Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School ~ Igniting a lifelong love of learning for over 40 years

Festive Maypole dancing with live music, spring blossoms, games

(Berkshires, MA) March 26, 2012 – Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) invites the community to celebrate the delights of spring on the school grounds at 35 West Plain Road, Great Barrington. The age-old spring festival of May Day is celebrated at the school with live music and dancing around the Maypole. May Day festivities begin at 11:00am, with performances by local Morris dancing teams and country dancing by elementary school students. The May Day celebration continues with games and picnics on the lawn. The community is invited to bring family and friends, blankets, hats, sunscreen and picnic baskets, and welcome summer joyfully! The school will also host an open house and tour at 9am the same morning, prior to the celebration, or on an informal basis after the event. For more information, please contact Tracy Fernbacher at 413-528-4015 x. 106 or admissions@gbrss.org

Waldorf schools all over the world celebrate festivals from many heritages throughout the school year. May Day is a favorite among students due to the energetic dancing, cheerful singing and games, and draws many alumni and extended community members to join the festivities. Historically, Northern Europeans considered this time of year (the end of winter, midway between spring and summer solstices) as the beginning of the new year. At the Steiner School, the 1st of May is celebrated with traditional Morris dances, singing and group dances which weave bright ribbons around the 25 foot tall Maypole. During February and March of each school year, 4th through 8th graders anticipate the end of winter by learning country dances using ribbons, bells and wooden sticks — bells to attract fairy folk, and wooden sticks to wake the earth. The 5th graders perform the dances that weave ribbons around the May Pole with vibrant spring colors.

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School: Authentic Learning in the Berkshires – Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a warm welcome to learning through Early Childhood programs, including Parent/Toddler, Nursery and Kindergarten, progressing into engaging elementary education for First through Eighth grade. The Early Childhood program nurtures children ages 2 to 6 in five classrooms in the Early Childhood building, surrounded by gardens, woods and play areas, and prepares them for elementary school on the other side of the 30 acre campus. First through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) follow a rigorous academic and artistic curriculum, preparing them for their choice of high school and college. One of over 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, and part of the movement of independent schools developed over 80 years ago by scientist, philosopher and writer Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from a core belief that to educate the whole child is to engage the intellectual, spiritual and physical self in all areas of learning.
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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with May Day Master of Ceremonies Christopher Sblendorio or GBRSS School Administrator John Greene, please contact Robyn Coe at (518) 392-2469, or robynpc@gmail.com

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School ~ Igniting a lifelong love of learning for over 40 years

7th and 8th Grade students describe, demonstrate and deliver unique Chemistry, Biology and Physics Projects

(Berkshires, MA) March 12, 2012 – Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) invites the community to the 3rd annual Science Fair, Monday April 2nd, from 7-8:30pm in the school auditorium at 35 West Plain Road, Great Barrington. Independent Science Fair projects, in which students work with a mentor who has expertise in their area of interest, allow a student to choose their own topic from Earth Science, Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy or Biology. Their project can be an experiment (does lemon juice prevent fruit from spoiling?), an exploration (observe, keep a journal and research crows) or a project (build a generator). In 2012, GBRSS students will demonstrate projects on such diverse topics as cheese making, antique radio restoration, robots, building a catapult, solar ovens, explosives and making furniture with newspaper, to name just a few of the over 40 projects. GBRSS Middle School Science teacher Shawn Green, who was drawn to the holistic nature of Waldorf education after being an educator for the Peace Corps in Thailand, says, “Waldorf education, including science, is taught through the hands, heart and head. GBRSS students conduct experiments with their hands, experience scientific demonstrations with their hearts and understand concepts with their heads. I invite the community to experience the students’ work and enjoy the insights of these diverse projects.” For more information, please call the school at (413) 528-4015 or email office@gbrss.org.

In the GBRSS classroom, science is first and foremost observation. A concept such as convection or combustion is initially demonstrated without specific instruction from the teacher; the student’s focus is to observe the phenomena. Later, students attempt their own similar experiments, observing and noting reactions to deduce the principles at work. Instead of memorizing a concept, they experience it firsthand, inspiring both a deeper understanding of what they are learning and curiosity about what they don’t yet know. Even in the younger grades, where science isn’t taught as a separate subject per se, years of observation and exposure to natural and scientific concepts based on observation and inner logic give the children experience with different disciplines, so that when they study biology and observe experiments, there is a sense of familiarity and readiness. School Administrator John Greene adds, “The GBRSS Science Fair is a fascinating way to learn how children learn.”

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School: Authentic Learning in the Berkshires – Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a warm welcome to learning through Early Childhood programs, including Parent/Toddler, Nursery and Kindergarten, progressing into engaging elementary education for First through Eighth grade. The Early Childhood program nurtures children ages 2 to 6 in five classrooms in the Early Childhood building, surrounded by gardens, woods and play areas, and prepares them for elementary school on the other side of the 30 acre campus. First through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) follow a rigorous academic and artistic curriculum, preparing them for their choice of high school and college. One of over 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, and part of the movement of independent schools developed over 80 years ago by scientist, philosopher and writer Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from a core belief that to educate the whole child is to engage the intellectual, spiritual and physical self in all areas of learning.

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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with Science teacher Shawn Green or GBRSS School Administrator John Greene, please contact Robyn Coe at (518) 392-2469, or robynpc@gmail.com.

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School ~ Igniting a lifelong love of learning for over 40 years

A day of golf at expansive Copake Country Club to benefit Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School Students

(Berkshires, MA) April 12, 2012 – Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) invites the community to the 9th Annual Golf Outing on Sunday, May 20, at the Copake Country Club, a 160-acre golf course at the foot of the Berkshires in Columbia County, New York, overlooking Copake Lake. Following a complimentary lunch at 11am, players will tee off at noon. The cost of $125 per person also includes a shot at “going for the gold” with a $5,000 hole-in-one purse, and a barbecue dinner for all participants catered by The Greens restaurant. A raffle for golf-themed prizes, such as golf clubs and gear, adds to the day’s festivities. The field is open to everyone, and no experience is necessary. Event sponsors include Local 111 Restaurant (Philmont, NY), Sand Road Animal Hospital, Salisbury Bank and media sponsor WKZE. Tax deductible sponsorships are still available. All proceeds benefit students at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School. To learn more about sponsoring or attending the Golf Outing, please contact Janie LaBrasca at 413-528-4015 x. 104 or development@gbrss.org.

The Golf  Outing Fundraiser was founded in 2003 by GBRSS parent and Board member Gary Casarsa. The GBRSS Golf Outing provides an opportunity to spend a spring day enjoying a “scramble,” where every player gets to play the best shot, on 18 holes at the Copake Country Club. According to Casarsa, “It’s a lot of fun to play this picturesque course. Players can look forward to an afternoon with friends, a beautiful dinner overlooking the lake and the satisfaction of making a big difference for the school.” Created by master golf course designer Devereux Emmet and renowned for its breathtaking views of the Berkshire and Catskill mountains, the Copake Country Club was saved from development in 2007 by longtime lake residents Jon Usher and Ross Mauri, who revitalized the course as well as Copake Country Club’s relaxed but upscale restaurant, The Greens, which is led by Executive Chef Glenn Strinkling, formerly of the John Anderson Restaurant in Egremont.

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School: Authentic Learning in the Berkshires – Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a warm welcome to learning through Early Childhood programs, including Parent/Toddler, Nursery and Kindergarten, progressing into engaging elementary education for First through Eighth grade. The Early Childhood program nurtures children ages 2 to 6 in five classrooms in the Early Childhood building, surrounded by gardens, woods and play areas, and prepares them for elementary school on the other side of the 20 acre campus. First through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) follow a rigorous academic and artistic curriculum, preparing them for their choice of high school and college. One of over 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, and part of the movement of independent schools developed over 90 years ago by scientist, philosopher and writer Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from a core belief that to educate the whole child is to engage the intellectual, spiritual and physical self in all areas of learning.
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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with GBRSS Golf Outing Founder Gary Casarsa or GBRSS School Administrator John Greene, please contact Robyn Coe at (518) 392-2469, or robynpc@gmail.com

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School ~ Igniting a lifelong love of learning for over 40 years

For more information about Summer@Steiner, please call Program Director Mark Eurich at (413) 528-4015, ext. 151, or email office@gbrss.org.

(Berkshires, MA) February 28, 2012 – Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) is now accepting registrations for Summer@Steiner, a Waldorf-inspired summer day program for children entering grades K-8. Sessions run M-F, 9 am to 3 pm, from June 25 through August 10. Activities include exploring “off the beaten path Berkshires” field trips, enjoying the easy pace of a summer’s day at area swimming ponds, lakes, rivers and waterfalls, challenging physical outings for the older students and even learning to jump off the back of a horse! Program Director Mark Eurich, a GBRSS teacher with 20 years’ experience who has run the kid-friendly camp since 2000, says, “I am always inspired by the kids’ enthusiasm for discovering the beautiful Berkshires outside their door, and watching them thrive in nature, through swimming, horseback riding or climbing a mountain. Most important is the easy pace — time to make a friend, build a spontaneous sand castle — and the freedom to be a kid.” Children can participate in some or all of the 7 weeks, at a cost of $225 per week/child. Summer@Steiner spots fill up quickly, so Interested families are invited to call the school at (413) 528-4015, ext. 151, or e-mail office@gbrss.org to receive a brochure with registration form.

Now in its 34th year, Summer@Steiner offers summer’s sweetest pleasures to kids from preschool to middle school, with programs specially designed for each age. The Players, ages 4 years – Kindergarten, join in a summer version of the Steiner Early Childhood program, with a day that includes circle time and rhyme, snack, crafts and stories, creative play, supervised pool time and explorations of the Green River. The Discoverers, grades 1-3, start each day with a song circle, then play at outdoor games, crafts projects, swimming and horseback riding, river exploration and a full day a week of beach fun at a local lake. The Adventurers, grades 4-5, thrive on the challenges each new week brings, with outdoor games and crafts such as flying their own handmade kites, swimming and horseback riding lessons, a full day of beach play and picnicking at a nearby lake, and a day a week spent visiting an adventurous Berkshire destination. The Explorers, a popular program for middle-schoolers, offers an active week of outdoor challenges and friendship such as games, biking, hiking and rock climbing, kayaking, swimming and river tubing, and exploration of the little-known natural wonders of the Berkshires.

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School: Authentic Learning in the Berkshires – Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a warm welcome to learning through Early Childhood programs, including Parent/Toddler, Nursery and Kindergarten, progressing into engaging elementary education for First through Eighth grade. The Early Childhood program nurtures children ages 2 to 6 in five classrooms in the Early Childhood building, surrounded by gardens, woods and play areas, and prepares them for elementary school on the other side of the 30 acre campus. First through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) follow a rigorous academic and artistic curriculum, preparing them for their choice of high school and college. One of over 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, and part of the movement of independent schools developed over 80 years ago by scientist, philosopher and writer Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from a core belief that to educate the whole child is to engage the intellectual, spiritual and physical self in all areas of learning.
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Saturday, March 24 at Matrushka Toys and Gifts

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School ~ 40 years of igniting a lifelong love of learning

For more information about Mornings at Matrushka: 413-528-6911, or on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matrushka-Toys-Gifts/151738221558800

(Berkshires, MA) February 8, 2012 – Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) celebrates the joys of mud season in the Berkshires with a free children’s puppet play at Matrushka Toys and Gifts, 309 Main Street, Great Barrington, with the performance of “Mud Muffins” on Saturday, March 24, 2012. There will be two show times at 10:30 and 11:30am, appropriate for toddler through kindergarten age children. “Mud Muffins” is a story about the coming of Spring, and the sweet surprises it brings. Puppeteer Somer Serpe received her BFA at Parsons School of Design and her Masters in Education at Sunbridge College. As an Early Childhood teacher at GBRSS, Somer makes the puppets herself and uses them frequently to enact stories for her Rose Room Nursery class of children nearly-3 to 4 years old. She is also a parent at the school, with 2 daughters in the grades, and is an avid Morris dancer who performs at May Day celebrations at the school and throughout the community.

Matrushka Toys and Gifts, located at 309 Main Street in Great Barrington, brings a love of “action” to children of the Berkshires, specializing in a unique collection of “child-powered” toys, entertaining games, classic books, beautiful children’s clothing and natural baby gifts, in a store that makes room for imaginative play. Matrushka enhances the community with free in-store events, such as partnering with GBRSS to present puppet plays that come to life in the hands of an experienced early childhood teacher. Matrushka is open Monday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm, Sunday 11am – 4pm. For more information about Mornings at Matrushka, please call the store at (413) 528-6911.

Early Childhood at GBRSS – Watching puppet plays, hearing stories and learning songs cultivates the child’s imagination, strengthens the ability to concentrate and inspires a love of language. The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School understands how important the early years are to healthy development and lifelong well being, offering Kindergarten (for children 4-6, in a program of 5 or 4 full days or mornings), Nursery (for children 2 years and 9 months to 4, in a program of 5 or 3 full days or mornings) and Parent-Toddler Circle (for parents and their children ages 1 to 3, in a program offered once a week for 8-week sessions). Tuition for Nursery and Kindergarten is based on a sliding scale. GBRSS is now accepting Early Childhood and Parent/Tot registration for 2012-2013 school sessions. Interested families are invited to call the school at (413) 528-4015, ext. 106, or visit http://www.gbrss.org

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School: Authentic Learning in the Berkshires – Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a warm welcome to learning through Early Childhood programs, including Parent/Toddler, Nursery and Kindergarten, progressing into engaging elementary education for First through Eighth grade. The Early Childhood program nurtures children ages 2 to 6 in five classrooms in the Early Childhood building, surrounded by gardens, woods and play areas, and prepares them for elementary school on the other side of the 30 acre campus. First through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) follow a rigorous academic and artistic curriculum, preparing them for their choice of high school and college. One of over 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, and part of the movement of independent schools developed over 80 years ago by scientist, philosopher and writer Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from a core belief that to educate the whole child is to engage the intellectual, spiritual and physical self in all areas of learning.
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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with GBRSS Early Childhood teacher Somer Serpe or GBRSS School Administrator John Greene, please contact Robyn Coe at (518) 392-2469, or robynpc@gmail.com

February 11 at Matrushka Toys and Gifts

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School ~ 40 years of igniting a lifelong love of learning

Contact: Robyn Perry Coe
518-392-2469, robynpc@gmail.com

(Berkshires, MA) January 12, 2012 – Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) continues a free series of children’s puppet plays in the new year at Matrushka Toys and Gifts, 309 Main Street, Great Barrington, with the performance of “Mashenka and the Bear” on Saturday, February 11, 2012. There will be two show times at 10:30 and 11:30am, appropriate for toddler through kindergarten age children. In this delightful Russian tale, a little girl, Mashenka, cleverly outsmarts a bear to find her way home. Puppeteer Michelle Kuzia is a lead kindergarten teacher at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, where she began her teaching career by founding the nursery class in 1978, when the original school was expanding from a one-room kindergarten in a timber frame barn. Kuzia earned her Waldorf Early Childhood certificate from Sunbridge College, and her M.Ed in Waldorf Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Antioch University. A Berkshire native, Kuzia has been pivotal to the strong growth and success of the school, from which all four of her daughters — including Matrushka owner Brooke Redpath — matriculated.  Matrushka Toys and Gifts, located at 309 Main Street in Great Barrington, brings a love of “action” to children of the Berkshires, specializing in a unique collection of “child-powered” toys, entertaining games, classic books, beautiful children’s clothing and natural baby gifts, in a store that makes room for imaginative play. Matrushka enhances the community with free in-store events, such as partnering with GBRSS to present puppet plays that come to life in the hands of an experienced early childhood teacher. Matrushka is open Monday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm, Sunday 11am – 4pm. For more information about Mornings at Matrushka, please call the store at (413) 528-6911.

Early Childhood at GBRSS – Watching puppet plays, hearing stories and learning songs cultivates the child’s imagination, strengthens the ability to concentrate and inspires a love of language.  The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School understands how important the early years are to healthy development and lifelong well being, offering Kindergarten (for children 4-6, in a program of 5 or 4 full days or mornings), Nursery (for children 2 years and 9 months to 4, in a program of 5 or 3 full days or mornings) and Parent-Toddler Circle (for parents and their children ages 1 to 3, in a program offered once a week for 8-week sessions). Tuition for Nursery and Kindergarten is based on a sliding scale. GBRSS is now accepting Early Childhood and Parent/Tot  registration for 2012 school sessions. Interested families are invited to call the school at (413) 528-4015, ext. 106 for more information. Application forms are also available at http://www.gbrss.org

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School: Authentic Learning in the Berkshires – Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a warm welcome to learning through Early Childhood programs, including Parent/Toddler, Nursery and Kindergarten, progressing into engaging elementary education for First through Eighth grade. The Early Childhood program nurtures children ages 2 to 6 in five classrooms in the Early Childhood building, surrounded by gardens, woods and play areas, and prepares them for elementary school on the other side of the 30 acre campus. First through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) follow a rigorous academic and artistic curriculum, preparing them for their choice of high school and college. One of over 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, and part of the movement of independent schools developed over 80 years ago by scientist, philosopher and writer Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from a core belief that to educate the whole child is to engage the intellectual, spiritual and physical self in all areas of learning.  For more information, call 413-528-4015, or visit http://www.gbrss.org
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Interviews and high resolution images are available.  To schedule an interview with GBRSS Early Childhood teacher Michelle Kuzia or GBRSS School Administrator John Greene.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School ~ 40 years of igniting a lifelong love of learning

Contact: Robyn Perry Coe
518-392-2469, robynpc@gmail.com

(Berkshires, MA) October 10, 2011 – Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) invites the community to meet in the campus library at 35 West Plain Road, Great Barrington, for a hands-on introduction to Waldorf education. From 9 to 11am, the second Tuesday of every month from November through May, parents, grandparents and guardians will see and experience Waldorf education in action. The event is held rain or shine. Parking and admission are free. To make a reservation or for more information, call 413-528-4015, ext 106, or visit http://www.gbrss.org

Waldorf is Interactive Education – After tea and muffins in the school library, a timber frame building which was the original schoolhouse, guests will experience a day in the life of the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School. During a walking tour of school buildings and park-like grounds, visitors will step into lower and middle school classrooms to experience Main Lesson in progress, tour dedicated hand work and wood working studios, and visit Early Childhood classes for circle or snack time. Visitors may participate in aspects of the curricula, such as watercolor painting, beeswax modeling or form drawing, a precursor to handwriting unique to Waldorf schools. A Q&A with school administrators follows in the library. GBRSS Open House Teas will take place on November 8 and December 13, 2011, and January 10, February 14, March 13, April 10 and May 8, 2012. Reservations are requested.

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School: Authentic Learning in the Berkshires – Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a warm welcome to learning through Early Childhood programs, including Parent/Toddler, Nursery and Kindergarten, progressing into engaging elementary education for First through Eighth grade. The Early Childhood program nurtures children ages 2 to 6 in five classrooms in the Early Childhood building, surrounded by gardens, woods and play areas, and prepares them for elementary school on the other side of the 30 acre campus. First through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) follow a rigorous academic and artistic curriculum, preparing them for their choice of high school and college. One of over 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, and part of the movement of independent schools developed over 80 years ago by scientist, philosopher and writer Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from a core belief that to educate the whole child is to engage the intellectual, spiritual and physical self in all areas of learning. For more information, call 413-528-4015, or visit http://www.gbrss.org

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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with GBRSS School Administrator John Greene, please contact Robyn Coe at (518) 392-2469, or robynpc@gmail.com

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Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School ~ 40 years of igniting a lifelong love of learning

Contact: Robyn Perry Coe
518-392-2469, robynpc@gmail.com

(Berkshires, MA) October 10, 2011 – Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) invites the community to join in as the school buildings and grounds at 35 West Plain Road, Great Barrington, are transformed into a holiday wonderland November 12, from 10am to 4pm. With novel activities for children such as puppet shows, hayrides, candle dipping and the Little People’s Shop (where young children can choose handmade gifts for friends and family), the GBRSS Holiday Handcraft Fair is an enchanting start to the holiday season for all ages. The event is held rain or shine. Parking and admission are free. For more information, call 413-528-4015, or visit http://www.gbrss.org

Delights of the Season – If it “takes a village to raise a child,” every parent in the GBRSS community comes together to create this festive winter village, from the “elves” in the Sawdust Workshop making wooden toys, to the busy hands knitting quilt squares that form the Community Quilt, one of the many unique items available in the Fair’s Silent Auction. The Country Store serves up one-of-a-kind handcrafts, and Rudi’s Cafe serves lunch, warm drinks and gourmet desserts. Other highlights include carnival games, a raffle, the children’s craft room where kids can make gifts themselves, and more. This community effort celebrates the joy of a handmade holiday in which all are invited to join.

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School: Authentic Learning in the Berkshires – Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a warm welcome to learning through Early Childhood programs, including Parent/Toddler, Nursery and Kindergarten, progressing into engaging elementary education for First through Eighth grade. The Early Childhood program nurtures children ages 2 to 6 in five classrooms in the Early Childhood building, surrounded by gardens, woods and play areas, and prepares them for elementary school on the other side of the 30 acre campus. First through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) follow a rigorous academic and artistic curriculum, preparing them for their choice of high school and college. One of over 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, and part of the movement of independent schools developed over 80 years ago by scientist, philosopher and writer Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from a core belief that to educate the whole child is to engage the intellectual, spiritual and physical self in all areas of learning. For more information, call 413-528-4015, or visit http://www.gbrss.org
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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with GBRSS School Administrator John Greene, please contact Robyn Coe at (518) 392-2469, or robynpc@gmail.com

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School ~ 40 years of igniting a lifelong love of learning

Contact: Robyn Perry Coe
518-392-2469, robynpc@gmail.com

(Berkshires, MA) September 28, 2011 – Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) invites parents with their pre-school to middle school children to an All School Open House Tuesday, October 11, from 9 to 11 am. Accompanied by parents, children will visit the spacious early childhood and elementary buildings, meet teachers, see students’ work and experience highlights of the daily program. The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School is accepting applications for the current school year and next. Early childhood choices include Parent-Toddler Circle, Nursery and Kindergarten programs. Elementary and Middle School grades have some available openings. To RSVP for the Open House, interested families are invited to call (413) 528-4015, ext. 106, or email admissions@gbrss.org. Personal tours can also be arranged.

A taste of Waldorf education at GBRSS – Waldorf education respects and nourishes the liveliness, wonder and interest in the world that are natural to the growing child. It cultivates each child’s natural curiosity, presenting material to appeal to the imagination as well as the intellect. Care is taken to balance intellectual with emotional growth and the development of a capable will. Lessons are rooted in experience; a botany lesson, for example, begins not with a textbook, but with a close look at a living plant. GBRSS classrooms glow with color, and are alive with music, poems and stories, drama and games. The Waldorf Early Childhood program fosters a young child’s sense of wonder and trust, encouraging openness toward life and learning, and creating a solid foundation for later academic education. Elementary and Middle School education at GBRSS includes many elements of a classical independent school curriculum, one in which art, drama, eurythmy, sports and handwork are fully integrated with sciences, math, reading and writing, foreign languages and the study of our cultural heritage, from its foundations in myth and legend to the study of modern history.

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School: Authentic Learning in the Berkshires – Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a warm welcome to learning through Early Childhood programs, including Parent/Toddler, Nursery and Kindergarten, progressing into engaging elementary education for First through Eighth grade. The Early Childhood program nurtures children ages 2 to 6 in five classrooms in the Early Childhood building, surrounded by gardens, woods and play areas, and prepares them for elementary school on the other side of the 30 acre campus. First through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) follow a rigorous academic and artistic curriculum, preparing them for their choice of high school and college. One of over 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, and part of the movement of independent schools developed over 80 years ago by scientist, philosopher and writer Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from a core belief that to educate the whole child is to engage the intellectual, spiritual and physical self in all areas of learning. For more information, call 413-528-4015, ext 106 or visit http://www.gbrss.org

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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with GBRSS teachers or GBRSS School Administrator John Greene, please contact Robyn Coe at (518) 392-2469, or robynpc@gmail.com

Contact: Robyn Perry Coe
518-392-2469, robynpc@gmail.com

(Berkshires, MA) September 25, 2011 – Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) is delighted to announce the Fall 2011 through Spring 2012 performance schedule of children’s puppet plays at Matrushka Toys and Gifts, 309 Main Street, Great Barrington. Performances will take place October 29, 2011 and January 14, February 11 and March 24, 2012, with two show times at 10:30 and 11:30am each performance day. Puppeteers, including renowned Waldorf Early Childhood teacher Jo Valens (illustrator of The Waldorf Kindergarten Snack Book), will perform classic children’s tales appropriate for all ages. Jo Valens’ magical October 29 performance of “Winifred the Witch” is a free event for the community, and no sign ups are necessary. GBRSS is now accepting Early Childhood registration for the 2011-12 school year. Interested families are invited to call (413) 528-4015, ext. 106 or Matrushka (413) 528-6911 for more information. Registration forms are also available at http://www.gbrss.org

Early Childhood at GBRSS – Watching puppet plays, hearing stories and learning songs cultivates the child’s imagination, strengthens the ability to concentrate and inspires a love of language. The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School understands how important the early years are to healthy development and lifelong well being, offering Kindergarten (for children 4-6, in a program of 5 or 4 full days or mornings), Nursery (for children 2 years and 9 months to 4, in a program of 5 or 3 full days or mornings) andParent-Toddler Circle (for parents and their children ages 1 to 3 1/2, in a program offered once a week for 8-week sessions). Tuition for Nursery and Kindergarten is based on a sliding scale. Jo Valens has been an Early Childhood teacher at GBRSS for over 20 years, and is also the illustrator of The Waldorf Kindergarten Snack Book, The Waldorf Book of Breads and The Waldorf School Book of Soups. Matrushka Toys and Gifts, located at 309 Main Street in Great Barrington, brings a love of “action” to children of the Berkshires, specializing in a unique collection of “child-powered” toys, entertaining games, classic books, cards and natural baby gifts, in a store that makes room for imagination, and puppet plays that come to life in the hands of an accomplished teacher. Matrushka is open Monday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm, Sunday 11am – 4pm.

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School: Authentic Learning in the Berkshires – Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a warm welcome to learning through Early Childhood programs, including Parent/Toddler, Nursery and Kindergarten, progressing into engaging elementary education for First through Eighth grade. The Early Childhood program nurtures children ages 2 to 6 in five classrooms in the Early Childhood building, surrounded by gardens, woods and play areas, and prepares them for elementary school on the other side of the 30 acre campus. First through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) follow a rigorous academic and artistic curriculum, preparing them for their choice of high school and college. One of over 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, and part of the movement of independent schools developed over 80 years ago by scientist, philosopher and writer Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from a core belief that to educate the whole child is to engage the intellectual, spiritual and physical self in all areas of learning. For more information, call 413-528-4015, or visit http://www.gbrss.org
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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with GBRSS Early Childhood teacher Jo Valens or GBRSS School Administrator John Greene, please contact Robyn Coe at (518) 392-2469, or robynpc@gmail.com