School Newsletter Term 4 Week 2

Kaya WCSS Community

We have had a glorious start to Term 4! Our Kambarang Fair is just 8 sleeps away and I am very much looking forward to sharing with the broader community all that is wonderful about our school and Steiner education. There are still places to fill on rosters to ensure the smooth running of the Fair and we do ask that every parent in every family in the school sign up for a shift or contribute to the day in some way. All time donated to the fair can be claimed towards the Family Commitment Scheme. The day is a compulsory attendance day for all of our fulltime school children, with Monday given as a day off in lieu, for all staff and students. Please click on this  LINK to the roster sign ups.

There have been several fabulous extra-curricular activities already this term. Thank you to our Music Teacher, Cristina, for arranging for the children to attend a WASO rehearsal. It was wonderful for our budding musicians to see professionals at work. Classes 4 and 5 have been on camp this week. The experiences that children gain from attending camp are often transformational. They learn how to work with their classmates, independent of their familiar home and family environment. The challenges this presents, along with the real-life learning opportunities they are afforded as a part of the camp itinerary, provide personal growth that can’t easily be replicated in the day-to-day of the classroom. Thank you to the staff who gave up their own time with family  to allow for the children to benefit from the camp experience – Aimee, Donna, David, Claire, Kylei and Jonah.

It gives me great pleasure, on the behalf of College, to announce the following staffing engagements for next year.  Our Class 1 Teacher for 2025 will be Mel Lenzi. Mel is Steiner Teacher trained and is currently a member of our Primary Faculty. She brings a wealth of enthusiasm and artistic ability to the position and has a passion for meditative reflection, drama and storytelling. She is also the parent of two delightful children. Class 4 will complete the latter half of their 6 year journey with Elaine Meyer as their Class Teacher. Elaine is also Steiner Teacher trained and brings a wealth of enthusiasm to the position. She has a passion for indigenous education and community connection and shares a long history with West Coast Steiner School as her children attended here in their primary school years.

Over the break, I had the opportunity to attend Steiner Education Australia’s International Study Tour to Germany, Switzerland and Thailand. I travelled with sixteen other Steiner educators from across Australia, all committed to deepening our understanding of contemporary interpretations of Steiner education. We began in Berlin with visits to three schools – classroom visits, lunch with teachers and school leaders. We visited the Friends of Waldorf Education who raise funds for the growth of Waldorf schools in developing countries and an anthroposophical hospital, where Dr Tankred Stoebe spent time with us and presented on his work with Médecins Sans Frontières.

From there it was off to Dresden for a visit to Dresden Waldorf School, a remarkable school with a history that reflects its geographical/historical context and the power of individuals to uphold an impulse and energy for long periods towards a brighter future: a flourishing school of 800 students in 2024! We then travelled to Weimar, the home of Goethe, one of Rudolf Steiner’s key influences and from where the phenomenological approach to teaching and Steiner’s indications about colour originated. Next stop was Parzival Zentrum, an inclusive school serving 600 students in different program types, catering for children with intellectual disability, emotional and mental health issues, refugee students, and those following a vocational pathway. The humanitarian, healing approach from Bernd Ruf, founder of emergency pedagogy and the leader of this extraordinary school, was a personal highlight of the trip for me.

A full day was spent at Ulandshoehe School, Stuttgart, the home of the very first Steiner school. We met with several agencies connected with Steiner education, supporting teacher training, research, the publication of Waldorf literature and public relations. A visit to the school culminated in meandering through their impressive bio-dynamic garden, resplendent with beehives, goats and crops, constructed at the very top of a ridge overlooking the city. This is the oldest, continuously biodynamically farmed piece of land in the world. The next day, we journeyed to Basel in Switzerland, where we visited the quite remarkable Goetheanum which is the topic of our Steiner Spotlight for this edition. We learnt of its history, and Steiner’s original intention to create a modern university founded on a spiritual understanding of the human being. We met with leaders of one of the departments, the Pedagogical Section; for a rich discussion about the role of Steiner education in contemporary society and enjoyed an incredible Eurythmy performance in the Great Hall, a work of art of itself.

Finally, we journeyed to Thailand for our last school visit to Panyotai Waldorf School, started some 30 years ago by a pioneering and entrepreneurial individual, Dr Porn Panasot. Now a thriving school of 300 up to Year 12, Panyotai School will host the 2nd Asian Waldorf Youth Conference next month, a gathering of 700 students from Waldorf schools across Asia from India to China, south-east and north-east Asia.

Wishing you a wonderful time at the fair; student performances start at 10am and there will be a Curriculum Journey Display in the Performance Room as well as many fun activities throughout the day.

With warmth,

Jacqui Hollingworth

School Administrator/Principal

Administration Matters

Steiner Spotlight

The Goetheanum

The Anthroposophical Society was first established by Rudolf Steiner and today this cosmopolitan initiative has a membership of about 42,000 and Anthroposophical Societies in 86 countries. Their headquarters are located at The Goetheanum in Switzerland. The members enable and support the Goetheanum which functions as a School for Spiritual Science, a house for the arts and a venue for the worldwide anthroposophical movement to gather. The impulses of Rudolf Steiner (1861 – 1925) and his collaborators, for the renewal of culture, have made many fruitful contributions over the last 100 plus years and have found resonance in many fields of work and life.

Today, the School for Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum has twelve departments in the following fields: General Anthroposophy, Natural Sciences, Pedagogy, Literary Arts and Humanities, Medicine, Agriculture, Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Social Sciences and Mathematics, Astronomy and Curative Education. The departments maintain a cooperative relationship with institutions worldwide. Their aim is to research and develop the soul-spiritual dimension of the human being and the world. As a spiritual science, Anthroposophy aims to complement mainstream scientific knowledge. It seeks to contribute to a responsible and creative shaping of life, in the social sphere and in relationship with nature. In this way the Goetheanum attempts to actively contribute to the challenges of our time.

The first Goetheanum had its foundation laid in 1913, was opened in 1920 and then destroyed by fire on New Year's Eve 1922/23. It was an impressive wooden building with two cupolas and a richly carved and painted interior. With this building, Rudolf Steiner developed an organic style of architecture that is similar to a plant because every part, every form and every colour has an inner relationship to the whole. The whole is then differentiated into detail through metamorphoses.

In March 1924, Rudolf Steiner created the model for the second Goetheanum which was built in reinforced concrete between 1925-1928, after his death. It was the first monumental building in architectural history where this material was used in sculptured forms.

The building remained unfinished and was still essentially a shell when it opened in 1928. Different architects developed it step by step over the next 70 years, until 1998. 

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Parent Education

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

We recommend this short but helpful article to all our parents, but especially those in the early childhood years. Please take 5-10 minutes to have a read through.

Primary News

Class 2 Koodjal

A new term has started, and we look forward to all the beautiful things it will bring. Term 4 offers us an opportunity for reflection, where we pause to take in the wonders of nature’s full expression—wildflowers in radiant bloom, a reminder of the vibrant life surrounding us.

We began our journey this term with enchanting stories from around the world. The children are especially captivated by the mystical creatures of Scotland, such as the elusive Loch Ness monster and the legendary Giants of the Causeway. These tales offer them a deeper connection to the world and its many mysteries. Their drawings and the writing have progressed greatly as the children have mastered new skills. 

Our preparations for the Kambarang Fair are also well underway. Together with Class 3, we are joyfully crafting a musical offering. We look forward to sharing this event with you all.

Class 2 Koodjal Teacher

Kasia Rymarcyzk

Class 3 Dambart

Class 3 created gorgeous farewell messages and cards for their teacher, Jayne as she departed on maternity leave at the end of Term 3. Jayne remains a part of our school community as a Class 2 parent and we look forward to catching up with her and welcoming the new addition to her family!

Mel Lenzi 

Class 3 Dambart Term 4 Teacher

Class 4 Koodjal Koodjal

Class 4 has been fully immersed in the world of mathematics, exploring Geometric Shapes, and loving every moment of it!

Through hands-on activities, the students have been discovering how geometry connects to the real world, and learning to recognise and create a variety of shapes that make up the world around us. From triangles and squares to circles and hexagons, they are excited to see mathematics come to life.

I’m proud of their enthusiasm and look forward to seeing their continued curiosity grow as they continue to explore the beauty of geometry throughout the curriculum.

At the same time, we are eagerly preparing for our camp, a wonderful adventure where we will spend two nights away from home. This will be an opportunity for us to step outside our comfort zones, challenge ourselves, and support one another through a variety of exciting activities. It promises to be a time of personal growth, teamwork, and shared experiences, creating memories that will stay with us for years to come. We can’t wait to embrace the fun and the challenge together!

Donna Shaw

Class 4 Koodjal Koodjal Teacher

Class 5 Maar

On Friday, September 13, Class 5 travelled to Perth Waldorf School to compete with 5 other Steiner schools at the annual Greek Olympics. It was a beautiful sunny day and the students were buzzing with excitement. At the opening ceremony Zeus lit the Olympic torch and the students sang and spoke verse with their City States in preparation for the events.

Class 5 students were at the height of their strength and stamina after training for many weeks to build their skills. On the day they ran a marathon around the school and competed in discus, javelin, wrestling, long jump, sprints and, the all-time favourite, chariot races. Class 5 students put on an epic show of sportsmanship and should be very proud of themselves. A huge thank you to Bryce who took some great photos and Veronika and Tony who took up the responsibility of City State leaders.

It was exciting to imagine that we belonged to one of the Great City States of Ancient Greece - Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Delphi or Thebes.  All City States had their unique qualities as did our amazing athletes! It was fun to compete in an event that was held millennia ago in Athens. A huge thank you to Gosia and her team at Perth Waldorf School who put on an amazing event. Fun was had by all, and many memories were made!

Aimee Waller

Class 5 Maar Teacher

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Music

During the school holidays I was able to pick up our certificate and written feedback from the ABODA Orchestra Festival that the West Coast Steiner Orchestra participated in last term. I was very proud to discover that the orchestra achieved the rank of “Excellent” and received very positive feedback from the adjudicators. I was delighted to give the great news to the orchestra and I hope they are as proud of their achievement as I am of them.

In week 1 of this term the students in Class 4, 5 and 6 went on a very special excursion. We were able to attend a rehearsal of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. The general public usually is not able to attend these rehearsals so we were lucky to get the chance to see it. While it was a long time for the students to sit still and listen most enjoyed at least some aspects of the rehearsals. Many students expressed that they particularly enjoyed watching the conductor, Umberto Clerici who was conducting with so much energy that he was practically bouncing around on the podium. We saw WASO rehearse a piece called Hommage a Mozart by composer Jacques Ibert and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 31, also known as the Paris Symphony, because Mozart composed it to try to win a job in Paris.

Before we headed into the auditorium at the Perth Concert Hall we were able to attend a pre-rehearsal talk by WASO Principal Timpanist Alex Timcke who told the students about his preparation process for rehearsals and answered some questions from the attending students, such as how much practice he does.

Upcoming Performances:

Kambarang Fair Saturday 26: The Choir and Orchestra will both be performing.

Christmas Assembly Week 9: The Orchestra will be playing some favourite Christmas songs, come listen and sing along!

Handwork

And just like that Class 6 have finished their many years in Soft Handwork.  The final project being a well constructed Waldorf doll.  Many hours of hand sewing and stuffing and creative design ideas to finish this project.

Alumni Focus

Class 12 Projects ~ Jade Janneson-Bense

WCSS Class of 2018

Hello and welcome to the theory of Cognitive Dissonance, brought to us in 1959 by social psychologist Leon Festinger. Cognitive dissonance is a phenomenon that likely occurs in your everyday life, where a person is holding two contradictory beliefs. There is this ‘gap’ or misalignment that creates feelings of discomfort with thoughts and corresponding behaviours. Leon found that humans require consistency in cognitions and without that, we tend to feel that ‘gap’ (cognitive dissonance). Often, we don’t know that we have cognitive dissonance because of the way our mind disguises it . I've dived into when attitude doesn't replicate behaviour, one type of cognitive dissonance. A common and simple example would be a smoker, the world knows cigarettes are linked to several health issues, yet some still smoke. The curiosity I've found in why humans experience this phenomenon, and its sensitivity to share has led me to bringing it to this safe space as my project, now with the question:

“How does cognitive dissonance impact our moral and ethical behaviours regarding consumerism around fast fashion and animal consumption?”

To get an idea of how Cognitive Dissonance can run its course, consider the example of the smoker I mentioned earlier. Let’s say they started smoking in their 20s in the 1980s. As we know there have been major shifts in beliefs and understandings around the health dangers of cigarette smoking and many people who once smoked in the 80s have since quit. Someone who has continued to smoke over this time is an example of the power of cognitive dissonance. Quitting could relieve this and realign the person with valuing their health and following the advice from medical professionals. However, continuing to smoke would possibly be validated by them telling themselves that they’ll quit next week, even though next week keeps moving to another week. They could also tell themselves that that smoking helps them unwind or relax and that the stress of quitting could do more harm to their mental wellbeing.

I’ve learnt that cognitive dissonance can be confronting for us, and this seems to make it a topic not often spoken about or well-known. This has drawn my interest in it further. To me it seems like cognitive dissonance wears a disguise so we can act how we want, without thinking about the consequences, in topics such as fast fashion and animal consumption. I’ve found that many of us don’t think about our choices until we see the harm that can come from buying clothes and eating meat, which is why awareness is so important.

My research focused on these two areas of fast fashion and animal consumption because topics which have challenged my own thinking and behavior. Seven years ago, I made the decision to become a vegan, and this was a choice I made after being told the “uncomfortable truth” behind my roast chicken dinner. To be honest, I'd never even thought about it, and I see this as a form cognitive dissonance now on reflection. It wasn’t easy to change my behaviour and not eat meat or products made from animals, but I feel that this aligns with both my own moral and ethical belief systems.

The same applies to fast fashion for me but this is more complex as I have discovered after researching that even those companies who say they don’t exploit workers and the environment are often doing other things that are impacting the lives of animals, people and the environment in the quest for satisfying human consumption. I am still struggling with ways to lessen my consumption of fast fashion by trying to be more conscious and make better choices, but this is challenging.

Thank you for reading and maybe we will see you at some of the project presentations!

WCSS Community Association

Dear School Community,

Welcome to an exciting Term 4. Spring is in the air and hopefully you are feeling energised by the warm weather and change of pace the holidays allowed.

Kambarang Fair & Open Day

Our annual Kambarang Fair is a stone’s throw away on Saturday October 26, and preparations are fully underway. Please participate in any way you can, each class is allocated an activity/stall to sign up to, but you can also spread the love by helping in other areas. Visit the sign up zone to secure a time now! All hours are claimable under the Family Commitment Scheme.

The Kambarang Fair is a perfect opportunity to show the larger community how amazing and special our school is. It is also the biggest fundraiser for the school. With everyone working together with hearts and hands we will create a wonderful, fun filled day for all to enjoy. Please invite family and friends along too.

With kindness in community,

Rachael (Class 2 parent)

wcssca@wcss.wa.edu.au

Community News

News items listed in our Community Noticeboard are not school endorsed but are included here for the information and benefit of our wider community. We welcome submissions to appear in this section of our newsletter and inclusion is at the discretion of WCSS. 

Parent Business Directory

Welcome to the section where we 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) to marketing@wcss.wa.edu.au

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST) is a soft therapy with no pressure, manipulation or force. Virginie will use light touch while bringing a safe space to calm your nervous system which will bring the whole system into a state of balance. In that state, healing and change will take place in your body. BCST is like a big hug to the nervous system. It can help with releasing emotional or physical restrictions throughout the body, stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, aches and pain, improve sleep, energy, wellbeing and so much more.

With love

Virginie Barker - WCSS Parent
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy
08 93413020
vi.craniosacraltherapy@gmail.com

To learn more visit www.vicraniosacraltherapy.com.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

Yol Creative

Run by our very own Woodwork Specialist, Yolanda Millar, Yol Creative provides creative workshops for anyone who would like to explore their artistic side. These workshops are great for team building activities, get togethers, birthdays or just if you owuld like to learn some skills and have creative fun!

                                                              Explore the Facebook Page for more info.

Author - Nicole Watts

WCSS parent and author, Nicole Watts has a Bachelor of Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts. She has been on both sides of the mental health divide, having worked on projects in the mental health sector and having a history of depression and anxiety herself. She spent fifteen years in the public service in a statistical role, writing around her work commitments. Nicole has published a book called Little Bundle of Sorrow, a collection of womens' stories of postnatal depression. You can find out more at her website https://nicolewatts.ampbk.com/ . Copies of the book can be ordered from Amazon or from the publisher, Austin McCauley.

Coming Events

October

Saturday 26: Kambarang Fair 10am - 3pm

Monday 28: Day in lieu, school closed

SAVE THE DATE: November 21, Evening Cyber Safety Talk for all parents

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