Rebecca Morrison returns to GBRSS as the 2012-13 First Grade teacher, formerly teaching Eurythmy. She brings with her a wealth of life experiences and a great deal of Waldorf training. Born in Wales, Rebecca spent most of her childhood in Africa and, she says, “The heart of her education attending boarding schools in southern England.” In early childhood, under the influence of her father, a mechanical engineer, she spent many hours observing, assisting and exploring the workings of things through projects such as dam building, go-cart making and tree house construction. As a result of her childhood in the 1960’s in Central Africa, she developed a reverence for nature and of discovery, and suffered no excess in material comforts! Life in boarding school, on the other hand, was an adventure in academics; Latin studies and all the classical subjects filled many days and nights. Biology, which was taught in a phenomenological way, was her favorite subject. Later, Rebecca received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Elementary Education Certification in Pennsylvania and supported herself through college as the Director of Youth Activities at the YMCA. One of the highlights of her time there was a play, that she co- authored and directed, which was performed by the children in the woods. In 1992, Rebecca moved to New York to attend Sunbridge College, embarking upon Eurythmy training. During this time Rebecca met her husband and two step sons. After completing the training, she taught Eurythmy at Hawthorne Valley School and at Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School. She continued her Waldorf studies at Antioch in Keene and at ALKION in Harlemville. Ask Syona, in the Sixth Grade, to point her mom out and welcome her to GBRSS!

Published in the Spring 2012 Mosaic Newsletter of the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (PDF).

Dear Parents, Alums and Friends,

Cast your mind back 40,000 years. Your ancestors lived in small kinship-oriented tribes, were close to the land and in tune with the seasons — living much the same as generation upon generation before them. They dealt with the exigencies of their present, felt strongly connected to revered traditions and worshipped their ancestors.

Things are different now. The pace of change is breathtaking. Cultural and social forces are fractured in hundreds of directions. Our children are not likely to succumb to the saber- tooth, but we feel vigilance is required to enable a path toward their full human potential.

Thank goodness for GBRSS, our partner in this worthy endeavor. For forty years our teachers have worked to “provide students with the foundation to create lives of meaning and purpose” and to build the school. But, in our own daily struggles, we too often take the school for granted. It is just there – by chance at the right place and time for our children to pass through on the way to their futures.

Please take a moment to consider the School’s future. Everyone reading this page already supports the school in myriad ways, and for that we are truly thankful. I believe that supporting the school is one of the highest and best things that we can do for the future of humankind. Please consider the Annual Fund appeal in that light. The school needs every penny you can give, and I promise we will use it wisely and well. The extra $10 or $500 you add to this year’s pledge could be the tipping point.

Sincerely,
Max Dannis, President of the Board of Trustees

Published in the Spring 2012 Mosaic Newsletter of the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (PDF).

Review by Sally Michael Keyes

Adam Gudeon, parent of two children at the school, published his first book, Me and Meow, with HarperCollins this fall. Adam was inspired by a drawing by daughter Iris, a student in Mr. Coulter’s class. True to its origins, the book is sweet, full of spirit, and a delight to read….but I am crazy about kids books, red cats and lots of color, so don’t take my word on this… here are excerpts from national press outlets.

From the School Library Journal, “Simple childlike pictures and a minimal childlike narrative describe a day in the life of Me and her constant companion, Meow, a red cat. The primitive figures are expertly posed and arranged with simple props on color- saturated spreads to reflect the joy and devotion the companions share. Children as young as two years will appreciate the brevity, rhythm, onomatopoeia, and repetition in the text.”

Publishers Weekly says, “Gudeon’s first picture book uses naïf stick figures and candy-colored backgrounds to create a book that feels as if it might have been drawn and written by an actual child” and its “lighthearted devotion to everyday pleasures should please the youngest readers.”

It also received a Kirkus starred review, “Gudeon’s…debut is high on style and charm…boldly colored illustrations follow the characters through their daily routine. Minimal backgrounds include just a few items rendered in the naïve style.”

Me and Meow can be found locally at Bookloft, and can also be ordered online. Adam is presently at work on his second book.

Published in the Spring 2012 Mosaic Newsletter of the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (PDF).