The Messenger T1 WK 9

THE MESSENGER

Term 1 Week 9 Thursday 28 March 2024

And when the golden summer sun grows weaker in our skies, I know it really does not die - it just goes through a change. For it has given its very self to me, in me it lies As seed within my deepest heart - a thing most rich and strange

In the Light of the Child | Michael Hedley Burton

DEAR SCHOOL COMMUNITY

I hope you and your children have had a fulfilling first term. The students are looking forward to a break and the chance to rest and spend time with you over Easter.

In addition to the Australian Steiner Curriculum, which is already full of variety, this term students participated in swimming lessons and our carnival, athletics, parent nights, mountain biking, plays, Strings on the Green, camps, excursions, hikes, working bee, music rehearsals and lessons, Eurythmy, Secondary Round Robin and Aunty Angela’s visit.

The school recognises the time pressures on families, and we are grateful to those who have given their time throughout the term and enabled us to offer the students such a broad educational experience. Without your input, many of these activities are not possible.

It has been great to see P&F growing and we are grateful to Amber and the class representatives for their work in raising the funds to purchase a portable PA system for the school. P&F needs more support and if you can help as a member of the committee, class rep, or just offer your time when P&F runs an event it is greatly appreciated. The recent Strings on the Green event was a great example of a P&F catering success.

Melanie from Developing the Self will be here again this year to work with students during school hours and parents in the evening during the first week of Term 2. She is a great resource for those seeking advice about their child’s stage of development and how to navigate their needs.

Secondary Parents Tuesday 16th – 7 pm, Primary Parents Wednesday 17th 7 pm, Early Childhood/Prep – Thursday 18th 6 pm.

On Thursday, May 16, our Annual General Meeting will be held in the Melliodora Hall at 7.00 pm. At this meeting, association members (parents and staff) elect the Governance Committee (school board) members. Andrew Hill, CEO of Steiner Education Australia, will also be attending and will give a presentation. He is an engaging presenter and will locate our school in the broader context of Steiner Education in Australia.

Thank you to those parents who have completed the survey. We have responses that account for approx. 50% of our parent population. Please help us with our planning and contribute your ideas using the link below. These ideas will help us track the progress of our recently released strategic plan. View the Strategic Plan : mansfieldsteiner.vic.edu.au/index.php/publications Survey link. https://forms.office.com/r/J16Mud3uC3

Happy Easter Glenn Hood | Principal

ALL SCHOOL EVENTS AND DATES: PLEASE GO TO: mansfieldsteiner.vic.edu.au/calendar

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Working Bee

APRIL 20

8.30am - 12pm

Thank you to Grace Clelland (Year 10) for this beautiful image. We will hopefully be seeing more of her work throught the year.

Wa wa everyone, Aunty Angela shared these four seasons with us last week as Taungurung continue to work on confirming their traditional seasons.

Spring: MURDI-Yerram ‘short light’, or NGARRIWAN

Summer: MANGGIYANG (preferred word) NHIRRIM NGAMAYI ‘long sun’

Autumn: MURDI NGAMYI ‘short sun’

Winter: BERRIIN (preferred word) BERRIIN NGAWIINH

A multitude of reasons, not least of which massacres, disease and relocation has meant that much of the traditional knowledge was lost or disbursed, and it takes time to put the jigsaw pieces back together. We often refer to the Kulin Nation seasons listing in the absence of Taungurung putting out their list, as well as Taungurung being a member nation. Aunty Angela has mentioned the challenge with it is, for example, that it has Eel season and eels are not known to be up here. Wombats are though and it’s easy to observe their increased activity at this time of year. Watch out for them on the roads!

Ngun godjin warr (Thank you)

TERM 1

EARLY CHILDHOOD Sandi Valerio

The Morning Star children have enjoyed watching the seasons change slowly over Term 1. We began with our first program, ‘Nature and the beach’ singing songs of Summer, the beach and times spent at water holes. The colours of nature were reflected in our paintings, the bees wax we modelled and the fruit we cut each morning to share with friends. As the weather began to change subtly our songs shifted to include the insects and animals, bees birds and flowers that bloomed for the last time before the sun grew lower in the sky. ‘The changing seasons’. We have spent the last 3 weeks preparing for our festival to celebrate Easter and the coming of Autumn. Clay eggs have been modelled, nests have been felted, fabric has been dyed with golden colours and Easter baskets were folded from golden paintings. We will conclude the term with a joyous festival including family and friends on the last day of our term. Rosa Mundi children have settled into their new space with Jack. The familiar rhythm of Kinder is still part of the extended daily rhythm of the children’s days offering a play based curriculum. New faces have been part of their weekly rhythm when specialist teachers visit to bring craft, library, French and music lessons.

Woodwork has begun and the children have made boats to connect to their Summer circles and lessons. Our festival brings closure to the term. The children spend time preparing food and seasonal craft that shows the richness of the learning within their days. Having Kinder just next door, we are able to gather together on our special Festival day and share golden moments, circles and stories that we have practiced together for the weeks before.

PRIMARY Lou Pullar

Now that we are at the end of Term 1, the autumn holiday break feels like a well needed time for rest and rejuvenation, like our school train has stopped at the station and we can all jump off and take a break. Reflecting on the term, many new students and teachers have joined us and woven themselves well into the fabric of the school. Just last week, Liz and Class 1 shared their morning circle activities with us at assembly and showed how well they are working together as ‘one whole class’. They’ve bonded beautifully with their Class 5 buddies in regular catch ups where they’ve made lovely artworks including their Easter baskets. The Class 2s are having great adventures and heard Amy’s wonderful story of two Brush Tailed Phascogales, Feather and Dadjerri (the name of the Class 2 room). Their fabulous recitation of the Triantiwontigongolope poem by C.J. Dennis reflected their capacity for an extended journey perfectly.

Class 3’s had many new beginnings from starting their stringed instrument to joining the athletics program, and having their first overnight camp at school in tents near their old friend, Big Red. They also joined Class 4 to hear local stories from Taungurung elder Aunty Angela and visit Delatite Station to experience the shearing in full swing. Class 4 are enjoying Fabulous Friday Fractions with Vanya, not least of which because parents are baking cakes for them each week to share. Class 5 have thoroughly immersed themselves in Ancient India this term including a feast night and performance with our visiting eurythmist Jan Baker Finch, their play performance of the Ramayana and a trip to Melbourne to visit the Hare Krishna and Buddhist temples. Class 6 have continued their focus on Greek Mythology culminating in a fun feast on Monday night and Greek dancing to celebrate. Whilst the other Primary classes are enjoying the return of the weekly cooking program with Finella, Class 6 have also cooked up a storm through the term making dumplings for Chinese New Year, pancakes for Shrove Tuesday, lemon dessert for their Greek Feast and hot cross buns for us all to enjoy. All the classes participated in swimming for five weeks and Classes 3-6 improved their athletics skills with sessions from professional coach Liam Delany. After all that activity, we all deserve to stop. All the best for a healthy and happy term break and we look forward to seeing you on the platform refreshed and ready for Term 2.

SECONDARY SCHOOL Seamus Kavanagh

The end of Term 1 provides us with a nice opportunity to reflect on the growth and development each individual has made of this brief period of time. We have provided Main lessons, and practice lessons which make students expand their thinking, reimagine how they feel about themselves, and push their willingness to perform a task. With Year 7s and Year 9s venturing out on camps, the Year 7 and 8 swimming program and Whole school carnival, and Strings on the Green performance, the capacities of each student have been on full display. These are the culmination of the little things, the weekly rehearsals, the practice at home, the sharing of knowledge with peers, or the expectations that each secondary school student has of their peers. The culture that the students bring every day is strong and supportive. It has allowed students to develop their will, grow their thinking and nurture their feeling. The coming term is full of business, and plenty of opportunities for students to demonstrate their capacities.

IB DIPLOMA (YEARS 11 + 12) Leith Pierce

This week the Year 12s are completing the experimentation for their Chemistry Internal Assignments. They have optimised and titrated their way to success - investigations involving leaf matter off a roof, and the workings of kombucha, spinach and algae all set to finish right on time to start a well-deserved Easter Weekend of rest and renewal. They can definitely be proud of this work that combines precision of hand, clarity of thought and a problem-solving imagination. In similar and different ways, the 12s together with the 11s, have written monologues and duologues based on the short stories of Anton Chekhov, examining concepts such as communication and transformation. They will be honing their performances in preparation for the end of week one Term 2.

The program asks and enables the exploration of such a wide variety of skills and knowledge, and everyone in both year levels is taking on all they can with determination and good will. Their efforts across the community, volunteering to help cook in the kitchen, taking lead roles in Strings on the Green, photographing the school and ensuring great fun was had at the Swim Carnival, are further testimony to the positive and involved approach both cohorts are bringing each week.

PARENT WORKSHOPS

Tuesday April 16 7pm – 8.30pm Secondary focus

Wednesday April 17 7pm – 8.30pm Primary focus

Thursday April 18 6pm-7pm Early Childhood focus (note earlier time)

PARENT WORKSHOPS

These sessions will discussd some of the main issues confronting child health and wellbeing in current times, with examples of how we can counter the unbalancing effects. We also address how to understand gender differences and similarities that both limit or free us and the contribution and struggles of the changing social structures around gender and sexuality affecting us all.

We look at how and when we work with children and adolescents to bring the understanding of sexuality and gender in relation to where they are in their consciousness. This brings harmony between the evolving body and inner experiences that sets the ground for healthy adult experience.

The program will be delivered by Melanie Deefholts who will meet with students, parents and staff.