. Substitutes will be paid $10 per hour. Teachers are responsible for giving substitutes their lesson plan for the day.

•

Core Teachers will be paid for up to five (5) snow days. Any number over five
(5) will be made up in June or on a holiday or vacation day. Teachers have the option of being paid during actual snow days or at the time of makeup.

•

Teachers meetings will be held once (1) a week on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
Teachers will be paid for one (1) hour.

•

Teachers are required to write student evaluations three (3) times per year at the scheduled times and have parent/teacher conferences two (2) times per year, or more if needed. Teachers are responsible for scheduling parent/teacher conferences.

•

Teachers are to write reports on behavioral problems and accidents.

•

To support the teachers’ efforts to make best use of class time and avoid classroom disruptions: o Employees may not make or receive personal phone calls during class time except in case of emergency. o Any personal phone messages received by the office for teachers will be given to the teacher during his/her breaks or at lunch or recess, except in case of emergency.

•

We view teachers at Hearthstone as public figures, examples and role models for our children. Therefore, we will not accept any teacher 's public behavior

31

that is detrimental to the well being of Hearthstone.
•

Profanity in the classroom and on school property is not allowed.

•

Smoking on school property is not allowed.

•

Hearthstone will not tolerate illegal drug use on school property or at any school function on or off the property.

•

If a teacher fails to comply with any of the above policies this will be considered grounds for dismissal.

Staff Training for Emergency Evacuation Plan
Staff will be given an annual training class.
There will be twice-monthly Emergency Evacuation Drills in the Nursery class.
The emergency preparedness plans will be reviewed and updated annually.

Staff Emergency Procedures
In case of a fire the fire alarm will ring. In the case of a disaster, a teacher will ring the bell. Head counts are always taken throughout any school day.
MAN MADE DISASTERS:
Fire
If fire is in the kitchen area of the Lower School
Children follow the teacher out of the class entrance door and move to the left to the far end of the playground.
Teacher 's assistant will be in the back of the line.
The teacher, teacher 's assistant and class will remain outside on the playground until the fire Marshall advises the teacher that it is safe to return to the classroom. (During the fire drills, a member of the office staff will tell when we may return to the classroom)
If fire is in our classroom
We will exit through the door that leads through the kitchen and out the front door of the lower school building, moving right to the far edge of the field.
Power Blackouts
Teacher will check the fuse box - if all is normal; teacher will take the children outside onto the playground.
Teacher 's assistant will call the electrician for repair.

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Water / Sewer Problems
In the case of water or sewer problems, the children will be sent home early.
Bomb Threat
In the case of a bomb threat, fire procedure will be followed.
Teacher 's assistant will call 911 while the teacher walks the children outside to the end of the playground.
Teacher 's assistant will join the back of the children 's line.
Hazardous Chemical Spill on Route 211
The children will exit through the back door and walk away from the road.
The teacher 's assistant will call 911 from an appropriate location, the teacher 's assistant will also contact the highway department (VDOT), poison control and / or the health department.
In the event that the children are removed from the school property to an appropriate safe place, parent / guardians will be contacted and notified of the location to pick up their child.
If the parent / guardian can not be reached, we will call the alternative emergency contact person, notifying them of the change of pick up location.

NATURAL DISASTERS:
Flooding
In the case of flooding, children will be sent home early.
Tornado
In the case of a tornado:
Children will be taken to the school library and instructed to sit underneath the tables.
Children will be told a story to entertain them, and assist calmness.

EMERGENCY CONTACTS
We will have valid emergency contacts for each child kept next to the telephone. In the event of an emergency, the parents / guardians will be contacted first.
If the parents / guardians are not reached, then we will contact the alternate emergency contact persons.
We will continue to call until we get an answer.

Chapter 7
Curriculum
“When we bring to the child just at the right moment, matter appropriate to his faculties,

33

to his disposition, then what he has been introduced to will become a source of refreshment for the child throughout the whole course of his life.”
Rudolf Steiner

Three Phases of Growth in the Child
The Waldorf curriculum is coordinated with the three phases of growth and development through which all children pass before reaching maturity. The first period extends from birth to age seven. During this time, children learn through imitation, absorbing not only the words and gestures of those around them but the moral climate as well. The second period begins about the age of seven, when the child realizes new power through the forces of imagination and memory. The third period begins at puberty, when the child becomes aware of physiological changes. This is a time of increasing independence of thought and turbulent emotions for the child.
The curriculum reflects the idea that each child 's development retraces the history of civilization. Therefore, the child learns to read after learning to write just as reading followed the development of notational systems. As the children become more interested in the practical aspects of life, the curriculum of the third grade moves to the Old Testament, farming and house building. A growing interest in social development in fifth grade leads the children into a study of ancient civilizations and issues of government. As children reach the seventh and eighth grades, they learn to think more abstractly through the study of algebra, geometry, physics, chemistry and cause and effect in history.

Kindergarten and Nursery
The kindergarten program is based on the conviction that imitation of what is meaningful and true in life is the most important activity for strengthening and nurturing the young child. The kindergarten provides a warm homelike atmosphere, and an opportunity for children to learn through imitation and activity. Play is a child 's real work and way of learning. Fairy tales and other stories, regular creative activities, sharing of tasks, individual activities, and group play are balanced in the rhythm of the day. The rhythm of the week is also carefully planned. There is a certain dependability that the children can rely on, knowing t h a t bread baking, for example, occurs each and every Tuesday, and painting each Monday.
Kindergarten is the time for the child to live in his/her imagination. The children become very engaged, for instance, in creating houses from cloth, performing puppet shows and plays and building with wood. It is also the time to develop social skills with playmates and teachers; the children learn to listen, to share, to help and to respect each other.
Circle time, a time for singing games, verses and poems, nature stories, drama

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and beautiful seasonal songs, is also a part of the kindergarten experience. All circle activities are learned through imitation. Through the rhythm of word, music and movement, we work toward the integration of the whole being of the child, right down to the fingers and toes. Quiet time and a snack, complete with candles and lyre music, give everyone a chance to relax and breathe out before some rousing outdoor play.
The final part of our morning is storytelling time. During this time there may be puppet plays or a simple acting out of the story by children. Around noon is lunch, followed by outdoor play, story time, rest time, snack and closing.
Nursery is our preschool program for three and four year olds, designed to be a bridge between home and school. The philosophy and the rhythm of the day are very similar to the kindergarten, but it is simpler and geared to the younger child.

Grade School Day
Each class teacher has his or her own way of beginning the day. Usually it starts with a morning circle which may include the morning verse, singing, recitation, recorder playing. Academic work is concentrated during morning hours when children are most alert and receptive. After the main lesson, the remainder of the day is divided into shorter periods, that are taught by class teachers and subject teachers. Artistic rather than academic subjects come later in the day, when the child 's ability to concentrate intellectually wanes.

Main Lesson
Each morning one of the principal academic subjects, such as English, history, science and math, is covered by the class teacher for two hours. Generally the subject changes after three or four weeks. The concentration achieved in the main lesson blocks allows each subject to be pursued in depth and with continuity. Subjects such as English and mathematics, which need frequent practice, are taught in main lesson and as special subjects at regular intervals.
Students put great care into creating their own 'main lesson books ', rather than using conventional textbooks. They carefully write and beautifully illustrate a book for each subject. A main lesson book on chemistry, for example, may include quotations from early chemists and philosophers, pictures of f ire and poems about fire, a detailed description of experiments done in class, and facts about fire that were shown or confirmed in those experiments.

Language Arts
The language arts program includes speech, handwriting, reading, grammar, composition, creative writing, theater arts and world literature. These elements are woven through the entire curriculum and emphasized in specific blocks.

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The reciting of poetry and telling of stories in the kindergarten form the beginning of the language arts program. The children 's enthusiasm for drawing leads naturally to writing.
The children begin writing in their main lesson books, and out of this activity they learn to read. The poems and stories that they have heard now become part of the material for writing and reading. By the end of second grade, the children make the transition from reading what they have written and illustrated in their main lesson books to reading aloud from a reader.
The class begins composing summaries of main lesson stories under the guidance of the teacher. This leads to individually prepared written material for the main lesson book. The guidance provided in the early years allows the children to develop their own creativity in language and writing skills. Upper grade students also receive additional instruction in English. Material covered includes spelling rules, grammar, creative writ in g and oral presentation.

Mathematics
Numbers are introduced in the first grade. The children explore the qualitative aspects of numbers, such as oneness, duality and threefoldness, as well as the quantitative. They learn addition, multiplication, subtraction and division in many lively ways such as stamping and clapping, walking geometric patterns, number games, stories and drawings.
Progressing through the grades, the children master the basics of arithmetic and then go on to work with fractions, ratios, decimals and percentages. Algebraic concepts are introduced in seventh and eighth grade.
Geometry is included in the c u r r i c u l u m in a wide va riet y of ways. In f i r s t grade, the children walk straight lines, circles, triangles, rectangles and pentagons before beginning to draw them. Freehand geometrical drawing becomes more refined throughout the years and develops in the sixth grade into precise geometrical constructions using compass, straightedge and protractor.
Seventh and eighth graders create complex geometrical forms and proofs.
Included in the study of mathematics are the history of number systems and biographies of the world 's great mathematicians.

Science
Nature stories present the natural world in imaginative pictures that foster a love and reverence for the earth and every creature. The children experience the seasonal rhythms and gifts of the earth within the nurturing setting of
Hearthstone and the protecting forest of Shenandoah National Park which adjoins the school 's property. Initially, nature stories present the outside world in
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imaginative pictures. In third grade, the children study farming, housing and measurement. The fourth grade science curriculum broadens to include the study of the human being and animal. The fifth grade expands to botany and the sixth, to mineralogy.
In the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, studies become more specific.
Astronomy, physics, chemistry and physiology are introduced, with scientific concepts arising directly out of the artistic experiences of the early grades. For example, from music the student is led into the world of acoustics. From color and painting he is led to optics. Heat, electricity, magnetism, mechanics, hydraulics, and meteorology are areas of further practical experimentation.
Biographies of the great scientists complete the curriculum.

Adjunct Classes
Subject classes include Spanish, form drawing, physical education/games, painting, music/singing/orchestra, clay and beeswax modeling, woodwork and handwork. Most of these subjects are taught by subject teachers who work closely with the class teacher so that the children experience the curriculum as an integrated whole with one lesson or activity enhancing another.

Artistic Activity
Artistic activit y permeates every aspect of the c u r r i c u lu m . Ch ild ren experience accomplishment when they create something useful and beautiful with their own hands. Drawing with crayons and colored pencils and beautiful penmanship are integral parts of main lesson work. Modeling with beeswax and clay and painting supplement the main lesson work. The power of concentration awakens as the child learns to knit and crochet and later, to sew and embroider.
Handwork develops discipline, exercises the will and builds skill. In woodworking, the child finds the joy of working artistically with form and substance using a piece of wood that he or she must first come to understand in terms of geometry and platonic forms.

Foreign Languages
The study of foreign languages typically begins in the first grade with Spanish.
Through their strong powers of imitation, children develop a good ear and feeling for the languages by repeating poems, singing songs and playing games characteristic of the culture from which the language comes. Reading and writing of the languages begin in third grade, as well as a more systematic study of syntax and grammar.

Physical Education
In the younger grades, imaginative play and active non-competitive games form the essential part of the program. String games emphasize finer movement skills.

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Gymnastics, or a similar activity, created out of the natural movements of children, begins in the third grade. Middle and Upper grades participate in other sports such as soccer, ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, basketball and softball. There is a six week block of skiing and snowboarding for ages 7 and up at one of the local ski resorts.

Music
Music is an integral part of the Waldorf curriculum. It touches and nourishes the soul, enriching the child 's inner life. Music class is taught two times each week.
The children of Hearthstone begin singing in Nursery and Kindergarten with pentatonic songs.
The music teacher introduces recorder in the first grade and continues with this in the second grade. In third grade, the children start learning stringed instruments such as violin, cello or viola, along with recorder. As the children get older, they are allowed to choose from a variety of instruments such as clarinet, saxophone, flute, trumpet, keyboard or piano, guitar, drums and other percussion instruments, trombone and the stringed instruments mentioned previously.

Individual Grade Curricula
The following is a more detailed description for each grade’s general curriculum.
Depending on the number of students in any given year, some grades may be combined to accommodate smaller classes and make it economically feasible for
Hearthstone to provide a teacher for that class.

Lower School:
First Grade
Fairy tales, folk tales and nature stories, pictorial and phonetic introduction to letters; form drawing; reading approached through writing; qualities of numbers; introduction of the four processes in arithmetic & lower multiplication tables.

Second grade
Legends and animal fables, reading and writing. Arithmetic, times tables, place value, carrying & borrowing. Elements of grammar and cursive writing

Third grade
Old Testament stories introduce history. Study of practical life: farming, housing, clothing. Reading, spelling, writing, composition, grammar, punctuation and parts of speech. Cursive writing practice. Higher multiplication tables; weights, measure and money.

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Fourth grade
Norse mythology and sagas. Composition and letter writing. Local and state history, local geography and map making. Study of the animal kingdom.
Fractions.

Fifth grade
Greek myths, ancient civilizations through Greek times. North American geography related to vegetation, agriculture and economics. Composition, grammar, spelling and reading. Arithmetic: decimals, ratios and proportion.
Botany. Greek letters and Language.

Sixth grade
Roman and medieval history. European and African geography, mineralogy, physics (acoustics, electricity, magnetism, optics and heat.) Composition, grammar, spelling, biographies. Introduction to algebra, geometric drawing with instruments. Botany, astronomy and introduction to Latin.

Seventh grade
Arthurian legends. Voyages of discovery. The Renaissance. World geography. Physics (mechanics), physiology (blood and muscles), astronomy and inorganic chemistry. Composition, grammar, spelling, literature, arithmetic.

Eighth grade
Literature (short story, letters, dramatic contrast in Shakespearean drama), composition, grammar and spelling. Arithmetic (review of solids and measurement), algebra, geometry, world economic geography, American history.
Physics (hydraulics), organic chemistry, physiology, meteorology.

The curriculum beyond the main lesson
Music (singing and recorder, string groups), foreign language, Handwork, form drawing, painting, clay and beeswax modeling, woodworking, dramatics, speech, physical education, art and photography.

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High School
“ Our highest endeavor must be to develop free hum an beings w ho are able of them selves to im part purpose and direction to their lives.”
Rudolf Steiner

The Hearthstone High School Curriculum engages students in a comprehensive study of a variety of disciplines including drama, the arts and music. High standards of writing, critical thinking and independent research serve to help students acquire the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in postsecondary education at a variety of levels. The curriculum as a whole is considered to be a life-preparatory curriculum with focus being placed on social/emotional abilities and artistic expression as well as on academics.
Each year the high school curriculum includes English, History, Math, Science,
Foreign Language, Music, Gardening, Physical Education, Art, and SAT
Preparation. Electives offered each year include Drama, Pottery, Photography,
Cooking and Computer Skills. Other electives are sometimes offered depending on opportunities that arise in the community and on the different talents and skills our faculty possess.
The following is a breakdown of the core academics courses. If you would like more detailed information, contact the office staff or class teacher.

English: Literature, grammar, poetry and creative writing.
History: American History, World History, Government and Ancient History.
Mathematics: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Calculus and Trigonometry
(optional)

Science: Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Ecology

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Chapter 8
Behavior Guidelines,
Discipline Philosophy and Policy
Codes of Conduct
•

In keeping with the Hearthstone vision, we want to create a nurturing and healthy environment, living gently on the earth with respect for all of
Nature 's creation. This should be reflected in our treatment of each other.

•

Students must be dropped off at school no earlier than 8:35 am and picked up when their particular class is over. PLEASE BE ON TIME. We do not have the capability to care for or supervise children before or after class. •

Students must attend classes for which they are enrolled and must go directly to their specific class at the designated time. If any change in their registration is desired, arrangements must be made with the office and prior to class. If a student will be absent, please notify the school office.

•

Students must remain at all times within designated school boundaries.

•

Shoes are to be removed upon entering the school. Slippers may be brought to or kept at school for indoor use.

•

Please do not send children in clothing bearing a commercial logo, cartoon character or picture of toys. Clothing and shoes should be comfortable. •
•
•
•

No halter tops - exposed midriffs.
No torn or ripped clothes.
No exposed underwear.
No tops, pants or skirts that reveal any cleavage front, back, side, upper or lower, etc. of any part of breast or buttocks.
• No skirts shorter than one hand length above the knee (fingertip to wrist).
• Students should be dressed in attire that is functional, safe, clean and neat. • The color black should not be worn in grades N/K – 3rd Grade
•

Students are not to bring unrelated materials to class / school without prior approval by the teacher. This includes toys, comic books or cards, sports or other commercially generated cards, CDs or tapes.
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•

Sound systems may not be used for entertainment purposes.

•

Please respect other people 's property, as you would have them respect your own.

•

Please do not bring personal electronic equipment to school.

• Upon entering the school, students are expected to walk and to speak quietly. •

We will not allow offensive language.

•

We will not allow aggressive, violent or disruptive behavior.

•

Please do not bring commercialized sodas or candy with sugar, caffeine, and dyes in school lunches.

•

No gum chewing anywhere on school premises.

•

Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the school premises.

•

There will be regularly scheduled fire drills.

•

No tobacco, drugs, alcohol, or weapons will be tolerated on school property.

•

Prescription drug use is prohibited at school unless prior arrangements with the administration are made.

Dress Code
Hearthstone has a dress code for students and teachers.
Please do not wear:
•

Clothes that portray commercial / media images

•

Shirts that expose the midriff

•

Torn clothing

•

The color black in grades N/K - 3rd Grade

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Discipline Policy
The teachers work on a daily basis to maintain discipline. Our approach is gentle and consistent. In most cases, disciplinary problems can be solved immediately by the teacher in charge. The following policy is designed for special cases where stronger discipline is necessary to deal with repeated inappropriate behavior.

Behaviors qualifying as Incidents, at the Teachers ' Discretion:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

Violation of the Codes of Conduct
Disruption of Learning
Destruction of School Property
Physical harm to self or others
Lack of respect
Failure to hand in homework or class assignments on three (3) occasions is equal to one (1) incident.

Process when one incident occurs:
1. Teacher writes incident report, and if appropriate, student signs.
Report is sent home.
2. Child is given a consequence by the teacher or discipline committee. Teacher talks with parent as soon as possible about incident and gives them the written report.
3. Consequence is carried out.
4. Teacher has a child study session with rest of the faculty. A plan is formulated about how to help the child 's growth at this point, which may include a conference with all the student 's teachers and parents and a representative from the Core Council.
5. Depending on the severity of the incident, expulsion may occur at any time.

After three (3) Incidents:
1. Student(s) is placed on probation.
2. Suspension from school for three (3) days will occur when one (1) more incident occurs after probation.
3. A hearing concerning continued enrollment will occur when there is one more incident after suspension. Expulsion will be considered at this point.
4. Child and family are referred to get professional help when appropriate. 43

Chapter 9
Festivals and Seasonal Events
“Celebrating festivals illum inates our life on earth w ith heavenly m eaning and show s us the significance of our hum an existence in the universe. W e hum an beings stand betw een the tw o w orlds, uniting them in ourselves. W e are the crossing point w here the upper circle representing the heavens flow s into the low er one belonging to the earth.”
Evelyn Francis Derry

The Waldorf Education Model is rooted in the Christian tradition, but does not seek to teach a particular religious view. Rather, the human spirit finds its expression in seasonal festivals celebrated through story and artistic presentation in group gatherings and in the classroom. Students from a wide range of religious, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds are welcomed at Hearthstone School and differences are honored. The curriculum itself, through the Old Testament studies, Norse, Indian, Egyptian, Roman, and Greek mythologies provides many opportunities to share other religious traditions in the classroom. If you are interested in celebrating special holidays within your child’s classroom, we encourage you to give suggestions to your child’s teacher. Parent participation helps to make these festivals meaningful and special. Parents are supported if they wish to keep their children home in observance of their own religious holidays. We strive to bring a universal nature to our celebrations of festivals through their connection with the rhythms of the earth and cosmos. We feel that the ceremonies and rituals associated with them help reveal the deeper significance of many everyday occurrences. The rhythms of the year, though taken up in each class in different ways, help provide a common foundation for the children. In preparing for the festivals, the teachers consider the mood of the season in the celebration. The nature of the festival is universal. The teachers do not seek to explain all this to the children, but allow them to take these things quietly into their hearts.
Children love preparing for the festivals by decorating the room, baking special treats, learning special songs and more. Nature stories and special tales help bring deeper significance of the season to the children in a pictorial way.

Michaelmas
In the Autumn, at harvest season, we celebrate Michaelmas on September 29th if this is a school day and if not the date nearest. In Celtic tradition, St. Michael represents the unconquered hero, fighting against evil and the powers of darkness. Saint Michael is also mentioned as an archangel in the Bible, Apocrypha and Koran.
He appears as a spiritual figure and protector of humankind, inspiring strength, courage, and will throughout history. Michael overcoming the dragon is an image that calls us all to be courageous, to keep the dragon at bay.
Each of us may have our own dragon—fear, greed, thoughtlessness or apathy.
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Michael’s qualities of courage, compassion, and steadfastness can be an inspiration to us all.
In school, the children may hear stories about the brave knight who overpowers the dragon with his sword of light. The experience of nature during autumn, that of a “passing away” illuminated by brilliant color, belongs to the Michaelmas festival. In reviving the old customs by celebrating Michaelmas, we should try especially to stimulate the children’s will to do good. Perhaps when the occasion presents itself, you can tell the child that nothing is ever lost, not even the smallest good deed, whether it is noticed or not. All good deeds are received by the divine world with joy, for they strengthen the power of good in the world.

Fall Festival and the Fairy Tale Walk
During the month of October, the Hearthstone community, in some years, organizes a Fall Festival to celebrate the changing of the season and the bounty of the harvest time. Activities for this event vary from year to year and include food, music, crafts, massage, tarot card readings, bat house building, dance and drama. Each year, as an alternative to the traditional Halloween trick or treating, we offer the Fairy Tale Walk usually on the Friday night closest to Halloween.
Parents and teachers volunteer to dress in costumes and act out the fairy tale of their choice for the children who are led from scene to scene by the town crier carrying a lantern. This event is open to the entire community with refreshments served afterwards.

Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a festival celebrated in many lands in a variety of ways. Worldwide, human beings who live close to the land stop at the end of the growing season when the work of the harvest is done and give thanks. In the United
States, Thanksgiving traditionally hearkens back to the end of the first growing season when the Pilgrims came from Europe and, with the help of Native
Americans, survived their first year in North America. At Hearthstone, we also celebrate Thanksgiving by having a pot luck feast on the Tuesday before the last day of school before the holiday break. The children from each class make dishes for the meal and parents, teachers, staff and students all come together bringing their favorite dish to share. Within the cycle of the year, Thanksgiving comes as the last festival that expresses the outer light of summer that is reflected in the harvest of grains, vegetables, and fruits. After Thanksgiving, we enter the Advent season where our attention is drawn to our inner light during this coming dark cycle of the year.

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Advent
Advent is a season that begins the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and we focus on bringing light and warmth to the upcoming long winter days. As the
Advent season arrives along with the busy holiday preparations, it brings with it the challenge of trying to find peace amidst the outer excitement.
At
Hearthstone, we celebrate Advent on the Friday of the Christmas break with one of the most beautiful and memorable events called the Advent Garden. In a semi-darkened room, lit only by candles and smelling of evergreens, voices are lifted in song. Each child goes through the spiral of evergreens to the center of the garden. Each child lights his or her candle, then places it somewhere on the pathway to light the way for the next child. It is a reminder of the journey inward each of us must make during the dark days ahead. This simple ceremony is a powerful inspiration for the children as well as the parents. The room is filled with a quiet, reverent and tranquil mood.

May Day
May Day is an ancient festival honoring the changing of the seasons from darkness to light. The tree of life was part of this ritual. The tree of life is the May
Pole, bedecked with ribbons and flowers. At Hearthstone, we celebrate the arrival of spring with an all-school community gathering on May 1st or the closest day that school is in session. The ground is strewn with the blossoms of Spring, and the children and adults, many wearing flowers, dance and sing around the
May Pole. This is usually followed by a picnic, weather permitting.

Graduation and Closing Ceremony
At the end of the school year on the last day of school, usually the Friday after
Memorial Day, we celebrate the wonderful year of learning our students have experienced. Each class shares something, playing music, singing or reciting poems and such. The kindergarten students are joyfully celebrated as they graduate to first grade. Eighth graders are encouraged and applauded as they leave behind grade school and enter a more challenging environment in high school. And seniors are celebrated and honored for their achievements throughout their school careers as they graduate from twelfth grade. The ceremony is followed by refreshments and socializing.

Canoe Trip
The annual end of the year canoe trip is always scheduled for the first Monday and Tuesday after the last day of school. Downriver Canoe Company provides canoes, kayaks, and rafts and a place to camp out Monday night. A fee is required for each person wanting to participate and each family is asked to bring something for a cookout at the campsite Monday evening. Participants canoe, kayak or raft for about 4-6 hours each day and it is a wonderful way to relax at the end of the school year.

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Chapter 10
Fundraisers and Other Events
Parents, as well as children, experience a sense of community at the school.
One of the best ways for a parent to get to know other parents, get a taste of the philosophy that underpins our children’s education and contribute to the ongoing health and well being of the school, is to participate in periodic fundraising events. The school, in striving to keep tuition as low as possible, depends on these events for its everyday operating expenses and to support its tuition assistance program.
The first fundraising event of the school year is the Wrapping Paper Sale and takes place in late October and early November. The wrapping paper is of the finest quality and the proceeds of the sale are split 50/50 with the vendor making this one of our most lucrative fundraisers.
The Holiday Bazaar occurs on the first Saturday of December. Children of all grades are busy making homemade gifts to sell at the Bazaar and parents are encouraged to do the same. Workshops are scheduled the month before once a week for parents to get together to create gifts and plan for this fundraiser. We also sell baked goods, wreaths and greenery for Christmas decorations, and toys from Hearthsong catalog are on hand for purchase. Other vendors are invited to rent space for selling a variety of merchandize such as jewelry, candles, clothing, wool, books, Christmas ornaments, etc. The Christmas Bazaar is a wonderful place to do your Christmas shopping. Whatever is not sold at the bazaar is put in the school store and we continue to sell items for the rest of the year.
The Hootenanny usually occurs near Valentine’s Day. Several local musicians participate in this event and refreshments made by parents are also sold.
Our annual Auction is held in the spring and is our biggest fundraiser. Parents, teachers, staff and students all participate by gathering donations from local businesses in the form of items or gift certificates. The larger items are sold through a live auction while smaller things are sold through a silent auction.
Again, refreshments made by parents are sold also.
In addition to these fundraisers, the students sometimes stage their own fundraisers, such as garage sales and by selling their art. These are usually for a specific reason, such as a class trip.
Hearthstone School sends out an annual fundraising letter to potential donors.
Parents are encouraged to give names and addresses to the office staff of anyone who may be interested in making a donation to Hearthstone. Potential

47

donors might include grandparents and other relatives or business associates or civic organizations that are looking for a non-profit organization to support. Any donations are tax deductible.
Grant writing is also a part of our fundraising efforts. While grant writers have been hired by Hearthstone in the past, the best results have been achieved by teachers and parents who have written grants and been awarded monies for specific projects.

Hearthstone also sponsors raffles and concerts to raise money. There are several on-going fundraisers such as Cartridges for Kids, Box Tops for
Education, and Shop and Share (Food Lion MVP card). Information about these fundraisers will be given to parents at the beginning of the school year at the first parents meeting.

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Chapter 11
Parent-Teacher Partnerships
Parent/Teacher Relations
As Hearthstone parents and teachers, we are joining together in a special partnership for the care and development of our children. As partners, we need to be in close contact. You are the “eyes and ears” at home, just as the teachers are the “eyes and ears” at school.
We encourage you to share your insights, questions, and goals regarding your child’s development with us.
Regular parent meetings, parent-teacher conferences and visits with the teacher help maintain the communications so vital to our work together. Parents are requested to observe the confidentiality of the relationship of the class with the teacher. Please take any concerns you have about a student who may be having a difficulty to the teacher involved and not to other parents who may not see the context in which the concern presents itself. We appreciate your observations and hope they will serve to deepen our mutual understanding of the children.
Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled two times each year. These conferences are held to discuss the development and well-being of your child. The teacher will present an Evaluation and provide an opportunity to exchange ideas and questions at the end of each trimester. The Evaluation is a detailed narrative prepared by your child’s class teacher describing your child’s academic and social progress over the course of the trimester. This evaluation is the official transcript of your child’s elementary or high school Hearthstone education.
Additional conferences may be requested by the parent or teacher.
As teachers, we ask for parent support in ensuring that the children are well prepared to receive the full benefits of a Hearthstone education. Home life is as essential to the growth of the children as the quality of education they receive at school. We request your cooperation in the following areas:

Rhythm and Home Life
Rhythm is a fundamental principle of all life. We experience the rhythm of the year in the cycle of the seasons, the rhythm of the month in the cycle of the moon, and the rhythm of the day in the passage from darkness to light. Our bodies are also attuned to the rhythms of our breath and our heartbeat.
Because Waldorf education is an impulse toward wholeness, it does not end in the classroom. The Waldorf teacher creates lessons that nurture learning, but

49

that also nurture rhythm, knowing that children need the security of order. Rudolf
Steiner says that rhythm is the healer of life, that which unites and makes whole.
The rhythm of the daily lessons, watercolor painting and form drawing, and festivals in harmony with nature are most meaningful when extended into the home. Parents can create a rhythm consistent with the values of the Waldorf classroom in many ways. Sharing an evening meal together each night unites a family at day’s end. In order for children to come to school rested and refreshed, we encourage you to maintain a calm, orderly rhythm for going to bed in the evening and rising in the morning. Many parents find a regular nightly routine of story, song, or quiet conversation eases the child’s transition into sleep.
Young children are very sensitive to the inner and outer rhythm of life.
Establishing a sense of continuity and order in their daily lives gives them a deep sense of security and well-being. The rhythmic structure imposed on a young child and imbued with the parent’s love is a discipline in the most positive sense of the word. The older child and student will transform this outer structure to an inner self-discipline in the years to come. Freedom is not without form, and one is truly free when one is not hampered by a disorganized life. Above all, the parent who, by example, shows reverence to the earth, respect to self and others, and follows healthy rhythms in his or her own life, gives a precious treasure to the child.
We also ask that you give special consideration to Sunday evening. In Waldorf education and at Hearthstone School, the Main Lesson given on Monday mornings lays the foundation for the entire week’s work. For that reason, we ask you to plan your weekends to allow for some “settling in” time on Sunday.

Home Visits
Teachers realize the value of seeing the child in his or her home environment and so may arrange home visits as often as busy lives and circumstances permit.
Please feel free to invite your class teacher or advisor into your home for a visit or a meal together.

Birthdays and Birthday Invitations
For the teacher, a birthday provides an opportunity to know the child more deeply, observing his or her special gifts, strengths, weaknesses and growth in the past year. Each class celebrates or acknowledges the birthday child in its own way. Celebrations are generally more elaborate in the kindergarten, but

50

usually a shared snack from home accompanies a birthday celebration throughout the grades.
If your child wishes to invite all of the children in his or her class to a birthday party away from school, you are welcome to distribute party invitations at school.
However, if invitations are selective, we ask that you extend them away from school. Volunteering
Parents are encouraged to volunteer for field trips, hikes, cleaning the classroom or kitchen, and any other jobs the teacher has identified as those needing extra attention. The children in each class have chores at the end of the day and we ask that parents do not do those particular chores. If you have an idea for an interesting and educational field trip, please let your child’s teacher know and, if possible, help with researching the idea. Any parent driving on a field trip is required to have a valid Virginia driver’s license and auto insurance.

Children and Media
There are many profound effects of media on children. Television, video, radio, popular music, computer games, the internet, and even print media bombard the children of our era with an increasingly cynical treatment of their vulnerability.
Documented effects of television include shortened attention span, reduced will and increased passivity. Further, media provides children with a premature exposure to adult issues and a dulling of sensitivity to violence and a loss of strong inner imagination due to the influence of the media. A child’s imagination is a foundation of his or her thinking, and a vehicle for learning and growth.
Children must develop this critical capacity with as few hindrances as possible.
The process of weaning children from media takes courage, creativity, and strength on the part of parents. Those parents who have done so find that their children learn to live more richly into their imagination and to find healthy alternatives. There are a number of books that discuss this topic; please see the bibliography for these references.

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Chapter 12
Resources
Bibliography
Reading About Waldorf Education
The Recovery of Man in Childhood
A Study of the Educational Work of Rudolf Steiner
A. C. Harwood
A lucid presentation of the Waldorf approach from preschool through 12th grade. Highly recommended for in-depth description of theoretical and practical aspects of this education.
Rudolf Steiner Education
Francis Edmunds
A most respected figure in English-speaking Waldorf schools authoritatively answers the question, What is a Waldorf school?
Common Sense Schooling
Roy Wilkinson
A good overview of Steiner 's educational thought and approach in practical terms. Teaching as a Lively Art
Marjorie Spock
Written by an experienced Waldorf teacher and eurythmist, this book describes in detail the curriculum of the eight elementary years, showing how the needs of the developing child are met with sensitivity, insight and appropriate timing.
An Introduction to Waldorf Education
Rudolf Steiner
Essay, written in 1919, goes to the heart of Waldorf education. 10 pages.
The Education of the Child
Rudolf Steiner
An early essay (1907) giving, in seed form, what later became the farreaching Waldorf school movement. A good introduction to Steiner 's ideas on education. 52

School as a Journey
Torin Finser
An absorbing account of one Waldorf teacher 's journey with his class through the curriculum from first through eighth grade. It is an excellent introduction to what goes on inside the classroom of a Waldorf school. Written with parents and educators in mind, it will be an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to understand the practical implications of Rudolf Steiner 's insights into child development.
Rudolf Steiner Education and the Developing Child
Willi Aeppli
Written out of practical experience as a Waldorf teacher, the author brings us into his classroom to remember what it was like as a child, thereby gaining insights to guide teachers and all adults. Includes sections on Biography and
Waldorf Education and Teacher, Child and Waldorf Education.
Toward Wholeness: Rudolf Steiner Education in America
Mary Caroline Richards
Celebrated author, teacher and artist brings her unique style to a discussion of Steiner 's holistic approach to education — that life and learning can be experienced in the same way as art as a union of inner experience and outer sensory life.
Waldorf Education — A Family Guide ed. Pamela Johnson Fenner and Karen L River
A practical and comprehensive collection of articles written by leaders in the Waldorf movement for parents and educators about the history, philosophy, curriculum and traditions of Waldorf education.
Early Childhood
You Are Your Child 's First Teacher
Rahima Baldwin
This is one case where the title really does say it all.
Beyond the Rainbow Bridge, Nurturing our children from birth to seven
Barbara J. Patterson and Pamela Bradley
Practical and inspiring wisdom for raising children in today 's fast-paced world.
Confessions of a Waldorf Parent
Margaret Corman
An engaging "first-person" account of what it 's like coming to a Steiner school with nothing more than the best intentions. Short and sweet.

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The Way of a Child
A. C. Harwood
One of the most popular introductions to child development and Steiner education. Creativity in Education: The Waldorf Approach
Rene Querido
A concise look at Steiner education by the founder of Rudolf Steiner College.
Lifeways: Working with Family Questions
Good run Davy & Bons Vors
Lifeways is about children, family life and being a parent. But most of all, it is about freedom, and how the tension between family life and personal fulfillment can be resolved.
The Magical Child
Joseph Chilton Pearce
A classic work describing how from the instant of birth, the human child has only one concern: to learn all that there is to learn about the world. This planet is the child 's playground, and nothing should interfere with a child 's play.
Raised this way, the Magical Child is a happy genius, equipped to fulfill his or her amazing potential. Pearce advances daring ideas about how Western society is damaging our children, and how we can better nurture them and ourselves. Endangered Minds: Why Children Don 't Think and What We Can Do About It
Jane Healy
Not to be considered light reading, but diligence is rewarded many times over.
A scientific treatment of the notion that the brain is a "plastic" organ which develops according to how it is stimulated.
The Hurried Child
David Elkind
A landmark book describing the effects of modern culture on the psyche of children. Elkind takes the reader through such topics as divorce,
"hothousing", competition and the media. A cogent look at developmentallyappropriate parenting practices and education.
Miseducation: Preschoolers at Risk
David Elkind
Elkind debunks the notion of producing "superkids", referring to it simply as miseducation. The ideas of status, shame, autonomy, alienation and competence are covered, along with an excellent overview of computer pressure.

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Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television
Jerry Mander
A hardcore treatment that convincingly suggests that the technology is so inherently dangerous, it should be eliminated forever. Written by a man who was once president of one of the top ad agencies in the country.
In the Absence of the Sacred
Jerry Mander
An expansion of his thesis that television is inherently dangerous, here
Mander presents a profound argument that all technology, unquestioningly praised as progress, actually implicates every member of society in a social, economic and ethical compromise that needs to be made manifest. Only then, he believes, can a truly conscious decision be made about the role of technology in the cultures of the world. An uncompromising book about a demanding subject.
The Plug-In Drug
Marie Winn
Classic study of television 's impact on children now updated to include material on video games and computers, as well as a new chapter,
"Television and the School". Based on interviews with hundreds of families, teachers and child specialists.
Who 's Bringing Them Up?
Martin Large
This book explores the relation between television and child development.
Both gradual and drastic ways of cutting down on viewing are explored.
Practical guidelines are given that will enable you to control TV — instead of being controlled by it.
Additional Titles
Children At Play, Heidi Britz-Credelius
Education Towards Freedom, Frans Carlgren
Waldorf Parenting Handbook, Lois Cusick
Better Late Than Early and School Can Wait, Raymond & Dorothy Moore
Children Without Childhood and Unplugging the Plug-In Drug, Marie Winn

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More Reading About Waldorf Education:
Adolescence
Educating the Adolescent—Discipline or Freedom - E. Gabert
The Younger Generation - R. Steiner
All Grown up and No Place to Go - D. Elkind
Between Form and Freedom - Betty Staley
On the Threshold of Adolescence - Hermann Koepke
Thirteen to Nineteen - J. Sleigh

Early Childhood
The Disappearance of Childhood - N. Postman
The Incarnating Child - Salter
Childhood: a Study of the Growing Soul - C.V. Heydebrand
Parenting a Path Through Childhood - D. Coplen
Phases of Childhood - B. Lievegoed
The Young Child: Creative Living with Two to Four Year Olds - D. Udo de Haes
Brothers & Sisters - K. Koenig
Early Childhood Education
Teacher, Child & Waldorf Education - W. Aeppli
Kingdom of Childhood - R. Steiner
The Motherly & Fatherly Roles in Education - E. Gabert
Early Childhood Education & the Waldorf Plan - E. Grunelius

Fairy Tales
The Wisdom of Fairy Tales -R. Meyer
The Uses of Enchantment - B. Bettelheim
The Wisdom of Fairy Tales - U. Grahl
Festivals & Family Life

Festivals with Children - B. Barz
Celebrating the Festivals with Children - F. Lenz
Festivals Family & Food - D. Carey and J. Large
The Children 's Year - S. Cooper, C. Fynes-Clinton, and M. Rowling
The Christian Year - Capel
Lifeways - Gudrun Davy and Bons Voors
More Lifeways - P Smith and S. Eklund Schaefer
Rudolf Steiner

The Essential Steiner - R.
McDermott, ed.
Encountering the SelfHermann Koepke
56

Toys, Play
The Doll Book - Soft Dolls & Creative Free Play—K. Neuschutz
The American Boy 's Handybook - D. Beard
The American Girl 's Handybook - D. Beard
Toy/making With Children - F. Jaffke
Painting With Children - B. Mailer
Pentatonic Song for Nursery & Kindergarten - E. Lebret
Journey Through Time in Verse & Rhyme - ed. H. Thomas
Children at Play: Preparation for Life - H. Britz-Crecelius
TV
What to do After you Turn off the TV - Frances Moore Lappe and Family
Amusing Ourselves to Death - N. Postman
Waldorf Education
Education as an Art: The Rudolf Steiner Method - H. Barnes and N. Lyons

The Four Temperaments - R. Steiner

Sources for Ordering Books
Awsna, www.awsna.org, phone: [phone] www.steinerbooks.org, phone: [phone] or 916-961-0927(same as Awsna) and fax: [phone]
Rudolf Steiner College Bookstore, www.steinercollege.eeu.org, phone: [phone] and fax: [phone].

Sources of Toys, Supplies and Equipment
Animal Town Game Co. P.O. Box 2202, Santa Barbara CA 93120
Non-competitive games and other family activities. (Mail Order)
The Bell Tower, 359 Turtle Lane, Shelburne, VT 05482, Phone: [phone].
Books about Waldorf education and anthroposophy.

Exotic Silks, 252 State Street, Los Altos, CA 94022.
Jamie Two-Coats, 1 Harbor Road, Shelburne, VT 05482 [phone]
Toys and books that support the philosophy of Waldorf education.
Hearthsong. Located in Madison, VA
PAPER SCISSORS STONE P.O. Box 428, Viroqua, WI. 54655
888-664-5843 or www.waldorfsupplies.com or fax to 608-637-6158
(Note: the office has some copies of this catalogue available for parents)
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Nova—27 Eagle Street, Spring Valley, NY 10977 [phone]
Weleda, 841 S. Main Street, Spring Valley, NY 10977
Natural remedies, general tonics, bath oils, toiletries, toothpaste, shampoos.
West Earl Woolen Mill. R.D. 2, Ephrata, PA 17522
Wool batts to stuff dolls and other toys.
Mecurius, Waldorf Supplies, www.mecurius-USA.com
Phone: [phone], fax: [phone]

Food Coop
Hearthstone School also coordinates a food
Foods, at www.frandferd.com. The orders delivered on the 4th Tuesday of each month. office. Their phone number is 724-352-9500 can submit orders online or by fax or phone.

coop through Frankferd Farms are taken the 3rd Tues. and
Catalogues are available in the and fax is 724-352-9510. You

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Chapter 13
Building Layout
Diagram of Main and Lower School Buildings

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