West Coast Steiner School eNewsletter

Wandju - Welcome to Term 2

Kaya WCSS Community

A warm welcome back to Term 2 2023 which commences for the children on Thursday 27 April at 8.30am. We are all very happy to welcome you back! A very special welcome to new families who are joining our community this term. I look forward to meeting you all. I hope everyone has enjoyed some happy family times together over the break and that you are refreshed and ready for an exciting term.

A big thank you to the parents who worked in the Hub garden over the holidays. The area is looking beautiful, and I am sure will be enjoyed and cared for by all.

Staffing News

We are very happy to be welcoming Karen back to her teaching position at Gungurra Kindergarten after a long absence last term. David Hammond, our Games and Maths Extension Teacher in Primary classes, will be on leave this term and will be replaced by Mel Lenzi who continues to work in Class 2 also. Mel is known to all the children.

School Arrival and Dismissal Times

Although school commences at 8.30am, we ask that students do not arrive before 8.15am when there is a teacher on duty in the playground. Any students who do arrive before this time, will need to sit quietly on a bench outside the office and read or chat, so that someone can keep an eye on them until the Duty Teacher commences at 8.15am. They cannot be in the playground unsupervised. Any children in the playgrounds before 8.15am need to be directly supervised by the parents.

School finishes at 3.05pm (2.15pm on Thursdays). Parents should pick their children up promptly from outside the classroom or at Kiss and Drive on Mayfair St. Children should go straight to meet their parents or carers after school rather than being unsupervised in the playgrounds after school. There is a teacher on duty in Kiss and Drive until 3.25pm. Just a reminder that Kiss and Drive is a traffic flow zone for the safety and benefit of all. Please do not park and leave your car in this area.

There are many lovely things planned for this term which culminates in our beloved Winter Festivals. Please keep an eye on the newsletter sent each fortnight and the website to find out what is going on. May our new term together be lived with warmth of heart, kindness, and gratitude.

With warmth

Jenny Dougan

Principal/School Administrator

In the Light of a Child – Michael Hedley Burton

My spark of light – it must become a flame.

Breathe on me, breath of God, it is my aim

To calmly tend this light within and make it burn up brightly.

The air that nourishes my tender glow-

It’s Love! It quickens me. My light shall grow.

I’m given strength to love all people and to do things rightly.

Administration Matters

ELECTRONIC DEVICES ON CAMPUS

A gentle reminder as we start a new school term that as a Steiner school we strive to cherish childhood. One way we do this is by bringing to the children only natural, healthy and real experiences, and by being present to the moment and modelling behaviours. Please refrain wherever possible from using mobile phones, laptops or other devices when on campus.

MOTHER'S DAY

Mother's Day is on Sunday, May 14 and we have the perfect gift suggestion for you. It would look stunning on the breakfest in bed tray for mum!

A WCSS Recipe Book has tried, tested and beloved school recipes, (including Playgroup Bread and Kindy Birthday Cake!) and includes beautiful verses and an insight into the role food plays in a Steiner school. It is available now at Reception so you can be ultra organised!

SCHOOLZINE UPDATE

There is a new version of SZapp available for Android and IOS Devices. Please ensure that you have updated to this version to assure you receive communications from the school.

If you are using an Android Device, you will need to uninstall the old app and install the new version.

IOS Devices (iPhones) will be able to update without requiring a re-install.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but we are confident that the improvements in the new version will make it worth it.

An online guide on how to install and register/login to SZapp is available via the link below and use the code 1995 when prompted.

Click here to view the Installation Instructions

BALI SISTER SCHOOL VISIT

WCSS Education Assistant, Claudia took time out of her holidays to visit our Sister School in Bali and deliver a care package including penpal letters from our students. The students were thrilled to welcome her, giving her a tour of the school and singing for her. All WCSS families are warmly invited to visit the school if they are in Bali.

CONTAINERS FOR CHANGE

WCSS is a collection point for the Containers for Change initiative. Families are encouraged to bring containers to school, or if you take your containers to another collection point and would like to donate the funds to WCSS just use the membership number C10580178.

For information on which containers are eligible click here.

School Council

We are seeking expressions of interest from parents who would like to nominate for School Council. The duties and repsonsibilites of the School Council are set out in the Constitution (available on the school website), but, in essence, are:

Set the strategic vision, policies and procedures of the school, oversee the Association's finances, employ the School Administrator/Principal and provide oversight to ensure the school is run in keeping with its policies and in a legal and compliant manner.

With the above 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 chair@wcss.wa.edu.au.

Serving on Council is an incredibly rewarding experience.

WCSS Community Association

WCSSCA is a wonderful way for parents and caregivers to contribute to our school, their child's educational experience and demonstrate the value of volunteering. Not to mention the warm fuzzies you feel from helping out and working alongside others!

WCSSCA is an incorporated body comprised of parents and friends of West Coast Steiner School. The aim of the Community Association is to promote and support the development of West Coast Steiner School and its community.

Key objectives are:

To promote and support the development of West Coast Steiner School by:

Actively pursuing fundraising activities to provide for equipment and services beyond the means otherwise available to the school, aspiring to maintain the values and principles of Rudolph Steiner philosophies; and
Initiating and coordinating events and activities to foster a spirit of community within the school, aspiring to maintain the values and principles of Rudolf Steiner philosophies.

Our activities include Craft Group which meet weekly; managing the school shop Golden Threads; catering including Soup Day on Wednesdays during the winter terms, Market Day on the verandah Tuesdays after school, as well as helping the school to coordinate our School Fair.

Membership

Membership of the Community Association is open to all parents and guardians of children attending the school as well as other interested members of the community. To become a member please complete and return the membership form to Reception. There is no membership fee.

AGM

Our AGM will be held at the Hub on Wednesday May 3 at 8.45am. The positions of Chair and Treasurer have been declared vacant and we welcome nominations to these roles. You may even consider role sharing with another parent to lighten the load.

We look forward to seeing you in the Hub.

WSCCA Committee

wcssca@wcss.wa.edu.au

MARKET DAY ROSTER

Term 2

May 2: Class 3

May 9: Class 2

May 16: Class 1

May 23: Class 6

May 30: Class 5

June 6: Class 4

June 13: Class 3

June 20: Class 2

THE COMMUNITY HUB

Over the school holidays the Community Hub received lots of love with general gardening and tidying, native plantings and a new gate. Thank you to all those who volunteeered time over the holidays. Please help maintain this special space by keeping children out of garden beds so the little plants can grow! Also note there are no climbing trees in the Hub Space.