School Newsletter

The children are gardening with Sandra Frain at the preschool and were making natural fertisliser from weeds - mixing and stirring the healthy mixture.

These gorgeous sunflowers have been in full bloom lately

Classes 1 and 2 have been busy digging out the 'Spring Fair Gold' - compost from the Fair, and watering the gorgeous sunflowers and herbs in the medicinal garden lately. The hot days have meant extra watering is required.

Class two's 'Celtic Wonders' Main Lesson was filled with stories of gods and tales of adventure. Here, painted, are Lord Lugh - the God of Light on his horse with a shining light sword, and Mananaun, who carried people from one world to the next. 

Maths extends right out into the playground.... here is Roger preparing for his morning maths main lesson. Sometimes numbers can be found counting all the way around the school paths!

Last week we made beautiful, soft fleece angels in a ring... what a delight they are! This week in Parent Craft, parents experienced the weaving their children will work with when creating their recorder bags in Class 1. Parents are making little bags of all shapes, sizes and colour combinations. Straps are still to come and will be made with Egyptian plaits. Craft bags were fashioned from recycled fabric scraps and gifted as a thank you to parents, which will allow work to go home and return it safely once completed.

Next Monday the 18th, “Introduction to Crochet”.

Next Wednesday is craft free due to Little and Big Kindy Harvest festival.

Parent Craft runs from 9am until 12pm in the Castlecrag hall kitchen room. Stay for a short time or until you need to go. Small children are welcome - there are toys and an enclosed play/sandpit area and often a few little friends to make. All welcome, bring your unfinished craft projects, questions and enjoy some crafty company and a cup of tea.

Year 10 are busy rehearsing for their production of Gilbert and Sullivan's masterpiece The Pirates of Penzance at the end of term one. Voice training, choreography, chorus and costumes... they all come out to play when it's musical time! Remember to get your tickets early, especially for the matinee which always books out first.

DATES: 7pm - Friday 5, Monday 8, Tuesday 9 April and 2pm - Sunday 7 April

Tickets are now available at https://www.trybooking.com/479514

Shows sell out so buy your tickets now!

This week's chalkboard was drawn by Class 8 teacher Brendan Strobl for their Industrial Revolution main lesson. It is based on the picture 'Coalbrookdale by Night' - by Philippe Jacques de Loutherbourg, 1801

The Harvest Festival is approaching, and all years are preparing for their contributions to the day. Class 5 have made these natural 'Corn Dolls' - wound together initially from the fresh outer leaves of corn husks. Now, the children have been busy cutting and sewing tiny clothes for them, making such individual characters of harvest.

Please remember to send in fruit and vegetables for the Harvest Festival by next Tuesday!

We invite all families to donate fruit/vegetables for the Harvest Festival by Tuesday 19th March – the students should take donations to their classrooms or Mentor groups. The donations will be collected from all classrooms on Tuesday. They will firstly be part of the Harvest Mandala and will then be packaged up and taken to OZ HARVEST who will distribute them to a range of charities supporting Sydney’s vulnerable people. If you would like more information about the important work done by Oz Harvest please click here

Please note that this festival is a Year 7-12 students’ only event on Wednesday 20th March

Please don’t send canned or packaged goods or green vegetables that won’t keep. Hard non-perishable items like pumpkins etc can be sent in even a week ahead.

Some suggestions of welcome offerings are as follows:

• Apples
• Carrots
• All types of potatoes
• Onions
• Pumpkins & gourds
• Pineapples
• Corn still in the husk
• Whole uncut melons

It was a glorious autumn day when 4 Steiner schools took to the pool of Kur-in-gai Fitness & Aquatic Centre in West Pymble on International Womens’ Day, Friday 8th March.

Ca. 350 students joined the heats and races from the Newcastle Waldorf school, from Maitland’s Linuwel school, the Central Coast Steiner School and 155 Glenaeon students. The perfect weather and sunshine added to a very positive, warm and inculsive swimming carnival in which those who love swimming had a chance to demonstrate their skill and to shine while others had a chance to proof that engaging in something that challenges will bring positive effects as many of my individual conversations with students on the day showed.

While the individual 50m races in breast stroke, freestyle, back stroke and butterfly demonstrated great individual quality and determination, the medley relay teams showed a great picture of how passionately the different colour teams (blue, red & green) worked together to add more points to their respective colours points. A record 30+ teams swam their hearts out and the schools, age groups and genders were all mixed up in a most wonderful way!

The fastest medley-relay student teams then had the pleasure to race a record four teacher teams that again was a great mix of teachers and volunteers from many schools!!! And for the first time ever two of the teacher teams won their races!!!

Novelty races and entertaining pool games wrapped up a very entertaining day in the sun with lots of opportunities for all to swim, chat and get to know other students and other teachers to strengthen the Steiner bond across our wonderful NSW state and to  acknowledge each other this way! The BLUE team won (547) by 99 points, Red team came second (448 points) and only six points behind in third position was green with 442 points.

Free coffee for all teachers courtesy of the inviting school Glenaeon was very well received by all participating teachers and was brought to their respective position by the pool by a non-swimming student coffee-run team!

A great success to start celebrating 100 years of Steiner education in the world!

Hope we can do it all again in 2020!

Cheers Jonas

Thank you to class 10 students Luca Bradfield and Evan Hamele for the great photography

Get ready for the Class 5 Pizza Day! Next Tuesday 19th March
Available at lunch time - handmade in the pizza oven at the garden - delicious flavours, with vegetarian and gluten free also available.
$3 per slice.

Following the recent arrival and bucketing of the mountain of fresh sand at Middle Cove, the junior classes have been busily creating tunnels, towns and landscapes each and every day. Here is Class 3, buzzing with activity.

Dani Finch takes the Class 3 children for weekly library class

Class 3 enjoy their first library sessions during term one at the Junior Library now they are at Middle Cove. Dani Finch takes them (half the class at a time) and they read, explore the books and choose one to borrow one to take home. On the way to the Junior library, they were treated this week to the striking chalk pastel drawings by Class 6 airing outside the library. These are part of their 'Australian Pioneers' Main lesson. The drawings are stunning, with the colours reflecting the burnt umbres of Australia.

Sometimes 'Sport lesson' isn't just about running down to the oval as fast as you can! Year 7 Class teacher and mentor Jamie Loftus spent valuable time this week talking with Class 5 about the meaning of true 'sportsmanship' - for example, focusing on enjoyment rather than winning, supporting your friends and others, doing your best, teamwork, celebrating others' achievements and playing for the love of the games. His '10 commandments' of sportsmanship are well worth a read. 

Years 4-8 were lucky enough to have AFL NSW come out to show them the ropes of this fast growing sport over the last 2 Thursdays. AFL clinics were run to give students the chance to experience the game and learn a little bit about the sport.  The clinics were held at lunchtime and went for an hour.  Jemma, Pat and Isabella were on hand to run skills sessions and talk to the students. These coaches were supported by Glenaeon AFL coaches Jaz Miller Hill and Tim Bacon, who have been running the extra-curricular Monday after-school program since term 4 last year. There was an excellent take up and the Year’s 5&6’s now have the opportunity to sign up for the Paul Kelly Cup to compete in a Gala Day against other school teams. Glenaeon will field 2 teams in the tournament which will be held at Gore Hill Oval on the 20th March. Donna Miller

The colours and intricate origami are impressive

In between other classes, Class 5 are busy preparing for their upcoming Indian Festival. Here they are before class starts working on some of the amazing paper lotuses that will be on display. 

Alina Hutton has designed a beautiful nature-entwined seat.

Year 12 Design & Technology student Alina Hutton is working on an inspiring Major Project. Quietly, down in the D & T workshop, she can be found, along with the 5 other Major project students, working on innovative, creative and imaginative works. Surrounded by tools, technology and the timelessness of creating by hand, these projects are conceived and developed over the year, with remarkable results.

Alina's organic furniture project centres around the interaction between humans and nature, our co-existence and use of shared spaces. She has designed a sitting bench in two parts, which can be moved to create a number of different formations. It will exist with nature growing through and within it, and is modelled on a beautiful old tree trunk. It may even contain a native beehive or insect hotel once complete! A work-in-progress, her design and development of this idea is impressive.

The school's bush playground is abundant in its bird life, and Science/Maths teacher Stanley Tang caught a visiting kookaburra and gave an impromptu lesson to fascinated students. Stanley is also an ornithologist, and the school is lucky to benefit from his extensive knowledge of birds.

 Parking rules - ordinary school days

Glenaeon is located in a residential neighbourhood with very narrow streets. Because of this restriction, the School asks that parents and guardians park and or drop-off their children in specific areas to keep the traffic flowing, children safe and our neighbours happy!

1.   No one is to park or drop-off in Greenfield or Victoria Avenues , not even to kiss-and-ride
2.Parents of Class 3 and 4 students may drop off and collect in Glenroy Avenue, but must ensure they park legally and do not impede driveways .
3.   No one is to park or stop in the No Stopping areas at any time. 
4.   No one is to turn into the school driveway, or any other driveway, to drop off or to attempt a three point turn. Please turn in the cul-de-sac . Continued below

With the abundant basil growing in the garden, Class 4 were lucky to be able to make pesto, with a hint of lemon.

Ema and Amelie's crocheted cushions

It is wonderful that in our lush school environment the children can wander through it and gather materials such as windfalls from the trees to use in their handwork. Class 3 gathered fallen leaves to eco-print onto their library bags. Sticks and banksia cones were collected and fashioned into buttons for the class 4 rainbow craft bags. Can you spot the platypus head shaped button in the images? Now that we are just past the halfway mark for term one the children and students have been busy honing their skills and learning new ones in handwork and textiles. Class 5 are revisting their knitting skills learned in class 1 & 2 and class six have begun to make dolls. Some children are bringing in unfinished projects from last year to complete with help from their teachers and Year 8 have been busy trying on the Shakespeare costume shirts they are making for a festival scheduled later in the year. 

Teacher Donna Miller

What do you teach?  Visual Arts & PE at Middle Cove campus. I'm also the Class mentor for Class 9,10 & 11 and I run the Duke of Edinburgh programme for the school. (Bronze in Class 9, Silver in 10 Class 10 and Gold in Class 11 & 12)

How long have you been at Glenaeon? 10 years.

What are your interests? I love ceramics, jewellery and small object art. I also love AFL, skiing and lots of sports.

What is exciting for you this year? One is that I have the most Gold Duke Of Edinburgh students we have ever had this year, and we also have the first ever AFL teams at school and are entering the Paul Kelly Cup next week!

What do you love about Glenaeon? I love that I get to work with my friends, as I consider my colleagues to be my friends. I love the dedication of everyone and that we have the similar want of creating the best for the school and students - we are all working towards the same goal.

What is one of your favourite places on campus? I like sitting on the verandah out the front of the art rooms, looking out into the bush.

Pink Wax Flower - Crowea Exalata

Who am I?  PINK WAX FLOWER  -  CROWEA EXALATA

A lovely, small bush and flower...you will need to look hard as the flowers are only 2cm wide. This native flowers almost all year, but mostly during Autumn and Spring The five-pointed petals are waxy to feel and will slowly form buds before falling off the stems. 

Where will you find me? I can be found to the left of the little bridge in front of the art room, as you head towards the oval at Middle Cove.

https://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/gnp3/crowea-exalata.html

This week's lost property include - A yellow German main lesson book, a water bottle featuring a woodland scene, a 'Fox A' paint set palette, a white hoodie, black top, grey top and still from last week we have a brown backpack, rainbow top, flowered cap, silver gumboots, beige scarf, blue vest, black hoodie, pen in case and 3 more drink bottles. Please call or email Middle Cove reception and we can pass the item along to your child if anything belongs to you. Thank you for helping us reduce waste. 9417 3193  reception@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au

The minutes from the first GPA meeting of the year are  available here.The next GPA meeting (also the AGM), will be held at the'World Cafe' gathering on March 27th (see Andrew Hill's article) and you will also receive further information about this. Any questions or issues can be brought to the meeting, as well es email in advance to gpa@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au  if you would like the GPA and school to be able to give a more considered response at the meeting; otherwise questions will be discussed and followed up after the meeting with the school or relevant places as needed. All parents are welcome - a warm invitation is extended to join in or just come to listen. All class parents also attend, with GPA members, Andrew Hill, Council and Foundation members. The notice of the upcoming AGM can be found here. 

Glenaeon Careers Facebook group is a brilliant resource for school leavers and those students and their families beginning to think about life after school. Click HERE and ask to join the group for all the up-to-the-minute information about open days, courses, summer schools, application deadlines and articles of interest. Click below to see the carpentry skills workshop coming up in the holidays. 

With Susan Laing

When you meet your children with insight and compassion, when you accept that their troubled behaviours are ‘cries for help’ which need attending to,when you truly meet their individual and developmental needs, you are creating the foundation for mutually respectful relationships. This is a complex task because children’s needs are constantly changing according to their age and circumstances— for example, what environment most nurtures healthy growth, what approaches to parental authority are appropriate, and what responses to challenging behaviours are most helpful as they grow older. There is no one rule that fits all. This talk looks at some helpful approaches based on research into child development and behaviours at different stages of childhood.

NOTE: ALL 'Glenaeon Parent Education' sessions are FREE of charge. We welcome parents to join in, learn and participate. Occasionally there is a nominal fee for craft materials which will be advised beforehand.

DATE AND TIME
Friday 15 March 9:15am

Marion Mahony Griffin Hall
Castlecrag campus, 121 Edinburgh Road

BOOKINGS AND ENQUIRIES
Castlecrag office: 9958 0774
castlecrag@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au

with Mary Heard

NOTE: It's not too late to contact Mary to let her know you are coming on Saturday. maryheardwhat@gmail.com, or call the Castlecrag office on 99580774. 

Highly recommended by Glenaeon parents, this free three-hour workshop looks at how to declutter our family lives. You choose what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of and this way we will create our homes as places of rest and rejuvenation, ‘sanctuaries’ from a fast-paced world that is overwhelming adults and robbing children of their childhood. We become the architects of our family life as we realign with our own values and choose what is workable for our families and so create an ideal environment for the slow emergence of our children’s identities, resilience and well-being. Please click below for more information.

Glenaeon School Tours & Enrolment Events

MIDDLE COVE CAMPUS (CLASSES 3 – 12)

Middle Cove Tour 
Wednesday 8 May 2019 – 9:30am-11:30am

CASTLECRAG CAMPUS (CLASSES K-2)
Castlecrag School Tour
Thursday 21 March– 9:30am-11:30am

PRESCHOOL CAMPUS
Willoughby Preschool Tour
Thursday 23 May 2019 - 9:30am - 11:30am

For further information or questions please contact our Registrar on 02 9932 2325 or email enrolments@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au

Have you tried using Sonett products in your home yet? Now is your chance to try them and receive a complimentary Calendula liquid hand soap with every bottle of 1 litre Sonett purchased, of any type, until stocks last. A portion of every sale goes to support Glenaeon. I appreciate your visits and support and hope to see you in the store soon. To shop at any other time please call me on 0416 035 173. Please let me know if there are any products you'd like to see in the store and I'll try to source them for you. Warmly, Felicity
Open on the Castlecrag Campus during school terms:
Monday: open by request
Tuesday: 8.45am—11.30am
Wednesday: 8.45am—3.15pm
Thursday: 8.30am—10.30am
Friday: 2.30pm—4.00pm 
Click below to read about Sonett and Felicity's complimentary liquid hand soap.

I have a large quantity of bubble wrap and cardboard / cardboard boxes to give to anyone who can use it.

Please contact Julie Monteban – 9932 2356 musicadministrator@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au to arrange collection.

There are currently 3 language groups held after school by private groups/tutors. Mandarin and French are held on campus, and a small privately organised class in German is held in a home in Neutral Bay. Mandarin students have had a wonderful term, and had this to say about it! : 

Please CLICK below for more information on all language class times, locations, contact details and prices.

Maths and English Tutor available:  High School up to HSC by teacher Neil Anderson (Bachelor of Education (Hons): English, Master of Education (Distinction): Mathematics, Master of Linguistics:  Literacy, Phd in Theatre (in progress) .
Mobile  0404382192   Email: russelife03@gmail.com

Maths Tutor available:  Hi, my name is Chiara,
I am a year 11 student at Glenaeon and am available for maths tutoring for students up to Year 11. My rates are very reasonable and I'm flexible with tutoring times. I can supply references from my teachers if required. For further enquiries please contact me on calmdotti@gmail.com

There are opportunities available as follows:

1. Waldorf – Family Exchange in Berlin (Germany) October - December 2019
2. Seeking a mother and infant for infant observation
3. Wanted to buy: Diatonic Soprano 35 stringed lyre
4. Teacher Marie Peters needs a room for Steiner teacher training residential April 14 - 18 and Sept 30 - Oct 4
5. Jessica Ortlepp needs a room for Steiner teacher training residential in Sydney April 14 - 18 and Sept 30 - Oct 4 
6. Honest to Goodness buying group - Organic pantry goods at wholesale prices.
7. Market Stall Position Available: North Sydney Produce Markets
8. Alex available for 1 month homestay/work exchange in July
9. Billet/homestay wanted for 16 year old Japanese boy Goma for 2 weeks April 15 - 18
10. Byron Bay Easter Accommodation: Affordable 4 bedroom cottage for rent Easter holiday accommodation at Byron Bay - Steiner family cottage for rent
Click below for further information about the above opportunities

Please share if you know of a good holiday workshop coming up - it's always fun when children can go together.

1. Marion Street Theatre runs a creative holiday workshop for children - Click below for details.
2. Glenaeon Vacation Care runs a full school holiday program. See http://www.glenaeonoosh.com.au/holiday-care-bookings.html
3. Circus Akimbo in Willoughby runs holiday program
4. Wildbird Learning - Weaving Nature for children
5. Wildbird Learning - Eco-Dyeing for children

Click below fore more information and links

The Christian Community​...a movement for the renewal of the religious impulse in humanity, founded out of the spiritual scientific work of Rudolf Steiner. Please click below for information about their playgroup, youth group, services, talks and events that are coming up. 
‘To us it is given at no stage ever to rest. There live and there strive active human beings from life to life, as plants grow aloft from springtime to springtime. Ever raising themselves, through error upward to truth, through fetters upward to freedom, through sickness and death upward to beauty, to health and to life.’ Rudolf Steiner

WEDNESDAY MORNING ON THE SYLVIA BROSE HALL DECK OR ANNEXE IN RAINY WEATHER (MIDDLE COVE CAMPUS):
Come and experience what half an hour of yoga can do for you to start your day. Held on the deck of the hall, overlooking the bush, this class is restorative and rejuvenating. Children welcome to attend this class. See image below.

SATURDAY MORNING IN THE MARION MAHONEY GRIFFIN HALL (CASTLECRAG CAMPUS)
Ki seasonal yoga with Lisa Kavanagh; also Wednesday mornings in the Uniting Church Hall in Charles St (near Castlecrag Campus). 

Please click to see images below of yoga classes an times.

Jessica Ortlepp joins the Sydney Rudolf Steiner College from the Sunshine Coast where she balances full-time work and does part-time study. Jessica is undertaking our distance teacher training course and is in her second year of a Bachelor of Education (Primary) at Curtin University. Jessica enjoys the great outdoors (walks on the beach, hikes in the hinterland and scuba diving), meditation, time with family and friends, and travelling. Jessica is in her late 30s and is comfortable with pets. She can house sit and is responsible. She needs a place to stay whilst studying to become a Steiner teacher that’s close to the Castlecrag campus from April 14-18th and Sept 30th-Oct 4th. Please email Jessica on j_ortlepp@hotmail.com, if you can help.

Sydney Rudolf Stiener House has ongoing talks and courses that are available, from short talks, to discussion evenings, workshops and members meetings. If you would like to contact Sydney Rudolf Steiner College about any of our courses or other information:   Address: 307 Sussex Street Sydney   Phone: +61 2 9261 4001 Email: admin@sydneyrudolfsteinercollege.com   Click below to see what the calendar looks like for the next few months, Warm regards, Anett:

CLICK HERE

The school canteen operates at the Middle Cove campus for Years 3-12. You can also find the menus on the School Stream app, on Instagram and on the school's Facebook page.  To sign up to volunteer for a shift at the canteen, open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, go to https://signup.zone/glenaeon-canteen, and pick a shift that works for you. Hours are 9am-1pm and your child eats free on the day you are working! It’s fun and interesting to talk, cook and enjoy the bush setting we are surrounded by, come check it out! Warm regards, Sharon & Lorna
School canteen menu for next week. Click below to see how to order lunches for C3-6. Click below for more details:

Humming has both sushi and sandwiches, pesto and pasta on it's school lunch menu

Humming Cafe provides delicious lunch on Mondays and Tuesdays for the Middle Cove campus. Does your child have a favourite sushi or meal from the Humming Cafe selection? Now, as another option from Humming Cafe, if you would like them to deliver a regular lunch on Mon/Tue, you can simply drop into the Humming Cafe and 'pre-book and pay' for a whole term's regular order (or however many weeks are left). It must be the same each week, and can be changed each term. It is a convenient way to manage some lunches in advance! There is no need then to fill in the order form and give to reception each week once this is done. This is the only way Class 3 are allowed to order from Humming Cafe this term (so the kids don't forget to take their orders to the office!).  As per usual though, daily order forms are ALWAYS available from reception, behind the Parent Portal on the school website or on the School Stream app. Order forms need to be placed in the basket in reception by 9am, and lunches are delivered at 12.50pm. 
Shop 4, 217 Eastern Valley Way, Middle Cove 2068 (02) 8959 4641 . Click fore photos from Humming Cafe.

Who’s up for a fab night out? Join us for our mid-winter celebrations at the Treehouse in North Sydney on Saturday 1 June. It’s going be a night to remember with prizes, live music and fantastic food, as well as some amazing silent auction items up for grabs. Book your tickets now as spaces are limited. Get ready for a fantastic evening with a great bunch of people! Book your tickets now on https://www.trybooking.com/BBKPE

Just a quick note to say that the Second Hand Uniform Shop will now be open every 2nd THURSDAY afternoon instead of Friday. The time will remain the same, open from 3.00 - 3:45pm. This is due to timetable clashes for the convenors and we hope this will not cause any inconvenience. The amended dates of the Uniform Shop for Term 1 are: Thursday, 28 March and Thursday, 4 April. Click below to see how your purchases help others...

This Sunday is your opportunity to come and enjoy the workshop with the amazing Zimmi Forest... Her basket work and natural fire weaving is just so beautiful, and you will surprise yourself how easily you can learn the skills of natural fibre weaving. The lampshade techiniques you will learn can also be used for mandalas, sculptures and dream catchers. Zimmi has been teaching basketry & exhibiting natural fibre basketry and sculpture for over 21 years. Her art practice is ‘art with nature, about nature, in nature’.  She is a forager and collector of nature’s gifts. Having had over 10 solo exhibitions, her work is represented in various regional galleries and private collections.  Her work has also been commissioned for resorts, hospitals, public galleries and institutions as well as many private commissions. See her beautiful work at : http://www.weavingnature.com/contact
Date: Sunday 31st March , Times: 10:00am – 4:00pm  , Cost: $110 ,  Venue:    Marion Mahony Griffin Hall, Castlecrag. Click below for more information