Dear Friends,

Helicopter and snow plow parents....we’ve all heard about this type of over parenting, and the concern that it actually does more harm than good. Parenting is hard, scary and uncer-tain. We all love our children and want the very best for them, but managing their every move and jumping in before disappointments or upsets occur, takes away from the many les-sons and lifeskills that can be learned. So, now what? Trying to strike the balance between being supportive and preparing our children for life can be tricky but please know that we are all in this together.

On March 10th at 9 a.m., I will be hosting our third annual Coffee Talk with the Counselor, where parents can come together to talk, listen and learn together. Through our informal, open forum, we will be discussing topics that are relevant to you and your children. Together we will share the ups and downs of various topics: friendships, difficulty with feelings such as anxiety or anger, or how to help them navigate social media.

There is no text book for raising children, and our coffee talk is the perfect place to connect with other parents, and leave with new insights, strategies and knowledge that you are not alone. I look forward to seeing you on March 10th!

~ Lauren Conway, School Counselor

Congratulations to Alyssa, Adam, and all Robo-Walden members, for placing 2nd in Gracious Professionalism, “a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community” at the First Lego League re-gional championship held at the University of Pennsylvania in February.

Walden Mom, Cynthia Bower, enriched students by sharing the joyful customs evidenced throughout the Chinese New Year that included the signifi-cance of oranges, beautiful red envelopes and coins.

March 3 & 4 Fathers Mornings 9:00—11:00 Mark your calendar for this much-loved event! Dads are welcome to spend a morning in the classroom with their child(ren) on March 3 or March 4. Join your child to see what a Walden morning with your child(ren) is all about!

March 10 Parent Coffee with the Counselor 9:00—10:00 will be held in Room 110 (Kitchen/Art Room) from 9:00 to 10 a.m. You are welcome for coffee and conversation!

MARCH 15 DEADLINE FOR 2016-17 TUITION ASSISTANCE Applica-

tions

March 18 no school for preschool/kindergarten students

Preschool/Kindergarten Conferences

March 21 Spring Recess begins

March 28 classes resume

Mark Your CalendarsMark Your CalendarsMark Your CalendarsMark Your Calendars

Happy Birthday

Walden parent, Laura Twilley, presented her beautiful hand-made quilts to pre-school classes re-cently. She ex-plained the symbolic materials used and allowed the children to feel the different textures. The chil-dren then made pa-per quilts using wa-tercolor paper and special art tissue pa-per—creating unique and colorful art!

Jonathan WertJonathan WertJonathan WertJonathan Wert 3/20 3/20 3/20 3/20

James DeanJames DeanJames DeanJames Dean 3/21 3/21 3/21 3/21

Virginia TwilleyVirginia TwilleyVirginia TwilleyVirginia Twilley 3/21 3/21 3/21 3/21

Liam DiedrichLiam DiedrichLiam DiedrichLiam Diedrich 3/25 3/25 3/25 3/25

Natalie AllenNatalie AllenNatalie AllenNatalie Allen 3/28 3/28 3/28 3/28

Sophia KrajicekSophia KrajicekSophia KrajicekSophia Krajicek 3/31 3/31 3/31 3/31

Maya RosenbergMaya RosenbergMaya RosenbergMaya Rosenberg 3/04 3/04 3/04 3/04

Jude HeuserJude HeuserJude HeuserJude Heuser 3/05 3/05 3/05 3/05

Dominic CilibertiDominic CilibertiDominic CilibertiDominic Ciliberti 3/09 3/09 3/09 3/09

Shannon McAndrews 3/10Shannon McAndrews 3/10Shannon McAndrews 3/10Shannon McAndrews 3/10

Finley AlbrightFinley AlbrightFinley AlbrightFinley Albright 3/12 3/12 3/12 3/12

Emily FischbachEmily FischbachEmily FischbachEmily Fischbach 3/18 3/18 3/18 3/18

The Yearbook Club is composed of interested Middle School students who are hard at work creating this year's edition that will be available for purchase at the end of the school year! Order forms will be sent home in early April.

Preschoolers discover the art of quilting!

Classroom Highlights

In grades 3 & 4, we have blasted off into our study of the In grades 3 & 4, we have blasted off into our study of the In grades 3 & 4, we have blasted off into our study of the In grades 3 & 4, we have blasted off into our study of the

solar system! solar system! solar system! solar system! The students have been eagerly collecting in-

formation on the planets from a variety of text sources and

online videos. In order to try and visualize the immense size

of the planets and their distances from the Sun, we are look-

ing at different types of scale models. We will also be using

our Cooperative Group class time to have an in-class planet

scavenger hunt. Furthermore, students will take a look at

various constellations and myths before creating their own

constellation and writing a myth to go with it. We are hop-

ing to put together a timeline of the major space exploration

as well.

As we all eagerly anticipate the beginning of Spring outside, Spring has already occurred As we all eagerly anticipate the beginning of Spring outside, Spring has already occurred As we all eagerly anticipate the beginning of Spring outside, Spring has already occurred As we all eagerly anticipate the beginning of Spring outside, Spring has already occurred

in the preschool classrooms.in the preschool classrooms.in the preschool classrooms.in the preschool classrooms. The children are blooming! As teachers, it is very exciting to see

how much the children are learning and growing. They come to school excited and ready to

work hard to learn more. They too can see how much they are blooming!

BSC is an evening created just for the grown-ups! The big tent is as-sembled across Walden’s front lawn, with the white lights twin-kling as the adults gear up for an awesome night of fun and laugh-ter with old and new friends. Come enjoy delicious food, signa-ture cocktails, great music, terrific company … and a live and silent auction that’s not to be missed! It’s time to invite your friends, call your babysitters and come out in support of your favorite school as it launches its 50th anniversary of enriching children’s lives!

Bid, Sip & Celebrate, Saturday evening, April 30Bid, Sip & Celebrate, Saturday evening, April 30Bid, Sip & Celebrate, Saturday evening, April 30Bid, Sip & Celebrate, Saturday evening, April 30

EITC/OSTC Tax Credits EITC/OSTC Tax Credits EITC/OSTC Tax Credits EITC/OSTC Tax Credits Your business can change a student’s life by providing a qualifying contribution through either the EITC program (Pennsylvania EEEEducational IIIImprovement TTTTax CCCCredit) or the OSTC program (OOOOpportunity SSSScholarship TTTTax CCCCredit). In return, your business may receive tax credits of 75% for a one year gift or 90% for a two year commitment.

For more information, please visit Pennsylvania’s official EITC/OSTC website and contact Eve Welden at business@thewaldenschool.org. Due to the popularity of these programs, you may want to apply to both programs on the first application date of July 1st.

ANNUAL APPEAL ANNUAL APPEAL ANNUAL APPEAL ANNUAL APPEAL Your family can support The Walden School’s Annual Appeal—either by check or credit card. Checks can be mailed directly to The Walden School, 901 N. Providence Road, Me-dia PA 19063. Credit card gifts can be made online by clicking the Donate Now link or page. Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover are all accepted.

MATCHING GIFTS MATCHING GIFTS MATCHING GIFTS MATCHING GIFTS Employers will match gifts made by employees to non-profit organizations like The Walden School. Ask your company’s human resource department to provide more information about Matching Gifts and Walden can provide the form you need to increase the value of your contribution.

Planned gifts Planned gifts Planned gifts Planned gifts Planned giving is a mutually beneficial way to support Walden. You can donate to Walden without worrying about your own financial security by incorporating your dona-tion as part of your estate planning. Planned gifts allow you to give more than you thought possible.

Donating Securities Donating Securities Donating Securities Donating Securities Donating appreciated securities is an excellent way to sup-port The Walden School. Any long term appreciated securities with unrealized gains may be donated to Walden and a tax deduction taken for the full fair market value of the securities, limited to 30% of the donor’s adjusted gross income. Because the securities are donated rather than sold, capital gain taxes do not apply. Please consult your financial advisor for specific details.

Walden is turning 50!

How can I support my favorite school?