Waldorf School hires new director

Maine Coast Waldorf School David Eichler has been hired at the new pedagogical director. Eichler joins the school as the vision of a unified campus for its pre-K through high school program has been realized with the opening of a new high school building at its Desert Road location.

Hiring a pedagogical director is part of Maine Coast Waldorf’s administrative restructuring in which the role of administrator is being divided into two positions, pedagogical and business.

“David Eichler brings professional expertise and a deep respect and appreciation for our school’s commitment to the principles of Waldorf education. This is a vital combination of skill and insight as our school develops its administrative infrastructure to meet our growing enrollment and expanding programs and facilities,” said Christine Sloan, the school’s administrator who is retiring this year.

For the past 20 years Eichler worked as a behavior analyst/educational consultant for the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center. Co-founding the Prairie Moon Waldorf School in Kansas in 2001 was his introduction to Waldorf pedagogy. There he filled many roles ranging from teaching to serving on the school’s board in various leadership positions.

Falmouth teen aims high

While many teenagers spend their summer break at camp or at the beach, one Falmouth teen spent part of her summer at one of the nation’s finest museums. Charlotte Doughty, a junior at Falmouth High School, interned at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum this summer.

“Working at the Smithsonian has helped foster a greater understanding for me about air and space technology in history,” 

The National Air and Space Museum is one of the most visited museums in the world, attracting about 7 million people annually.

Doughty was selected as an exhibit design intern at the museum as part of a highly competitive application and essay process. “My history classes at Falmouth have made me more interested in learning about the past,” Doughty said. “The opportunity to help design, research, and create museum exhibits depicting the importance and role of human flight at the world’s preeminent museum and research facility dedicated to air and space was extremely rewarding. It has only helped to underscore my interest in the study of history.”

Her first assignment was to work on museum activities focused on the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21. Doughty assisted eclipse watchers at the Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory located at the museum. 

Currently, the museum is in the planning and implementation stages of a major renovation and upgrade which could cost in excess of $1 billion. As part of her internship, Doughty attended meetings and site visits with senior curators, designers, researchers, architects, and others regarding the future layout of the museum and how the work will be completed. 

During her time at the museum, Doughty had the opportunity to meet many interesting people, including former astronaut Kathryn Sullivan, who served as a crew member on three Space Shuttle missions. Sullivan was the first American woman to walk in space.

National Merit Scholars semifinalists announced

The following local students were named semifinalists in the National Merit Scholar program: Greely High School, Cumberland Center, Gregory A. Pershing and Peter M.Theodores; Falmouth High School, Clara K. Geci, Alison M. Noyes, Ghalib Omar, Julian G. Wiley and Yue Wu; North Yarmouth Academy, Richard C. Hilscher and Lea C. Webster; Yarmouth High School, Elizabeth K. Hanson and Emilia Ruth.

During a summer internship at Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, Charlotte Doughty of Falmouth met former astronaut Kathryn Sullivan, who served as a crew member on three Space Shuttle missions and was the first American woman to walk in space.

Eichler