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

Media Contact: Robyn Coe
c: 818.287.1237 marketing@gbrss.org

(Berkshires, MA) May 15, 2013—As an exciting highlight of national poetry month in April, six fourth grade students at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) have learned that their original poetry will be included in the national anthology Young American Poetry Digest 2013, according to congratulatory letters sent to the students individually by the National Schools Project, Boise, ID. Now in its nineteenth year, the National Schools Project was created to share creative work that represents the best of American students and to provide publishing opportunities for young poets. GBRSS fourth graders created the selected poems during a three-week poetry block. Some of the winning poems were haikus, a Japanese form that focuses on rhythm rather than rhyme, and is the theme of this year’s anthology. GBRSS fourth grade teacher Kirsten Suberg submitted interested students’ poems for national consideration along with curriculum support teacher and GBRSS co-founder Jean Zay. Ms. Suberg points out that her students adopted the haiku poetry form with gusto, as Waldorf students work with rhythm in many aspects of learning from their very earliest years in preschool. She added, “This class really loves to write, and they are really writing. I was impressed by the quality of work coming out of our fourth graders.”

The National Schools Project selection panel is made up of educators who select the best poems submitted from teachers and librarians countrywide, ones that are especially well-written for the age level of the student. According to the National Schools Project website, “Poetry provides a means for students to express themselves and to develop their creative talents. We want kids excited about writing!” This year’s Young American Poetry Digest will be published in October. There is no charge to the student for publication. A free copy of the book is sent to the participating school library, and any school can request a complimentary copy at any time. For more information about the National Schools Project, or to order this year’s anthology, visit www.youngpoets.org

Authentic Learning in the Berkshires—Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a developmentally appropriate, experiential approach to education for students from preschool through early adolescence, starting with a warm welcome to learning in parent-infant/toddler classes, preschool and kindergarten. Early childhood classrooms are situated in their own building, equipped with natural playthings and surrounded by gardens, fields and woods. On the other side of the 32-acre campus, the elementary school for first through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) provides a balance of rigorous academics and the arts, preparing children for their choice of high school and college. One of more than 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, a movement of independent schools developed in the early twentieth century by Austrian educator, scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from the core understanding that engaging all aspects of the human being—intellectual, spiritual and physical—provides a truly well-rounded education.
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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with GBRSS School Administrator John Greene or GBRSS Fourth Grade teacher Kirsten Suberg, please contact Robyn Coe at (818) 287-1237, or marketing@gbrss.org

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

Media Contact: Robyn Coe c: 818.287.1237 marketing@gbrss.org

(Berkshires, MA) May 1, 2013—Great Barrington Waldorf High School (GBWHS) and Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) jointly announce that as of April 2013, the U.S. government has certified both schools to establish exchange and visiting student programs. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security approved the schools’ application to issue forms I-20 to international students admitted in grades 1-12, so that they may apply for student visas to study at either school.

Tracy Fernbacher, Admissions Coordinator at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, who shepherded the schools through the certification process, commented, “This certification makes it possible to attract and enroll motivated students from other countries. This is the beginning of a valuable process of cultural exchange.” Stephen Sagarin, Great Barrington
Waldorf High School Faculty Chair added, “We anticipate that this international certification will strengthen our relationships with Waldorf and Steiner schools in Germany and South America.” In the past, the Great Barrington Waldorf High School has hosted visitors from Munich, Germany, Lima, Peru and Cali, Colombia, but foreign students could only stay for 90 days on visitors’ visas, and could not officially enroll in school. With this certification, GBWHS and GBRSS can now enroll students from all parts of the globe as full-time students.

Great Barrington resident Lelia Bruun, coordinator for international student exchange programs such as PAX (Program for Academic Exchange) and USAI (USAImmersion, in programs with camps such as Hi-Rock, and Academic Year) which hosts students from Europe, Latin America and Asia, as well as primarily Muslim countries and the former Soviet bloc, commented on the impact of the schools’ new status as international student visa providers: “Any time there is an exchange, there is understanding; out of that comes compassion and a sense of commonality. While all Great Barrington Waldorf High School students have the opportunity to study internationally as part of their curriculum, with this new certification, the reverse is also true: the world can come to both GBWHS and GBRSS. Now every experience for these students will be bigger. When an international peer talks to them about sports or academics in their home country, it puts it in their perspective. All of a sudden, students in the Berkshires start to understand a world different from theirs. It’s like traveling the world without a passport.”

Authentic Learning in the Berkshires—Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School and Great Barrington Waldorf High School are independent, coeducational day schools, part of the movement of more than 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide based on the educational principles of Austrian educator, scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner. GBRSS, founded in 1971, educates students from preschool through 8th grade, and GBWHS, which grew out of the lower school in 2002, educates students grades 9 through 12. Both schools operate from the core understanding that engaging all aspects of the human being—intellectual, spiritual and physical—provides a truly well-rounded education.

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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with GBRSS Admissions Coordinator Tracy Fernbacher or GBWHS Faculty Chair Stephen Sagarin, please contact Robyn Coe at (818) 287-1237, or marketing@gbrss.org

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

Festive Maypole dancing with live music, spring blossoms, games

Media Contact: Robyn Coe c: 818.287.1237 marketing@gbrss.org

(Berkshires, MA) April 17, 2013—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 ancient spring festival of May Day is brought to life at the school with fiddlers, flutes and dancing around the Maypole. Festivities begin at 11:00am, with country dancing by elementary students and performances by local Morris dancing teams. 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 to welcome summer in! The school will also host an open house and informal tours the same morning. For more information, 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. At the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, during February and March, 4th through 8th graders anticipate the end of winter by learning country dances using ribbons, bells and wooden sticks to wake the earth. The 5th graders perform dances that weave bright ribbons around the 25 foot-tall Maypole. 8th grade teacher and May Day master of ceremonies Christopher Sblendorio comments, “It’s important to mark transitions in the seasons of life with festival days. Celebrating that we’ve made it through another New England winter connects us to the earth, our human past and our human present, our community. And it’s so much more fun to celebrate together.”

Authentic Learning in the Berkshires—Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a developmentally appropriate, experiential approach to education for students from preschool through early adolescence, starting with a warm welcome to learning in parent-infant/toddler classes, preschool and kindergarten. Early childhood classrooms are situated in their own building, equipped with natural playthings and surrounded by gardens, fields and woods. On the other side of the 32-acre campus, the elementary school for first through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) provides a balance of rigorous academics and the arts, preparing children for their choice of high school and college. One of more than 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, a movement of independent schools developed in the early twentieth century by Austrian educator, scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from the core understanding that engaging all aspects of the human being—intellectual, spiritual and physical—provides a truly well-rounded education.
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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with GBRSS School Administrator John Greene, or May Day Master of Ceremonies Christopher Sblendorio, please contact Robyn Coe at (818) 287-1237, or marketing@gbrss.org

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

Media Contact: Robyn Coe
c: 818.287.1237 marketing@gbrss.org

(Berkshires, MA) April 15, 2013—Readers of the Berkshire Record have voted Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) the best school in the Berkshires. For the Berkshire Record’s 2013 Best of the Berkshires annual, 2000 readers marked ballots for “the best” in over thirty categories of living in the Berkshires, including Best School. GBRSS school administrator John Greene commented, “When I heard that we had been voted the best school in the Berkshires, I was very humbled, honored and proud that our school is being recognized in the community. The education that Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School offers is in line with a lot of people’s values: they’re looking for an authentic life, and we offer an authentic education. I’m very excited about the coming year, and how our school continues to evolve.” Applications for preschool, kindergarten and grades 1-8 are now being accepted for Fall 2013. To learn more about the school, or to arrange a personal tour, call Tracy Fernbacher, 413-528-4015, ext. 106 or visit gbrss.org.

The best foundation for the best life. In its award to GBRSS for Best School, the Berkshire Record’s annual Best of the Berkshires notes that “The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School treats education as an art, wherein everything that is taught must speak to students’ experience and imagination. As an independent co-education school accredited by the Association of Independent Schools of New England, the Steiner School’s curriculum focuses on a comprehensive integration of the sciences, mathematics, literature and world history with the fine and practical arts and study of cultural heritage. Graduates of the Steiner School leave with an ability to discern and appreciate order and beauty, but also a knack for asking tough, critical questions about life—skills they can use to shape a changing world.”

Authentic Learning in the Berkshires—Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a developmentally appropriate, experiential approach to education for students from preschool through early adolescence, starting with a warm welcome to learning in parent-infant/toddler classes, preschool and kindergarten. Early childhood classrooms are situated in their own building, equipped with natural playthings and surrounded by gardens, fields and woods. On the other side of the 32-acre campus, the elementary school for first through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) provides a balance of rigorous academics and the arts, preparing children for their choice of high school and college. One of more than 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, a movement of independent schools developed in the early twentieth century by Austrian educator, scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from the core understanding that engaging all aspects of the human being—intellectual, spiritual and physical—provides a truly well-rounded education.

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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 (818) 287-1237, or marketing@gbrss.org

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

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

Contact: Robyn Coe marketing@gbrss.org c: 818.287.1237

(Berkshires, MA) April 1, 2013 – Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) invites the community to the 10th Annual Golf Outing on Sunday May 19 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 barbecue dinner following the day of play for all participants, catered by The Greens restaurant. Players can take a shot at “going for the gold,” with a $5,000 putting contest which sent last year’s winner on his honeymoon! 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. Tax deductible sponsorships are still available, and all proceeds benefit students at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School. To learn more about sponsoring or attending the Golf Outing, please contact Jenna Lamond 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 Strickling, 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 developmentally appropriate, experiential approach to education for students from preschool through early adolescence, starting with a warm welcome to learning in parent-child classes, preschool and kindergarten. Early childhood classrooms are situated in their own building, equipped with natural playthings and surrounded by gardens, fields and woods. On the other side of the 32-acre campus, the elementary school for first through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) provides a balance of rigorous academics and the arts, preparing children for their choice of high school and college. One of more than 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, a movement of independent schools developed in the early twentieth century by Austrian educator, scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from the core understanding that engaging all aspects of the human being—intellectual, spiritual and physical—provides a truly well-rounded education.
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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 marketing@gbrss.org

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

Media Contact: Robyn Coe
c: 818.287.1237 marketing@gbrss.org

(Berkshires, MA) March 25, 2013—Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) presents “The Frog Prince,” a classic tale of transformation from the Brothers Grimm, on Saturday, April 6 and Saturday, May 11 at 10am, in the Early Childhood building on the school campus at 35 West Plain Road, Great Barrington. This special full-length marionette play for children up to seven years old will be performed by early childhood teachers, followed by playtime and an opportunity to learn more about early childhood programs at the school. Free. For more information, call Tracy Fernbacher, 413-528-4015, ext. 106 or visit gbrss.org.

Puppet plays are especially magical and healing for children. As the storyteller’s calm, rhythmic voice accompanies puppets acting out the story, the effect is breathtaking to watch, and especially powerful for young children, whose capacities for imagination, creative play, movement and language are stimulated and developed in the process. Puppeteers for “The Frog Prince” include kindergarten teachers Somer Serpe and Michelle Kuzia, nursery teachers Jo Valens and Beth Oakley, and Parent-Child teacher Trice Atchison, with classroom assistant Laura Lin.

Early Childhood at GBRSS—The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School’s early childhood program is based on the simple yet profound concept that young children learn through imitation, imagination and meaningful activity. Teachers strive to create a nurturing and rhythmical environment in which the young child’s senses, imagination, and awareness of self and others can flourish. This developmentally appropriate and secure beginning provides a strong foundation for later academic and artistic learning in the grades and beyond. The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School’s early childhood programs include 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, 4 or 3 full days or mornings), and Parent-Child Garden (for parents and their children ages 6 months to 3, in a program offered once a week for 8-week sessions). Tuition for Pre-K and Kindergarten is based on a sliding scale.

Authentic Learning in the Berkshires—Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a developmentally appropriate, experiential approach to education for students from preschool through early adolescence, starting with a warm welcome to learning in parent-infant/toddler classes, preschool and kindergarten. Early childhood classrooms are situated in their own building, equipped with natural playthings and surrounded by gardens, fields and woods. On the other side of the 32-acre campus, the elementary school for first through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) provides a balance of rigorous academics and the arts, preparing children for their choice of high school and college. One of more than 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, a movement of independent schools developed in the early twentieth century by Austrian educator, scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from the core understanding that engaging all aspects of the human being—intellectual, spiritual and physical—provides a truly well-rounded education.
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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with GBRSS Early Childhood teachers, or GBRSS School Administrator John Greene, please contact Robyn Coe at (818) 287-1237, or marketing@gbrss.org

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

Contact: Robyn Coe
c: 818.287.1237 marketing@gbrss.org

(Berkshires, MA) March 1, 2013 – Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) presents “A Circus Day in the Park,” starring 7th and 8th graders in an extravaganza of juggling, jumping, balancing, tumbling, clowning and twirling fun for the whole family, on Sunday, March 10 at 2pm in the Kilpatrick Athletic Center, Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Great Barrington. Tickets are $5 child, $10 adult or $25 per family at the door; children under 2 free. To learn more, call the school at 413-528-4015 or visit gbrss.org

Fun Plays a Key Role in Primary Education at GBRSS–At the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, students stay with their community of teachers–including instructors in physical education, games and creative movement such as eurythmy– from first through eighth grade, in a progressively deepening relationship that fosters each child’s natural curiosity and the unfolding of each child’s capacities. GBRSS Athletic Director and circus creative director Krista Palmer commented, “Circus arts are part of the physical education curriculum at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School. Through activities like tumbling and acrobatics, children are encouraged to feel comfortable moving their bodies as well as extending into the space around them, and their strength is felt both physically and emotionally. The adult capacities of being flexible, leading a balanced life, helping and supporting others and juggling life’s tasks are exercised in childhood through circus arts.”

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School: Authentic Learning in the Berkshires—Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a developmentally appropriate, experiential approach to education for students from preschool through early adolescence, starting with a warm welcome to learning in Parent-Baby classes, Pre-K and Kindergarten. Early childhood classrooms are situated in their own building, equipped with natural playthings and surrounded by gardens, fields and woods. On the other side of the 32-acre campus, the elementary school for first through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) provides a balance of rigorous academics and the arts, preparing children for their choice of high school and college. One of more than 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, a movement of independent schools developed in the early twentieth century by Austrian educator, scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from the core understanding that engaging all aspects of the human being—intellectual, spiritual and physical—provides a truly well-rounded education.
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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with GBRSS Athletics Director Krista Palmer or GBRSS School Administrator John Greene, please contact Robyn Coe at (818) 287-1237, or marketing@gbrss.org

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

Contact: Robyn Coe

marketing@gbrss.org

c: 818.287.1237

(Berkshires, MA) February 27, 2013 – Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) welcomes Tracey Brennan as first grade teacher for the 2013-2014 school year. Ms. Brennan is a well-respected master teacher, with 26 years of experience in Waldorf education. 16 years of her teaching career have been at GBRSS, during which time she led two classes from first through eighth grade. Her three children are also GBRSS graduates. Ms. Brennan received her Bachelor’s degree from Colby College, and completed her Waldorf training and apprenticeship at Rudolf Steiner School in Manhattan, where she went on to work for 10 years as handwork assistant, librarian and class teacher.
Ms. Brennan commented, “I am so excited, and so lucky, to get to know a whole new generation of children and their families. Steiner education is a really alive thing, which makes a strong community in the classroom and a wonderful connection among the families.” GBRSS is now accepting student applications for early childhood through eighth grade for September 2013, and will hold a “Meet the Teacher” evening, with an opportunity for current applicant families to meet Ms. Brennan, Tuesday April 2 at 7pm. To learn more, call Tracy Fernbacher at 413-528-4015 x 106 or visit gbrss.org

Primary Education at GBRSS–At the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, students stay with their community of teachers from first through eighth grade, in a progressively deepening relationship that fosters each child’s natural curiosity and the unfolding of each child’s capacities. In accordance with educator, scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner’s insights into human nature and the developmental stages of childhood, at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, science, literature and the study of cultural heritage are consistently integrated with fine and practical arts, providing a rigorous education that prepares students for the most demanding high schools and colleges, while teaching them to care for themselves, one another and the world. GBRSS School Administrator John Greene stated, “We are so lucky to have Tracey Brennan back as first grade teacher for 2013. She’s an experienced teacher, with a phenomenal passion for teaching, who will create an amazing foundation for the children in her class.”

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School: Authentic Learning in the Berkshires—Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a developmentally appropriate, experiential approach to education for students from preschool through early adolescence, starting with a warm welcome to learning in Parent-Baby classes, Pre-K and Kindergarten. Early childhood classrooms are situated in their own building, equipped with natural playthings and surrounded by gardens, fields and woods. On the other side of the 32-acre campus, the elementary school for first through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) provides a balance of rigorous academics and the arts, preparing children for their choice of high school and college. One of more than 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, a movement of independent schools developed in the early twentieth century by Austrian educator, scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from the core understanding that engaging all aspects of the human being—intellectual, spiritual and physical—provides a truly well-rounded education.

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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with GBRSS first grade teacher Tracey Brennan or GBRSS School Administrator John Greene, please contact Robyn Coe at (818) 287-1237, or marketing@gbrss.org

Presented by early childhood teachers from the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School

Contact: Robyn Coe
818.287.1237, marketing@gbrss.org

(Berkshires, MA) February 5, 2012—The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) announces upcoming puppet plays for children ages one through six at Matrushka Toys and Gifts, 309 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA. On Saturday, February 16, at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., Waldorf early childhood teachers will present “The Snowmaiden,” a Russian fairytale about a wish come true. On Saturday, March 23, also at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., teachers will present “The Straw Broom,” a story about little gnomes who learn how to care for their home. In Waldorf early childhood puppetry, the storyteller’s calm, rhythmic voice accompanies the puppets’ gentle movements. The puppets themselves are simply made, allowing the child to “fill in” the details. This activity sparks imagination, fosters deep listening, and creates a soothing human connection.

To find out about additional GBRSS presentations and events, visit gbrss.org. For information about the school’s educational offerings, call Tracy Fernbacher, admissions coordinator, at (413) 528-4015, ext. 106. And save the dates April 6 and May 11: Early childhood teachers will present springtime puppet plays within an early childhood classroom at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, 35 West Plain Road, Great Barrington, followed by an opportunity to learn more about our offerings.

“Snowmaiden” puppeteers, Somer Serpe and Michelle Kuzia, are kindergarten teachers at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School. Somer Serpe trained as an artist and teacher, earning a BFA degree from Parsons School of Design and M.Ed. from Sunbridge College, Chestnut Ridge, NY. Michelle Kuzia, a teacher at GBRSS since 1978, earned her Waldorf early childhood certificate from Sunbridge College and M.Ed. in Waldorf early childhood and elementary education from Antioch University, Keene, NH. All four of Ms. Kuzia’s daughters graduated from GBRSS, including Matrushka owner Brooke Redpath.

“The Straw Broom” puppeteers, Jo Valens and Elizabeth Oakley, are pre-kindergarten teachers at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School. Jo Valens, an early childhood teacher at GBRSS for more than 20 years, has also illustrated The Waldorf Kindergarten Snack Book and other publications. Beth Oakley, who leads the new Star Room nursery at GBRSS, has more than 12 years’ experience working with young children in Waldorf, public and specialty school programs. A Bennington graduate with an emphasis in early childhood education, Ms. Oakley is currently completing her Waldorf teacher training at Alkion Center, Ghent, NY.

Matrushka Toys and Gifts, 309 Main Street, Great Barrington, specializes in a unique collection of “child-powered” toys, entertaining games, classic books, cards and natural baby gifts in a store that makes room for imaginative play and puppet stories. Matrushka is open Monday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm, and Sunday, 11am to 4pm. In collaboration with GBRSS, the store offers Rhyme Time, a free “circle time” for young children, on Tuesdays at 10:30am.

Early Childhood at GBRSS—The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School’s early childhood program is based on the simple yet profound concept that young children learn through imitation, imagination and meaningful activity. Teachers strive to create a nurturing and rhythmical environment in which the young child’s senses, imagination, and awareness of self and others can flourish. This developmentally appropriate and secure beginning provides a strong foundation for later academic and artistic learning in the grades and beyond. The early childhood programs include mixed-age kindergartens for children ages four through six, pre-K for children two-years-and-nine-months to four, and Parent-Child Garden, weekly classes for babies, toddlers and their parents offered in eight-week sessions throughout the school year. A sliding scale tuition is available for kindergarten and nursery.

The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, founded in 1971, provides a challenging, experiential and inspiring education for students from early childhood through early adolescence. A warm welcome to learning begins with early childhood programs that include parent-child classes for babies, toddlers and their parents, nursery classes for pre-kindergarten children, and mixed-age kindergartens for children ages four to six. The early childhood classrooms, housed in their own building, are equipped with natural playthings and surrounded by gardens, fields and woods. On the other side of the 32-acre campus, the elementary school for first through eighth grade students—from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County—provides a balance of rigorous academics and the arts, preparing children for their choice of high school and college. GBRSS is one of more than 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide and part of a movement of independent schools developed in the early twentieth century by Austrian educator, scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner. The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from the core understanding that engaging all aspects of the human being—intellectual, physical and spiritual—provides a truly well-rounded education.

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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with GBRSS early childhood teachers, or GBRSS School Administrator John Greene, please contact Robyn Coe at (818) 287-1237, or marketing@gbrss.org

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

Media Contact: Robyn Coe
818.287.1237/ marketing@gbrss.org

(Berkshires, MA) January 11, 2012—Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School (GBRSS) announces the Spring 2013 performance schedule of children’s puppet plays, starting with “The Starry Night,” a gentle tale about a baby who cannot sleep and a mother who lulls the child by reminding her about the stars and moon watching lovingly from above. “The Starry Night,” first of three puppet plays in the series to take place at Matrushka Toys and Gifts, 309 Main Street, Great Barrington, starts Saturday morning January 26, at 10:30am, with a second show at 11:30am. More “Mornings at Matrushka” puppet plays continue February 16 and March 23, 2013, with two morning shows each performance day. As spring advances, puppet plays will continue in the GBRSS Early Childhood center at 35 West Plain Road, Great Barrington, on April 6 and May 11 at 10am, followed by an opportunity to learn more about early childhood programs at the school. All events are free. To learn more, call Tracy Fernbacher at (413) 528-4015, ext. 106 or visit gbrss.org

Puppeteer Trice Atchison performs “The Starry Night” using her own handmade mother-child rod puppet, a type of puppet used in Waldorf early childhood programs that is able to make simple gestures conveying touch and warmth, encouraging children to feel safe and assured, as in an embrace. The storyteller’s calm, rhythmic voice accompanies the puppet story. Puppeteer Trice Atchison is a parent-child teacher at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, with a teaching certificate from Sophia’s Hearth Family Center (Keene, NH) and a master’s degree from Emerson College, Boston. She is currently studying therapeutic puppetry for young children through the Juniper Tree School of Puppetry Arts (Denver, CO).

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 imaginative play, and puppet plays that come to life in the hands of an experienced teacher. Matrushka is open Monday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm, Sunday 11am – 4pm.

Early Childhood at GBRSS—The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School’s early childhood program is based on the simple yet profound concept that young children learn through imitation, imagination and meaningful activity. Teachers strive to create a nurturing and rhythmical environment in which the young child’s senses, imagination, and awareness of self and others can flourish. This developmentally appropriate and secure beginning provides a strong foundation for later academic and artistic learning in the grades and beyond. The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School’s early childhood programs include 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), Parent-Toddler Circle (for parents and their children ages 1 to 3, in a program offered once a week for 8-week sessions) and Parent-Baby Circle (for parents and their infants from birth to walking). Tuition for Pre-K and Kindergarten is based on a sliding scale.

Authentic Learning in the Berkshires—Founded in 1971, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School provides a developmentally appropriate, experiential approach to education for students from preschool through early adolescence, starting with a warm welcome to learning with Parent-Baby classes, Pre-K and Kindergarten. Early childhood classrooms are situated in their own building, equipped with natural playthings and surrounded by gardens, fields and woods. On the other side of the 32-acre campus, the elementary school for first through eighth grade students (from the Berkshires, northern Connecticut and New York’s Columbia County) provides a balance of rigorous academics and the arts, preparing children for their choice of high school and college. One of more than 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide, a movement of independent schools developed in the early twentieth century by Austrian educator, scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner, the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School operates from the core understanding that engaging all aspects of the human being—intellectual, spiritual and physical—provides a truly well-rounded education.

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Interviews and high resolution images are available. To schedule an interview with GBRSS Early Childhood teacher Trice Atchison, or GBRSS School Administrator John Greene, please contact Robyn Coe at (818) 287-1237 or marketing@gbrss.org.