Fri, 25 Aug 2006

The Hill School in New Orleans: back to square one

One year ago, the Hill School in New Orleans was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and its pupils scattered across the southern United States. Many pupils have still not returned and the school has faced serious obstacles in its bid to re-establish itself in the city. Yet despite its uncertain future, a dedicated group of teachers and parents are working to keep Waldorf education alive in New Orleans, as class teacher Alexander Wooge explains in the following update:

Dear Friends of the Hill School,

First and foremost, let us say thank you, thank you from the depth of our hearts for all the help, prayers and support you all have given us. In these very trying times, it was knowing that a world-wide community had the Hill School community in its hearts and thoughts that gave us the strength to reopen our school’s doors and keep going.

We are, and continue to be, deeply moved when we hear how many children, teachers, schools, organisations, families, and individuals world-wide organised fund raising events from selling baked goods and hand-made crafts to organising dances and music concerts to donate the proceeds to the Hill School.

This past spring, two Waldorf high school groups visited New Orleans and the Hill School to assist in rebuilding our school facility and clean our neighbourhood and play grounds of debris. Those visits left a positive and heart-warming imprint on the fabric of this school community. You were touched by our disaster and became motivated to support us; thank you!

Due to your most generous donations of monetary contributions, volunteer time, toys, school supplies and everything else that a school needs we were able re-open our doors on 8 November 2005 to a small group of returning students. It was the financial support that we received from the United States, Canada and many European countries that enabled us to complete this past school year successfully and plant seeds for the future growth of the Hill School.

After the disasters and evacuations last year, over 75 percent of the Hill School families did not return to New Orleans. The Hill School is back to square one and has to re-build the interest in Waldorf education in this great city. Given all these challenges, the number of enrolled students for the 2006-2007 school year is too few to sustain the school’s future and finance its re-building.

However, it is our firm belief that now more than ever New Orleans needs a Waldorf school and community to assist its children and families through these life-altering experiences. Interest in the Hill School continues to grow steadily yet slowly. Families are apprehensive about returning to New Orleans and making a financial commitment for their child’s education. We are confident that more families will return during this summer and some will be seeking a special place like the Hill School for their child’s education.

We kindly request your continued assistance while we physically, emotionally and energetically re-build and grow the Hill School; offering Waldorf education in New Orleans. Our projected deficit for the 2006-2007 school year is substantial yet with your continued and generous financial assistance, not impossible to manage.

Our small yet dedicated group of parents is actively organizing fundraising events and working diligently to secure the Hill School’s future. Immediately the Hill School needs approximately US$50,000 (£26,400, €39,000) to keep its doors open and children educated for the upcoming school year. Donations of any amount will help to keep the light shining and ensure the Hill School’s future in New Orleans. Thank you for your generous support in the past and for the future.

END/nna/cva

The Hill School, 517 Soraparu Street, Suite 101, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130, United States. Tel.: 504 891 8686, fax: 504 525 3223, email: theneworleanshillschool@hotmail.com, Website: www.hillschoolwaldorf.org

Item: 060825-02EN Date: 25 August 2006

Copyright 2006 News Network Anthroposophy Limited. All rights reserved. See http://www.nna-news.org/copyright/

More NNA reports at: http://www.nna-news.org/

New General Secretary for New Zealand Anthroposophical Society

By Vee Noble

HAWKES BAY (NNA) – The New Zealand Anthroposophical Society has a new general secretary. Members unanimously endorsed the executive council’s recommendation of Sue Simpson at the July annual general meeting of the Society in Hawkes Bay.

Sue Simpson takes up her new task following a decision by Hans van Florenstein Mulder to step down from the position and take up the newly created role of General Anthroposophical Society (GAS) representative in Asia. He has been New Zealand general secretary since 1992.

Sue Simpson is just the third general secretary in New Zealand since the founding of the national society. She brings to the position a strong artistic impulse as a eurythmist and teacher as well as administration and management skills gained in her current job as principal of Taikura Waldorf School in Hastings.  She has been the chairperson of the New Zealand executive council since 1999. Sue Simpson also brings experience with groups and the ability to create a space where each individual can be heard

Treasurer Noel Josephson, who has spent the last 20 years working to implement a living, threefold approach to finances, also stepped down at this annual general meeting and this task will now be carried by newly appointed council member, Diederic Ruarus. Both Noel Josephson and Hans van Florenstein Mulder will remain as members of the council in New Zealand.

The annual general meeting took place in the centre of the three-day annual conference at which GAS executive council member, Paul Mackay, was the keynote speaker. The theme of the conference was “Awakening to One’s Destiny”.

This conference was followed by a further two-day conference for members of the School of Spiritual Science in Hastings and later that week in Christchurch in New Zealand’s South Island.

END/nna/cva

Item: 060825-01EN Date: 25. August 2006

Copyright 2006 News Network Anthroposophy Limited. All rights reserved. See http://www.nna-news.org/copyright/

More NNA reports at: http://www.nna-news.org/