by Bridget Kenevan, WSP Middle and High School Counselor
As the mom of a teenage son, the topic of the current presidential race has been on my mind. In that role, I think often about how this election season, and the ways in which the messages of the current presidential campaigns might impact my son and his peers.
The upcoming election is fast approaching, and we are all, including our children, being inundated with input from multiple sources such as yard signs in our neighborhoods, the candidates speaking on television or radio, and comments overheard at school or in the community at large. This election may spark a myriad of feelings and questions for your children. As a parent, it can be difficult to know how to talk with our kids about politics, how to answer their questions, and how to support them through what might be a stressful or difficult time.
The California heat returned again last week, reminding us quickly that summer is not yet over. Squash and chard leaves wilted under the withering sun, bees hummed loudly, and our colony of Western Fence Lizards sunbathed eagerly on the wood chip paths. It’s normal and okay for thin-leafed plants like squash and chard to wilt slightly on hot days, even with adequate water; the transpiration of water evaporating from their leaves is more than what they can drink from the soil. Normally they recover fine come sundown, although prolonged heat waves can cause burning like they did here. Indeed, midsummer heat this year was quite brutal; as recorded in San Josée, July saw average temperatures a full 5°F hotter than July last year, with almost half of the days recording highs over 90°F. Hot indeed, especially for those of us working in the garden!
Yet late in August, we had our first real hint of fall. The fog rolled in from the coast and a few days saw a thick layer of stratocumulus clouds giving us a wide, cool hug. We felt a few spits of drizzle falling from the sky, moistening the garden flowers and releasing their aromas to the breeze. There is some Sweet Wormwood growing in one of the hedges that smells wonderful on these cool mornings; if you elbow your way past the sunflowers and amaranth, you can drink up its sweet herbaceousness by shoving your face right into its feathery leaves. And while you’re there, run your hands through the Black Cherry Tomato leaves and the Genovese Basil that are both in that hedge as well. Nothing smells more to me like late summer than some tomato leaves brushed gently across your skin.
Stepping back to the paths, and speaking of the sunflowers and amaranth, it’s wonderful to see how well they grew this year as tall, colorful pillars of the garden. The Amaranth was such a deep brilliant red and greeted me with joy every time I walked into the garden this summer. It’s hard to identify specific types of sunflowers since there are so many, but one variety grew dozens of small heads so tall and wide that they blocked many of the paths around the garden rings! Another type is hard to identify because I saw the seed head get gnawed off and carried away by a ground squirrel. Turns out sunflower seeds are pretty tasty for all creatures. It’s the perennial problem of growing food in a garden; turns out, all animals are attracted to food. We lost a couple of pumpkins to somebody gnawing through their tops, the bean seedlings got chomped in the bean tipi, and somebody’s been persistently nibbling at the chard. I haven’t gotten a close enough look at the cottontail that visits frequently, but it’s likely a Brush Rabbit which is common around these parts.
Thankfully, despite those frustrations, we were able to harvest many bunches of sweet grapes from the grapevines as an afternoon treat for the summer campers this year. And several of the Sweet Marketmore Cucumbers were chilled and sliced for the campers’ cool snack on a hot day. Through this we can see that life in the garden is strong, and we tend it as best we can for what it is and where we are. As best a metaphor for life as the garden can provide.As we start the school year, I am grateful to this wonderful garden that was built with so much strength and care by those before me. Its flowers peek over the fence and greet all those who arrive on campus. Its strong healthy soils grow so many species of flora, and the gazebo invites anybody to sit and enjoy some shade. As always, there is a lot of work to do; dead poppy stalks to chop down, undesired grasses to pull from the beds, irrigation lines to shuffle here and there, and larger projects on the docket like a water feature and play structure. But the garden welcomes all at whichever stage of life it’s in, and whichever stage of life you’re in. Come walk through the gate, sit for a spell, and listen, see, smell, and breathe. May its calm help guide you in finding yours.
See you in the garden!
Top image: Red Amaranth streaks skyward in the summer garden. Amaranthus cruentus
Chilled California Wild Grapes were thoroughly enjoyed by the summer campers on hot days. Vitis californica
The late summer California garden is a mix of drought tolerant flowers like Sunflower and Amaranth, earlier blooms gone to seed like dried Poppy stalks and the tall Sweet Wormwood in the center, and just general untamed chaos.
A pink-tinged Cosmos flower lends a bit of elegance to a summer garden. Cosmos bipinnatus
This dry-loving shrubby Aster is often called the European Michaelmas Daisy. Aster amellus
by Marie-Aude Bélanger, WSP Community & Events Manager
On Friday, September 13th, school parents, board member, grandparent, alum parent gathered at the industrial kitchen of Don Bugito, a unique food business run by parent Monica Martinez. Her company specializes in sustainable, protein-rich snacks made from edible insects—a bold and innovative approach that highlights the importance of eco-consciousness. Guests sampled a variety of insects through delicious recipes (from tacos to ice cream)! This event not only brought our community closer but also supported our school through the funds it raised.
As part of this growing community collaboration, we’re excited to announce that some of Don Bugito’s most loved products will soon be available at our school store!
Some of the delicious dishes Monica cooked up for the tasting event:
Have you ever wondered what happens to your kitchen scraps? Instead of ending up in a landfill, they could be transformed into rich, nourishing soil. This magical process is called composting, and it’s easier than you think!
Composting is crucial for reducing waste and enriching our soil. As parents of young children, we’ve found it’s also a fantastic way to teach them about the circle of life and our role in it. Every bit of organic waste we compost helps reduce our carbon footprint and supports a healthier planet for our kids. However, traditional composting methods can be messy and time-consuming. Regularly washing out bins with a hose and drying them in the sun can be a hassle, especially with a busy schedule and young children.
We used to follow the standard composting method with the city-provided countertop bin. While effective, it became challenging to maintain, especially with a newborn and sleepless nights. That’s when we discovered a simpler, more convenient way, using grocery store paper bags. By placing peels and compostable items in double-lined brown bags on a tray and sealing them with a rock, we found an effortless solution. Every 2-3 days, we simply toss the whole bag into the green bin. This method has been a game-changer, making composting hassle-free and manageable, even with an infant in tow. No more messy bins to wash and dry – just simple, effective composting.
Imagine this in your own home. Picture your kitchen with a neat, double-lined brown bag ready to catch all your peels and scraps. Visualize how easy it is to toss the scraps from your cutting board into the wide opening of the bag. Every few days, instead of dealing with a messy bin, you simply place the whole bag into your green bin. No extra cleaning, no hassle – just a simple, effective composting routine.
We invite you to try this method and see the difference it can make in your daily routine. Not only will you be reducing waste, but you’ll also be contributing to a healthier environment for your family. Let’s make composting a part of our lives, even amidst our busy schedules and parenting duties. Please give it a try and let us know how it works for you. Together, we can make a wonderful impact!
Priyanka has been connected to the Waldorf School of the Peninsula in various roles for about four years now—first and foremost as a parent, then as a teacher, and now as a student in Teacher Jane and Teacher Denise’s Warm Beginnings Program. She is very grateful to be part of this wonderful community, which has provided her with the opportunity for lifelong learning, especially in navigating parenthood.
Behind S.E.L or Social Emotional Learning rests the idea that humans undergo a process of learning how to develop healthy social relationships from birth onward and that there are key elements that contribute to a meaningful life. When I was young, this program was called hanging out with the neighborhood kids, finding a compromise with my sister about the game we would play, or feeling guilty about something I said at school and vowing to be different. It was reading novels in school where “bad” characters got rejected and hearing stories where being kind and loving paid off. It was being called in during recess by my class teacher to have a conversation with someone whom I caused to feel bad. Social Emotional Learning was not a program but rather experiences in life that made someone, albeit slowly, a better person.
In this current moment, where humans ages 13-18 spend an average of seven hours a day on their devices, that natural time to learn how to be a socially responsible human has dwindled.[1] Young people just don’t spend that much time together anymore and the result is that they don’t build those skills of compromise, of self-awareness, of responsible decision-making. Was it easy for me to learn many of those things as a young person? Absolutely not. Those are hard lessons, but they are also some of the most important for a successful and fulfilling life.
While that social development time has dwindled for many, Waldorf School of the Peninsula’s philosophy has always, and will always, center around social development. At the core of our philosophy is the intention to educate social beings. What is now called “Social Emotional Learning” is embedded in our curriculum/approach from our nursery program all the way through high school.
While it may be tempting to associate S.E.L. solely with sessions in Bridget Kenevan, our school counselor’s office, WSP’’s approach extends far beyond that. From Eurythmy sessions to field trips, class meetings, games, and even Spanish classes, opportunities for S.E.L. abound throughout our curriculum. Allow me to provide some specific examples of how the core principles of Social Emotional Learning are integrated into our high school humanities program.
Empathy work is encountered in all novel-based classes. In 9th grade, students read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and take on the perspective of being a rejected outsider as well as the rejector. Jumping into the victim’s shoes as well as the perpetrator’s shoes is important for understanding the dimensions of being human.
In 10th grade Historical Fiction, students interview their family members to discover their story. By adding a historical perspective, they expand the world they originate from. Their presentations build confidence, self–expression, and deepen relationships.
In 11th grade, student’s follow Parzival’s journey by mirroring his questions with questions of their own through journaling. They self-reflect deeply through questions such as the following: Do you know of anything your parents experienced that have directly shaped the way they chose to raise you? What parts of your parents’ biographies appear to influence your identity? Who are you without your parents? Who are you when all of the material comforts are stripped away? Why does suffering seem necessary for growth? What teachings have you received from people in your life that you are ready to leave behind? What teachings or ideas are taking their place? What behaviors do you want to rid yourself of? The contemplation of these and more questions culminate in a week-long trip that countless graduates credit as having changed their life.
In 12th grade, students study a complex subject that many adults have a hard time talking about: Israel and Palestine. They develop their ability to really dive into each perspective. Instead of only critically thinking about the complex conflict, they engage in relational thinking, expanding their ability to hold two truths at once.
These tenets are encountered again and again, and by the time students graduate from 12th grade, their ability to articulate themselves, understand others, work with others, and be socially responsible is unparalleled. When S.E.L came out as a program to be added to schools, our teachers looked and saw what Waldorf had been working with for decades. I would go so far as to say that Waldorf education is the best social emotional education in the world. It just takes twelve years, give or take. If you don’t believe me, come and talk to our 12th grade class.
