roserockschool

If you were to drive by 1515 W. Main St. on March 16th, 2013, not only would you have seen our beautiful white house and gorgeous green lawn, but you would have seen dozens of cars and people there, too! We are making so much progress on getting our new property ready for remodeling, thanks in large part to our local Alpha Phi Omega chapter. A couple of weekends ago we had over 60 college aged volunteers descend on our beloved white house, pulling weeds, raking leaves, and tearing out carpet. Our task list was enormous and we were worried about getting it done but with the help of all these volunteers, we finished by early afternoon! We are so very grateful to our friends at Alpha Phi Omega. Their volunteerism has been such a blessing for our growing school, and we continue to be impressed by their turnout at each work day. Alpha Phi Omega’s attitude toward meaningful work is one that resonates deeply in our curriculum. Seeing the big college students hard at work provides a wonderful example for our little children to imitate (and trust me, they do!) Hats off to you, Alpha Phi Omega!

Our white house looked so spiffy after all that hard work and cleansing rain, the Easter Hare decided to stop by and deliver some eggs and other goodies for our festival! After a traditional Easter egg hunt and circle time, Shanah shared our Easter story. The children heard it the whole week leading up to Easter Sunday, and they were so delighted to share it with their parents. Touches of handmade goodness decorated our festival – from the Easter baskets handmade by the children and filled with real grass, to the beautiful naturally – dyed eggs from our parents, this Easter festival was definitely one to remember. We have built such a wonderful, warm community and we are so delighted to be able to add to it very soon at our new location!

Wake up, wake up 
All you little children 
Sunlight, sky bright
Spring is coming now!

Gusty March winds blowing
Daffodils are growing!
Bells ring, birds sing
There’s blossoms on the bough!

It’s time to get your spring portraits done! Please visit http://www.franceswhalen.com for booking updates!

We are pleased as punch at the outpouring of donations and sponsorship for our art auction. The community has come together once more, and we are confident this year’s auction will be even better than the last. Remember, every dollar spent at the auction will bring us closer to our goal of being able to offer a Waldorf-inspired early childhood program to children in our community. We could not have made it happen without the most generous gifts from our sponsors. These businesses are invaluable to our thriving local economy, and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts!

Our sponsors:

Perspective

Fusion Fitness

Over the Moon Communications

Anty Shanty

Copelin’s

Studio Zen

Jacobson House

Ringa Singa will be fun for the whole family. There will be live music, beautiful artwork, an excellent raffle, and delicious food! We’ll even let you dance if you feel moved. Our caterers include The Wine Gallery, Full Moon Sushi, Forward Foods , Spirit Shop, Misal of India, Hideaway Pizza, and Gaberino’s. There will also be cookies and juice for the little ones. Norman’s own Kyle Reid  will play some beautiful tunes to set the mood. In the raffle, you could win some gorgeous handmade wearables, a few yoga sessions, or even a weekend getaway to Eureka Springs, AR! 

If you’d like a taste of some of the artwork we’ll have available to bid on, just have a look at Rose Rock’s Facebook. We post pictures as more art comes in.

All your friends will be there. We hope to see you there, too!

We are so very excited for our upcoming art auction on February 2! Please click the link below if you’d like to donate a piece of art.

Ringa Singa, call to artists

As many of you know, Rose Rock School Foundation purchased the property located at 1515 W. Main St. in Norman early in 2012. The historic five bedroom house sits on four acres in the heart of the city. Most anyone who has lived in Norman for a while will immediately recognize the distinctive white house and will have probably heard stories from its heyday. The children have aptly dubbed it “The White House.” Our goal was to move here as soon as possible. Since purchasing the property, our staff and countless volunteers have worked enthusiastically to raise money toward that end. In 2012, we raised over $24,000 in Rose Rock’s name through art auctions, garage sales, and workshops. The community response to our expansion was overwhelmingly positive, as our waiting list contains over 50 children.

During the process of rezoning the home from R-1 to PUD (Planned Unit Development), we have been in constant conversation with city officials as well as the neighbors of 1515 W. Main. We have responded to the concerns of neighbors and councilmembers with sensitivity, and have repeatedly modified both our Site Plan and PUD Narrative to address them. We hope that our efforts to accomodate the needs of the neighbors and city at large reflect our understanding of the permanence of rezoning, a process which we do not take lightly. As the date for the final City Council vote draws near, we are optimistic about our future at the new property, but we need city-wide support.

Why Support Rose Rock at 1515 W. Main? 

• Rose Rock will provide a much-needed service – the education of young children – in a centrally located area.
• Rose Rock will make preservation of the property’s green space a priority, as outdoor play is one of the cornerstones of our curriculum.
• Rose Rock will preserve the historic white house that many know and love.

How You Can Help
This is a time of crucial importance to the future of our school. We need broad support from all areas of Norman, not just the neighborhood surrounding the school. Please visit Norman’s City Council website to find the contact information of your  representing councilmember. Just click on the link below for a map of Norman’s wards. We ask that you call or send an email expressing your support of Rose Rock School moving to 1515 W. Main. Thank you!

http://www.ci.norman.ok.us/cityclerk/city-council

Please join us for our first outreach event of the season.

Here is our calendar for the upcoming school year!

August

18^th – Parent Orientation, 2pm at the Purple House

22^nd – First day of school

September

3^rd – Closed, Labor Day

22^nd – Michaelmas Festival, 4-5:30 pm

October

^20th – Yard Sale, 1515 W. Main St.

Parent-Teacher Conferences throughout month

November

21^st thru 23^rd – Closed, Thanksgiving Break

December

8th – Advent Festival, 6 pm

19^th – Closed for remainder of month for Winter Break

January

3^rd – School Reopens

21^st – Closed, Martin Luther King Day

February

2nd– Ringa Singa Art Auction

March

18^th thru 22^nd – Closed, Spring Break

30^th – Easter Festival, 10-11:30 am

April

6^th – Spring fundraising event, TBA

Parent-Teacher Conferences throughout month

May

22^nd – Final day of school

Summer Program(s) TBA