Meet WSP’s New Athletic Director, Coach Omar!

Meet WSP’s New Athletic Director, Coach Omar!

by | Feb 27, 2025 | Athletics, High School, Middle School, Student Life

By Melanie Ingler | Communications Coordinator

Waldorf School of the Peninsula is thrilled to welcome Omar Kharroub, known on campus as “Coach Omar,” as our new Athletic Director! We’re excited to have Omar join our community, bringing his energy, passion, and structured approach to our Athletics Department.

Omar’s journey to WSP is as inspiring as it is impressive. Growing up locally in South San Francisco, he began his athletic career in middle and high school, participating in football, basketball, baseball, and even wrestling for a season. His dedication to sports and education led him to play football in college on athletic scholarships, including at Southwest Baptist University and Sterling University. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from Notre Dame de Namur University, Omar’s athletic pursuits took him abroad, where he played football professionally in Europe and South America.

Upon returning to the Bay Area, Omar rekindled his love for coaching and working with students. He coached football for several years throughout Silicon Valley before transitioning into athletic administration. As an Athletic Director at various schools in the area, he focuses on building and strengthening programs while supporting athletes to succeed both on the field and in the classroom.

Omar’s philosophy emphasizes the power of “Small Things,” and he saw it first hand in our athletes at last weekend’s Middle School Basketball Tournament at Sacramento Waldorf. Their dedication to detail and perseverance on the court exemplified the impact that attention to small details can have on overall performance. He observed:

  • The girls’ team demonstrated high energy and consistent effort throughout their games.
  • The boys’ team showed remarkable perseverance, maintaining full effort regardless of the score—a quality Omar noted as particularly impressive for middle school athletes.
  • All athletes exhibited emotional resilience, handling the highs and lows of competition with grace.

Having only just met some of our high school athletes at this week’s Pep Rally, Omar was struck by their positive and relaxed attitude, excellent manners, and initiative in welcoming him to WSP.

At WSP, Omar aims to elevate our athletics program by focusing on the small but crucial details that make a big difference. He’s committed to providing our student -athletes with opportunities typically found in larger high schools, ensuring they have the best possible experience while having fun. Omar’s approach emphasizes surrounding students with excellent coaching, great personalities, and mentors who can support them in learning valuable life skills that will serve them well into adulthood.

When asked what he would like our parents to know as he begins this journey, Omar emphasizes patience, understanding, and cooperation. He’s jumping in full speed ahead to work towards elevating our program, but it will take some time. He stresses the importance of regular and punctual attendance at practices to build team spirit, cultivate teamwork, and boost morale. For WSP community members who aren’t directly involved with athletics, Omar encourages coming to games and matches, as a great crowd significantly helps our teams.

Omar plans to be very intentional in preparing our students for life. He believes it’s not only about the wins and losses of their sport but also about what that will teach them as they grow and develop towards their next stage of life. Whether it’s middle school studentsers moving to high school or high school students transitioning to college or the professional world, they are building skills and habits for their future. While it’s important for students to experience emotions, Omar emphasizes the value of learning to control and balance them.

We’re confident that Omar’s extensive experience and passionate approach will elevate our athletics program to new heights. His commitment to fostering not just athletic excellence, but also personal growth and life skills, aligns perfectly with WSP’s holistic educational philosophy.

As we embark on this exciting new chapter in WSP athletics, we encourage everyone in our community to extend a warm welcome to Omar. If you see him around campus, pPlease don’t hesitate to say hello and introduce yourself. Let’s all come together to support Omar in his mission to enrich our students’ lives through sports and teamwork.

Welcome to WSP, Omar!

Unity in Movement: Reflections from the 2025 Youth Eurythmy Festival in San Francisco

Unity in Movement: Reflections from the 2025 Youth Eurythmy Festival in San Francisco

by | Feb 26, 2025 | Curriculum, Eurythmy, Festivals, Field Trips, High School, Student Work

By Michaela Bergmann | Eurythmy Teacher, Middle and High School

Eight WSP students joined me in our WSP van to make the 45-mile trip to the four-day Youth Eurythmy Festival in San Francisco earlier this month.

When we arrived, we were greeted by High School eurythmy troops from four other Waldorf High Schools from San Francisco, Portland, New York, and San Diego. We knew that we would be doing eurythmy together and had also prepared some pieces to share. We also knew that the whole group would have the opportunity to move together.

Each morning, we met and began the day with a morning verse and Eurythmy Verse from Steiner. We then divided all the participants into two groups of 25 each. One group worked with Mrs. Tiersch on a piece by Beethoven and a verse by Novalis.The other group collaborated with Alexandra Spadea from New York, to work on the Melonga Triste by S. Piana and J. McDowel.

In the afternoons, the students took masterclasses from members of the Spring Valley Eurythmy Ensemble and practiced the pieces they brought with them for the sharing on Tuesday evening.

One thing that I found particularly remarkable was the absence of complaints on our daily drive back. Despite spending six hours a day practicing eurythmy, the group’s enthusiasm and positivity remained. When I experienced the students doing eurythmy together, they had an understanding of each other on a deeper level. This experience of moving together brought each one of them an earnest heartfelt striving that had transformative power.

Along with the fun this practice brings and the social health it cultivates, one could feel that it connects to something bigger. The effort of each individual contributes to making the group experience complete. This type of movement invites the participants to experience and become aware of the space around themselves, between each other, and their connection to the world.

The festival culminated in a beautiful finale where each group shared their individual group work with one another, showcasing the fruits of their collaborative efforts.

I am grateful to the students who were willing to take time out of their February break to go with me on this journey. Thank you all, it was a very special experience for me.


View this short film about the festival filmed, edited, and directed by WSP student Julian.

Student Reflections

I had an amazing experience growing close to my friends and making friends with many new people. It was a beautiful experience to learn from different people and see the love for eurythmy be expressed in so many different ways. I would love the opportunity to experience something like this again and I think the organization handled the gathering a lot better than I ever expected.
— Paulette, 11th grade

It was a great experience, it was really fun and I enjoyed meeting new people. It was great to see how other people across the country do eurythmy, and I felt that our performance together went really well.
— Luca, 11th grade

I learned so much and my appreciation for eurythmy has grown immensely. Meeting and spending time with all the other Waldorf students and teachers was an amazing experience. I loved all the time I spent there and I can’t wait to go on another trip soon.
— Daphne, 11th grade

This Eurythmy convention was very fun and eye opening for me. During the convention we worked with many different teachers that all taught me something new about eurythmy. I can tell I’m getting better because my movements feel clearer and more controlled. Eurythmy is a really interesting way to move and connect with music, speech, and gestures. Eurythmy taught me a new way to express myself through movement and rhythm, and this convention helped me out a lot with that, and I will be eternally grateful for that wonderful opportunity.
—Tomás, 10th grade

This eurythmy convention was a unique and special experience. I learned a lot about eurythmy and met students from all over the country.
— Samanyu, 11th grade

I was originally a little apprehensive about going to a eurythmy conference, but I grew to really enjoy my time there with everyone. I made a lot of interesting connections and found people who share my interests. Overall, I had a great time at the eurythmy conference and look forward to more opportunities.
— Arnav, 11th grade

Being able to be with people who grew up so differently yet sharing the same experiences was truly special. I got to bond with many people and really immerse myself into the art of eurythmy which made the trip amazing.
— Samih, 11th grade