School Newsletter Term 4 Week 10
Kaya WCSS Community
As we move towards the culmination of the year and in this time of Advent prepare for celebratory events, Christmas, other festivals, and precious family holiday time, I reflect with gratitude, on all we have achieved as a community over the year in this very special place.
This past week we have come together at our school for two magical events which encapsulate the cyclical rhythm of our education - the Kindy Crowning Ceremony held on Tuesday morning during which the Kindy 6 children stepped bravely across a beautiful river of blue to begin their Primary school journey in Class 1 and the Class 6 Graduation Ceremony held on Tuesday evening to a background of birdsong and a vivid orange sunset in which our Class 6 children concluded their Primary journey and departed through an archway of hands. These endings both provided special, memorable occasions for the children, for their teachers and for families. They gave us joyful opportunities to celebrate all the learning that has taken place for each child and to wonder with delight at the growth we have seen.
Knowledge of, and love for, the child is at the very heart of Steiner education. I would like to thank all our dedicated staff for taking such very good care of the children, for loving them and for working so creatively to nurture and guide their ideas and dreams. Thank you to parents also, for supporting us in this very important work that we do and for your trust and faith in us, knowing that all of us hold the best interests of your children deep in our hearts.
As our year together concludes and we head into holidays, I would just like to say what a privilege it has been to share this year with you and to thank you for all your support. May your Christmas, festival and holiday breaks be filled with love, grace and many happy times with family and friends and may there be peace on earth for all. To our community celebrating Hanukkah next week - Chag Urim Sameach - may you enjoy this special festival time.
With love and warmth
Jenny Dougan
SA/Principal
When I look out into the world, I see
Such wondrous beauty bursting forth in each direction.
When in my heart I look, I feel in me
How Nature's beauty here mustfind its true reflection.
For when my heart expands and grows aright,
When, on the wings of beauty, to the farthest realms of space
I'm taken,
Then is my own self lost within the light,
In quiet joy at last within the arms of God to waken.
In the Light of the Child, Michael Hedley Burton
Advent
For those in our community who mark Advent, the fourth Sunday of Advent is December 18.
Week 4 is Humankind
The fourth week sees us honouring humankind by adding a little felted or beeswax child and figures.
The fourth light of Advent is the light of humankind–
The light of love, hope and thought
To give and understand. ~ Rudolf Steiner
For more information on Advent traditions check out our Blog.
From Administration
We have gorgeous new school t-shirts available in all sizes at Golden Threads for 2023. These uniquely tied-dyed school t-shirts are just $20 each. All our standard colours are also available.
Staff enjoyed a lovely end of year get together yesterday in Hyde Park which included honouring years of service and those staff members not returning in 2023. Our Rose Kindergarten EA, Fiona Ramage was one of those acknowledged as she is retiring after 23 years at WCSS!
Early Childhood
Kindergarten Crowning Ceremony
In Steiner schools throughout the world the Kindy Crowning Ceremony is celebrated in a multitude of ways, they are as varied as the schools themselves. In our crowning ceremony there are two very special moments in our celebration. The first is the ‘crowning’ of the Kindy child with a golden crown by their teacher. This is to symbolise
the journey they have travelled and how much they have grown over this time. For most
children it has been two years for others three. Over this time, they have sung, laughed,
cried, fallen over and stood up again. They have learnt how to wait, take their turn, help,
serve and consider the other. They have made friends. They have been on adventures,
heard stories from far off lands, learnt new skills and discovered just how capable they
really are. The crown symbolises this and more, acknowledging all that they have
experienced in their time at Kindy.
The next part of the ceremony, once they have received their crown is meeting their Class 1 Teacher. In the past the child has walked through an archway decked with roses and
greenery symbolising walking through one stage, leaving Kindy behind and entering a new stage of their school journey - Class 1.
This year we made a new tradition where the children stepped across a river onto stepping stones. The river is wide and it will need courage to step across, however, the children are well prepared.
The Early Childhood Faculty made the decision to move to the river and the stepping
stone analogy as they felt it a more sustainable option on many levels – in terms of resources, preparation time and our climate (extreme heat affecting the roses and supply). Review is important and sometimes we need to make new traditions and be adaptive and responsive to the world around us, as long as the intent holds true to the original impulse.
This year's ceremony held all the reverence and meaning of the past tradition and we look forward to seeing our Class 1 2023 students in the new year!
Primary News
Class 6 Graduation
Class 5
I spent three days on a school camp with 18 incredible children . What stood out for me was their inner beauty, inner strength and the true connection that I felt with them all. This already sets a wonderful flow of care and connection for next year. The Class Camp at Swan Valley Adventure Centre provided a place to learn, reflect, evaluate and share experiences for the students.
Children developed an appreciation for nature, a sense of adventure, confidence in their own abilities, the capacity for responsible risk taking, leadership, teamwork and decision-making skills.
Ramneek Kaur
Class 5 Teacher
Woodwork
Class 5 completed projects
Class 6
Handwork
Class 2 finished projects.
Class 3 finished projects.
Class 4 finished projects.
Class 6 Dolls
Community News
The Summer Reading Quest is back for young people to enjoy plenty of epic reading adventure from 1 December 2022 to 31 January 2023!
Students of all ages and reading abilities are encouraged to pop into Stirling Libraries and pick up their Summer Reading Quest booklet. By joining the quest and recording their reading they are in the running to win some fantastic prizes!
Head to your nearest Stirling Library to find out more and start the quest.
Coming Events
January 28: School Busy Bee 8.00am - 1.00pm
February 1: Term 1 Commences
Term Dates 2023
Term 1: February 1 - April 6
Term 2: April 27 – June 22
Term 3: July 17 – September 21
Term 4: October 10 – December 12
For further Term Dates check the school website calendar.