By: Becky Larson
Most of you immediately recognized Betsy Leighton, our Communications, Technology and Administrative Support Coordinator in her track gear back in 1988. One parent discovered she used to compete with Betsy on the track back in college! What fun. Betsy and I sat down to talk about how she discovered Waldorf education, why re-accreditation is more fun than you’d think, and how City of Lakes Waldorf School cures stage fright.
Betsy first encountered Waldorf Education when interviewing candidates applying to her alma mater, Middlebury College. “I interviewed this girl, who was so amazing, so eloquent and composed — just the most amazing high school senior I had ever encountered,” says Betsy. That impression stuck and she made a point to investigate Waldorf education for her own children when the time came.
She left Vermont and moved to Seattle, Washington, where she met her husband. Six years later, they moved to Southern California and their son was born. They enrolled him in an early childhood program at Waldorf School of Orange County. One day, a line of 3rd graders came streaming outside. They had been studying an Old Testament story in class and they strode along in line, wearing scarves around their heads, each one carrying a staff. “I saw them walking into the desert, and I was just struck by how they were living the Old Testament story they had just learned. It felt so authentic and real and I just wanted that for my kids,” says Betsy.
She remembers that her husband was initially reluctant to explore alternative education, but as they spent time in Waldorf schools and saw the happy, confident children that emerged, he became convinced that this was the right choice for their family. “Waldorf has become his frame of reference when he’s talking to other parents about schools,” she says with a wry smile.
When they moved to Minneapolis, they enrolled their son at City of Lakes Waldorf School, and Betsy joined the staff to support new administrator, Marti Stewart, 8 years ago. Her role has evolved through the years, and now includes support for development and enrollment, as well as database management and tech support.
She is currently knee deep in re-accreditation work, a multi-year process with the Association of Waldorf Schools North America (AWSNA) and the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS). This involves a great deal of data collection, and requires input from the various committees and organizations in the school. Betsy says the work is surprisingly inspiring because it offers a bird’s eye view of the entire school. ” I see the breadth of the whole school, and I feel like I’m taking the pulse of each group, ” says Betsy. “Each has so much hope, commitment and excitement. It helps to have the big picture, because I can get so mired in details with my regular work.”
What about at home? What has Waldorf education brought to her family? She says the coolest thing is the music — her son and twin daughters have all learned to play a string instrument and regularly sing together in three part harmony. “Over the holidays they played holiday music in a little trio,” says Betsy with obvious delight. Her daughter in sixth grade recently built a cigar box ukelele. She learned to play the instrument, and her whole class wrote a song together which they sang for the whole school at the Winter Festival.
Her son plays viola at Southwest High School, and sings in a men’s chorus. His Waldorf education made it fun and easy for him to go onstage — in fact, he just performed a salsa and tango medley with some friends at a school concert. Afterwards, he and fellow CLWS alums Oliver Whittlef and Lucas Funk donned tutus and joined Tye Trondson in a ballet performance that brought down the house.
Betsy loves their comfort and ease about sharing these gifts. “With so many opportunities for performing at school, it’s no big deal anymore,” says Betsy. Since everyone has an opportunity to share, everyone gets a chance to discover their strengths and shine instead of retreating into self consciousness. Betsy believes that skill will serve her children through their whole lives.