School Newsletter Term 1 Week 6

Kaya WCSS Community

We are now past the half-way point of Term 1. Can you believe it? A challenge for all of us is finishing the term with the same energy and optimism with which we started!

On Thursday we enjoyed a beautiful reconciliation event across our community at the launch of Karrt, Korrt ,Maara – Head, Hearts, Hands: the Book of Noongar Anatomy as told by Elder Cliff Humphries. Our Class 6 students were so privileged to have become active participants in reconciliation working with Elaine, Ramneek, and the Humphries family to bring this important work to life. We are so proud of what they have achieved and were delighted to celebrate the launch of this wonderful book with the Humphries family, important guests, and our community. It was a very special morning.

At our school we have students from over 30 different countries and cultural backgrounds and around 10 different faiths – a very diverse population indeed - and we value the unique flavour this gives to our community. We are looking forward to celebrating this soon with some special activities during Harmony Week, celebrated from 20- 26 March. Harmony Week recognises our diversity and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds. It’s about inclusiveness, respect, and a sense of belonging for everyone.​

Harmony Day, on 21 March, is also the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Whilst we celebrate diversity, it is important to acknowledge that globally, nationally, and locally we have a continuing commitment to improve in this area and to remove barriers that still exist. Harmony Week encourages us to continue to build bridges between the many wonderful cultures and ethnicities that make Australia what it is today. Our Humphries book project was an important step in this direction, and we plan to build an ongoing relationship with the family.

We will commence Harmony Week on Monday 20 March with a visit from an Indonesian dancer who will work with Viola and Classes 3 and 4. On Tuesday 21 March, we celebrate Harmony Day by encouraging students and staff to dress in a way which reflects their cultural heritage and to share aspects of their culture with others. There will be a special assembly and a parade to which parents are invited. You are also welcome to dress up. Our Market Day on Tuesday afternoon will be a celebration of global diversity as we share food and treats from our various cultures. You are all encouraged to send some food along that can be sold at Market Day. All money raised will be donated to our sister school in Indonesia. Harmony Week culminates on Friday 26 March with our Celtic Dance festival, a much-loved community event. What a lot we can look forward to! I hope you can join in celebrating with us.

With  warmth

Jenny Dougan

SA/Principal

LISA DEVINE TALKS FOR PARENTS, STUDENTS AND STAFF

We are delighted to have Lisa Devine visiting WCSS on Wednesday April 5 to work with students in Class 5 and Class 6, staff and parents.

Lisa has a Masters in Psychology, and has counselled young people and their families over many years. Her connection to Rudolf Steiner began through Eurythmy training, and has deepened ever since. She has worked as Chaplain/Counsellor at three Steiner schools in Melbourne, and is now Chaplain for Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School and the Central Coast Rudolf Steiner School.

Lisa is a core tutor for Steiner teacher trainees at Sydney Rudolf Steiner College, and is highly sought after around Australia as a speaker and facilitator in the areas of conflict resolution, child, inner and professional development – working out of the Anthroposophical impulse.

Lisa will be speaking to parents about how to create a supportive home environment for your child's Steiner education, the importance of rhythm and boundaries for all ages and the place of positivity at all ages of development. 

Lisa has a wealth of Anthroposphical knowledge and visits WA infrequently so we strongly recommend this talk to all our families.

Family Commitment Hours are claimable for this event.

Parent Talk: Wednesday April 5 at 2.15pm in the Performance Room

From Administration

Welcome to our new soccer goals! There have been many student suggestions regarding more sporting equipment in our suggestion box and the addition of our basketball hoop and netball ring have been well received so Class 6 Student Leaders worked with David to research soccer goals that were sturdy but could be moved easily to the oval at play times. They worked together to assemble the goals and now take responsibility for setting them up and bringing them in each lunch time.

CELTIC DANCE RAFFLE DONATIONS

Our 2023 Celtic Dance is on March 24 and we are planning another amazing raffle! Please drop donations of candles, tea, natural body products, organic chocolate and coffee and any Steiner inspired children's toys to Reception. Thank you.

BASKETS NEEDED

In the interests of sustainability we are looking for 3-4 large baskets for our Celtic Dance Raffle. If you have any you no longer use or need please drop them to Reception. Thank you.

Elder Cliff Humphries Book Launch

ELDER HUMPHRIES BOOKS AVAILABLE

If you were unable to attend the Humphries Book Launch on Thursday copies of this very special book are available for purchase from Reception for $30.00. We are so proud of our Class 6's contribution to this unique book which will be available to borrow from all City of Stirling libraries. 

School Council

Dear Community, 

The WCSS Council would like to invite and encourage all Association members to express interest to join the WCSS Council. Association members are either the legal guardians of an enrolled student or any staff members who is not a contractor.

Role of WCSS Council 

Management of the business affairs and governance of the Association is vested in Council. The duties and responsibilities of the School Council are set out clearly in the Constitution but, in essence, they are to:  

• Set the strategic vision, policies and procedures of the School.  
• Oversee the Association’s finances.    
• Employ the School Administrator. 
• Provide oversight to ensure the school is run in keeping with its policies and in a legal and compliant manner. 

Governance vs Management  

The WCSS Council is the legal entity that is responsible for the governance of the School. The day-to-day management of the School, conducting of education, and policy implementation is delegated to the Principal/ School Leadership team.  

Applying to Council 

With that in mind we are always looking for people who are passionate about WCSS and with a preference for skills in the following areas: 

• Governance 
• Strategic, Business and/or Financial Management 
• Steiner Education and/or Anthroposophy 
• Accounting/Law 
• Education or Education Management  
• Human Resources Management/Personnel Management 

If you would like to find out more, please contact Justin Coombs (Chair) on 0427 834 758 or at chair@wcss.edu.wa.au. 

On behalf of the WCSS Council, 

Justin Coombs 

Council Chair 

West Coast Steiner School Inc.

Family Commitment Hours Opportunities

Our new newsletter section will include special Family Commitment Hours projects but there are always many ways to help out and claim hours including joining WCSSCA Executive, gardening, volunteering at Golden Threads or the Library, monitoring Kiss 'n' Drive, baking for various events and attending talks on Steiner education.

Building/Woodwork

This cubby was made for the school several years ago by parents; it has seen many years of joyful play and now needs rebuilding. If you would like to take on this project please email Audrey at financeofficer@wcss.wa.edu.au

Blackboard Beauty

Class  6 Blackboard

Shining a light on...

Kiss ‘n’ Drive

The area around our School is busy and potentially hazardous during the peak morning drop off and afternoon pick up periods. WCSS has a designated Kiss ‘n’ Drive facility at the front entrance on Mayfair Street for dropping and collecting children. Kiss ‘n’ Drive is clearly signed as drop off or pick up zone Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 7.30am – 8.45am and 2.30pm-3.30pm, and Thursday 7.30am -8.45am and 1.40pm-2.40pm.

For the safety of students, a staff member is rostered for duty to supervise children while they wait for collection. Parents may also sign up to volunteer to assist. Both the Duty Teacher and Parent Volunteer will wear high visibility jackets to be easily identifiable.

Your cooperation with the following protocols and patience with the process is essential for the safe and efficient operation of the Kiss ‘n’ Drive.

Protocols for the Safe Use of Kiss ‘n’ Drive

• Parents must remain in their cars at all times. Please do not use Kiss ‘n’ Drive if you need to get out of the car to assist children with bags or want to talk to another parent or teacher.
• If there are no free bays on your arrival or your child is not ready, circle the block and re-join the queue at Kiss ‘n’ Drive.
• Move to the front of the Kiss ‘n’ Drive bays as they become available.
• Always indicate to enter and leave the Kiss ‘n’ Drive bays.
• Always be courteous to other road users.

Afternoon Collection

• Students are to make their way directly to Kiss ‘n’ Drive where they will be supervised by the Duty teacher between 3.05pm and 3.20pm Monday to Wednesday, and Friday, and from 2.15pm until 2.30pm Thursday.
• Students are to stand, together with any siblings, outside the gate and along the fence facing Mayfair Street between the big trees. They are to watch for their car and only enter when it is stationary.

Student Safety Exiting and Entering a Vehicle

• When stopping in the Kiss ‘n’ Drive area, please put on handbrake while car is idling. This may be inconvenient but the driver can become easily or momentarily distracted, causing the car to move forward into the vehicle in front.
• Children are not to use the boot for schoolbags. This may be inconvenient, but we are concerned with the safety of children and would not wish for children to be pinned between vehicles.
• Children need to exit and enter the car from the left hand side (footpath side), thus avoiding the need to walk between two idling vehicles. We acknowledge that some families have baby seats, making it difficult for older children to get out. Children who need to exit or enter from the right hand side of the vehicle must walk in front of their own car, so the parent can ensure their own child has crossed safely before the car moves on.
• Ensure children entering the vehicle put on their seat restraint quickly before moving off.

All users of the Kiss ‘n’ Drive are asked to follow these ‘rules’, regardless of momentary inconvenience. Please advise friends or other family members who may pick up or drop off children about the protocols for using Kiss ‘n’ Drive and parking around the School. It is also important to discuss these safety protocols with your children, as students who cannot follow the rules of Kiss ‘n’ Drive will be asked to wait in Reception for collection.

Kiss 'n' Drive was established by parents, for parents and it would be lovely to see some more parent volunteers. Staff currently monitor the  area to ensure the safety of students. Please remember to always be courteous to everyone.

If you would like to volunteer please let Reception know. Half hour spots are available Monday-Friday before and after school. Family Commitment Hours can be claimed.

Early Childhood

GUMNUT KINDERGARTEN 4

The little Gumnut children having crossed the threshold over the past few weeks into kindy are now, for the most part, settled into the rhythm of the day with all its breathing ins and outs.

Freya Jaffke tells us in her book ‘Work and Play in Early Childhood’ that between the ages of 3 and 5 years of age, two completely new faculties – imagination and memory -  appear in the child and  illustrate a child’s new relationship to the surrounding environment.

Some examples of healthily developed play in our sandpit last week include:

• A child placing some small round wooden pieces of woodchip on a tray and asking “ Would you like tea, coffee or  juice?” These same woodchips are then turned into blueberry muffins with the addition of some sand and water.
• Another child gathers small round stones and puts these little ‘potatoes’ in a pot to cook. Later these stones become boats on a sea and little sticks are both seaweed and fish. The sticks then become candles on a birthday cake.

The children are showing us in such unstructured play opportunities, that they are capable of transforming things from their surroundings (woodchips, stones, sticks, sand) to create something new with the help of their imagination. In order to do this, they need to have seen or experienced such things already. To recreate boats on a sea, they must have seen a boat on the sea, even if only a picture, and this memory is what inspires their imagination to transform the little stones to recreate boats on a sea.

This is a characteristic of play at this age; that it is stimulated by external circumstances, and to do this, children need objects available to them in their immediate environment that can be transformed by them.

It is important that these objects are not completed, for this enables children to use their imagination to transform what they have around them into something they have seen previously. Much depends on this inner work at this particular stage of development. Rudolf Steiner tells us that as the muscles of the hand grow firm and strong in performing the work for which they are fitted, so the brain and other organs of the physical body of the human being are guided into the right lines of development if they receive the right impressions from the environment.

We hope you enjoy this little window into the world of our little Gumnut children at work and at play in their new environment!

Janet Happe

Gumnut Kindergarten 4 Teacher

Primary News

Class 1 is continuing our journey into literacy. As vowels were introduced the sounds of words changed with the magic of vowels and their placement within words. We use our names to unfold this concept. Now we know enough letters to write a proper word. Achieving this milestone has been very exciting for the children. We are having fun remembering the story rhymes and sounding out sequences of the letters we do know. Grimms Fairy tales as well as stories from all over the world enliven our learning. Reflective questions arise as the children start to wonder as children learn from the mistakes of characters in these stories.

“The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility–these are the very forces which are the very nerve of education.” Rudolf Steiner

Practical skills such as letter formation and spelling are supported by wax and dough modelling, whole-body movement, painting and drawing. The main lesson books look beautiful as the children put a lot of effort into their work.

On Friday last week, the children were treated to a special event where David: our Games Teacher had prepared many fun activities all involving getting very wet! Observing the children taking turns, listening to instructions, giggling and cheering each other was truly a treat.

We have been enjoying visits from Class 6 buddies, they always have something special up their sleeve: bubble wands and spinning tops all handmade and with love. The interactions are just beautiful.

Kasia Rymarczyk

Class 1/Keyen Teacher

Class 2 

The Number Runner - before Class 2 commences the Place Value Main Lesson we are practising counting using The Number Runner. A child - The Number Runner, stands on each unit of 10 along our number line. One child then moves along the right hand side of the line counting the ones until they reach the number 10, the child on the side of ten must say “ten” and The Number Runner says “and zero” and so they walk together until they reach “ten.” At“and nine” they then pass to the next child who is the holder of 20, they say “twenty” and The Number Runner as before says “and zero” and so it continues. The children become clear on the position of the ones and the tens without explicit explanation, as well as solidifying their sense of number directionality and early place value. The predictable, physical, and repetitive nature of this activity is enjoyable for the Class 2 child. 

Jayne Wylie

Koodjal/Class 2 Teacher

Class 3 is a rich time of inner development for children with a focus on practical subjects such as farming, gardening, and building. Our Class 3 have sewn beauitful library bags, begun learning cursive writing and made mud bricks for their garden.

Donna Shaw

Dambart/Class 3 Teacher

Class 4’s have loved the new tie dyed school tshirts at the Hub so we invited Marcio (Sofia’s dad) the creator, to come and show us how to make our own tshirts that we can use on excursion days. The children had fun learning how to create a number of different patterns using elastic bands and then chose their favourite coloured dyes to squirt over the material. It was very exciting to display our finished products and take them home.

In Week 5 we performed our Assembly. As a highly creative and theatrical class we enjoyed stamping and clanging our staves to verse and drum beats and singing a well-known song, imprinting our own lyrics to describe the fun we have at school.

Aimee Waller

Koodjal Koodjal/Class 4 Teacher

Class 6 have been very busy with the Book Launch, leading our assemblies, being buddies to Class 1 and starting their Main Lesson for Astronomy. 

WATER FUN DAY

Our student suggestion box had a recurring request for a water fun day! Our Games Teacher, David bravely signed up to lead the day's fun with each Primary Class participating in activities and water play. 

Woodwork

Music News

We have had a wonderful musical start to the year at West Coast Steiner School. Students have come back from the holidays eager to sing and make music on their instruments. It is truly a joy to see the students’ excitement at learning a new skill and seeing the lightbulbs go on when they grasp a new concept deeply.

This year I once again have the pleasure of seeing every class in the school for music making at least once a week.

Class 1 have a musical morning circle on Monday mornings. They learn new verses and songs chosen carefully by Cristina to be pedagogically appropriate. In Steiner schools we are very careful about which songs and verses to teach at each age. Class 1 children are still singing songs in the ‘Mood of the Fifth’ which have a more floating, dreamy quality to them. They are starting their journey towards diatonic music but are still mostly singing pentatonic songs and are quite happy to sing songs that do not resolve to the tonic. In addition to songs and verses chosen from Steiner literature to suit the seasons and festivals as they pass Cristina also writes her own songs in the ‘Mood of the Fifth’. So far in Term 1 the students have learned a number of songs and verses including ‘Bunuru’ about the Noongar season in which we currently are, ‘Way up high’ in which they are encouraged to think of different birds that might be flying way up high, and ‘Bee bee bumblebee’ which allows each student their own voice as they sing their name to Mr Bumble Bee who flies around the circle each week.

Class 2 have a special time with Cristina each week. After assembly on Thursdays the children have some water and a snack before Cristina collects them from their classroom. They line up, with hats on their heads and follow Cristina to the front oval to sing songs and play musical games. Favourite songs so far this term include “Walk around the room” which allows students to choose different activities which they then sing about and perform ‘around the room’ and ‘Play it heavy and light’ which is a song that includes actions with cups!

Class 3 have a very exciting year. For the first time at school they are consciously learning about the elements of music. They are ready to learn how to read and write music in preparation for their start on string instruments, which will commence in term 3. Term 1 has already been full of wonderful music making. Class 3 began to learn how to sing their first rounds and developed a beautiful blend of voices in only a short amount of time. They also eagerly put their hands up to sing in smaller groups, with one voice per person in front of the whole class. Week 5 brought Cristina’s favourite lesson of Term 1, when the students learn the rhythm names of ta and titi. The lesson started with a short discussion about why it is helpful to have a way to write music down. Following this the students got to see some pictures of how notated music developed into what we have today, as well as the oldest example of notated music that we know of, a 3600 year old song from Syria etched on a stone tablet. The class then learned how to read and write the rhythms ta and titi and received a special letter from Cristina with their own 4 beat ta and titi rhythm. The students were excited to open the beautifully sealed letters to discover the rhythm within. Having performed their rhythms for the rest of the class each student then wrote a letter containing a rhythm for Cristina to take away with her. 

Class 4 have joined the Orchestra and Choir this year! Each week they gather with Classes 5 and 6 to make music. On Wednesday mornings the Choir gathers in the Performance Room to learn new pieces to sing together. The Choir has their first performance in Week 9 this term. As this is their first performance as an ensemble for the year they will be performing three shorter pieces, but they are also working on a more challenging song to be performed in Term 2.

The Orchestra meets on Thursdays after lunch, which can be a challenging time for the students to regain their focus but they have been doing their best to be fully present so far. Class 6 are leading the Orchestra in learning to play music in preparation for the Celtic Dance, taking place in Week 8. Class 5 have done a wonderful job of learning the more difficult part they are playing for the first time this year. Class 4 are always listening well to instructions and are playing the harmony parts perfectly in time, carefully watching the conductor for where to place each note. The Orchestra is creating a beautiful sound after only 4 weeks of rehearsals and it is a joy to see the students make music together.

Cristina Filgueira

Strings Specialist

HARMONY DAY

We will be celebrating Harmony Week on Tuesday March 21. Students are encouraged to dress in clothing that reflects their cultural background and bring a plate of food to donate to Market Day. There will be a parade, assembly and Global Food Market after school with funds raised going to our sister school in Indonesia. We would love some parent volunteers to help run the Market Day Stall.

WCSS Community Association

Dear Community,

We are holding our Harebrained Easter Craft Worshop on Thursday April 6 at 12.30pm in the Hub. All are invited to come along and for felted egg making and basket weaving. All materials are supplied and a gold coin donation is appreciated. 

We are delighted to announce that after revisiting the aim and outcomes of Market Day it is back! Starting from next Tuesday March 14 Market Day will be allocated to a class group (see below roster) with funds raised being used for that class. The focus of goods will be from more of a "market" perspective with healthy, nourishing snacks, fresh produce, homemade jams, relishes etc being encouraged. Good quality secondhand items could also be included. We look forward to seeing each class create a vibrant Market Day! 

Lastly, our AGM will be held on Wednesday May 3 at 8.45am in the Hub. All are welcome to attend. The positions of Chair and Treasurer have been declared vacant and we welcome nominations to these roles and to the committee in general.

WCSSCA provides much support and nourishment to our school community and we hope to see more parents involved in this very special undertaking. Many hands make light work!

In community,

WCSSCA Committee

 wcssca@wcss.wa.edu.au

Community News

This year, Steiner Education Australia (SEA) in consultation and collaboration with Steiner schools, are investing time into exploring how we can grow positive awareness of Steiner education in Australia. As part of this process, we are seeking ideas and insight from parents, students, and staff across our school community.   

We’d be most grateful if you could spare some time to contribute your thoughts in the following Insights Survey:

Click here to take the survey

The survey is open for three weeks and will close at midnight on Friday 24^th March 2023.

Stories of Wadjak Country

The City has recently installed two listening posts in Lake Gwelup and Scarborough for the community to enjoy.

The posts hold a series of eight audio stories and a Welcome to Country recorded by local Nyoongar Elders and Community Leaders. They were developed to share Aboriginal stories and culture with the broader community.

They are completely powered by hand, you turn the dial to the corresponding story you’d like to listen to and then wind the hand-crank to power it up so the audio plays.

Find them located at Lake Gwelup (by the boardwalk entry) and Scarborough (by the whale playground). 

Mirrabooka Harmony Festival

Celebrate Harmony Week at The Square Mirrabooka with a vibrant day of fun activities for the whole family. Enjoy a FREE sausage sizzle, entertainment, food stalls, kids activities and more!

There is an amazing line-up of cultural performances to keep you entertained throughout the day including Boorloo Hustle, Akwaaba Drumming and a Lion Dance.

Location: Mirrabooka Town Square, Sudbury Rd, Mirrabooka.
Date: Saturday 25 March 2023
Time: 10.00am - 2.00pm.

Harmony Week is an annual celebration of multiculturalism and diversity. 

Coming Events

MARCH

Tuesday 14: Market Day returns (Class 6) 3.05pm

Tuesday 21: Harmony Day Celebration and Global Market 

Thursday 23: PWS Steiner High School Journey Evening at WCSS, 6.30pm - 8.00pm

Friday 24: Celtic Dance, 5.30pm - 8.00pm

Thursday 30: Choir Assembly 8.45am

APRIL

Wednesday 05: Lisa Devine Talk for WCSS Parents, 2.15pm

Thursday 06: Harebrained Easter Craft at the Hub, 12.30pm

For further Term Dates check the school website calendar.

WEEKLY
Craft Group
Thursdays 12.30pm at The Hub

Parent Study Group
Mondays 01.50pm at The Hub or Library

Yarning Circle
Tuessdays 08.45am at The Hub

WA Anthroposophical Study Group
Mondays 7.30pm in the Staff Room

Golden Threads
Monday-Friday 8.00am-10.30am
Mon, Weds, Fri 2.00pm-3.30pm
Thursday 1.30pm - 3.00pm