Currents

Watershed Happenings

Jul 5 Independence Day holiday, NO SCHOOL
Jul 6 Summer math and art classes begin
Jul 7, 14 Improv Club, 3-5 p.m.
Jul 8 WHS Community Ed, 6-9 p.m.
Jul 10 Open House, 10:00 a.m.
Jul 12 Board Meeting, 3:45 p.m.
Jul 20 Open House, 7:00 p.m.
Jul 22 WHS Community Ed
Jul 26 Board Meeting, 3:45 p.m.

A Special Word From the Finance Committee
–Ann Moore, Finance Chair

Many thanks to all who contributed to our end of the year appeal. In these difficult economic times, your financial support means more than ever. Though our budget year ended June 30, our needs continue. Any donation to Watershed is a wonderful way to celebrate the many achievements of this year, thank faculty and staff, and set the stage for a successful 2010-2011 school year. Again, thank you for your support.

ADMIN NOTES
–Phil Grant, Administrator

I hope your summer’s going well. I’m excited about our summer school program as well our new Community Ed program starting next Thursday, July 8. See below for details on both.

I have sad news. Science teacher David Kimori reports that his grandmother died recently. Because he’s going home for the funeral and mourning period, he cannot teach his science class scheduled for July 6-15. As we were unable to find a suitable replacement on such short notice, the class was canceled. Students previously enrolled in science for the next couple of weeks may choose Rachel’s Bookbinding art class or Linda’s math class, space permitting.

If you would like to send condolences to David, send them to us at Watershed and we’ll forward them on to David and his family.

Summer Hours at Watershed
• July 6-July 15, open for business and for summer school 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., except Fridays.
• July 19-August 6, limited hours, to be announced.
• August 9-12, open for business and summer school.
• Check Currents for calendar and hours updates throughout the summer.

SUMMER SCHOOL 2010
• Linda’s Reality Math class begins Tuesday, July 6, at 9:00 a.m. in the 3rd floor math room.
• Rachel’s Bookbinding art class begins Tuesday, July 6, at 9:00 a.m. in her second floor art room.
• David Kimori’s science course has been canceled, as mentioned above. Students previously enrolled in science for the next couple of weeks may choose Rachel’s Bookbinding art class or Linda’s math class, space permitting.
• Call the school at 612-871-4363 for more information.

Improv Club on Wednesdays
Marc Gutman has begun an Improv Club every Wednesday from 3:00-5:00 p.m. If you’d like to develop your ability to improvise theatrically, come on by. This group is open to any Watershed students, alumni and friends. There is no charge.

WATERSHED COMMUNITY ED
Watershed’s first community education evening is this coming Thursday, July 8, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. There’ll be two rounds of about 90 minutes each, with a short break between. Many thanks to Marc Gutman for organizing this evening.

Only $5 for the evening. One night, two rounds! Mix and match as you wish. Come learn from people in your community. This evening features:

• Origami Design
A focus on creating your own designs.
Taught by Marc Gutman

• Elements of Performance Poetry
A focus on putting the emotion in your words. Taught by Cole Sarar

• Recycled Bookbinding
Make a simple journal or sketchbook out of recycled materials. Taught by Nell Morningstar Ubbelohde

• So I’ve Got This GREAT Idea for a Show . . .
Stage, big screen, perhaps even a book: you have this great idea, but you don’t know where to start. What’s a treatment? What’s a script x-ray? And for the love of everything that’s holy, how do you turn an idea into a coherent spec script? What are Hollywood producers really looking for? Will they eat me alive? In 90 minutes, a local screenwriter will walk you through the beginning of the process, with a healthy dose of humor. Bring your work if you have it handy. Taught by Marie-Helene B. Grzesiak

All classes held at Watershed High School, 4544 4th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55419. Call 612-871-4363 for more information.

Yearbooks & T-shirts
2009-2010 Watershed yearbooks are available for $20.00 in the school office. T-shirts are $10.00. Make checks out to Watershed High School or pay with cash.

Enrollment
We continue to accept students for the fall, though space varies by grade. Our next Open Houses are Saturday, July 10, at 10:00 a.m., and Tuesday, July 20, at 7:00 p.m. For more information, call Rachel, our enrollment coordinator, at 612-871-4363 x219, or email her at rkoniar (at) watershedhs.org.

Board Notes
The board last met June 28. The next meetings are July 12 and 26, both at 3:45 p.m. The regularly scheduled meetings are the 4th Monday of each month, but the current volume of work led to scheduling an extra meeting July 12. For more information, or for any questions about the board, contact chair, Leanne Mfaligundi (at) mfali001@umn.edu.

Wild Food Summit Report
The day after school got out, a motley crew of Watershed’s finest students embarked on a journey up to the White Earth Reservation to learn more about wild edibles and get a few English credits on the side. As I sit here reflecting on the crazy experience of taking ten students camping (at times, during tornadic weather), my mind is drawn to the real reason for this trip. What was the Wild Food Summit?

The best answer I can give is that it was a chance for a group of kids from the city to step outside their element and reconnect with the natural world. It was a field be-speckled with fireflies, and lying outside looking at the stars, and dancing under torrential downpours, and eating some of the best food I have ever tasted. I don’t kid myself that the Wild Food Summit profoundly altered our lives. I was worried that it would be a time for students to break rules but it wasn’t that so much as it was a time for us to make up rules of our own. Up north our days weren’t judged by an hourly wage or by a report card but by how we felt at the end of it. In time our blistered feet and burned skin will heal, perhaps to be replaced by other wounds from adolescence. But, regardless of where life takes us, I hope that we will still find time to stop time, to step out of the rat race, to lift our heads above the tree line and hear the wind whisper across an empty field.
–Emily Hanrahan

Gardening Update
Watershed’s community garden is a’growin’. The gardening elective class worked hard all spring to establish our first ever school garden. We are growing everything from sunflowers and hollyhocks to tomatoes and carrots. Now that it is summer, there are fewer able bodies around and we could use your help. We are fighting a pretty difficult battle against thistles these days and anyone who has a spare moment to do a bit of weeding or watering would be very much appreciated. If you are interested in coming to any of our weeding parties please contact Emily at hanr0011 (at) gmail.com. As I start to plan curriculum for the fall, I am running across a few questions I thought I might pose to the Watershed community, seeking resources or advice.

1. Who knows about saving seeds? I have little experience, so I’m looking for help.

2. We would like to to do some food presevation ie: canning, fermenting, freezing, drying. I have a bit of experience with this, but could still use help.

3. Who can help with a composting program or rain barrels?

4. Also, due to our Waldorf roots, some of our students have expressed interest in learning about biodynamic gardening. This I know very little about.

If there are any community experts in any of these fields it would be excellent to have you in the classroom. We are especially looking to collect canning and composting bin supplies. Thanks again. Happy Gardening! –Emily

Book Launch Party
Marianne Dietzel, parent of present (Soren ‘11) and former (Kevin ‘99) Watershed students, is holding a party to launch her book, Laughing in a Waterfall: A Mother’s Memoir. All are welcome to attend on Sunday, July 18, 3-6 PM at the Minnesota Waldorf School (MWS). Presentation is between 4:00 and 5:00; refreshments and book-signing before and after.

Minnesota Waldorf School
70 East County Road B
Maplewood, MN 55117
(Near Hwy. 36 & Rice Street)

Laughing in a Waterfall is a mother’s story of her daughter’s life and death and their continuing relationship. At age five, Nina met her friend Kirsten at the MWS. Thirteen years later, both girls were killed in a car accident. Nina’s foundation for life was formed by the five years her family spent living in Camphill Village Minnesota, a rural intentional community including adults with development disabilities, and by her education using the Waldorf approach. In letters exchanged with her friends, and in excerpts from her journal, Nina’s own words reveal her rich inner life and become a source of wonder for her parents.

After the accident in New York State, where Nina and Kirsten were attending a Waldorf high school, the support of the community in holding a home vigil for the girls gave Marianne courage to face her unfathomable loss. Back in Minnesota, with a teenager and young child still at home, and a dying mother 500 miles away, Marianne’s own spiritual resources came to her aid in transcending her grief.

This poignant memoir offers insights into how to create a new culture around the sacred threshold of death and keep a living connection to those on the other side.

For more information, please see www.mariannedietzel.com.