Every parent with a child enrolled in EWS is a member of the Parent Organization (PO). Through annual dues, the PO offers a wide variety of lectures and workshops and also publishes a newsletter that goes out into the wider community. The structure of the PO is broken down into three main committees and their subcommittees:

Heads – This committee puts together the lectures and workshops held throughout the year to support parents learning about Waldorf Education. Classes in the past have been on subjects as diverse as Orange Crayon Painting, Coppersmithing and discipline and child development issues presented by nationally known counselors. Heads also oversees the publication of the newspaper Insights, which reaches out to the wider world community to convey information about Waldorf Education.

Hearts – The HEARTS Group of the PO works to be a grounding force for the EWS community by helping nurture a culture of mindfulness in which all feel welcome and appreciated.  These efforts are realized through activities such as the New Family/Friend Family program, the Back-to-School Picnic, Family Fun Nights, specialty teacher support, and more.

Hands – Hands contributes physical outreach and labor to the school. Beautification days and playground renewal are some of the many ways parents have helped to continue to make EWS a special place for their children. The Handwork Group is a part of Hands, teaching parents of all skill levels how to make Waldorf crafts. The items that are made are subsequently sold at the annual Fall Festival.

Social Inclusion: In partnership with the Faculty, the PO is spearheading a Social Inclusion program at Emerson, to address isolation, teasing and bullying.  All grades are involved, with older children helping out in the younger grades.  We are working under the guidance of Kim Payne:  for more information visit his website.

The PO meets typically once a month and it is usually as a potluck meeting.  Please check our school calendar often for when and where the next meeting will be here. Please join us!

PO Officers 2009-2010:

President: Will Hicks
Vice President: Leigh Sparacino
Treasurer: Therisa Pienaar
Secretary: Shannon O’Connor & Jennifer Bedick

Meeting Minutes: