April Dates to Learn More about Azalea Mountain and Waldorf Education

Dear Waldorf Friends,

Please join us in the joy of co-creating Azalea Mountain Cooperative, K-4, with experienced Waldorf teachers, a convenient West Asheville location at Trinity United Methodist Church and a Nature Immersion Day each week at Sacred Mountain Sanctuary in Candler.

All are welcome to these important gatherings at Azalea Mountain Coop, Trinity Church, 587 Haywood Rd (park at far end of parking lot):

April 5, 3:30, Azalea Mountain Board meeting, open to the community. Planning playground, yard sale, May Faire, Lazure painting two classrooms, making and gathering classroom furniture and materials, and getting the word out!  All welcome. Sorry, child care is not available this time.

April 5-11  Meet the Kindergarten Teacher.  If you are interested in your child being in the Azalea Mountain Kindergarten, please schedule a time to meet the lead teacher, Kate Donnelly, when she is in town.  Kate will be moving to Asheville from Tucson Waldorf in July, coming to us with 15 years Waldorf early childhood experience! 

To schedule your time for you and your child to meet Miss Kate, contact Amy Arrendell, (828)329-2649.  (2, 3, and 5 day options)

April 10, 2-4 PM Handwork Group  Join Emily Ankeney, handwork coordinator, to make needle felted bunnies and chicks for the Azalea Mountain Kindergarten and for your own children.  Please bring wool roving and needles and foam.   Trinity Church has invited us to their brunch at 12 noon in the fellowship hall.

April 11, 10-11:30 AM   Kindergarten Story Time with Miss Kate.  Join our master in spontaneous storytelling, lead Kindergarten teacher, Kate Donnelly, to experience a slice of the Kindergarten day.  Bring your kindergarten age children.

April 15, 6:30 PM  Free Talk on the Waldorf Curriculum, by Jody Spanglet, Director of Ashwood Waldorf School in Rockport, Maine.  ALL considering Waldorf education, please come to this talk.  Learn the approach to academic and artistic excellence of this 90-year-old proven pedagogy.  Learn the developmental appropriateness of Waldorf methods to meet your child’s brain, body and emotional development in the healthiest way.  CHILD CARE WILL BE PROVIDED FOR A LOVE OFFERING.

April 17 2-4 PM Meet the Grades Teachers  If you are interested in your child participating in the grades programs at Azalea Mountain, please come get to know our trained and experienced, creative and inspired,  Waldorf teachers, Todd Crowe (1-2 grade) and Laura Coleman (3-4 grade).  Hear about the developmentally appropriate approach to academic and artistic excellence for bright, active children.  Hear about our Nature Immersion Day each Friday for the grades program.  For parents and 1-4^th grade children.

April 19, 3:30 PM Azalea Mountain Community Meeting  Join the joy of co-creating Azalea Mountain.  Be part of planning playground, yard sale, May Faire, Lazure painting two classrooms, making and gathering classroom furniture and materials, and getting the word out!  All welcome.  Child care available for a love offering.

For more information about application/enrollment to Azalea Mountain Cooperative for the 2011-2012 year, please go to www.azaleamountain.org, or contact Ashley Masters, amdambrosi@gmail.com, or Amy Arrendell, (828)329-2649.

Announcing Azalea Mountain's Grades Teachers for 2011-2012!

Dear Waldorf Friends,

Thanks to all who came to the Azalea Mountain Open House yesterday!  We had a full house of families and children with wonderful circle activities led by our teachers.

After an extensive search for trained and experienced teachers, we are pleased to share that we have chosen our grades teachers for 2011-2012!

Todd Crowe will teach first-second grade.  Todd is well known and loved as the home school enrichment teacher at Grow with Me.  Todd comes to Asheville from the Waldorf School of Pittsburg where he taught combined grades.  He earned his Waldorf certification from the Eugene Waldorf training program, and has attended numerous Waldorf conferences and intensives.   Todd is especially valued for his playful, joyful energy and commitment to excellence in teaching. 

Laura Coleman will teach third-fourth grade.  Laura has been a popular and productive teacher for combined grades in the Asheville area since 2005.  She is currently teaching third grade at Art Space Charter School.  Laura earned her Masters in Waldorf education over 10 years ago at Sunbridge College and has taught at Shining Mountain Waldorf School in Boulder, CO.  Laura is loved for her warmth, clarity and …..

Please come meet the grades teachers Sunday, April 17, 2-4 pm at Trinity United Methodist Church, 587 Haywood Rd., in West Asheville.

Kate Donnelly will be the Kindergarten lead teacher at Azalea Mountain.  Kate has been teaching Waldorf early childhood programs for 15 years and will move here from Tucson Waldorf School.

Maria Perry Allen will be the music teacher and the Morning Garden teacher for Azalea Mountain.  Maria finished her Waldorf teacher training in New Zealand and has taught at the Anchorage Alaska Waldorf School.

Please come meet the early childhood teachers Monday, April 11, 10-11:30 am at Trinity United Methodist Church, 587 Haywood Rd., in West Asheville.

For more information about applying to Azalea Mountain Cooperative, go to www.azaleamountain.org, or email amdambrosi@gmail.com, or call (828)329-2649. 

Introducing Our Lead Kindergarten Teacher!

Introducing Azalea Mountain’s Lead Kindergarten Teacher!

For months now the Azalea Mountain Board has been praying for the most experienced Waldorf kindergarten teacher for our children.  We envisioned a teacher who would also be a source of ideas and understanding for families as they bring Waldorf practices into their homes.  We also wanted a teacher who would be a resource to the larger community as well as someone who had experience with Waldorf start up schools who could be a wise advisor to our Cooperative.

We have had our prayers answered with Kate Donnelly!

Kate is coming to Azalea Mountain from Tucson Waldorf with 15 years experience in early childhood education as a skilled lead teacher and curriculum leader of innovative programs.  Kate earned her Masters in Waldorf Early Childhood Education at Sunbridge College.  Her thesis is “A Reason for Rhyme, Practical Uses for Original Verse in the Years of Early Childhood.”  Kate also holds a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard University Divinity School in Cambridge, MA, and is currently enrolled in North American Clown Facilitators Training!

Kate has exceptional skills in spontaneous storytelling, puppetry, beeswax candle making, clowning, music, and has a great sense of humor and a positive manner in working with others.  She deeply understands and knows how to nurture the imagination in children’s play.

One of Kate’s references was well-known author and teacher, Robert Sardello, who shared, “Kate lives the gestural quality of the child with her own soul being.  I don’t think you can do any better than Kate and her dedication to kindergarten children.” 

Another reference, Dr. Harvey Maksyzitiz, had his twins in Kate’s classes at Tucson Waldorf for three years.  He shared, “Kate is magical.  She was the key to their (the twins’) early childhood.  What they can do now (in middle school) with creative writing, reading, listening, music and using their hands was fostered from the world she created.”

Another reference from a 2 ½ year old, “Kate, fun!" 

Please come meet Miss Kate at the Azalea Mountain Open House, Sunday, March 27, from 2-4 pm at Trinity United Methodist Church, 587 Haywood Rd. in West Asheville.

Azalea Mountain Announces Program Fees for 2011-12

Philosophy of Cooperative Community

Community building is essential to Azalea Mountain Cooperative’s approach to enrollment.  We have spent the last three years collaborating on festivals and gatherings as we build a community in Asheville that shares a love of Waldorf education.  Now we are ready to enroll children in our learning cooperative!  The approach of Azalea Mountain Cooperative is based on that of the first Waldorf school: open to all who are interested.

How will we accomplish this?  Each family will contribute “the most they are able to contribute.”  Our contributions are in programs fees, donations and volunteer support to enjoy being in community and to keep costs down.  This is a different approach from paying tuition as the purchase of a commodity for “my child.”  Rather, each family’s contribution assures a stable learning environment for all the children. 

Cost of Providing a Stable Environment for Learning

The Azalea Mountain Board has spent the winter researching the costs of providing quality Waldorf programs for our community.  We have received the input from other Waldorf schools, local business people and our CPA.  The summary of our $196,500 budget for the first year:

Personnel Costs: $115,000  Provides teachers for Kindergarten, First-Second Grade, and Third-Fourth Grade, Eurythmy, Handwork, Music, Foreign language, Nature Immersion Day, and a part time office manager.

Facilities: $18,000 Provides our rent and utilities for three classrooms, an office, use of church play yard and fellowship hall at Trinity United Methodist Church in West Asheville, our Cooperative home for the 2011-2012 year.

Classroom and Playground Preparation: $15,500 Provides furniture and classroom materials to outfit the classrooms for the children; provides outside play equipment and garden. Labor will be provided by parents and community for classroom preparation and play equipment.  Many classroom materials can be provided by donations from the community.  This amount will be a primary target for fundraising.

General and administration: $28,000 Provides insurance necessary for operation, office expenses, advertising our new program, fundraising expenses and contingencies recommended by our experts

Financial Aid: $20,000 Provides tuition aid, and will be a primary target for fundraising.

Azalea Mountain Fees and Fundraising

Azalea Mountain announces its program fees for the 2011-2012 year.  These fees are lower than other private schools in our area yet they provide quality programming thanks to strong volunteer support.

Any family who chooses to do so can apply for financial aid through our on line admissions and enrollment service: TADS.

TADS has a thorough and proven system of evaluating family income, expenses, assets and liabilities to determine each family’s contribution to private education.  TADS is used by 21 other Waldorf schools in North America, including Emerson Waldorf in Chapel Hill.  We have chosen this assessment service for its proven track record for fairness in evaluating family ability to contribute to education.  Each family will pay “the most they are able to contribute,” which will be confidentially calculated by TADS and discussed with the family by a confidential representative of Azalea Mountain Cooperative.  Our contributions are in fees paid, our contributions to fundraising, and our volunteer support to co-create the school.

“It is only healing when In the mirror of the human soul

The whole community forms itself,    And in the community lives

       The strength of the single soul.”                    Rudolph Steiner

2011-2012 Program Fees: 

Kindergarten: $6,500          First-Second Grade: $7,250                 Third-fourth Grade: $7,500

For all new students, the application fee is $75 and once accepted, the supply fee is $225 per year.  A deposit of $500 toward program fees is required 15 days after acceptance.

 Azalea Mountain Application and Enrollment Process:

Step 1: Complete Admissions Application on line with TADS

Step 3: Family and Students Visits with Teacher

Step 4: Student Acceptance

Step 5: Complete Enrollment Agreement and Pay Deposit through TADS

Families who choose to apply for financial aid will fill out the Financial Aid forms on line with TADS.

 For questions about the enrollment process please contact Ashley Masters, amdambrosi@gmail.com or Azalea Mountain Cooperative at (828)329-2649.