News & Announcements

First Impressions and Development News

By Melinda Biggs, Development Director

Walking around campus, first as a visitor, and then a new employee, I am surrounded by the sense of magic in the air. Austin Waldorf School is a community in the greatest sense of the word; something that I have often felt the American culture has lost. This community has such an amazing history, rich in traditions and experiences with members excited to welcome new members. I am so thankful to be here and hope to remain a member of this community for many years to come.

A brief introduction for those I have yet to meet. I have been in the development side of nonprofits my entire career and thoroughly enjoy helping an organization meet its greatest potential. I am married and have a two-year-old daughter, Bodhi, who attends a Waldorf-inspired preschool in Leander. Bodhi will be eligible to attend Kindergarten here next school year, which we are ecstatic about. I run Heart of Texas Lab Rescue with a few other very dedicated people and am always happy to answer any dog related questions. I hope you will stop by the Development Office and introduce, or reintroduce, yourselves when you are in the area. I love getting to know the members of our community.

This year, the Development Office has some lofty goals that we will need everyone’s help in achieving. Our Giving Tree Fund, an annual fundraiser that allows us to fill the gap between tuition and the annual budget, will begin on Monday, October 1st and will go for 45 days. During this time, we as a community need to raise $235,000. We truly hope each of you is able to make a tax-deductible donation to the Giving Tree. 100% participation from parents, staff, and faculty is our goal!

Then, starting in January 2019, Waldorf Education will be celebrating 100 years of service through worldwide events, including an international celebration in Germany. There is a possibility that some of our own Austin Waldorf School students may travel to join other Waldorf students there as concert performers. It will be an inspiring time to be part of the worldwide Waldorf community.

We have scheduled our spring gala for Friday, March 29th at the Pecan Springs Ranch just minutes from campus. Please mark the date on your calendar as this will be a fun-filled night of music, comradery, and awesome auction items!

The Development Office is also working on creating an alumni association that will be a network for the hundreds of AWS alumni that are now spread across the world living amazing lives. Our hope is that this association will give alumni an avenue back to the community where they can share their experiences with current students, join committees, and perhaps eventually enroll their children in our kindergarten classes.

With all of these aspirations, the Development Office would love your help! If you would be interested in learning about ways to volunteer or assist with any of the committees, please let me know! No experience needed, just a willingness to share your passion for our community with others.

Thank you all for being so welcoming. I really look forward to getting to know all of you better and am excited to see the growth in our children and campus.