Michaelmas and Annual Fund Kick-off

A Letter from our Head of School

The tradition of celebrating Michaelmas goes back many years for the Waldorf School of Pittsburgh and remains a meaningful experience for our children and families. This year, David Konefal-Shaer, alumni parent, former board of trustee and current volunteer, returned to help us with the cider press, a staple of this festival. In the early years, WSP held Michaelmas at a family home in Imperial, PA where they had a grove of apple trees for picking and large open spaces for children to play and climb. Michaelmas was held on a weekend with apple picking, a potluck, and the host family’s apple press. 

Today, the festival is held almost entirely during the school day and parents contribute in a myriad of ways. For the first time this year, we featured glass blowing by master glass blower and parent, Jaime Guerrero, who created out of glass a fire blowing devil which was then conquered by water at the end of the presentation. It was amazing to watch the glass be transformed with fire, water, and tools in twenty minutes. Michaelmas continues to be a heartfelt experience for our school community, and it is rejuvenating to see this celebration evolve to meet the children.

Today’s festivities reminded us of the four gifts represented through the legend of Michael: “strength, courage, the will to do deeds, and love, to those who are willing to undertake self-transformation and look towards that which is divine in every human being. Both transformation and the battle with the dragon are uniquely individual; they reside within our powers of thought, and we are the only ones to have access to them”. (Mitchell, David. “Why Do Waldorf Schools Celebrate Michaelmas?”, Waldorf Journal Project #15 - Michaelmas) 

We are so grateful for the many gifts of our community and all that you share with us on this day of Michaelmas and our Annual Fund Kick-off.

Thanks to each of you,

Kirsten Christopherson-Clark

Head of School