School Newsletter Term 4 Week 4
Kaya WCSS Community
Thank you to WCSSCA and everyone for your amazing support of our wonderful Kambarang Fair. Despite some inclement weather, it was a perfect day to share with family and friends and a very special time for us to come together as a community to showcase our beautiful school. The children performed well with much pride, and it was lovely to see the joy on their faces throughout the day as they engaged in various activities. To our dedicated staff and to all parents and family members who helped make the day so successful, we extend our heartfelt thanks.
Next week, we wish Class 4 students well as they head off with Holly, David, and Stu to their camp at Mandejal Activity Centre in the forest in Karrakup, near Byford. I am sure they will have many adventures. Our Eurythmy intensive with Nicole Peterson will also commence and Kindy 6 – Class 6 will enjoy lessons with Nicole over the next four weeks.
Please make sure you join us on Monday November 14 from 7.00pm for a talk by Lou Harvey-Zahra. Steiner schools often have access to exceptional speakers and Lou is one of those people. She is the author of 7 books and has 25 years of Steiner Teacher Training experience. Parents and teachers alike will appreciate her wisdom and insight on childhood, parenting and education. Please try to get along to her session to deepen your knowledge and understanding of Steiner Education and how to apply that knowledge at home to support your parenting journey.
In Week 7 on Friday 25 November, we look forward to our Celtic Dance Festival, where will we enjoy a dance performance from Class 2 at 6.00pm and then some delicious food and dancing along with the band Ten Penny Bit. It will be a very happy event to begin to wind down this busy term.
Looking forward to seeing lots of you tonight at our Parent/Staff Sundowner.
May you continue to live with warmth of heart,
Jenny Dougan
SA/Principal
The light that is streaming through air all around,
Which, sparkling and gleaming, now warms the earth's ground,
Reveals the stars' handwork where flowers abound.
And, wondrous and radiant, an Angel I see.
He shines with God's light and he smiles upon me.
It is I! He it is whom I one day will be,
In my heavenly mantle, from darkness set free!
In the Light of the Child, Michael Hedley Burton
Shining a light on....
In each newsletter we will shine light on a particular school policy as an easy refresher for parents. Do let us know if you have an area you would like featured.
COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES
West Coast Steiner School understands that effective communication is essential to create strong school-home partnerships and to increase parental involvement. We recognise that respectful, open and timely communication is vital to building a community where students, parents/guardians and staff feel valued, connected and well-informed. The School encourages all community members to communicate in a courteous and respectful manner, to listen actively and to seek clarification, when necessary, to better understand the other’s point of view. All communication will be underpinned by considerations of appropriate privacy and confidentiality principles. Where necessary, records of communication will be kept by the School in accordance with its Records Management and Retention Policy.
Miscommunication unfortunately often leads to conflict. In the majority of situations, a brief conversation in person or by phone, with the Class Teacher or person most involved can resolve most matters. Try to avoid ‘going over someone’s head’ until you have spoken to them and refrain from unnecessarily involving other people. If an issue is not resolved directly with the teacher, please follow the procedures set out in the Concerns and Complaints Management Policy.
You can access the full Communication Guidelines and Concerns and Complaints Management Policy below.
Blackboard Beauty
Class 5 Main Lesson Blackboard.
From Administration
ANIMALS ON CAMPUS
A reminder that animals (besides service dogs) are not allowed on school premises except by prior arrangement with School Administration.
FAMILY COMMITMENT HOURS
We are looking for someone to tend to the Nollamara Avenue street frontage of the school on a regular basis. This area requires weeding and tidying once per month or two and can be accessed at any time (ie. weekends or after school). If you can commit to giving this area some love please let us know! E: reception@wcss.wa.edu.au
2023 SCHOOL FEES
All enrolled families have been invoiced via email for 2023 to allow for forward planning regarding payment of school fees. If your child is not returning for Term 1 2023 you must notify the school in writing and return a completed withdrawal form or you will be charged fees for Term 1 2023.
CONTAINERS
Thank you to everyone who has been baking delicious goodies for Market Day, staff meetings and the Fair. Please remember to walk past the staff room and collect your containers.
Kambarang Fair & Open Day 2022
Early Childhood
KINDERGARTEN 2023 INFORMATION SESSIONS
We have two informative Kindergarten Sessions occuring next week.
For families enrolled in Kindergarten 4 & 5 2023 - Thursday November 10, 9.00am - 10.00am. How to prepare for kindergarten and what to expect.
For families enrolled in Kindergarten 6 2023 - Wednesday November 09, 9.00am - 10.00am. The six year old change and transition to full-time schooling.
We strongly encourage all families enrolled in kindergarten next year to attend.
FEATURE ARTICLE - Taming the Toys
by Vanessa Fountain
For many parents, toys can be a source of ongoing stress within the home, from the purchase to the maintenance, management, and storage. We want to give our children the best start in life. We consciously or unconsciously want to give them at least what we’ve had, if not more and we want our children to know how loved they are. We want to educate them, perhaps entertain them, provide for them, and demonstrate our love. That’s a lot. Now mix in advertising for current toy fads, our own nostalgic toy memories, and the pressure our children can feel to own the newest cool toy. It’s a bit of a nightmare.
From an educator’s standpoint, less is most definitely more. When I look at toys, I’m looking through a few lenses.
- Is it ethically sourced? Is it recyclable, reusable, and sustainable?
- Is it open ended?
- Does it promote interaction?
- Does it support simple and elaborative imaginative play?
- Does it support the highest ideals of what it means to be human?
Ideally, children’s toys should be ethically sourced and made from natural products that are able to be recycled and reused. Within a Steiner or Waldorf context our toys are made from natural fibres, wood and metals that are, where possible, handmade, and finished with natural treatments such as beeswax.
Our toys are for the most part open ended, meaning, that they can keep up with the child’s imagination as the play naturally morphs from one scenario to another. A plastic action figure is just that – a plastic action figure. Sara Froden and Ann-Lova Rosell in their peer reviewed article on toys and imagination “Opening an Imaginative Space” share Iris Murdoch’s distinction between imagination and fantasy.
“Imagination implies openness and curiosity toward new ways of being and acting, and fantasy suggests a closed approach with few new possibilities”.
For the full article see below.
Primary News
Class 1
The children worked so hard and were wonderfully rewarded by their performance at the Kambarang Fair. The turn out on the day was unlike anything I’ve seen and it was fantastic to feel so much love and joy for the children. This week we have continued our Dreamtime Main Lesson and we have been doing lots of will work in our garden. Moving our bodies and giving to our community in the form of digging for a new limestone pathway, raking and sowing native grass seeds, watering, moving soil and picking lemons. This work has been grounding for the children after such an exciting weekend.
We begin preparations and rehearsals for our first class play. Our play will take place at the end of November and mark the beginning of Advent. The children have been allocated a role and will be given their lines to bring home and practice. All parts are choral. We are very much looking forward to perfomring it for you all.
Jayne Wylie
Keyen (Class 1) Teacher
Class 2 performed their play this week. The children worked so hard, learning several songs, reciting lines, making the sets and performing with skill and commitment. Well done Class 2!
Class 4-6 Upper primary students enjoyed a visit from bestselling children’s author Morris Gleitzman last week. Morris very much enjoyed being interviewed afterwards by an intrepid Class 5 student!
For World Teachers' Day last week Class 6 students prepared and delivered chia pudding and hot cuppas to all our dedicated staff. Such acts of kindness and service warm the hearts of the receiver and giver and nourish our school.
Music News
The Parent and Staff Christmas Choir is starting rehearsals next week! Rehearsals are after school on Monday (starting at 3.15 pm) in the Performance Room. Learn to sing a number of festive songs which we will perform at the Christmas Market on the last day of school! Last year's choir had a lot of fun learning the songs and even adding some harmony parts. The choir will be led by Cristina and everybody is welcome! No prior singing experience necessary!
Warm regards,
Cristina Filgueira
Strings Specialist
Handwork
Class 1 completed recorder bags and a chicken!
Class 2 completed doll.
Class 3 continue to complete crochet projects. Granny squares, owl, mouse, pencil case and beanies. One beanie was completed at the Fair crafting circle.
Class 4 completed fountain pen holders.
Cheryl completed a dog jumper for Baci and Class 5 students finished Owl Puffs.
A group of Class 6 students have completed their final handwork project for primary school, a hand sewn doll, guided by their Handwork Teacher, Cheryl. No handmade doll is the same and the project requires determination and firm will as there is much sewing involved. Students utilise 3D design skills and planning in the creation of the doll and its clothing. A Doll Naming Ceremony was held and each student reflected on and answered three questions before announcing the name of their doll. What part did you like best? Which part was hard but you are now really proud of the achievement? What did you think was of value whilst making the doll? Bravo Class 6!
WCSS Community Association
Market Day Baking Roster - Term 4
November 8: Class 6
November 15: Class 5
November 22: Class 4
November 29: K6
December 6: TBC
Community News
WAAPA Summer School 2023
Join us at WAAPA in January 2023 for fun, new friends and lots of performing! This summer WAAPA is offering a range of performing arts courses as part of our school holiday program for secondary school students. Classes for young people from Year 7 to 12 in Acting, Dance, Screen performance, Jazz and Music Theatre means there is something for everyone with a passion for the arts. Our wonderful staff cater for all abilities and experience levels. For information about the many courses on offer please visit Summer School 2023 or contact Gabrielle Metcalf at explore.waapa@ecu.edu.au or 9370 6775.
New York, 1933: Socialite Millicent Jordan plans an elaborate dinner party for her esteemed guests Lord and Lady Ferncliffe. Little does she know that the ten people invited are all on the brink of ruin. She is in a race against time to host the perfect evening and save herself from social disaster. This is the story of our Class 12 play, Dinner at Eight, written by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber. Watch the dramatic unravelling of these sophisticated individuals as their true natures are revealled.
Over the course of the next four weeks, Class 12 students will band together to create a mesmerising production. Students are involved in every aspect of this production, from designing the glamorous 1930’s costumes to the beautiful set. This is the culmination of 12 years of Steiner education, one final hurrah to send us out into the world!
By Hannah Woodley-Smith and Chantal Kozlowski
Coming Events
NOVEMBER
Friday 4: Parent & Staff Sundowner 7.00pm
Tuesday 8: WCSSCA Committee Meeting 1.30pm at the Hub
Wednesday 09: Kindy 6 2023 Information Talk 9.00am -
Thursday 10: Kindy 4 & 5 2023 Information Talk 9.00am
Friday 18: Pupil Free Day
SAVE THE DATE: Celtic Dance, November 25, 6pm
For further Term Dates check the school website calendar.
WEEKLY
Staff and Parent Choir: Mondays 3.10pm - 3.50pm
Yarning Circle: Tuesday 8.45am
Parent Enrichment Workshops: Tuesdays 2.15pm (RSVP Essential)
Market Days: Tuesday 3.05pm
Golden Threads
Monday-Friday 8.00am-10.30am
Mon, Weds, Fri 2.00pm-3.30pm
Thursday 1.30pm - 3.00pm
Craft Group
Mondays 12.30pm at The Hub
WA Anthroposophical Study Group
Mondays 7.30pm in the Staff Room