Squamish's only Waldorf school faces a $21,000 shortfall this year, money staff are hoping to recover through an upcoming fundraising campaign.
Last year, Cedar Valley Waldorf School (CVWS) raised enough cash through a similar campaign to add an additional classroom and a more accessible library in the school's growing facility in Valleycliffe. But the money for the upgrades was later borrowed to enable the school to cover month-to-month expenses. The school now has to make it up so the shortfall doesn't impact coming years, CVWS principal Christine Martin said in a statement.
CVWS is already anticipating the need for an auxiliary performance space since the new classroom was carved into the main hall. In September, the school will celebrate its 10th birthday. Since its opening in 2002, it has grown from a kindergarten with 15 students to a school catering to 85 pupils, from preschool to Grade 8.
"Cedar Valley has a lot to be happy about and so much to be grateful for," Martin said.
Building on that theme, the school's campaign - entitled The Cycle of Gratitude - kicks off with a screening of the documentary Happy. In the film, Academy Award-nominated director Roko Belic sets out to uncover the source of happiness and what keeps people feeling that way. The documentary travels to the bayous of Louisiana, the deserts of Namibia, and beaches of Brazil, just to name a few.
The documentary will be shown tonight (Friday, Feb. 17) at 7 p.m. in the multipurpose room at Quest University. A $5 minimum donation is suggested. Quest students can attend for free with their student ID.
The school's faculty members have put their weight behind the campaign. Each staff member committed an average of one per cent of their net income, a total of $3,270, toward the school. It's a show of commitment to the facility, CVWS's secretary Gabriel Alden-Hull said.
"We are saying yes to a future for Waldorf education in Squamish," she said.
For more information about the school or The Cycle of Gratitude giving campaign, visit www.CedarValleySchool.com or call (604) 898-3287 for a donation package. The next school tour takes place on Wednesday, Feb. 29 from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m.
