A school newsletter from Wasatch Charter School, focused on Waldorf education for grades 5 through 8. It covers child development in middle school, the curriculum for those grades, eurythmy as a movement art, screen time and attention, and the Michaelmas festival.
This is Issue 5 of the Back to School 2026 newsletter from Wasatch Charter School, a Waldorf school. It is written for parents of students in grades 5 through 8, explaining the developmental stages their children are experiencing and how the school's curriculum meets those stages.
The first article, by Pedagogical Director Angela Maar, describes the middle school years as a journey from harmony into the physical world. It covers fifth grade's golden age of balance, sixth grade's introduction of physics and Roman law, and seventh and eighth grade's focus on chemistry, meteorology, anatomy, and the Renaissance.
A second article by Philip and Melissa Goldsmith explains eurythmy, a movement art that makes speech and music visible through gestures. It describes how eurythmy is taught from first through twelfth grade, developing concentration, spatial awareness, and social harmony.
Heather Allred's Parenting Pause article addresses the challenge of screen time and attention. It recommends a screen-free commitment from Sunday evening through Friday after school, and suggests books on media philosophy by Jane Healy, Marie Winn, and Frances Moore Lappé.
The final article, by Michelle Simmons, describes the school's Michaelmas celebration, also called the Festival of Courage. It explains the tradition of dragon stories, an obstacle course, and crafts, and connects the autumn equinox to finding inner strength and courage.