One Hundred Years ago, in the final years before Rudolf Steiner’s death, he gave some of his most significant and enduring lecture series’, including the Agricultural Course.

This poem came to me at a time when I was questioning my ways about engaging with the world.

“My mom is up there,”‍ ‍Amara said wistfully one spectacular early fall morning as the sun sent piercing golden rays through the not-quite changing leaves.

As the scent of autumn fills the air and leaves dance in shades of auburn and ochre, I'm reminded of the cherished memories from my formative years spent within the nurturing walls of the Otto Specht School.

With another winter behind us and spring fully upon us, the level of activity on the farm and in the garden spaces is in high gear. 

I've have been tasked and I'm honored to share with you now, the biography of my father's life.

I first met Mr. Leopold in the fall of 2018 when I was invited to attend a “parent’s evening” at the Garden House.  It was our son, Jake’s, first year at Otto Specht and I really didn’t have much of a sense yet of what went on at school.

Mr. Leopold’s love and dedication for the children inspired and transformed every child and every individual he worked with. He was a man of integrity, a solid presence at the Otto Specht School. He brought love, wisdom, a great sense of humor, fun, and lots of exquisite music. 

As American Novelist Wendell Berry wrote, “the true measure of agriculture is not the sophistication of its equipment, the size of its income or even the statistics of its productivity but the good health of the land.” 

“As a toddler, Gabriel was meeting most of his milestones, but we were worried about his speech. He was saying a few words but then he kind of stopped. He was not picking up more and not using the words that he had.”

Deb Renna joins the faculty as Head teacher of our Early Childhood program. She comes to Otto Specht with a lifetime of teaching experience: first as a preschool teacher for children with Special Needs in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and then as a kindergarten teacher at Green Meadow Waldorf School (GMWS).

This was written by a high school student, working on persuasive essays. He was asked to choose and support an argument through this essay. Andres, you have convinced me!

This  is a meditation on our unique school seen through the poetry of our diverse students.

In 1924, 5 years after the first Waldorf School opened its doors, Rudolf Steiner gave a series of lectures regarding education.

Lost in my thoughts of the day, taking a moment to enjoy this newly arrived fall light as it filters through the slowly shedding limbs of trees forming the canopy covering the path, I am snapped out of my day dream world at the abrupt sound of someone coming around the bend on their way down the path. 

I began working with the Immune Sequence in October 2019 when I offered a course through Eurythmy Spring Valley to the public to prepare for the cold and flu season.

The idea popped up in a staff meeting one Tuesday afternoon while we sat, looking at each other with blank faces and wondering how we were going to go on as a school in the time of Covid 19.

At the beginning of our mandated sheltering-in-place as COVID19 spread through New York, I was stumped at how I could continue to bring the content of eurythmy to my students through an online platform.

To what do we feel connected?  Of all the specifics that make up our daily rhythms and life realities, which do we connect to in a direct way.