Annual Giving Campaign

Robin Borrud Glenaeon Foundation Chair

IN May this year the Glenaeon Foundation kicked off an Annual Giving Campaign for the COVID-19 Bursary Scholarship Fund. With an overwhelming response we raised the most funds of any Annual Giving in the history of the Foundation and surpassed our target. Through the kindness and generosity of the community we raised over $120,000 that has been and will continue to be used to provide short-term fee relief to Glenaeon families and help to keep students in the classroom with their peers.

At a time when there is so much uncertainty in the world and our lives are disrupted at every turn it is greatly comforting to know that we are part of a community that cares deeply for each other and will show up to support one another in a time of need and crisis. Our family joined Glenaeon in 2011 largely because of the community values of compassion, cooperation and collaboration that Glenaeon embodies. After nearly a decade at the school as a parent of three students I can without a doubt say that I am honoured and privileged to be part of this wonderfully generous and compassionate community.

Thank you to everyone for your contribution to Glenaeon in 2020. 

“Glenaeon has been incredibly supportive throughout times of financial challenges in our family. We feel the school is genuinely committed to families – they are as committed to us as we are to them and in today’s world it is incredibly positive and refreshing. The Glenaeon bursary has meant a great deal to our family and has made it possible for the kids to remain at the school, surrounded by a kind, stable & positive environment.”

Anonymous Parent Bursary Recipient

The Garden’s New Outdoor Classroom

Late in 2019, Glenaeon had firsthand experience of the severe storm that hit the North Shore. Unfortunately, we lost, or had damaged, many significant trees. One ended up across our garden area, damaging the outdoor classroom and requiring it to be demolished.

We began proceedings to make an insurance claim and during this process COVID-19 shutdown most of NSW and interrupted our activities.

Thankfully, Glenaeon received approval to rebuild, and are now constructing the new outdoor garden classroom. The garden team have shown great patience and innovation, working in and around the area, while awaiting the rebuild.

Working with our dedicated gardens team we came up with a simple design that reflects the use and needs of the space. We can’t wait to unveil the new classroom in early 2021. 

“You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave”

It's time to bid a fond farewell to our wonderful Year 12 cohort. It’s been an extremely emotional time, not only for the students who are saying goodbye to their teachers and younger members of our Glenaeon community, but for the teachers and staff that have encouraged and inspired these people for many wonderful years, some since Preschool.

Their last day of Term 3 started with a final roll call and gathering with our Year 12 Guardian Yura Totsuka and Year 12 Advisor Brigitte Tietge-Rollans. Following on, in one of the great traditions of Glenaeon, all the students from Years 7–11 and Class 3–6 created a walk through guard of honour with students flanking the main campus walkway through which the Year 12s strode towards the Hall for their ‘well-wishing’ assembly.

There were tears shed as the school community gifted each of the Year 12 students with COVID-safe hummed tunes, poems, a speech and musical performances, and all presented with personalised and heartfelt keepsakes for them to remember their school life at Glenaeon. Deputy Head of School (Years 7-12) Liz Nevieve wished the group well. “It has been wonderful to have witnessed your unfolding over the years, especially as I had the pleasure of having been your Class Guardian when we had that structure in place back in 2017,” she said. “You have always been open to all that a Steiner education has to offer, and have embraced the humanities, sciences, technological subjects and arts (including eurythmy!) with equal interest and vigour. You hold a special place in my heart, and I wish you joyful and invigorating study throughout this upcoming preparation period and success in your examinations.”

Head of School Andrew Hill asked them to enjoy the heartfelt offerings from all the year levels as a parting gift to them, and looked forward to their return after the HSC exams when they would perform a Graduation Assembly as a final gift back to the school. He wished them well for their serious work over examination period and sent them off with the classic line from The Eagles’ Hotel California, “You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave”. He told the group that their spirit would always be part of the Glenaeon community, now as GlenX.

Students were then cheered and clapped by the Year 11s and their teachers as they exited the Hall and made their way out of the gates for their Mystery Tour. They enjoyed the day together with a beautiful lunch as prepared by Scottie Williams, their Outdoor Education Coordinator, on the banks of Scotts Creek, one of the wonderful local haunts where many memories have been created over their school years.

The Year 12 students have now navigated their HSC examinations and have completed their journey through secondary education. They have also enjoyed a COVID-Safe graduation and a formal with their parents, and are now out in the world!

We wish them well and look forward to seeing them when they return for a visit. 

Class of 2020

Vini Antivilo Soares Jeremy Bacon Timothy Bacon Chiara Candotti Myah Clifton Jackson Coates

Danielle Coumbiadis Alani Darke Eloise Farley Elicia Ferguson Finn Gladstone Pip Grimshaw

James Hackforth Nelson Hall-Whitington Tanwen Hutton Joseph Iversen Kitson Leong Harry Lonergan

Zebedee Maguire Joe McCormick Aya Nomoto Marcus Norfor Bailey O'Brien Max Perkins

Leigh Perry

Matt West Laila Ree

Keaun Wild Emi Takahashi-Beer Justin Takayasu Taro Tomishima Ruby Vella

Mitch Windon Jasmine Wren