School Newsletter Term 4 Week 6
Kaya WCSS Community
Today our staff have spent a very worthwhile day together engaging in professional learning with Lou Harvey-Zahra. In the busyness of life, such opportunities to come together to share, reflect and discuss our work are so important.
Earlier this week, it was a delight to share our beautiful school when Dr Anne Aly Federal Minister for Cowan and Minister for Early Childhood Education visited and she was drawn to our children, their creativity and way of being, showing a genuine interest in the teachers, children and their work and sharing some wonderful stories of her own.
We are already more than halfway through our final term with many special moments still to come. Our wonderful group of Class 6 students, who we will soon be farewelling, are preparing for their graduation. In fact, many of them are off to Perth Waldorf School for an Orientation Day on Friday and we hope they enjoy this experience. Class 2 is preparing for their Celtic Dance, our children in Classes 1 and 3 are excitedly preparing for their plays and our Class 5 children have the joys of their camp ahead of them.
As time races by, I am reminded of a beautiful picture book I own called Big Panda and Tiny Dragon by James Norbury and I’m drawn to this quote:
“Can you hear the wind in the trees, Tiny Dragon?
That’s nature’s way of telling us to take a moment to stop, breathe and just be.”
I hope this long weekend gives you some extra time to stop, breathe and be, time to spend with your children and families. Please enjoy reading about and sharing the life of our lovely school in this newsletter.
May we all continue to live with warmth of heart.
Jenny Dougan
SA/Principal
Drawn out into the sheen, the shine, the glisten and the gleam,
It would be easy to be lost in a dream.
So I must rouse myself and start
To conjure forces of the heart,
Which live within me truly and will bring
The strength and majesty that make me like a king!
Amidst the glory of the sense-world, everywhere displayed,
In sunlit grove and glen and leafy glade,
It is human heart that rules and reigns supreme!
In the Light of the Child, Michael Hedley Burton
Dear Community
The Celtic Dance is one week away! Here is all the information you need to know.
Earlybird Tickets available now at Reception for $10 ( all children free).
Tickets are $12 on the evening.
5.15pm : Students performing (Class 2, 4, 5 and 6) to arrive.
5.30pm: Class 2 Performance accompanied by the School Orchestra.
6.00pm: Picnic and dancing on the back oval.
BYO your own picnic dinner or stew, rug and picnic utensils.
(Please note there is no stew available to purchase this year due to the rescheduling of the event from March to November).
We are a waste-wise school and encourage the use of reusables. A wash up station will be available.
Available for purchase:
Sausage Sizzle / Potato Bread / Cake Stall / Lemonade / Coffee Van / Vegan ice Cream Van / Raffle
Please note this is a CASH ONLY event.
Ways to help:
~Sign up to the online roster if you can donate some time: https://signup.zone/wcss-celtic2022
~Bake a cake, slice or biscuits for the cake stall. Remember to include an ingredient list and deliver to the Staff Room on Friday November 25.
~ Donate to the Raffle. If you can donate any of the dollowing items please drop off at Reception.
- Natural personal care products
- Organic coffee, hot chocolate powders, long-life barista plant milk, organic chocolate (e.g. PANA chocolate, Green & Blacks chocolate)
- Steiner inspired felt craft products
~Invite friends and family to come along and get ready to dosy-doe!
Shining a light on....
In each newsletter we will shine light on a particular school policy or area as an easy refresher for parents. Do let us know if you have something you would like featured.
THE COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
In a Steiner School you may often hear reference made to the College of Teachers. The College lies at the heart of a Steiner school. At the first Waldorf School, Rudolf Steiner encouraged the original core of teachers to work into the future together by carrying the school forward in a new way.
College members are from the teaching staff and key members of the Leadership Team. When joining College, members cease to hold individual or class perspectives and take on the vision of the whole School. Members meet weekly and more frequently as required. They carry extra responsibility and a commitment of extra time to perform their duties.
College members work from the perspective of recognising the spiritual being inherent in us all. They strive to work with their higher, more spiritually aware selves and a recognition of the light within all. They consciously attempt to align themselves with the being of our school - West Coast Steiner School - through meditation, contemplation, weekly study, and regular, personal, disciplined inner work.
College works using consensus. This takes more time and effort but acknowledges the equality of all College members, mutual responsibility and aspires to model a social way of working. Our school is not a community school. It is a Steiner school – a Steiner school held together by a strong pedagogical ethos, a robust curriculum and a community of likeminded souls working together for the good of our children, our community and humanity.
Please take the time to read the below message from our current College Chair, Kathyrn Gass.
Dear Parents,
I would like to let you know about the College of Teachers and the role of this body at our school.
The College and its meetings are a vital organ of our school. It is a place where we endeavour to cultivate fresh forces of inspiration and vitality which can flow like a life blood through the school. Our responsibility lies in pedagogical and cultural matters. We oversee the teaching in the school, and make recommendations to the School Administrator and Council on staffing. It is also our job to encourage the study and discussion of educational and pedagogical matters.
During College meetings we share our learning, our joys, and our concerns and reflect upon them deeply. Together we study and strive in common towards the progress of the school, endeavouring to allow intuitions and inspiration to guide us. There is a feeling of deep responsibility in our endeavours.
It is our priority to experience the school as a unity, to come together to discuss and meditate upon the welfare of the students, staff and parents, to experience the needs of the school as a whole, and to act accordingly in the decisions that we make. Please know that our decisions are made after deep consideration and that our door is always open for any in our community who have any queries, concerns or inspirations.
The College of Teachers changes from year to year but currently serving are Jenny Dougan, Vanessa Beesley, Vanessa Fountain, Audrey Princi, Holly Peterson, Ramneek Kaur, Donna Shaw and Kathryn Gass.
Please feel free to speak to any one of us. We value your input into the life of our school
Blessings
Kathryn Gass
College Chair
E: kathyrn.gass@wcss.wa.edu.au
Blackboard Beauty
Class 6 Main Lesson Blackboard.
From Administration
DOING THE WORK!
After the early finish on Thursdays, each Faculty (Early Childhood and Primary) and the College of Teachers meet for discussion, professional development, planning, support and the sharing of ideas.
This continual upskilling of staff means we can better support the needs of the children in our care, and you, their families. At our last Primary Faculty meeting our Learning Support Coordinator, Liz Separovich presented to staff whilst they painted.
This week Lou Harvey-Zhara is visiting our school. Lou is the author of 7 books and has 25 years of Steiner Teacher Training experience. All staff will enjoy a full day of Professional Development with Lou which is sure to inspire!
PARKING
Please do not park on verges or lawns along Mayfair Street. There is ample parking at Nollamara Shopping Centre.
DR. ANNE ALY
This week we received a visit from the Federal Minister for Cowan and Minister for Early Childhood Education, Dr. Anne Aly and AISWA Chief Executive, Chris Massey. Dr. Aly spent time in both early childhood and primary classes, and, as an avid knitter, was very impressed with Class 5 students' handwork! She chatted with our Class 6 leaders answering questions regarding the political process and described her visit to the White House to meet with then President, Barak Obama.
Advent
For those in our community who mark Advent, the first Sunday of Advent is November 27.
Week 1 is the Crystal Kingdom
The crystal kingdom is honoured by decorating the wreath or garden with crystals, seashells, stones or little bones you may find.
The first light of Advent is the light of stone–Stones that live in crystals, seashells, and bones.
Creating an Advent table and lighting a candle each Sunday whilst reciting the advent verse and adding a special, tiny treasure to the display on the table to represent one of the four Kingdoms (mineral, plant, animal and human) is a beautiful way to deepen the meaning of this time of year and create rhythm and rituals for our family. For more information on Advent traditions check out our Blog.
Early Childhood
KINDERGARTEN INFORMATION SESSIONS
Thank you to all those families who attended our Kindergarten Information Sessions last week. The Kindy 6 Talk was accompanied by a handout of Susan Laing's profile of the five-six-year-old (see below) and Michelle Brightwater's "The Six Year Old Change" which is available to read on our blog.
Connection by Sandy Price
For some reason lately, Attachment Theory is currently providing the background music to my growing understanding of relationships.
All the things I couldn’t fathom about connection have suddenly made sense through the framework of this theory.
This theory goes way back to the 1930s and came about through psychologists examining the relationship between mothers and babies. The researchers noticed that this connection was more than just a dependence on milk supply and marked a significant and fundamental human emotional connection.
In a further experiment, primary caregivers left a room temporarily to allow the researchers to observe the babies’ responses in order to understand and categorise them. From this they came up with 3 main attachment styles. Secure (don’t we all wish) Insecure (lots of us- not our fault) and Avoidant (gets a very bad rap).
The way in which we emotionally attach to our primary caregivers can be the same way in which we attach romantically later in our lives. Who would have thought right? This is not a hard and fast rule given that in some cases, early romantic relationships can be significant enough to alter our attachment styles. Plus, all is not lost because once you understand your attachment style you can a) understand and empathise with yourself better, b) develop strategies to identify the root causes of your behaviour and c) effectively communicate your needs and set healthy boundaries.
So, this is roughly how it breaks down. Secure attachment means the baby trusts that their caregiver is consistently there to meet all their needs. Insecure means for some reason the caregiver can be a little inconsistent or sometimes unpredictable. Avoidant means that the baby as a survival mechanism learns not to rely on the caregiver and focuses on looking after their own needs.
Ok so fast forward and here's where it gets interesting. Avoidants find close emotional intimacy a little overwhelming, tend to focus on their own needs and show up a lot in the dating pool. Insecures need a lot of reassurance, emotional closeness and will often throw themselves into serious love bombing and overinvest in the other person. Secures are unflappable, good communicators, have an acceptable level of intimacy and healthy boundaries. This is the ideal attachment style. But this is the rub. Avoidants and Insecures often end up together with disastrous consequences. Avoidants don’t often work together because there is not enough co-interest to keep them together. So essentially avoid the avoidants and look for securely attached humans. And the moral of this story from the Kindy Teacher is we want lots of healthy securely attached humans in the world.
How you say?
- Reduce or eliminate barriers to connection. Be fully present. Place value on time spent with one another in true connection.
- Whenever possible, respond in a nurturing way when children express their needs and wants. This doesn’t mean giving in to their every demand. Rather, it means validating that the things they need, and are important to them, and that they have a secure relationship with you in which they feel valued and honored. This is not a reference to material possessions but more basic needs for recognition and validation for who they are as growing people.
- BUILD TRUST. Remember that each child is an individual. As children grow older, the types of responses from parents that are most reassuring to them build trust over time. This becomes very important for the teenage years so they can trust you to listen to their inner thoughts and challenges.
- Regulate your own emotions so that you can be objective and understanding of their behaviour and developmental challenges. Don’t take it personally or think that you are being judged on your child’s behaviour. Observe, listen and understand what the behaviour is communicating. Children need to have emotional outbursts in order to build an awareness of emotions and build strategies to identify and regulate these as they grow and develop.
This has been a very stripped back outline of attachment theory but it lends itself well to understanding the different emotional needs we have based on the type of attachment we make with others. There is a lot of information available regarding this and a number of useful Podcasts around. Just ask me if you want to explore this further.
With love,
Sandy Price
Sunflower Kindergarten Teacher
Primary News
Class 2 Cooking
Class 3 "Let's Go Fly a Kite!"
Class 3 have been flying high both literally and figuratively! We began the term with a fun sleepover in the Performance Hall coupled with an excursion to Whiteman Park. At the Park we visited Woodland Reserve where we carefully measured, using kitchen scales, some food for the cute little bandicoots. We also used different measurement tools to measure the length and weight of animals and made natural shelters for them in the bushland. Before we headed back to school we visited the Revolutions Transport Museum, had a ride on a train around the park spotting wildlife and had a picnic in the park. When we got back to school, we set up our beds, played spotlight, ate a delicious BBQ that the parent helpers prepared for us, and went to sleep after a story and meditation.
The next morning was a fun day at school where we mostly designed and created kites, which we flew the following weeks on the back oval! The kites were very successful as they flew high above the gumtree. We became very tired out after madly running around to help them catch the wind.
We also visited Landsdale Animal Farm the following week as part of our Farming Main Lesson. There we were able to feed, groom, pet or observe many animals such as goats, sheep, rabbits, chickens, pigs, cows, turkeys and ducks. Farmer Philli showed us around the farm and took us on a tractor ride. We compared the vegetable garden that we created to the one at the farm and got some good ideas about how we could improve it! Overall, it has been jammed pack full of high-flying fun in Class 3!
Aimee Waller
Class 3/Dambart Teacher
Class 4 Adventure Camp
Red tailed black cockatoos, tiny frogs, interesting insects, joeys in pouches and spectacular bush surrounds. A full moon, campfire music, pancakes, giggles from dormitories, dawn bush walks and splashing in creeks. Words of encouragement, truimphant smiles. courageous endeavours.
I will forever remember the special moments of connection and growth that I was priveleged to observe. We were blessed to have truly sensational helpers who allowed us to participate in such a successful time away. We send our love and gratitude to those who came along and helped our days flow.
Holly Peterson
Class 4/Koodjal Koodjal Teacher
Class 4 Botany
Class 5
Thanks to the dedicated work of RAP Co-Chair, Elaine Meyer, WCSS has received a grant of $10,000 for 2023 from the City of Stirling Community Creativity Fund for the completion of the Elder Cliff Humphries Reconciliation Book Project.
Elder Cliff Humphries left the largest collection of vocabulary relating to Noongar anatomical terms, many of which are not known currently. All Class 5 students have met the family of Elder Humphries, been introduced to the project, completed their research process and contributed to the storyboard drafting.
The culmination of the project will be 1000 copies of a community book.
Some Class 5 students working on the Elder Cliff Humphries Reconciliation Book Project.
Class 5
Morris Gleitzman Visits WCSS
By AJ, Class 5
On Wednesday in Week 3, famous author Morris Gleitzman came to WCSS upper primary for an incursion. Morris is a mature man and is slightly balding. He wears glasses, has a deep voice and likes jokes. He writes his books because he loves it. Afterwards, I managed to interview him. Here’s my interview:
What is your favourite book you’ve written?
Bumface
Do you have a favourite author?
Richmal Crompton
What age group do you prefer to write in?
8 to 12 but sometimes older
Why did you choose to come here?
I had no choice
What is your favourite book ever?
Just William
Do you have a favourite genre to write in?
Morris Gleitzman's very complicated genre
Morris has written a selection of books such as
Toad rage, Toad heaven , Toad surprise, Digging up dad, Once and Maybe.
And many others. I enjoyed interviewing Morris. I hope he comes back soon. Thank you, Morris, for coming to our school. AJ Dowling.
“We will always have problems in our lives,
But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.”
Morris Gleitzman 2022
Class 6 in conjunction with Deadly Denim created their very own bespoke commemorative "leavers jackets." The workshop was run by local Noongar business, Deadly Denim ( who is also a Steiner parent from the hills!) and used sustainable practices, with students upcycling an item of clothing and working wth fabric provided to tailor their individual piece. Thank you to our parent coordinator and parent helpers who made this educational and enriching incursion possible!
Class 6 German: Pen Pal Letters
Congratulations to Class 6 student, Harry who has been selected to represent the Joondalup Wolves in the Under 14's basketball championship division 1 team.
185 children completed 4 trial sessions and only 10 children were chosen to make the team.
In December he will be playing 8 games over a weekend to compete for a spot to represent Western Australia at the national titles in Victoria next year.
Well done on your commitment and hard work Harry, and good luck!
Congratulations also to Class 6 student, Ilyas whose poem 'A Sunset Reverie' has been shortlisted for the POEM FOREST prize! The poem was selected from over 5,700 entries from students and teachers across Australia and has helped plant a tree at the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan. You can find more information on the POEM FOREST and the full shortlist here.
A Sunset Reverie by Ilyas J
The deep blue sea beside me
White-tipped waves ready to break
Dolphins diving, fish flying
The great blue whale roaming waters beneath
A tiger shark lying in wait, for its prey
But above the watery depths,
A whole new world.
The fiery red-orange sun sinking beneath the now purple ocean
A flock of seagulls squawking merrily
A solitary albatross winging its way over the wind-blown waves
Two eagles competing for a fishy dinner
The last rays of sunshine catching the sail of a sleeping yacht
The tide now rising, taking anything in its way
Moonlight shining on footprints in the sand
Came at last, the night.
Woodwork
Class 6 Woodwork Projects.
Handwork
Class 1: a lovely scarf and finished chicken.
Class 2 finished dolls.
Class 3 finished projects.
Working on a beanie with a lovely crochet technique.
Congratulations on persevering to complete your fantastic rainbow socks!
WCSS Community Association
Dear Community,
We hope you and your friends and family enjoyed the Kambarang Fair and Open Day 2022.
A heartfelt thank you to all the amazing activity organisers and volunteers for helping the day run as smoothly as it did.
Now the dust has settled, and we've had a little time to reflect, we would appreciate if you could take some time to share your experience of the day.
What was your favourite part of the day?
What would you like to see done differently?
What was your experience of the food stalls, commercial stalls, the program and performances, and the activities generally?
How was the communication leading up to the Fair, particularly for volunteers? Do you have any ideas for how it could be done differently?
All constructive feedback is welcomed.
Please forward your feedback to wcssca@wcss.wa.edu.au
Thank you again for your generosity of time, energy and spirit.
We are looking for good quality, suitable outdoor furniture for the Hub space. If you would like to gift or sell your pre-loved furniture please contact us.
We would aslo like to thank Renee and Class 6 for the beautiful gift of mosaic stepping stones designed for the Noongar seasons. See the images below for a sneak peak of how the project is coming together.
We have our always popular Advent Wreath Making Workshop on this Monday 12.30pm at the Hub. This is a lovely way to start to acknowledge Advent and make your own special wreath for your family home.
We have had feedback that some members of our comunity are unsure who or what WCSSCA is! Please see below for an outline and nomination form :) We hope you can join us!
Warm regards
WCSS Fair Committee
Market Day Baking Roster - Term 4
November 22: Class 4
November 29: K6
December 6: TBC
Class 6 Stepping Stones Gift
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
Monday 21: Advent Wreath Making Workshop 12.30pm
Wednesday 23: Class 3 Play, 8.45amFriday 25: Orientation Day for Class 7 2023; Celtic Dance 5.30pm
Monday 28: Word Sisters Performance at WCSS, 3.30pm
Tuesday 29: Class 1 Parent Performance 9.00am; School Tour 9.15am
Wednesday 30: Class 5 Camp
SAVE THE DATE: Class 6 Graduation Ceremony, December 13, 6.30pm
For further Term Dates check the school website calendar.
WEEKLY
Staff and Parent Choir: Mondays 3.15pm - 3.50pm
Yarning Circle: Tuesday 8.45am
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