Winter Faire

A Saturday in early December

Local artisans and students offer vendor booths with all manner of arts, crafts, and preserved food items. There are free children’s activities such as baking bread, making natural ornaments, and a puppet show. Classes sell baked goods, warm drinks, and soup or chili to round out the event.

This day also serves as an open house and gives guests an opportunity to visit classrooms, meet some of our teachers, and view student work.

Spiral of Lights

The last school day before winter break

In this event, a double spiral of evergreen boughs is arranged in a darkened room, with a single candle in the center. One by one, the students walk the spiral into the center while soft piano music plays. They each light the candle they carry and place it somewhere on the spiral as they walk back out. Gradually the room fills with the light of the candles burning together until there is a strong, warm glow.

At first, the ceremony is allowed to resonate in the children as a simple experience of the transformation. As they get older, we talk with the children about how each of us carries a light inside of ourselves, and that when we share our light with others we can bring brightness and warmth to times of darkness.