Live Oak celebrated May Faire with Grandparents and Special Friends

To welcome the merry month of May, the Live Oak Waldorf School community requested the honor of Grandparents and Special Friends to share in a day of spring festivities.

Dozens of grandparents and special friends of Live Oak students were greeted with corsages and morning refreshments on the crisp, cool morning of Friday, April 30, 2010. 

“Welcome to Live Oak Waldorf School.”

After a brief gathering to welcome the guests, classes made room for their honored visitors to sit and observe their favorite students in action.  Mental math, play rehearsals, singing, drawing and science study were just some of the activities during the main lesson part of the day.

More refreshments – hot coffee, fresh strawberries, homemade cookies and frosted cupcakes – were followed by an assembly which included time for questions and answers about Waldorf education.  Second grade teacher, Rev Bowen, along with sixth grade teacher, Jane Mulder, offered insights and Waldorf-inspired wisdom in response to a variety of questions:

• “Why don’t Waldorf students use text books?”
• “What is the advantage of having the same teacher from first to eighth grade?”

Notably, the time was also filled with parents and grandparents making positive comments about the multitude of academic and artistic gifts Waldorf has given their student. The assembly concluded with presentations from the first and second grade classes.

Students and guests celebrated their time together with the timeless craft of wreath-making. An abundance of greens and flowers were beautifully wrapped with colorful ribbons, then adorned the crowns of young and old. 

Eighth grade parents, whose students were just returning from their long awaited eighth grade trip, loyally served a hearty lunch of baked potatoes, salad and sparkling juice.

As the sun warmed the day, it was clearly time to say good-bye to King Winter.  Though he had enjoyed his extra stay this year – which included an intense hail storm two days prior – he was willing to bid farewell to Live Oak Waldorf School.  Jack Green encouraged him to make his transition; together they welcomed the lovely Mae* Queen.

Festive presentations were offered by the third, fifth, sixth and seventh grades.  Songs and intricate folk dances were performed with joy, reverence and skill. 

The May Faire celebration was rounded off as the fourth grade, dressed fully in white, danced around the May Pole while a band of guitars and other stringed instruments played a merry tune.  Grandparents and Special Friends of Live Oak were bestowed with a scrumptious strawberry shortcake for dessert, thanks to the seventh grade.

From observing students to wreath-making to gathering 'round the May Pole, Grandparents and Special Friends enjoyed a beautiful day as they celebrated May and their beloved students of Live Oak Waldorf School. 


*This year the lovely May Queen was Class of 2007 alumnus Mae Waldron.

Photos courtesy of Keith Sutter.