Twenty members of our Da Vinci Waldorf School community gathered on Saturday, February 28 for the 10th Annual Giving Circle, continuing a decade-long tradition of collaborative, community-driven giving.

Marking the tenth year of this tradition brought an added sense of celebration to the evening. Many familiar faces returned to participate, including former parents, teachers, and board members who have been part of the school’s story over the years. Seeing members of our extended DVWS community come back to collaborate alongside current families made the evening feel a bit like a reunion and served as a powerful reminder that the spirit of this school continues well beyond any single season of involvement.

Prior to the event, community members were invited to submit proposals outlining ideas they hoped to see realized. The Giving Circle then brings our community together to decide how a portion of the funds raised will support projects that benefit our school, our programs, and our students.

As the evening began, we gathered to enjoy conversation and refreshments before reviewing the proposals and the process for allocating funds. Each project champion described their vision and answered questions. Each participant was given an equal number of “votes” in the form of sticky notes—each one representing $105.66 in real dollars from the Giving Circle fund. Participants thoughtfully placed their votes and watched as the funding grew in real time.

$8,802.64 was allocated across four proposals, including a couple of impromptu donations which added $550 to the pot.

Thanks to the collective generosity of our school community and the participation of those in attendance, the proposals received the following funding:

WECAN Conference Support – $3,064.08 of $3,300
Funding to support professional development for our Early Childhood teachers through participation in the WECAN (Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America) conference.

Ball Cage – $350.00
Infrastructure to help store, organize and protect playground equipment.

Office Technology Upgrade – $950.92
Upgrades to key office technology that supports the school’s daily operations.

Fence & Arbor Improvements – $4,437.64 of $10,000-$12,000
Enhancements to the school grounds to support safety and beautification.

*There will be future opportunities to contribute to the Fence & Arbor Improvements project. See below for proposal photos and ways to be involved.

As always, the Giving Circle event reflected the spirit that has sustained this tradition for ten years: a community coming together to share ideas, invest in what matters most, and make tangible improvements for the children and teachers of DVWS.

Heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who contributed to the Giving Circle fund, submitted proposals, participated in the event, and helped bring the evening together. Your generosity and collaboration continue to strengthen our school and the experiences we are able to offer our students. Thank you.

Here’s to another decade of shared giving and shared purpose!

*Our Building and Grounds Committee will be working with the Fence & Arbor Improvements project champions, Susan England and Kevin Roach, to ensure that the project meets our safety needs, complements and enhances our school aesthetic, and allows flexibility for play, parking, and property access. The project is estimated to require an additional $5,000–$7,000 and much time and energy to complete. If you are interested in being part of furthering the funding, planning, or the eventual implementation, please contact us at admin@davinciwaldorf.org or speak to Susan or Kevin directly.