School Newsletter Term 1 Week 2

Kaya WCSS Community

Kaya WCSS Community

We have had a very calm start to the term despite the heat, and it has been lovely to welcome everyone back after the long holiday break and to meet our new students and families. The children were all happy to reconnect with their teachers and classmates and to make some new friends and have settled back into class routines very well.

It was delightful to officially welcome our new Class 1 into the Primary School with their beautiful flowers and we all enjoyed the sweet singing as they made their procession from the Performance Room to their classroom. We are also very proud of our Class 6 student leaders who so capably conducted their first assemblies, and we enjoyed officially announcing our Class 6 Student Councillors for this term and presenting them with their badges. Our kindergarten children are also transitioning well with the younger ones gradually building up to more time at school each week.

Thank you to all parents and carers who have worked with us over the past two weeks to help the children settle back into school or adjust to their new school. We really value our connection with our community, your support of our teachers and our philosophy and your willingness to work with us in placing the children at the centre of what we do. It has been wonderful to see many parents on campus, gathering at The Hub, making time to attend Class Meetings, and talking to our teachers. Please continue to reach out to us, prioritise finding out as much as you can about Steiner education and share in your child’s learning. We are always happy to talk to you and to meet you.

I hope many of you will attend the WCSSCA Welcome Morning Tea in the Hub next Wednesday 14 February at 8:45 am. It is the perfect opportunity to meet other parents and staff, find out more about our wonderful parent organisation WCSSCA, and really embrace life in our community plus you will receive a yummy morning tea! I also strongly encourage you to attend our annual Curriculum Journey in a few weeks on Wednesday 28 February from 6.00 - 8.00 pm. Here you will learn more from the teachers about what is taught each year in a Steiner Primary school and why it is taught then, in a fun and interactive way. It’s a chance to experience some of the activities your children do every day and a great opportunity to meet and learn with other parents.

I began working as Principal of this school in 2020 and have learnt a great deal and had many happy and rewarding times over the past years. I have decided to step away from education after a 42-year career and will be resigning from my role of Principal at the end of Term 2 this year. The School Council is actively recruiting for a replacement and will be placing an advertisement shortly. If you know anyone with suitable qualifications who may be interested, please share the details, and encourage them to apply. There is plenty of time for a smooth transition and I am happy to work with the new Principal to ensure this.

Sincere thanks to staff, students and families who have welcomed and supported me here over the years. I appreciate the time we have spent together and will certainly miss this special place but will leave knowing it is flourishing and strong.

To our families celebrating Lunar New Year from Saturday, we wish you a very Happy New Year and some joyful celebrations as we move into the year of the dragon.

May your week be lived with warmth of heart.

Jenny Dougan

School Administrator/Principal

From Administration

The College of Teachers

Hello Dear School Community,

We have leapt into another year!  It has been amazing to be back and see the children’s shining, joyful and expectant faces.  I hope they have come home tired but happy, much like myself.

It is wonderful to come and work with your children each day and be part of the dedicated and adoring team of staff.   It is a true privilege to be tasked with helping you to create a happy, joyful childhood, which is full of laughter, learning, awe and wonder.  We would also love to support you in your job, the most important of all; being the parents of your young children.  To that end we have been working on gathering resources and learning opportunities designed to inspire, uplift and bring ease and joy to your journey.

Please watch out for:

 Steiner Parent Education Initiative -   three courses provided per term to enrich and inspire your life.  These are by Zoom to help you fit them in to your busy life:

• Explore the core principles of Steiner Education with Andrew Hill - 7:30 pm on 22^nd of February.
• Explore creating festivals at home with Ebba Bodame - 7:30 pm on 29^th of February
• Learn about the wisdom of the “Morning Circle” with Bernadette White - 7:30 pm on March the 7th

And our own Curriculum Journey – on February 28 where we share our passion for what we are teaching in the classrooms.

You will soon receive a statement we have written on the Steiner/Waldorf approach to the young child’s use of technology.   This document is designed to provide you with information on why we discourage technology use, and also to offer you an extra support to help navigate what can often become a tricky and demanding situation.

We know that a child thwarted in its search for easy stimulation can be a force to be reckoned with!  Knowing that you have the school supporting you, and that the other parents in your child’s class are in the same position, can be very helpful in such moments.

The hours of childhood are all too short and it is only once they are through these sunny years that as a parent you realise just how short!   Enjoy your time making the most of each moment; cooking, reading and crafting together.  And please think of the refrain “I’m bored” as music to your ears. 

Hearing a child say this is your cue to step back and continue your adult work as they navigate what will become a lifelong ability to create, imagine and play!

Thank you so much for your support and love, it is an honour to work and play with your children.

Yours with warmth,

Kathryn Gass

(Soft Handwork Teacher and College Chair)

Steiner Spotlight

What is the Extra Lesson?

In Steiner education we believe the first seven years of  child's life are when they fully take hold of the physical body, right down to their fingertips and toes. This healthy unfolding allows childrento use their body to do what they need to do in school and for the rest of their life. If this process is impeded, for whatever reason,  the child may struggle with processing information, comprehension, sitting still  and demonstrating knowledge.

The Extra Lesson was originally developed by Audrey McAllen and is based on the holistic developmental perspective of Rudolf Steiner's philosophy for education. Rudolf Steiner's views and insights regarding child development place particular emphasis on the senses of touch, life, balance and self-movement as the foundation for learning. Working with these four senses develops spatial orientation and body geography. Balance and movement play an important role in visual and auditory processing as well as the ability to focus and concentrate.

The main focus of Extra Lesson is to identify the developmental issues for the student and assist them rather than focus on why it has occurred. Learning is a spontaneous process in most children that comes from curiousity and an eagerness to learn. A child who finds learning difficult, or one that has to put in additional effort all the time, may end up feeling frustrated. Extra Lesson aims to address this so that learning can proceed unimpeded.

Extra Lesson is essentially a "holistic learning support session" unique to Steiner Schools, which focuses on many of the skills and faculties that modern-day OTs, physios and sensory-motor researchers corroborate. An Extra Lesson session consists of pedagogical exercises in movement, form drawing and painting (art therapy) and prepares the child for the learning process of reading, writing and mathematics.

We currently have staff training and gaining experience in Extra Lesson and will be offering it at WCSS.

Click here for more information on Extra Lesson.

Family Commitment Opportunities

This newsletter section includes special Family Commitment Hours projects but there are many other ways to help out and claim hours including joining the WCSSCA Committee, gardening, volunteering at Golden Threads or the Library, monitoring Kiss 'n' Drive, baking for various events and attending talks on Steiner education. Voluntering at school provides many benefits beyond FCH.

Early Childhood

Our First Busy Bee of the Year 

 What a wonderful start to the new year. It has been so lovely to see the beautiful smiling faces of the children and parents and to know that our journey, one that has been whispered through the ages, has finally come into being and our time together can begin.  

For Rose Kindergarten the journey of 2024 began with the busy bee the Saturday before school. We came together to get to know each other, work together and to care for the space that, we in Rose, call home. Good will and a list of projects big and small allowed us to transform the play spaces and the items that live within them. Blocks were sanded and polished, sensory tables sanded and sealed, and garden beds were  planted and weeded. Crowns needing new elastic and crayons hoping to be cleaned were taken home to be lovingly repaired and renewed. Nervous children quickly melted into the hum of their parents’ communal activity. The chatter and laughter reassured them that all was well and in their own time they took to their own work, playing with their friends new and old.  

Soapy water cleansed small dirty hands and watermelon and water cooled and refreshed young and not so old alike. It was a wonderful morning, short and sweet, and yet we accomplished so much. Not only was Rose sparkling and clean, ready for her little ones, but connections were made, and hearts put at ease. For me as the teacher I was grateful for the opportunity to facilitate a tangible situation where the children could witness the warmth, love, care and reverence in which the parents hold their school. It seems a small thing but witnessing goes deep and it outworks in the children’s play and the way that they interact with their environment.  

Within the classroom we have another name for it - modelling. It is the idea that we model for the children the behaviours, attitudes, and values that we would like to see shape and guide our children into the future whilst nurturing the unique seed of being that they have brought with them.  In early childhood we are about doing, about developing the will, and taking ownership of the vessel that we will call home for the next 80 or 90 years. The young child loves to imitate and to be just like those that they so dearly love.  This is why it is so important that there is congruency between what we say and what we do and ultimately it is what we do that will be taken by the young child and made their own.  

We have so many opportunities every day to model goodness,beauty and truth to our children. In the way we speak about the driver that just cut us off, the person begging for money on a street corner, the piece of paper that has blown into our path, the plant that is wilting for lack of water, the beauty of a sunrise, and the simplicity and wonder of a seashell. To say that we love our school and then to lovingly tend and nurture her is a powerful and deep modelling for our children. It is the gift that will become reverence and that over time will become a sense of wonder, gratitude and devotion. Devotion to all that is good, true and beautiful and paired with a will that is strong, rigorously informed and warmed by the heart. What a beautiful gift to give our children – and we thought it was just a busy bee.  

Our next wonder, gratitude and devotion day is the 13th of April. Save the date and check in with your teacher to see what they have planned.  

Much love and gratitude, 

Vanessa Fountain

Rose Kindergarten

Primary News

Class 1 Keyen

Welcome to Class 1 2024!

Class 2 Koodjal

The children of Class 2 have matured both physically and emotionally during the summer break. They are now prepared to tackle new intellectual and emotional challenges with eagerness. By embracing these challenges, the children will have the opportunity to develop and grow, much like stretching their wings and learning to fly.

In Class 2, children may experience a sense of contrast or polarisation, but teaching stories of heroic and courageous individuals will inspire them to develop towards individuality. Our first Main Lesson, The Celtic Tales of The King of Ireland's Son, provides the imagery of an individual striving to develop and overcome challenges.

The child's journey towards individuality is not taken alone. They can trust the world around them to offer growth opportunities, companionship, and guidance. These stories reinforce the idea that development is worth striving for, even through struggle.

Warm regards,

Kasia Rymarczyk

Koodjal/Class 2 Teacher

Class 3 Dambart

Class 3 have begun their Hebrew Scriptures Main Lesson and focal thematic for the Class 3 year. This is a learning of ancient peoples and ancient consciousness. The stories develop archetypes of the human condition, importantly jealousy, subtly imparting wisdoms to the 9-year-old child in their year of social and emotional change.

Jayne Wylie

Class 3/Dambart Teacher

Class 4 Koodjal Koodjal

With great enthusiasm and exuberance we have entered or should I say marched and stamped and sang our way into Class 4 and the world of the Norse Myths; a world of Vikings, Gods and Giants. The giant's verses are loud and strong,  and boldly speaking them whilst clashing sticks with a partner is a lot of fun.  Our emerging favourite character though is Loki - the doer of good and the doer of evil, also known as the trickster.

Forge me with fire

A sword for my smiting

Fright to my foes and

Flames for my fighting!

We have also been loving Form Drawing.  In Class 4 we work with woven and braided forms, the image of spinning or following the thread of a thought, being able to interweave ideas, to follow the pattern and see how each thread crosses over the other is so good for our thinking.  The Norse woven forms and braiding require a lot of detailed visualisation and concentration and we hope to build up to being able to draw five braided forms soon. We look forward to sharing them with you in future newlsetters!

Donna Shaw

Class 4/Koodjal Koodjal Teacher 

Class 5 Maar

Ancient Civilizations Main Lessons

I think this will be my favourite year so far as we delve into the fascinating cultures of long long ago, including Ancient India, Ancient Persia, Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, and the culture that is legendary for Class 5, Ancient Greece!

This term we have begun with Ancient India and their stories of the creation of the world and their Gods, such as Brahma, Shiva, Visnu, and Ganesha, and goddess, Lakshmi, Durga, Kali and Saraswati. Interestingly, we discovered that the story of ‘Manu and the Flood’ has many parallels with the story of Noah’s Ark from Class 3.

We will learn about the caste system, draw the map of India locating major features, discover the ancient writing of Sanskrit and hear magnificent epic stories of struggle, hardship, love and the triumph of the human spirit. Ancient India, like the other ancient cultures, has rich stories and I wish that I could read all of them. I will tell the epic story of the Mahabharata for the Main Lesson. The Mahabharata is an ancient Indian epic where the main story revolves around two branches of a family. The Pandavas and the Kauravas who become enemies. Interwoven into the narrative is the link between the spirit world and the world of humans. Philosophical discourses with Krishna are featured.

We will focus on Ancient India for 3 weeks and have packed as much as possible into immersing ourselves in everything Indian! Tasting Indian food, listening to Indian music, trying yoga and meditation, creating Indian artworks, particularly Mandalas, travelling to the Sacred India Gallery in Bennett Springs and trying out Bollywood dancing! We are lucky enough to have a class member and her family from India, the Benegal Family, who will come in and share stories, songs and experiences from the Hindu Culture.

Stay tuned to read all about our adventures through ancient history and culture in Class 5!

Aimee Waller

Class 5/Maar Teacher

Class 6 Maar Keyen

Class 6 are excited to step into their last year of primary school. We have begun this final leg of our journey at West Coast Steiner School with a look back at all the cultures and nations we have studied during our primary years. Our goal was to understand where they all fit along the historical timeline, as well as how they have each left a lasting impact and made a variety of contributions to our society today.

To assist us with our research, we visited the library and Class 2, 3, 4 and 5 to gather literary resources on the Australian Aboriginals, Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Indians, Israelites, Celts and Norse/Vikings. It was a challenge to arrange them along the timeline, as we first had to grasp the distinction between BCE and CE. But we got there in the end—well done, Class 6!

Next week, we will begin our lengthy study of the rise and fall of Roman society. We are most curious to find out where they fit along the timeline, and to discover what ideas, knowledge and inventions they have contributed that remains relevant to contemporary society.

In other news, our class presented Assembly with its first episode of Skits by Class 6. These skits are written by the students, and their purpose is help foster a culture of care and kindness in our school.

We have also begun our year-long study of horticulture and learned the first principle of successful gardening: adequate sunlight. We are lucky to be having an incursion from Gaia’s Organic Gardening next month to help us plan and build our own individual and sustainable food gardens.

Finally, we started learning music and writing poetic verse for our class play, which we will perform in Term 3. The details will have to remain under wraps for now, as it involves one of the most daring escape plans in history which relies on absolute secrecy for its success! Watch this space.

Wow, it has been a busy few days indeed! We look forward to sharing more news about our student leadership initiatives next week.

Elaine Meyer

Class 6/Maar Keyen Teacher

Music News

It is wonderful to be back at school, surrounded by students making music. Coming back from the holidays I was very pleased by the number of students who occasionally picked up their instruments during the break. Everybody remembered how to hold their instruments and read music so we could dive right back in without much fuss.

This term is shaping up to be a fantastic one with the Celtic Dance taking place in Week 7 on March 15. The orchestra, comprising of students from Classes 4 – 6 has started to learn the pieces that they will play for the occasion. Some of the students have already mastered their parts and are ready for further challenges!

Class 3 have started their music lessons in earnest, seeing me twice a week to dive deeper into music and the elements that form it. While the first lesson was used to introduce new songs to their repertoire, in the second lesson we already discovered the polarity of high sounds and low sounds in a song containing two distinct pitches. As the weeks go on the students will learn to name these specific sounds, and notate them in various ways. I’m very much looking forward to exploring more of these concepts as the term goes on.

A special mention must go to Class 6. Almost all students in the Class brought their instruments to school on the first day. Well done Class 6!

Handwork

Class 4 has embarked on the discovery of cross stitch which is explored experientially in ways such as making big stitches using card and whole body movements.

Indonesian

Students in Classes 1-6 have leapt straight back into Indonesian! They have started learning and practising their Steiner class verse in Indonesian. We begin each lesson, just as the Class Teacher begins each day,  by saying the verse together.

Viola Sacher

Languages Specialist

WCSS Community Association

Dear School Community,

Welcome everyone to a wonderful new year ahead. We, from the Parent Association (WCSSCA, pronounced “wiska”), hope that everyone had a restful, happy holiday! 

Welcome Morning Tea

To start the year off we are inviting new and existing families to a welcome morning tea. This is a beautiful opportunity to reconnect with each other and to open our arms and hearts to families that are new to our school community. Join us on Wednesday February 14 at 8:45 am in the Hub for free tea and coffee and delicious homemade cakes.

Parent Craft Group

Craft Group will be held on Thursdays at 12:45pm in the Hub. All are welcome to join. Come along and learn some simple new skills guided by the lovely Sarah from Playgroup. This term we are making dolls and fidget squares for Class 1. 

The Hub

We are excited to share that our Hub Captain, Hope has successfully finalised our community shelving project. This space is designed to enhance our sense of community by providing a central hub for sharing and helping those that may be in need. Our slogan is, “Bring what you can, and take what you like!” We look forward to seeing and feeling the positive impact this invitation of sharing and supporting one another brings.

With kindness in community,

Rachael (Class 2 parent)

Alumni Focus

Congratulations to WCSS Class of 2014 Alumni Jack Grinceri, who recently completed a Bachelor of Science (Conservation and Wildlife Biology) at Edith Cowan University. Jack is pictured with his WCSS Class Teacher, Donna who is our current Class 4 Teacher. We love to hear from all our alumni so feel free to send us an update at marketing@wcss.wa.edu.au.

Sustainability

Last year our Class 6 took part in the Enviromental Art Project 2023 "Helping Hands." The project, organised by the Mundaring Arts Centre and Midland Junction Arts Centre, has been running for 22 years. Here is a small selection of WCSS student entries.

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.

CLOTHING DONATIONS

At WCSS we have a clothing bin which diverts 100% of clothing and accessories received from landfill and also raises money for the school. Donations of clothing and accessories such as shoes, belts and hats can be left at Reception or popped in the bin when safe to do so!

Community News

Parent Business Directory

Welcome to our new section which aims to share information on WCSS family owned businesses. If you are an enrolled WCSS family, run a business and would like to promote this to our school community please send your details (a few sentences describing your business, contact details and a logo or image) through to us.

E: marketing@wcss.wa.edu.au

Cheesebuddy is an Australian made Brazilian cheese bread which is gluten free, versatile, delicious... and owned and operated by a WCSS family! Cheesebuddy’s products are available at Woolworths, Costco, IGA, Farmer Jack’s and others. Or chat with Yuri - M:0402730490

Coming Events

FEBRUARY

Friday 09: Class 2 Parent Meeting 3.15pm

Tuesday 13: School Tour 9.15am / Class 5 Market Day 3.05pm / Class 5 Parent Meeting 3.10pm

Wednesday 14: WCSSCA Welcome Morning Tea 8.45am / Class 4 Meeting 2.15pm

Saturday 17: Class 5 Excursion 10.00am

Monday 19: Class 5 Excursion / Rose Kindy Parent Meeting 3.15pm 

Tuesday 20: Class 3 Parent Meeting 3.15pm / Class 4 Market Day 3.05pm

Save the Date: Celtic Dance Friday March 15, 5.30pm - 8.00pm

For further Term Dates check the school website calendar

WEEKLY

Market Day: Tuesdays 3.05pm

Craft Group: Thursdays 12.45pm at The Hub

Parent Study Group: Thursdays 9.00am at The Hub or Library

Yarning Circle: Wednesdays 8.40am 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 2.30pm-3.30pm
Thursday 1.30pm - 3.00pm