"Among the social challenges
that face us today, social
isolation is a phenomenon
that stands out in terms of
the emotional distress and
damage inflicted in childhoodthat can
 color the rest of
our lives."

~The Social Inclusion Approach

(Read More HERE)












The Social Inclusion Process
seeks to deepen and further
existing socially-inspired
practice within the school
community. As social
inclusions is of community-
wide concern, teachers, parents
and students are actively
involved in the process.


Social Inclusion
Training Event:

Fri-Sat, October 28-29













We are pleased to announce
that Lesley Diaz is coming to
"jump-start" our Social
Inclusion process with a
training specifically for our
Faculty, Listening Council,
Parent Council and the
Social Inclusion Committee

Ms. Diaz is a Waldorf-
trained counselor and
consultant serving many
Waldorf schools across
North America.

To learn more,
click HERE.

Mark your calendars for January 17th, 2012:
Kim John Payne will be giving a public talk entitled,
"Social Inclusion & the New Rites of Passage"
(stay tuned for location details...)


The WIWS Social Inclusion Initiative is currently gathering information, exploring options and seeking the best ways to introduce this exciting work to our entire school body. We ask that you watch for further information in our school newsletter, on our website, delivered at parent meetings, etc. If you have questions or would like to join us, please contact one of our Initiative members.

With Excitement,

Sarah Walston
Sage Maloch
Lucy Yanz
Patricia Relles
Ashley Mullen-Umlauf
Laura Boram
Nydia Stephens
Vanessa Kohlhaas
Eric Gelfand
Michael Paczynski



"Intentional community takes a surprising amount of both inner (individual) and outer (community) effort. It is the interplay between the two that gives a community both its warm and strength."  ~Social Inclusion Trainer Lesley Diaz

A consultant and trainer to over 110 North American independent and public schools, Kim John Payne, M. Ed., has been a school counselor, adult educator, consultant, researcher and educator for nearly 30 years, and a private family counselor for 15 years. He regularly gives keynote address at international conferences for educators, parents and therapists and runs workshops and trainings around the world. In each role, he has been helping children, adolescents and families explore issues such as social difficulties with siblings and classmates, attention and behavioral issues at home and at school, emotional issues such as defiance, aggression, addiction and self-esteem.

Kim is the founding director of the Center for Social Sustainability, a founding member of The Alliance for Childhood, and has consulted for educational associations worldwide. He is co-Director of an extensive research program that is exploring and developing a drug-free approach to attention-related disorders.

His work has been featured in Time Magazine, the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times, Mothering and Parenting magazines, BBC and U.S. network news, and is a regular guest on National Public Radio. He is the author of two books and is currently working on a third, entitled The Soul of Discipline.
Kim strives to deepen understanding and give practical tools for life that arise out of the burning social issues of our time.