Fruit Kabob
Dear Member of The Waldorf School of Santa Barbara Community,
Below is a note from Handwork/Games teacher, Mr. Kenan (otherwise known as “Mr. K”):
Archery with the Eighth Grade
I want to share an exciting activity from our Eighth Grade Games class last week. Students participated in a fruit-shooting challenge with a simple but motivating rule: hit a fruit, earn the right to eat it.
The photograph above captures a memorable moment featuring Chantika, Lillian, and Nya proudly displaying their archery achievement.
In an impressive show of skill, Chantika created what we now call a "Fruit Kabob" by shooting through an apple and then skewering a watermelon with the same arrow!
Why Archery Matters for Middle School Students
Besides being fun, archery aids our middle schoolers in these areas:
Concentration
In today's world where various distractions constantly compete for our attention, archery cultivates mindfulness/single-point focus—a capacity that directly transfers to academic success.
Physical Development
During this key growth period for the child maintaining a proper archery stance (strong footing and broadened shoulders) builds upper body strength, improves posture, and supports physical coordination.
Patience, Discipline, and Goal-Setting
Hitting a target as small as an apple requires considerable patience and discipline. Students learn to set specific goals (apple or watermelon) and work persistently towards them. Chantika even dared to aim for both simultaneously!
The above highlights why archery remains such a valuable part of our Games curriculum.
Thank you, Mr. K!
We thank parent and board member John Gill for helping us find a new piano. The piano comes from the household of Paul Zettas, husband, father, grandfather, and retired orthopedic surgeon who died a few years ago in Santa Barbara. According to his obituary in the Chicago Tribune, Paul played tennis and bridge in his retirement, read books, tended an orchard, and nightly “played the piano and sang a beautiful tune.” Paul was known “for his intellect, strong moral character, and voice of reason. He was a student of history and lived by the philosophy of ‘Moderation in All Things.’”
Thank you, Johnny and Paul!
A note from the Caste and Grounds Committee:
Big thanks for everyone’s help last weekend with the Castle and Grounds work party. It was truly a labor of love. We have tremendous construction/woodworking talent helping us beautify the campus. We are so grateful to Pat, Chris, and Teddy Travers for the shelves in the new shed they built. Thank you, Sergio, Tyler, and Matt for sanding and staining wine barrels and the rainbow bridge. Gil and Remy did an excellent job refinishing Ms. Justine’s fence. Thank you, Conor, for the lumber run, power washing, and heavy lifting. We appreciate Lisha for all her assistance (too many things to list here). Brittany helped plant another wine barrel with succulents while Lisa—along with 3rd and 5th Graders—moved mulch and painted our new tool shed—a tool shed that was built the day before at “Fix It Friday” by Ben, Chris, Matt, and Daniel! Potluck lunch and childcare made the day one to remember. Our children left saying it was “the funnest day” after watching their parents give back with open hearts to the school they love. True community at work! We are so grateful. We hope to see you again for the next event in May!
Thank you all,
Jillian and Jamie
Important Dates:
Friday, February 28th at 6:00 p.m.: “The Princess Bride” (a play by our 8th Grade)
Monday-Friday, March 10-14: Parent-Teacher Conferences (early dismissal days: 12:45 p.m.)
Wednesday, March 19th at 5:30 p.m.: Spring Performance (more information forthcoming).
With heart,
The Admin Team
PS The Thought of the Day is from Katrina Kenison (from the book Waldorf Education: A Family Guide):
“Family grace, like family mealtime itself, has been threatened by the pace and complexity of modern life. How easy it is to skip it. Yet how worthwhile it is to clear a space for reverence and community. Saying grace together, we are lifted up and out of ourselves for just a moment, as the light of spiritual awareness shines upon our gathering. I now think of our family table as a training ground for all of life: a place where adults and children alike can learn to put aside their differences in favor of laughter and fellowship; a place where we can each be heard and respected; a place where each of us can offer love and nourishment and receive it in turn. When we hold hands around our table, we create a sacred space. When we share food and life and good talk, we reweave our connections with each other.”
Thank you for supporting WSSB.