Birchtree Charter School

Third grade market May 11th and 12th!

Flyers designed by our creative students! 🎨

A little pocket of woodland magic in our backyard 🪵🌲🌿

Have you noticed our unique block crayons? Block crayons meet children exactly where they are developmentally. While standard stick crayons require a tripod grip, younger children naturally begin with the fi**ed palmar grasp. These tools are designed for this developmental stage and also offer incredible versatility! Children can use the flat sides to create wide sweeps of color or the edges for more detailed work. Plus, they are made with beeswax and smell like honey! We love our block crayons! 🍯🖍

Our eighth grade students recently finished their Impressionism Project in the Waldorf tradition. To create these, students step into the artist's shoes to envision what they were seeing in the exact moment of creation.

The project moves in layers, beginning with a watercolor underpainting. By perceiving the "inner color life" of the painting, students wash the paper in complementary colors that remain hidden beneath the surface. This stage honors the foundational watercolor work they began all the way back in Kindergarten, allowing the eighth grader to journey back through their entire artistic experience.

Finally, students apply the oil pastel layer. This adds substance and weight, moving the work from pure color into form. We are so proud of their hard work!

Last Wednesday we had our monthly staff appreciation lunch. This month it was provided by our 1st grade parents. It was so good! We are so grateful to our wonderful parents for all they do!

📢 Prospective parents!
Today is the LAST day to submit your intent to enroll form!

Follow the link to the form located on our web page:
🔗 https://www.birchtreecharterschool.com/enrollment

In the Waldorf classroom, painting is an important part of our curriculum. Colors are a living language, taught through Goethe's Theory of Colors. This theory focuses on how colors evoke different emotions in an individual.

For example, Goethe thought of red as a color of high tension and warmth that may evoke emotions like passion or intensity. In our paintings, the children are encouraged to focus on this "living" color. Our painting curriculum evolves with the students, implementing a grade-level specific primary focus each year. This brings the students on a journey through experiencing color, all the way to exploring the tension between dark and light.

The most beautiful chalkboard art welcoming spring, hanging right above our front desk 🌈🪴

All credit to our amazing third grade teacher and talented artist, Ms. Prosser! 🩷

Candles are an important part of the Waldorf philosophy. Rooted in the principles of rhythm and reverence, lighting a candle serves as a visual signal for our students to transition their energy and settle in for a story.

But the real magic happens when the flame goes out! We invite the children to watch the "smoke fairies" as they flutter and dissipate into the air. This acts as a grounding moment of mindfulness in the classroom, fostered through silence and stillness.

As Rudolf Steiner spoke of "soul-warmth," the soft light of the beeswax candle helps create an environment where children feel safe, grounded, and ready to learn.

A few important dates to remember for the month of April: 🌷🌈

April 6th @ 6:30 PM: 3rd-5th grade Spring Concert

April 9th @ 6:30 PM: 6th-8th grade Spring Concert

April 13th: Intent to Return forms are due. Please make sure to submit your form online!

April 20th: Intent to Enroll forms are due online for new incoming students.

Find the enrollment form on our website https://www.birchtreecharterschool.com/enrollment