By Marie-Aude Belanger, Community & Events Manager and current 4th & 5th grade mom.
Lessons from a few magical days with the 5th grade at Headwaters Outdoor School
This past week, I had the incredible privilege of chaperoning our 5th graders on their first trip to Headwaters Outdoor School. While I felt prepared logistically, I have to admit—I was nervous! Not for the kids, but for myself. The idea of a week-long outdoor adventure promised a mix of excitement, a test of my patience, and probably a little sleep deprivation. I remember thinking, Why exactly did I volunteer for this?
But here’s the real story: volunteering as a chaperone turned out to be one of the most rewarding, enriching, and joyful experiences I’ve had in our school community. It’s a chance to deeply connect with your child, their classmates, our incredible teachers, and the heart of what our school stands for.
Here are five unexpected, wonderful gifts from stepping into the woods with our spirited 5th graders:
🌲 1. Seeing teachers in their element There’s something profoundly moving about watching your child’s teacher guide, inspire, and laugh alongside the students. You witness teachers in their true element—the world as their classroom—responding with genuine care and presence, to homesick moments, scraped knees, a group dynamic needing tending, or a quiet moment of wonder.
🤝 2. Witnessing each child’s uniqueness Outside of classroom routines, children reveal themselves in fascinating new ways. You’ll see the quiet observer who always knows exactly where everyone’s water bottles are, the natural fire-builder who seems to have been born to the wild, and the witty one who lifts everyone’s spirits at just the right moment. These aren’t just your child’s classmates—they become young people you deeply admire. And perhaps most powerfully, you see each of them visibly grow—in confidence, awareness, and kindness.
💛 3. Experiencing genuine group dynamics One evening, a group of students spontaneously crafted a poem and a beautiful drawing for Tim, the owner of the school and land, as a heartfelt thank-you. Moments like this capture the profound beauty and generosity that thrive in shared, unplugged experiences rooted in nature.
📚 4. Growing through discomfort and discovering new learning Camping does come with its challenges: chilly nights, insects, darkness, and very long days—just to name a few. Yet navigating these small discomforts side by side with the students builds resilience, trust, and a powerful sense of shared accomplishment. As a chaperone, you’re not just supervising; you become a learner too. From mastering primitive fire-making to enjoying spontaneous campfire songs and gaining deeper insights into caring for our planet, you return home enriched, inspired, and transformed by a classroom without walls.
☕️ 5. Creating unforgettable bonds There’s something deeply nourishing about gathering around a campfire, sharing stories, laughter, and meals in nature alongside teachers, fellow parents, and the children you’re caring for. These cozy, authentic moments foster connections far richer than quick chats at drop-off or hurried emails. They weave together a stronger, warmer community, reminding you that you’re part of something truly special.
If you’ve ever hesitated about chaperoning a school trip, consider this your gentle nudge to say yes. It’s more than supervising children—it’s stepping into a joyful community, embracing adventure, trusting the process, and letting the experience surprise and transform you.
So go ahead, embrace the mud and the magic. You’ll be glad you did.
By Marina Budrys, Co-Pedagogical Administrator (Grades 6-12) and Faculty Member
Wow, I wish I had done this in high school.
This is such a unique and interesting experience!
They are so lucky.
These are just a few of the many observations I hear from onlookers during Experiential Interdisciplinary Week–often when students are immersed in something they have never done before, and may never do again.
Experiential Interdisciplinary, or EI Week, was born from the impulse that we do some of our best learning from being IN the world. We devote a full week of the high school curriculum to student-inspired workshops that expand learning in experiential, physical, and often unforgettable ways. Whether flying through the air in a trapeze studio, pushing one’s heart to the limit on a grueling upward climb on a mountain bike, or transforming thrift store clothing to what one imagined in their head, all of the workshops challenge students to grow. When I was a senior at WSP, I blew glass at a studio in Half Moon Bay, something I struggled through, and will never forget.
All of the activities are exciting and introduce new skill sets to students. But the activities aren’t just about their cool factor. Beyond the technical skill building is the growth that these young people do as friends, as leaders, and as members of society.
By being challenged to spend time with people who are not their closest friends, or working with new teachers in new situations, or encountering the discomfort that comes from being in less controlled environments than school, our students find ways to expand their self-confidence. What starts as I could never, I won’t, or I don’t think I can is transformed to: I can do.
Doing things IRL or “in real life” is essential to WSP’s high school curriculum. We want students to grow up to value the full spectrum of being human. In a moment where our attention is constantly drawn into the virtual world–this is even more significant. Mental and physical well-being depend on being a part of the world and we are on the precipice of understanding how costly it is to slip away from the real world, especially for young, developing people.
Being in our bodies and in our complicated beautiful world is what makes us feel the most alive and that is something we do not want to lose. WSP high school students are fortunate that their school values this.
Here are a few takeaways from students this year:
I loved moving all day and making new friends.
Learning trapeze was so fun, and being someone who is scared of heights, I thought it would be much scarier! 10/10
Doing something new–even though it was really scary—and overcoming that fear, that’s what it is all about.
Interview by Lisa Babinet, PhD, WSP Faculty
Reprinted with permission from School Renewal, Spring, 2025
As a child, Lea Fredrickson attended an outdoor preschool. There, a community of parents, inspired by their experience, began to envision a unique educational path for their children. This vision culminated in the founding of Waldorf School of Santa Barbara where Lea was part of the first graduating eighth-grade class. Her mother served as the founding administrator, with many classmates’ parents playing integral roles in creating and shaping the school community.
“I loved everything about my Waldorf education,” Lea shares. “The stories, creative play, being in nature, acting in plays, and learning math creatively—all these experiences shaped my childhood. The passion and joy my teachers brought to the classroom inspired me, and in the community, I formed lifelong friendships.”
After graduating eighth grade, Lea attended a local independent high school, then earned an undergraduate degree in physics from the University of California, Santa Barbara, which included a year studying abroad in Spain. After completing her undergraduate degree, Lea went on to complete a Ph.D. in physics from UCLA. She gained teaching experience as a substitute teacher and graduate teaching assistant, but it was a serendipitous discovery that redirected her path to Waldorf education.
“While searching for a postdoctoral position, I found that Waldorf School of the Peninsula (WSP), just blocks away from my home, was seeking a high school physics teacher,” she recalls. “It felt like a calling, and thirteen years later, I’m still here, finding immense joy in teaching.”
Nurturing STEM at Waldorf School of the Peninsula
At WSP, Lea has taken on various roles teaching physics, calculus, Spanish, dance, and even co-creating an interdisciplinary senior science elective. A highlight of her teaching career is founding the school’s robotics team, which competes in FIRST Robotics. Now in its twelfth season, the team has even hosted a competition on campus.
“Many students have said that robotics was a highlight of their high school experience,” she says. “It fosters collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving in a hands-on, engaging way.”
Lea recently transitioned to a leadership role as high school pedagogical administrator, supporting her colleagues while facilitating the redevelopment of the computer science curriculum.
Readiness in a Tech-Forward Future
Reflecting on her Waldorf education, Lea credits it with instilling a love of discovery and a multidisciplinary perspective. “My Waldorf experience taught me to find understanding through discovery rather than being handed answers. It’s a principle I carry into my teaching.”
To parents concerned about their children’s readiness for the tech world, she offers reassurance: “Waldorf education prepares students with flexibility of thinking, resilience, and confidence to navigate an uncertain future. It’s less about specific tools and more about fostering adaptability and critical thinking.”
Embracing AI with Awareness
As AI continues to evolve, Lea is both excited and cautious. “Generative AI is accelerating human creativity in unprecedented ways, but it also carries the potential for misuse. Waldorf students are uniquely positioned to engage with this technology critically, understanding its capabilities and limitations.”
At WSP, Lea and her colleagues are ensuring that the next generation of students meets the future with curiosity, humanity, and a solid foundation in STEM. As she looks forward, her dedication to blending Waldorf principles with cutting-edge innovation offers a model for education in the 21st century.
