Spring pARTy – April 14, 2012

Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate CLWS on April 14th! The CLWS Spring pARTy went off without a hitch!  By all accounts, everyone had a great time and felt that the evening was an incredible success. We surpassed our fundraising goal which was to raise more than $14,000 ($14,049 was raised last year for classroom sinks). We raised over $15,000 from our silent art auction, great gatherings, and other unique offerings combined.  Amazing!  All proceeds will be allocated to our Teacher Development Fund which supports the ongoing professional development of CLWS teachers. Every year CLWS supports teachers’ attendance at high quality training, grades preparation and development courses both locally and nationally.  The strong support of professional development activities enrich our staff and directly impact our students’ classroom experience.

CLWS extends an enormous thank you to all those involved in planning and participating in this year’s event. We’re grateful for the entire community’s willingness to contribute to the Spring pARTy in a variety of ways.   If you have any ideas or suggestions for next year’s event, please email or call me at development@clws.org or (612) 767-1503.  We look forward to any/all feedback.

Great Gatherings

What is a Great Gathering?  A Great Gathering is a fixed-price (sometimes even free!) scheduled event for a group of people.  It’s a fun way to get together with our community friends and enjoy time away from school. Once you sign up for one, your spot at that gathering is guaranteed!  Gatherings fill up quickly, so sign up now.   New gatherings can and will be added to the calendar on an ongoing basis, so consider hosting a new one!   Use the calendar linked here to plan your Gatherings for the year.  Sign up in the office or by emailing: development@clws.org.

New Families for the 2012-13 school year are welcome to join any of these gatherings for free!  We hope you’ll get to know other CLWS families through these and other gatherings held throughout the year.
Sumit new 2012-13 Great Gatherings Anytime! Consider hosting a new great gathering not yet on the calendar to bring CLWS families together. Events can be held at your home, at a restaurant, and can be for kids only, adults only, or for the whole family. The possibilities are endless! Great Gatherings are tremendous fun and great community builders. So put your thinking caps on, release your inner host, and plan to have some fun! A donation form is available now online. If you have an idea for a Gathering but need a co-host or venue to make it happen, contact us. We’ll help!

Bike-a-thon – October 9, 2011

The first event of the school year is the annual Bike-a-Thon. Held on Sunday, October 9 this year, our children and other supporters of Waldorf schools raise and collect pledges for bicycling around Lake Harriet. It is a rousing and fun-filled time that brings as much excitement into our hallways as it does money into our general operating account. Please join us and support CLWS! Contact us at (612) 767-1503 or development@clws.org for more information.

Grandparents & Special Friends Day – November 18, 2011

Our annual Grandparents and Special Friends Day was held Friday, November 18.  This is one of the children’s favorite events and a great opportunity for them to share their school and classroom with the special people in their lives.  The morning begins in the gymnasium with coffee and homemade treats.  Each grades class joins guests in the gym to welcome them and share a part of their day.  The morning concludes with an opportunity to tour the school and visit individual classrooms.  We are grateful that so many of our extended families and friends are able to join us for this special day in the life of our school!

Holiday Fair – December 2 & 3, 2011

We host an annual Holiday Fair each December, offering a host of crafts and activities for children, gnomes leading the way into the crystal caves, candle-dipping, story-telling, puppet shows, musical performances, treats and eats, the School Store open for holiday shopping, and lots more. The Holiday Fair is a time-honored family-favorite way to support the school. We hope you’ll join us this coming year!

We are also considering other fundraising ideas such as smaller dinner parties and hosting regular Open Houses to welcome new community members into our school. As we plan these events and the ones listed above, we’re always in need of volunteers to support our work. Please consider chairing one of our Fundraising Events this year or assisting others who will help to make them happen. Contact us at (612)767-1503 or development@clws.org today.