Composing Compost - Our Annual Weekend Workshop
12 Jun 2025
Last Sunday, 8 June, our one-of-a-kind Biodynamic Agricultural Gardening educator led our annual composting workshop. As those who regularly attend Sandra’s workshops set in the stunning Middle Cove Garden, know, Sandra not only delivers the biodynamic and scientific how-to of compost, but the event is a feast for the heart, the eyes and the soul.
A big thank you to all the families from all three Glenaeon campuses, of all ages, from early childhood, primary, and high school classes for whole-heartedly participating in the ‘composing’ of a biodynamic vegetable garden bed. We created, or ‘composed’ a hügelkultur bed or, as we affectionately refer to it, a ‘hugel’ (little hill). Our entire beautiful hugel was made up of layers of wet, dry, fragrant and not-so-fragrant waste generated on campus!
It was such an act of love for all who pitched in to create the little hugel hill. What happiness we experienced in the meaningful tasks. We got busy with wheelbarrows, buckets, shovels, pitchforks full of earthy, mucky treasures, inter-layering with the most beautiful sheets of music from the campus recycle bin. Like a wedding cake, we “composed” a compost masterpiece! The children played in and out of the composters, contributing as much as they wanted, and the garden's industrious army of worms did a little happy dance of joy.
All those attending enjoyed a thoroughly educational dissertation on the merits of biodynamic preparations, which we added to compost. As an example, oak bark matured in a cows skull and left in water over winter - aka Preparation 505, which is said to help combat too much fungal activity - think wine matured in oak barrels, is added.
We enjoyed a healthy morning of physical exertion, knowledge-sharing conversation, and as always, our morning ended with our hearts and bellies full of love, laughter and good food! With an extra special thank you Year 3, Neive, for sharing the delicious cake she baked.
If you missed Sandra’s biodynamic workshop, upcoming workshops are announced on the Parent Education tab on Glo.
A Winter Whale Story in Kindy
11 Jun 2025
This week in Kindy the children have heard a story about the journey of the whales as they migrate north to where the Mother Whales will give birth to their babies. The children have sung along with the whales to help them on their way.
'Through long winter nights and cold winter days,
Mother Whale she swims through the ocean and seas, ocean and seas
She follows the path, to the sun that shines bright
She follows the pathway from darkness to light , from darkness to light.'
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Class 1 and 2 Celebrate Japanese Children's Day
05 Jun 2025
Our new Japanese teacher Noriko sensei (or Noriko Yamanaka) started teaching at both our Middle Cove and Castlecrag campuses on 5 May which happened to be Japanese Children's Day.
On this day, Japanese people celebrate children’s happiness and growth. ‘Koi’ (Carp) symbolises the strength and perseverance of children. In Japan, you can see ‘Koinobori’ carp banner on the top of the roof of houses. You can see beautiful ‘Koinobori’ carp streamers in the sky. At home, traditionally, families decorate Kabuto samurai helmets - Japanese children enjoy making these using newspaper and wear them to celebrate Children’s Day.
Our Class 1 and Class 2 students enjoyed decorating their helmets using Japanese traditional patterned paper and colourful Origami on their Kabuto (Warrior Hat). They enjoyed learning ‘Koinobori’ song with movements. Noriko has been incorporating a music approach into her Japanese teaching, as she has a deep love for all things artistic. She is enjoying learning more about Steiner Education and incorporating this into her Japanese classes at Glenaeon.
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Preschool Explores Wind and Weather Through Watercolour
29 May 2025
Child and Adult Development in Glenaeon Playgroups
15 May 2025
A tremendous privilege of our Glenaeon Playgroups is to witness the children of all ages changing as they 'grow up'. We delight in the first teeth, the toilet training, the intriguing language expression and we navigate the tantrums. As the children mature, their social development becomes more interactive and this can be more exciting, and challenging too.
Of course, we adults are also evolving individually and together too. We gravitate to some families more than others. We appreciate that the Playgroup educator is balancing the needs of each family while presenting the nourishing program that is expected by everyone.
We welcome your family to join us in this community affirming experience. Please contact Angela Lakkis at Glenaeon Playgroups on playgroups@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au to enjoy the remaining weeks of Term 2.
Big Kindy Celebrates Mother's Day
14 May 2025
To honour and celebrate our wonderful mums and grannies, Big Kindy children invited them for a special afternoon tea. Gifts had been made well in advance, with lots of careful wet felting, rolling of wool balls and then threading together to make a special necklace which the children wrapped, along with a beautiful autumn card. On the day, flowers were carefully picked from the Kindy garden and made into posies ready for each of our special guests. The children were also busy making sandwiches and collecting herbs for the tea. We made sure the classroom was extra, extra tidy. Mums and grannies were greeted with a small wrist rub of lavender essence and shown to their seat by the children. Then we all enjoyed some herbal tea, sandwiches and scones with cream and Kindy made plum jam. Happy Mother's Day and thank you mums and grannies, for all you do for us every day.
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Limited Spaces for Kindy to Class 3 in 2026
07 May 2025
A NURTURING START TO A MEANINGFUL LIFE
Our Kindergarten to Class 6 program nurtures the development of the whole child. At Glenaeon, we nourish young minds and hearts in a healthy, beauty-filled environment through imagination, artistic expression, and practical achievements.
A TIME FOR IMAGINATION
Our rich curriculum offers a rigorous academic program enriched by drawing, painting, singing, learning an instrument, woodwork, performing in plays, learning a language other than English, sport and outdoor education.
Glenaeon is an independent Steiner school offering a holistic education from Preschool to Year 12 that meets and enriches the NSW syllabus requirements. Our educational philosophy and practice was developed by and evolves out of the work of Rudolf Steiner. Our approach to learning encourages expansive thinking, development of the living spirit and profound connection to the wisdom of the past, realities of the present and possibilities for the future. Learning at Glenaeon takes place in truly unique settings blending natural and built environments within a deeply connected community – people, place, purpose.
Founded in 1957, Glenaeon caters for children from Preschool to Year 12 on three campuses: our Preschool at Willoughby; an expansive campus at Castlecrag for students in Kindergarten–Class 3; and the 4.5 hectare Middle Cove bushland campus, adjacent to Sydney Harbour, that caters for students from Class 4 through to Year 12. In addition, Glenaeon runs playgroups for babies and toddlers, from birth to five years at Willoughby and Castlecrag.
We support the development of habits that inspire a love of learning and help students to lead a meaningful life. Our students are:
- Free in Spirit: curious, disciplined, reverent
- Able to Act: ethical, creative, capable
- Grounded in Self: confident, true, humble
- Caring of the World: aware, compassionate, involved
Contact Us:
For inquiries, contact our Enrolments Registrar Sunita Shah at +61 2 94173193 or email enrolments@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
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Playgroup Apple Picking and Term 2 Magical Plans
01 May 2025
The journey starts here!
Many Sydney families begin their Glenaeon School experience by joining one of our playgroups on either our Castlecrag or Willoughby Campuses. They meet like-minded families who also nurture their children with a respect for sharing natural beauty inside and outside the playgroup rooms.
In the autumn and winter we expand our playgroup community experience by joining our Preschool families to pick apples and picnic in the Blue Mountains or to enjoy warming soup around a fire and have a magical lantern walk around the preschool after a winter story. How wonderful it is that many of our high school students carry these early memories of those festivals as they bring a reverence to the occasions of gratitude in their school year.
Term 2 Playgroups are now open for registrations! For more information, visit here or to book please contact us at playgroups@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
We look forward to welcoming you and your little one to Glenaeon Playgroups. Spaces are limited, so secure your spot today!
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Kindergarten celebrate Easter with a Picnic and Egg Hunt
30 Apr 2025
On the last day of Term 1, our Kindergarten children gathered with their families in the Kindy playground to bid farewell to the term and celebrate the festival of Easter. In the warm Autumn sun, they enjoyed a seasonal story, an egg hunt with onion skin-dyed hard boiled eggs, singing and sharing delicious homemade buns the children had baked that morning. They carefully rolled out dough to make the signature cross on top of the hot cross buns! The children and their families were delighted.
Each child excitedly took home an Easter basket they made full of treasures and wheat grass seeds to grow, along with a booklet of wonderful ideas to celebrate the season over the holidays. Thank you to Kindy teacher Melanie Harper for creating this cherished booklet brimming with ideas. What a beautiful opportunity for connection between student, parent, teacher and friends to round out the term. Thank you to the teachers and assistants for making this afternoon so special.
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Work and Play in the Kindy Day
27 Mar 2025
We have been enjoying seasonal work and play in Kindergarten. Bread making, pom pom apples in craft, making plum jam, Harvest gifts and lots of outdoor play in the Autumn air.
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Preschool Apple Picking at Bilpin Springs Orchard
20 Mar 2025
Last week, our Preschool families braved the uncertain weather and gathered at Cedric’s Bilpin Springs Orchard for our annual apple-picking day. In the morning, with rain in the forecast, we wondered if the event would go ahead. However, a small window of clear weather was predicted from 10-12 am—just in time for our arrival! Having both lived in the UK, Lesley and I are no strangers to rainy days, so we decided to take the chance and sent out an email confirming that apple picking was still on. To our delight, we had a fantastic turnout!
And the best part? The apples were extra delicious and juicy thanks to the overnight rain! Families filled their baskets with crisp, fresh apples before gathering for a shared meal. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed—our spread was filled with beautiful homemade dishes, including a delicious apple pie that was the perfect way to celebrate the harvest.
Back at Preschool this week, the children are continuing their apple journey—making apple crumble for morning tea, threading apple slices to dry, and using our manual apple machine to prepare baked apples drizzled with honey (turning them into their own apple sauce!). It’s been wonderful to see the sense of ownership they feel, proudly placing their apples in the fruit basket and announcing, "That’s the apple I picked myself yesterday!" with a beaming smile.
In Steiner education, seasonal rhythms and community are at the heart of learning. Experiencing the apple harvest firsthand connects the children to nature’s cycles, deepens their appreciation for food, and strengthens their sense of belonging within our community. This shared experience—from picking to preparing—celebrates the joy of working together, nurturing both gratitude and connection.
Thank you to everyone who joined us—it was truly a sweet success! 🍏✨
Amy Attewell
Preschool Early Childhood Educator and Room Leader
Primary School Autumn Festival - Beware, the Dragon!
19 Mar 2025
Last week, all the primary school classes came together at our Castlecrag campus for the festival of Michaelmas - midway between the summer and winter solstices. The play follows the story of a fiery dragon who scorches the crops and threatens the lives of a group of humble villagers who appeal to their wise King for assistance. The King’s daughter is unafraid and bravely confronts the mighty dragon (thanks to Class 5), and with the help of St. Michael, the dragon succumbs and the villagers are saved. In song, verse and movement, the story is told, with each class preparing and performing a part. Each class rehearses their own part, coming together to perform as one. Thank you to the children, teachers and parents for working together on this event. It’s a beautiful example of how the Steiner curriculum builds imaginative pictures that become a source of wisdom and nourishment for children as they grow. The entire primary school singing in rounds is breathtaking and beautiful and the quote “the whole is more than the sum of its parts” is perfectly shared in this festival!
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Celebrating Birthdays in the Kindergarten
12 Mar 2025
In the Kindergarten this year, we have been busy celebrating a number of Summer and early Autumn birthdays. Each child’s birthday is celebrated with a special birthday story, songs, a seasonal birthday table, a handmade gift from the teacher, a drawing from each child made into a book and a shared cake that has been baked in the Kindergarten with the eager help of the children.
In heaven shines a golden star
An angel brought me from afar
From heaven’s heights down to the earth
From heaven to my place of birth.
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Kindergarten's Adventurous Journey into the New Year!
12 Feb 2025
In Kindergarten we have started the year with many wonderful adventures and memorable moments. On the first Wednesday of term we welcomed in the Chinese New Year of the Snake with a delicious morning tea of Chinese dumplings that had been made by a generous and willing group of Kindy parents. The Year of the Snake has continued to be celebrated in the Kindergarten in a variety of ways as snake themes have permeated our stories and morning circle content. In the Big Kindergarten the children have enjoyed hearing a lively story about how the snake got his hiss. In the mixed-age Kindy, the children have heard a story about two children who set out to seek some adventures and sailed to many different islands. On one of the islands, a snake came to visit and surprised the children by reminding them that it was the Chinese New Year of the Snake! In our morning circle, the children have delighted in slithering and sliding in the deep blue sea along with Mama Sea Snake and her little babies three!
Our celebrations culminated this week in a surprising visit from a real snake! Slither the Green Snake unexpectedly found his way into the Waratah classroom. Perhaps he had been seeking shelter after the very dramatic storm we had all witnessed the day before, or perhaps he just came to continue celebrating the Year of the Snake. Well, we didn’t stop to ask him why he was there. Instead, we gave a brief hello before quickly evacuating into the Wattle classroom where we all shared lunch and rest together while Stanley the Snake Catcher (Dr Stanley Tang who teaches Science and Maths in the High School) came to catch and relocate the snake. Thanks to Stanley we had a wonderful opportunity to have a close up look at the beautiful green snake who had come to visit our Kindergarten. What an adventurous start to the New Year.
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Castlecrag Love hosting the Fair!
14 Nov 2024
Our Castlecrag Campus really shines for the Glenaeon Family Fair! We love hosting it and every classroom, playground and hall space transforms into a wonderful playground and markets for adults and children alike! Thank you to our amazing parents and coordinators for holding the most brilliant day - activities, stalls, delicious food, and fun... and the weather was perfect! Thanks to our Year 9 and 10 students who helped set up on Friday and to our amazing pack down and clean up team! The children had a brilliant day...and the adults did too!
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Picnics, Boat Play and Birthdays in Term 4 Playgroup
16 Oct 2024
Our 'Welcome Home' Playgroups have final spots available for Term 4.
Find out more by clicking the image below for more information
Preschool Open Day 2024
24 Jul 2024
Glenaeon’s Preschool Open Day, held on Saturday 24 August was a wonderful morning where over 120 people registered for this exploration of our Willoughby campus. We were overjoyed to see families meet our Preschool and Playgroup educators, explore the garden and rooms and take part in the activities designed for young children to enjoy - puppet story time, bread making, painting, play and introductions to the Preschool Guinea Pigs. Congratulations to the team and the efforts of many staff and volunteers who made the day a beautiful success.
If you missed this open morning and are interested in visiting our Willoughby campus, join our next tour on Thursday 19 September, 11am - 12pm.
Register here.
OPEN Day 2024 Castlecrag Campus
02 May 2024
Open Day 2024 offers parents the chance to see our Kindergarten to Class 2 in action! You will see student work on display, observe classes, explore the outdoor learning environments, and learn more about Steiner education in the early years. Meet our Head of School, as well as Senior staff, students and current parents.
Glenaeon’s early years program provides a healthy introduction to primary school life, honouring your child’s implicit capacity to learn through play and active participation in diverse activities. Within a warm and nurturing environment, our program fosters authentic learning engagement and develops early literacy and numeracy skills through rich oral and practical experiences.
Join us on Thursday, May 16 for an immersive experience that showcases how a Glenaeon education lays the foundation for a life of character and contribution.
Why Glenaeon?
We're committed to providing a holistic and rigorous education within an environment that fosters a sense of belonging, purpose, context, and transcendence, preparing your child for a life of profound meaning. Learning at Glenaeon takes place in a truly unique setting blending natural and built environments within a deeply connected community.
OPEN DAY Event Details:
Where: 121 Edinburgh Rd, Castlecrag
When: Thursday 16 May 2024
Time: 9am-11am
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW for OPEN DAY 2024
What to Expect:
- Welcome address from our Head of School, Diana Drummond
- Meet our Deputy Head of School K-6 and learn about our Wellbeing Framework
- Observe a Kindy Morning Circle and students engaged in free play
- View into the Classrooms for Literacy & Numeracy in Main Lesson
- Observe our students making practical items by handwork
- View our Main Lesson Showcase featuring student work from K-6 and High School Main Lesson books
- Meet our Parents over a cup of herbal tea and try your hand at sour dough bread making
- Learn about our Preschool based in Willoughby
- Pop by our family style Playgroups in session from 9.30am
- Hear from Class 6 students about their Primary School experience
- Opt for a self-guided walking tour with a printed map or join an organised tour group, led by our Year 11 student Captains
- Explore our beautiful campus with village-style school buildings and facilities, including classrooms, playgrounds, Marion Mahony Griffin Hall, our gardens and outdoor learning spaces
- Gain insight into how Glenaeon supports and integrates students at the start, and throughout their Glenaeon educational journey
- Receive a comprehensive Prospectus Pack in an eco-friendly bag
- Discover more about our After School Care/OOSH and Holiday Care program
- Browse the Grassroots Eco Store and shop for ethical back to school essentials, toys and gifts
Contact Us:
For inquiries, contact our Enrolments Registrar Sunita Shah at +61 2 9417 3193 or email enrolments@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
Preschool, Primary or High School Entry?
- Families interested in Class 3 – Year 12 entry are encouraged to attend our Middle Cove campus tour on Thursday 23 May 9:30am-10:30am. Book HERE
- Families interested in Preschool entry are invited to attend a Willoughby campus tour on Tuesday 11 June. Book HERE
30 Years of Glenaeon Castlecrag Campus, 1994-2024
01 May 2024
This year, 2024, Glenaeon marks 30 years of our campus at Castlecrag; however, our campus’ history stretches back to 1950.
Despite Glenaeon’s Castlecrag campus opening in 1994, we were not the first school there. In 1950, the Castlecrag Infants School opened and was a key part of the Castlecrag community, educating children from Kindergarten to Year 2 until its unfortunate closure in 1989. Designed by the famous American architect Walter Burley Griffin, architect of Australia’s national capital city Canberra, alongside his wife Marion Mahony Griffin, Castlecrag is community that has a history of strong community ties. Therefore, it is no surprise that when the New South Wales State Government announced that the Castlecrag Infants School would be closed and demolished due to low enrolment numbers, the Castlecrag community protested and rejected the state government’s announcement. Between 1989 and 1994, the community at Castlecrag held demonstrations, Union green bans and community picket lines, protesting against the government’s plan to sell the site for development. With the prospect of reopening the infants school dire, in 1990 the state government agreed to the Castlecrag community’s request that the site be retained for community use, if not used for a school, rather than sold.
Despite continuing community protests and some backlash, in 1994, Glenaeon acquired the school site from the State Government, opening our now Castlecrag Campus in June of the same year.
Over our 30-year history at Castlecrag, we have not only welcomed our younger students to our school and Steiner education, but we also continue to open our campus grounds to the Castlecrag community to use over the weekend and during the holidays. The Castlecrag campus also hosts Glenaeon’s annual Family Fair – a key event in the community’s calendar – while the Marion Mahony Griffin Hall is regularly used for community groups, particularly the local Castlecrag Progress Association.
Our Castlecrag Campus would also not be what it is today without the help of our school community, parents, and teachers. A special thank you goes to Glenaeon’s first teachers at Castlecrag – Peggy Day, Christine O’Neil, Andrew Hill, and John Rowan – as well as our school gardener Lindsay Sherrott who has worked tirelessly to develop and maintain our beautiful school garden. Glenaeon’s late Council Chair, Tom Hartigan, must also be thanked for his efforts to acquire the Castlecrag campus.
Will Bryant
Glenaeon School Archivist
Do you have any material, physical or digital, (photographs, memorabilia, yearbooks) you wish to donate to the school? Get in touch with Will via email: archives@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
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Celebrating Birthdays in Kindergarten
13 Mar 2024
Birthdays in Kindergarten are festive occasions that give us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge each child with love and reverence. We make a birthday book, bake a cake, decorate a seasonal candle table, share songs and share the food we have prepared. The teacher prepares a little handmade gift for each child and at the center of each celebration is the telling of the birthday story by the teacher. This story brings an imaginative picture of each child’s unique journey into the world. The children hear the story of Little Starchild who looks down from the heavenly garden and longs to be born on earth. The Starchild journeys through the heavens with their angel and receives the heavenly gifts from the sun, moon and stars that they will bring to earth. And then, when the right parents have been found, the right preparations have been made and the time is just right, the angel leads the Starchild to the gate of birth. The child is born on earth and welcomed to their new abode.
It was 6 years ago today, today
That __________ came down from the heavens to stay
S/he came to bring gladness and joy to the earth
Good people and angels were there at her birth.
Now let us all join in singing
Happy Birthday dear ____________.
This story, brings enormous security to the children. They feel welcomed, acknowledged and held in a bigger picture of the unconscious wisdom that brings meaning to our lives.
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Playgroup Term 2 Registrations Now Open!
13 Mar 2024
Glenaeon’s family-style Playgroups are joyful and supportive of you and your child’s development. Our highly skilled Steiner Playgroup Educators create imaginative activities to ensure families enjoy an enriching, uplifting time together. We welcome all families with children from birth to five years of age.
Term 2 registrations are now open, if you or a friend/family member with little ones are interested in learning more click here.
A peek below at Sandra's Wednesday morning playgroup at our Castlecrag campus. A morning full of celebrations for the changing season - nature table, story time, bread baking, conversation, little hands washing up and outdoor play.
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Playgroup - Willoughby Cottage Refresh
13 Mar 2024
This week, the Willoughby Playgroup has moved fully into the “Welcome Home’ cottage that houses preschool and playgroup thanks to the actions of many people: from management to maintenance. Playgroup Educator Natalie Choo had the creativity to invite Sonny from Maintenance to make a table as he had years ago for the Castlecrag Playgroup. Already the table is hosting 2 groups a week for their baking and morning teas. Thank you Natalie for your devotion to Glenaeon Playgroups!
If you would like to join us, we still have vacancy in some of our joyous playgroups this Term 2 - find out more here.
Please contact Sandra Frain playgroups@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au. Our Glenaeon Playgroups are humming along: so many rainbows we are finding in the sky and in our Playgroup rooms! The coloured blossoms in the gardens remind us of that connection between heaven and earth.
Summer Advent Festival at Preschool
08 Dec 2023
Our Willoughby campus and neighbouring park was filled with festive spirit as Glenaeon Preschool celebrated their Summer Advent Festival. Thank you to the lovely educators who welcomed families to join the children in Advent story time and circles. The joy shared was palpable.
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Honouring Indigenous Wisdom Through our Biodynamic Gardening
13 Sep 2023
In her book "Braiding Sweetgrass”, Robin Wall Kimmerer says: “Becoming indigenous to a place means living as if your children's future mattered, to take care of the land as if our lives, both material and spiritual, depended on it.”
The practice of Biodynamic agriculture is rooted in indigenous knowledge. This means that in the Glenaeon Gardens our lessons are founded in the active observation and listening of all living things: plants, animals and fellow humans.
90% of what lives in the soil and what is active in the atmosphere is invisible to the human eye. We are cultivating our children to use their senses, to perceive the physical needs of the atmosphere and soil for the benefit of our plants and animals. In this way we are “gardening” our children! Inspiring and nourishing them to form a foundation for their sense of belonging to nature.
Children all over the world grind rocks as part of their outdoor play. As rocks are composed of minerals, the rock dust itself vitalises the soil when we sprinkle it around our plants.
We are aware of the abundance that biodiversity provides. At Glenaeon Gardens we harvest the weeds that have grown voluntarily. For example at Castlecrag campus one of the weeds we harvest are bindi weeds. Bindi weeds grow on depleted lawns. By fermenting the bindi weeds in water and pouring that water into those lawns, the result is a sweetened soil that has made an ideal condition for clover to grow. The lawn no longer being prickly, children can now roll in the inviting clover.
To learn about plants, we start with wonder and ask the question: what's growing here? The plants are having a relationship with us too. We're watching, we're listening. We are cultivating this culture of communicating with the natural world. When we suck the pollen from the flowers we taste what the bees are tasting.
In younger grades we sing: “What story, what story do you tell?” and we listen. What is this plant trying to tell us? Mother Earth is communicating. What can we do to help? Water? Prune, aerate? In older grades the conversation about observation as a form of enquiry is explicit, and quickly the students get hands on and hands in.
We encourage everyone to practise this act of conversation. Stop and observe. Listen. Wonder. Be present. When the person we are with, be they young or old, says: ‘Look at that bee’! We must stop and enjoy this captured moment of active life.
We look forward to seeing all volunteers and friends of the Glenaeon gardens who are able to join our Garden Party this Sunday, 26 November at 10am - 12pm, in the garden at Middle Cove. Details in the invitation below and please register here: https://www.trybooking.com/CNGBK
For parents and carers who are looking for a way to join and be a part of this community, please feel free to contact Sandra: s.frain@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
Sandra Frain (and Parent Garden Volunteers),
Gardening Teacher
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Play is Enjoyed Individually and Together
30 Aug 2023
Play is enjoyed individually and together: children and adults in Glenaeon Playgroups!
Our rocking horses provide an opportunity for bringing ourselves into motion in a contained way. Keeping ones’ balance while rocking back and forth repeatedly with a song to mark the time is joyous at all seven of our playgroups.
While the children are (usually) riding alone on the rocking horse, there are other children watching, waiting their turn, or perhaps riding along- side on a companion horse. Adults sing a rocking song and laughter permeates the playgroup room.
What laughter we have when an adult joins the rocking horse riding too. Why should the children have all the fun? Adults too enjoy the soothing and exciting sensations in ‘standing motion’.
The children and adults have been excited to crawl in the tunnel at Castlecrag campus and up the steps on the new climbing structure at our Preschool Campus. New skills are developed, and friendships formed as we play and share life in a group setting.
Many adults exclaim that they get as much out of our playgroups as the children do. Our Playgroup educators emphasise the healthy balance of play and meaningful tasks for all ages. The adults too feel safe to learn and grow together. Our adult discussions are carefully facilitated to encourage this social support.
To join our Playgroup Families contact: Sandra Frain playgroups@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
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From Will to Wisdom Parent Education Event
11 Jun 2025
We Have the Will to Work...
These words are from a verse often spoken by teachers at the start of a meeting. They may sound simple, but what they suggest is initiative and freedom that direct the work of the teacher. Similarly, we aim to develop the will to work in our students. This will, balanced with thinking and feeling, leads to empowered individuals who are free to act out of integrity and wisdom cultivated over years of meaningful experiences that are full of met challenges and constant effort.
In her recent talk to parents, Katherine Arconati built understanding of what is meant by the will and how we can nurture healthy, holistic development of ourselves and our children through its development. If you wish to learn more about how the will is central to Steiner pedagogy, please take the time to listen to the recording of the lecture, now available here on GLO.
The education and teaching of the future will have to set particular value on the development of the will and feeling nature. Feeling and will are left more and more to what is called chance, because there is no insight into the real nature of will.
Rudolf Steiner – The Foundations of Human Experience
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Open Day 2025
13 Jan 2025
MEANINGFUL LIVES BEGIN HERE
Discover Glenaeon’s unique points of difference at our annual Open Day, showcasing our holistic and integrated learning program that inspires imagination, creativity, and the growth of good character within a deeply connected community.
Join us on Friday, March 14, 9am - 11am for a truly immersive experience.
Why Choose Glenaeon?
We nurture a sense of belonging, purpose, engagement through intentionally designed learning experiences that reflect our understanding of childhood development and the need to prepare children for a meaningful and fulfilling life in contemporary society.
Our educational approach unfolds in a unique and beautiful physical environment in which wellbeing for learning is central.
Glenaeon, Australia’s first Steiner school, enjoys a strong record of academic excellence. Our students perform admirably each year in the NSW Higher School Certificate, consistently placing our school in the top 15-20% of all NSW schools.
Join us and discover a vibrant, growing world of difference at Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School.
OPEN DAY Event Details:
Where: Middle Cove Campus, 5a Glenroy Avenue, Middle Cove
When: Friday 14 March 2025
Time: 9-11am
REGISTER NOW for OPEN DAY 2025
What to Expect:
Discover Glenaeon’s distinct offerings:
- View student work from across the school from a range of curriculum areas
- Observe students during lessons on our Middle Cove campus
- Explore our extensive Sport and Co-Curricular program
- Learn about our award-winning Outdoor Education program
Self or Guided Exploration:
- Opt for a self-guided walking tour with a printed map or join an organised tour group, led by our students
Meet our Leaders and understand core values:
- Hear from our Head of School, Diana Drummond.
- Connect with Dani Finch, Deputy Head of School for Classes K-6, and Yura Totsuka, Deputy Head of School for Years 7-12.
- Talk with our Year 11 Captains
Engage with our Environment:
- Take advantage of our looping courtesy bus from nearby parking to campus.
- Explore our beautiful bushland campus
Personalised Engagement:
- Ask questions and engage with Heads of Department
- Gain insight into how Glenaeon supports and integrates students when they first join the school, and throughout their Glenaeon educational journey
Take Home a Piece of Glenaeon:
- Receive a comprehensive Prospectus Pack
- Browse the Grassroots Eco Store pop-up shop
Indulge and Relax:
- Enjoy coffee or a wholesome treat from The Gentle Café on the deck surrounded by tranquil grounds and bushland
Contact Us:
For inquiries, contact our Enrolments Registrar Sunita Shah at +61 2 94173193 or email enrolments@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
Kindergarten Entry?
- Families interested in Kindergarten entry for 2026 and beyond are also encouraged to attend our Castlecrag Campus Open Day in 2025.
REGISTER NOW for OPEN DAY 2025
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Celebrating Christmas with Ebba Bodame
14 Nov 2024
Ebba Bodame hosted the most beautiful 'Preparing for Christmas' workshop this week at Castlecrag. She prepared three different nature and story tables and two advent/candle displays, and spoke of many lovely traditions and ways that we can explore and share the end of year celebrations with our children in subtle and meaningful ways. Parents were also able to make a soft fleece angel to take home and left with a sense of magic and many ideas to share at Christmas time with their children. Thank you Ebba for sharing your wisdom and beautiful ideas and traditions with our families.
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Back to School Fun
17 Oct 2024
The children have really enjoyed being back together and on campus. Learning to walk on stilts, creating fairy gardens, paper airplanes, the monkey bars and playing non-stop tag are favourites this week. The children have also built an amazing cubby!
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Meet The Team - Marianne Kaulima
10 Oct 2024
This term, we welcome Marianne as our Monday Playgroups Educator at our Castlecrag campus. Welcome Marianne!
What is your new role at Glenaeon?
My new role is the Castlecrag Monday Playgroup Leader.
What experience do you bring to Glenaeon?
I bring 4.5 years of early childhood education experience working in Waldorf Steiner inspired environments. This includes1 year in mainstream services. For some families who may know me, I am also at Glenaeon Preschool in Willoughby. I have a 2 year Rudolf Steiner Certificate for early childhood education from the Rudolf Steiner College in Sydney and the Certificate III in Early Childhood and Care.
My Waldorf Steiner experience and international training began in China. This was with a start-up kindergarten organisation collaborating in European and Australian training such as attending an educators' seminar in Latvia in 2019. I taught online Language Arts for children in China and Vietnam during the pandemic. For Glenaeon, I bring a taste of my Pacific origins. The inspirational mentoring and learning I have received throughout all these years will be in service, supporting the wonder-filled world for the children at Glenaeon.
What are your interests?
My interests are spending time with family, weekend walks in nature, the arts, Anthroposophy, child and human development, animals, travel, culture, painting, illustrating and film. I have a rescued rainbow tortie cat, Gnomes who is my peaceful timekeeper.
What are you most excited about for 2025?
For 2025, I'm excited about the playgroup and meeting new families and working with the wonderful staff at Glenaeon's Castlecrag beautiful location. I look forward to expanding my learning, and nurturing meaningful connections with our families, while fostering caring creative and cultural possibilities. What a wonderful and exciting start to 2025 it will be!
Thank You Chicken Care Families
24 Jul 2024
Once again, our flock were diligently cared for every day of the Winter holiday break. Our group chat was busy with daily reports and photos of the activities at the chicken coop. Thank you so very much for your ‘joyous sacrifice’ of commitment that ensures we are caring for these birds responsibly.
Happy Term 3 everyone. Do contact Sandra at s.frain@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au if you would like to come with your family any weekend through out the term to feed, water and get to know our flock.
Class 1 and 2 Winter Spiral
26 Jun 2024
Classes 1 and 2 walked a beautiful Winter Spiral, formed from cuttings and branches from the families and our school gardens. The Winter Solstice is a time reflect on the shortest day and longest night, and when we celebrate our Mid-Winter Festivals. The children walked the spiral with an unlit candle in an apple to the centre light, lighting their own in a moment of inner reflection, and place the candle to form an ever-growing spiral of light. By the end, the room is filled with the magic and wonder of the light created. The children all sing winter songs and play recorder, as well as live music, story and poetry. Thanks to our parent volunteers who helped to create the spiral and apples and Clair, Linda, Melony and teachers Jamie Lotus and Emily Watts for this memorable event.
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Winter time at Castlecrag
13 Jun 2024
It is well and truly winter! The crisp mornings and cold weather arrived with the chill of King and Queen Winter! Senior Teacher, Catherine Pilko ran a Winter focused workshop for parents exploring the stories and crafts of winter including making felt gnomes and tiny paper lanterns for nature tables. In all the Castlecrag classrooms our nature tables are filled with lovely stories from winter - inspiring for children and adults alike!
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Needle Felting in Parent Craft
13 Jun 2024
Parent Craft families shared a workshop with talented felter Erika Hosoyama, who taught them the wonderful art of dry needle felting. Taking the beautiful wet felts made with Yuki Tomashima in the last workshop, Erika showed people how to work with the images, textures and different fibres to create 3D effects and bring the flat felts to textured life! Adding fibres, colours and forming the imagery using dry needling allows an artist to create more detail and effects, as well as shapes and forms attached to the pieces. We are so lucky to have these wonderful crafters amongst our parent group, and a warm thank you to Charlotte Fayle, our Craft Coordinator for this year!
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Class 1 Begin Weaving Recorder Bags
30 May 2024
Class 1 have begun weaving their recorder bags. " Under and over and under again..." They have a beautiful poem about an eagle weaving. Her nest on a cliff ready to lay eggs.... Choosing the colors they will weave the whole board and then plait a strap so it hangs around their neck. This recorder bag will stay with him all the way through primary school. It is a remarkable project in that it takes a lot of dedication, care and time to create such a beautiful and useful piece of hand work. Handwork teacher Elizabeth Ellean and Assistant Meg Quinlisk work with the students each week to develop their skills and coordination in such a complex project.
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Class 2 Learn Long Stitch
30 May 2024
Class 2 have been learning long stitch and making their own beautiful pencil cases with handwork teacher Elizabeth Ellean. One side is decorated with colourful geometric shapes that the children choose and the other side is a picture that each child designs themselves and then creates in stitching. There are some wonderful animals and landscapes.... and they have only just begun! We look forward to seeing the finished creations.
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Annual Giving Campaign - Two Weeks to go until June 30
30 May 2024
Since 1957, Glenaeon has been a beacon of inspired teaching, joyful learning, and genuine community connections. Our school's rich history is a testament to our commitment to nurturing students who are prepared to embrace a hopeful future and lead meaningful lives.
Today, we invite you to invest in our school's current strategy, Growing More, by supporting our 2024 Annual Giving Campaign. This initiative is designed to provide much-needed funds for our children now and into the future.
Every donation, regardless of size, plays a vital role in ensuring our school continues to grow and thrive. While donations to the Staff Innovation Fund, Bursaries and School’s Discretionary Fund are not tax-deductible, contributions of $2 or more to the Scholarships Fund, Building Fund, and Library Fund are tax-deductible.
For more information and to make your donation online by June 30, 2024, click HERE.
If you prefer to donate by credit card over the phone, or via EFT/bank transfer, or by cheque, please contact Amanda Ford at EMAIL
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Parent Craft Wet Felting
29 May 2024
Parents had the opportunity to learn wet felting with Yuki Tomashima, a Glenaeon parent and incredibly talented felt artist. Taking soft fleeces and making landscapes and pictures, the felt is rubbed with warm water and soap and rolled until it melts into a felted piece. The images are wonderful and will be further worked into creative playmats, wall hangings and items for the school fair. Thanks to Yuki for this wonderful gift for our parents.
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Grinding Flour for Playgroup Bread
23 May 2024
Playgroup bakes beautiful sourdough bread everyday. Sometimes the children from Class 1 help grind the grain into warm flour. Using oats, wheat and rye grain, the children help to use the electric stone mill to grind the flour and prepare it for baking!
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The Rainbow Fairy is Back!
16 May 2024
The Rainbow Fairy visits Castlecrag each May and dances around Reception! It's so exciting when the children come in to find her waiting for them. Children bring the class rolls to the office or bring messages and questions and have a play with the fairy while they visit! Even Michael and Sonny from Maintenance got a visit from the Rainbow Fairy!
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Finally Fun in the Sun
16 May 2024
We've had so much rain in the past two weeks and only moments in the sun! The children took great delight in the opportunity to enjoy the sunny weather when the rain finally stopped!
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Welcome to Term 2 at Castlecrag
02 May 2024
It was a wet start to Term 2 at Castlecrag, but not even the rain could dull the warm smiles of children, teachers and parents alike as the campus came back to life after the holidays. Welcome or welcome back to our Playgroup, Kindy, Class 1 and Class 2 families!
Our Kindy children donned their raincoats and gumboots and took to the playground to reacquaint themselves with their surroundings. The sandpit, muddy puddles and rocks were a big hit. They enjoyed morning circle in the Kindy garden. Class 1 and 2 enjoyed singing songs with their Class Teachers as they popped their indoors slippers on to begin Main Lesson.
Sandra's Wednesday Playgroup enjoyed a special story about a horses that neighed loudly in excitement when they saw children coming. We hope everyone had a great first day of Term 2!
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Parent Craft Take Home Packs
04 Apr 2024
There are some wonderful Parent craft Packs to take home for the holidays! Please come and get one or two and contribute to our school and Family Fair! Thanks to our Craft Coordinator Charlotte and to our parents and children who have so carefully collated each one - all that you need to get going! They are in baskets at the Castlecrag Reception – hearts, leaf beds, stars, butterflies, token pouches and more! There are stitching instructions if you need them as well and plenty of help available for beginners. Don’t be shy – give it a try!
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Kindy Harvest Festival
27 Mar 2024
Kindy celebrated the Harvest Festival with their trip to Bilpin in the Blue Mountains. There had been much excited anticipation as the children asked how many more sleeps until apple picking day. And when the day finally arrived, it was perfect; blue skies and cool, a touch of autumn in the air. Farmer Cedric was there as always, greeting everyone and explaining some important aspects of apple picking. Picnic rugs were laid out around the spreading oak tree and parents, grandparents, siblings young and old enjoyed Kindy’s Harvest Circle before filling their baskets with apples that were indeed ‘crispy and crunchy’. It was a glorious day and one that will be remembered fondly by all who came.
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Parent Craft Wet Felted Flowers
14 Mar 2024
Parent Craft Coordinator Charlotte ran a beautiful wet felting workshop in making stunning lily flowers. Starting with soft coloured fleece, parents used hot soapy water to roll and rub the fibres until they felt - then cut and shape them into flowers during the felting process. Parents chose striking colour combinations and the flowers will be made into lovely items for the School Fair in November.
Anyone is welcome to come and join Parent Craft - no experience is necessary. Come and learn to sew, felt, knit and take home a small craft pack to work on at home. There is an enclosed space for young children and a warm, social atmosphere. Thank you Charlotte for sharing this wonderful skill.
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Playgroup Nutrition is a Foundation for Healthy Play
13 Mar 2024
Our Glenaeon Playgroups celebrate nourishing foods by providing whole grain porridge and sourdough bread or Miso soup and rice balls to accompany fruit and vegetables that families contribute to our generous morning tea. The adults often say that we are the only playgroup they know of that goes to such an effort and they really feel nourished themselves when they leave playgroup. Glenaeon Playgroup isn’t ‘just for the children’, they say.
At our Glenaeon Playgroups we believe that by nourishing the caretakers of the children, the children will have the modelling of adults eating healthy food in a group setting that includes a table-cloth and beautifully presented wholesome foods accompanied by herbal garden tea.
Many parents tell us that the Playgroup morning tea is their first meal of the day and that it is so generous they don’t have to have lunch! Many families tell us that their children are fussy eaters at home but that they eat multiple bowls of porridge and lots of fruit and vegetables at playgroup. They are impressed with how the children enjoy a dense home -made rye sourdough bread slathered with home- made miso or tahini butter.
Below is a letter one of our Playgroup educators received from a participant. The Magic Porridge Pot recipe is attached if you would like to indulge your family! Parents still contact us years after the children have passed through playgroup to say their children are still enjoying Glenaeon’s Playgroup porridge thanks to our sharing of the recipe!
Dear Natalie,
Would you mind sharing the recipe for porridge please? My daughter loves it and her breakfasts are normally very boring as she doesn’t eat anything different, but she loves your porridge.
Many thanks,
A grateful Playgroup mother
For the Porridge recipe, click show more.
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Parent Library
28 Feb 2024
The Parent Library at Castlcrag is now open!
Tuesday 2:45pm to 3:15pm and Wednesday 8:45am to 9:15am.
Our two volunteers Alex and Alice are there to help and books may be borrowed for 2 weeks. Come and choose from the large selection of parenting books that reflect the Steiner philosophy, as well as books on craft, gardening and nutrition. There is also a wide range of beautiful books for children up to 10 years, including well-loved classics and recently published.
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Parent Craft Embroidery Workshop with Elizabeth Ellean
28 Feb 2024
Handwork teacher Elizabeth Ellean came to run a wonderful embroidery workshop with parent at Parent Craft morning – organised by our inspiring Craft Coordinator Charlotte Fayle. Many parents came to learn the beautiful stitches that their children will also be learning throughout the Primary school Handwork Program. Parent Craft runs fortnightly in the Marion Mahony Griffin Hall kitchen at our Castlecrag Campus. All are welcome to attend, and no experience is necessary. There is an enclosed space and toys for younger children to play. Come and learn a new skill or use one that you already know! All materials are provided and Parent Craft makes items for the classrooms, teacher and our School Fair in November. Come to the office at Castlecrag reception and pick up one of the craft packs you can take home to work on!
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Lunar New Year Celebrations
14 Feb 2024
The Year of the Dragon was welcomed on Castlecrag campus with a bang and crash of drums, a scary, but friendly big lion (or was it year 1 disguised as a lion?), a flash of red, and over 150 dumplings homemade by Class 2 children and their talented parents. Students decorated their classrooms with the red paper cut outs they made, and participated in an energetic story told about the villagers who fought off the fire breathing dragon to save their beautiful mandarin orchard.
Gōng xī fã cái, Xin Nìan kuài lè, or however you say it in your own language, we wish all our Glenaeon families a healthy and happy New Year!
Outdoor Play at Preschool
14 Feb 2024
We welcome the warm weather at Preschool with exploring all that our outdoor environment has to offer. This includes playing in the garden playground at our Willoughby campus, and near by Bales Park and oval.
This week, the children enjoyed water play, making mud pies in the sand pit, shoveling soil for the garden, climbing trees with educator support and discovering creatures in the grass. The children enjoy free play in nature building independence, curiosity and motor skills, which is fundamental for child development. We are grateful for the warm February weather and space to explore and play.
Handwork at Castlecrag
14 Feb 2024
Handwork is underway and Classes 1 & 2 are busy making things they will use at school! Class 1 are sewing their Counting Bags, which will hold their little counting jewels when they learn numbers and mathematics, whilst Class 2 have begun sewing their etoile – a personal needle holder with their own initials stitched on the front. We warmly welcome our new assistant Meg Quinlisk who is helping Elizabeth Ellean this year
Meg brings with her a wealth of experience – she teaches at Sydney Rudolf Steiner College, has run the Inner West Steiner Playgroup for many years, is a writer and author and a very talented crafter herself.
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Sandpit Sensation
14 Feb 2024
There has been so much wonderful play in the sandpit this week, with children creating an enormous moat, castle and cubby! Working industriously together, they cart water, build bridges and steps, laughing and celebrating their huge creation!
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Many Hands Make for Light Work at Preschool
14 Feb 2024
Each day at Preschool, the children put their little hands to work to joyfully add to the rhythms of the day. After a wholesome morning tea, each child carefully washes their plate. Their hands making bubbles in the water as they take turns to wash up with their educators.
Next, they find their bedding and make their way to their designated rest space. Again, those busy hands delicately fold linen over corners and make parachutes as sheets fall. It is the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, like building the will in children, that is woven into the daily rhythm at Preschool. Children learn developmentally appropriate ways of taking initiative, fine and gross motor skills, a sense of independence and community. It is these values that make a Glenaeon preschool education different and start the foundation for resilient and emotionally active children.
Are you or a friend interested in your child joining our Glenaeon Preschool community? Join us to tour our Willoughby campus on Thursday, 14 March from 10am - 11am. Register here.
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Welcome to Castlcrag!
01 Feb 2024
It has been a wonderful first week here at our Castlecrag Campus! The children arriving with laughter and chatter, exploring the playground and sandpits, meeting and making friends amongst the flowers and blooming gardens and grounds. Our Reception is a lovely place with a welcoming Summer nature table. It is lovely to welcome the parents and carers on campus and Playgroups for our young ones have begun – please come and join in this special group for children 0–5. The Grassroots Eco Store is open for all school, craft, gift and creative resources and it’s so nice to see all the bags hanging on the children's’ hooks! Welcome everyone.
Our Maintenance team have been very busy over the break! The Fort has undergone a wonderful restoration by Sonny, the new Kindy water pump is in and some lovely sandstone rockwork has been completed, amongst many other things that make out campus shine – thank you!
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Class 1 Walk the Rainbow Bridge
18 Jan 2024
Beginning Class 1 is a lovely step for the children, made even more special with the ‘Rainbow Bridge’ event. On Wednesday our Class 1 children met in the Kindergarten playground where excitement and anticipation filled the air. They were supported by their kindergarten teachers Deputy Head of School Dani Finch. They shared their morning song together before walking through the playground up to the Class 1 area, their new haven at school. The Class 2 children formed a beautiful 'Rainbow Bridge' - a tunnel made with long silk and flowers. They sing a lovely song called “Make New Friends”. The Kindergarten teacher shared a farewell for now and gave each child a flower to take with them 'under the rainbow bridge' to the other side, where their new Class teacher, Emily Watts greeted them with a warm smile.
The children then make their way onto the balcony of Class 1 and their first day in the Class Teacher Period begins! This is an important right of passage and a symbolic moment in Steiner education philosophy and ignites the beginning of the Class Teacher journey. Emily will form special bonds with each child and nurture and guide these children through their primary years with the supportive assistance of other specialist teachers. Parents then come together for a shared morning tea, with Senior Teacher Catherine Pilko and Dani Finch welcoming and sharing insights about the first days and weeks of Class 1.
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Glenaeon Garden Culture - Like a Bee Hive
18 Jan 2024
How does the unconscious wisdom contained in the beehive, filled with love, relate to our human experiences?
In his book “Bees”, Rudolf Steiner said “The individual bees renounce love in manifold ways, and thus develop love throughout the whole hive. One only begins to understand the life of the bees when one knows that the bee lives in an atmosphere completely pervaded by love.” *
When we, human beings, gather to work together for a higher cause than our own personal ambition, we are emulating this social model of a bee hive; thus the name ‘working bee’.
The Glenaeon Gardens appreciate this model of working together in devotion and love.
Our annual Harvest Gratitude day, as celebrated last Sunday at Middle Cove, has become a working bee of sorts as the Glenaeon community comes together to learn from each other. We felt the benefits of healthy living soils by plunging our hands in them; we harvested what had grown out of flourishing garden beds; we created a bountiful feast, and together, we planted new gardens for bees, animals and humans too.
Once upon a time the whole school was abuzz with the smell of pizza, handmade flyers with reminders to bring gold coins, and excited students doing pizza runs around the campus. High school students prepared the dough with teacher Anne Rouse while Class 6 made and delivered the pizzas - the campus coming together to make industry, like busy bees in a hive!
We are grateful to teachers Ruth Pervis and Kathy Thangathurai for their vision, and for hosting these joyous events, with the keen support of parent chef Nick Meredith-Jones.
Ten years of garden fundraising has now enabled the renovation of the school's chicken coop, for the benefit of students through our agricultural and wellbeing programs.
As expressed within our chicken care community:
“We can't wait to come and look after the chickens”
“It lifts my heart to see our community (young & older) working together to create something beautiful and valuable!”
Thank you to those past students, teachers and parents for this invaluable legacy! In opening our hearts to devotion, love and sacrifice, we become bearers of love. Just like the bees.
See you in the Garden!
Sandra Frain…..and Parent Volunteers
Gardening Teacher
S.Frain@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
* “Nine Lectures on Bees” Rudolf Steiner, GA 351
https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA351/English/SGP1975/19230203p01.html
Glenaeon Garden Culture - Harvesting in Times of Scarcity
18 Jan 2024
Harvesting in times of scarcity
We are fast approaching our traditional Harvest Festival, and our gardens are not bursting with pumpkins as they have been in the past. Living in a city, we have the easy option of going to the shops and buying whatever we want for our celebrations. But we would like to encourage everyone to stop for a moment and look at the world differently: what do we have in our gardens right now?
We harvest seeds, we harvest stories
Aromatic and medicinal Fennel has taken over some of the garden beds at the Middle Cove garden, creating a canopy bursting with yellow umbrella-like flowers filled with seed and feathery peacock-like leaves. Last week, Class 6 students picked the flowers, harvested the seeds and roasted them during their gardening class. At the end of the lesson, we shared our food and stories, and everyone commented how much they loved the roasted fennel seeds. One student shared a story with the class:
There once was a King who wanted to know which of his children was the faithful one. He gave them roasted fennel seeds to plant, and later on he asked them how they were growing. All of the children commented how strong their plants have been growing, except for one girl who said: “Mine are not growing at all!” - And that’s how the King knew who the faithful child was.
When we think we have nothing, we need to look around, explore, question and learn. We have some Azolla in the pond, which we learned is high in nitrogen and can be used instead of manure when we have no access to cows.
A high school student harvested some chicken bones while digging in the garden, and asked to take them home. Could they be the seeds of an archaeology interest?
The students on all campuses are resourceful in their play and this translates to the same in their alchemical experiments with food substances. Can we as adults be as bold and harvest the Taro root and leaves that are growing in abundance at Glenaeon Preschool? We have made Bay leaf tea, roasted Fennel and Sunflower seeds, fried up Mustard greens, Endive, Amaranth leaves and flowers in frittatas. From the Glenaeon gardens we add lemon, flowers, leaves, seeds in our sourdough bread. We connect with our surroundings to create new things with them.
So why is harvest time so meaningful? In harvesting, we learn to embrace what we have, we become creative and able to make something from nothing. As human beings, we harvest the rewards of moments of gratitude and connection with the Earth. We can’t get this from a shop.
Goethian observation
For Term 1 2024, the Class 6 students have now each represented an impression of Fennel in their assessment task for Gardening lessons:
“I think it looks like lots of little flowers. I think if you hold it up to the light and see the shape it looks like a star constellation.”
“I like the smell. When I suck it, it tastes like licorice. When I eat it, it does not taste good. It feels furry and soft.”
“I like fennel because it feels nice to touch and I like the taste and texture of it. It feels very nice on your skin and it is very soothing. It tastes like licorice when you suck on it and chew them.”
See you in the Garden!
Sandra Frain…..and Parent Volunteers
Gardening Teacher
S.Frain@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
Glenaeon Garden Culture - Worms: The Humble Servants of our Soil
18 Jan 2024
The words Humble and Human have their origins in the Latin word Humus (soil). Dig a little hole in any of our garden beds and you’ll surely find some wriggly and lively worms. Whether in compost heaps or worm farms, finding them gives the students an animal to interact with that’s not always part of their home life. We notice their delight and fascination with this squirming animal: how quickly it moves, the colours, the size. They bring a sense of wonder. There is something familiar in the texture: it is shiny, soft and wriggly like our tongues!
“These worms are wonderful creatures: they leave to the earth precisely as much ethericity as it needs for plant-growth.”
Rudolf Steiner, GA 327: The Agriculture Course — Lecture VII
These subterranean animals leave life in the soil for the plants. They work in cooperation with the soil. The worm is regulating the soil by eating what is meant to be decomposed but not so much as to destroy the life value for the plants.
So how are we bringing this to life in Glenaeon’s gardens?
● We're making healthy soil: This humble servant is a necessity to break down all the discarded food waste that is high in nitrogen. The worms make this beneficial soil for us in cooperation with all the other insects, grubs, earwigs, springtails, nematodes, cockroaches and millions of microorganisms that we can't see, representing a life force that makes the soil lively and healthy for plants to grow and to feed insects once again.
● We're making a learning-scape: A student friendly atmosphere that enables this excitement to embrace and learn of life. What a joy it is when preschool and kindy students say “I want to see the worm farm! I want to see the compost! Let’s feed the worms.”
The students learn to care and take responsibility: the worms need water, they need to be fed with scraps, leaves and grit when we keep them in a domesticated ‘farm situation’.
They get to see the worm eggs and learn that the liquid that comes out of the worm farm is a medicine we call a fertiliser that will enrich the soil that plants are growing in.
● We’re working with the senses: The tactile sensation and ‘wriggling’ of worms is confronting to some students. They grow comfortable with the notion of having a worm in their hands when they see other adults or students relaxed with the interaction. This is a simple but profound opportunity for students to develop resilience for challenging sensations.
● We're encouraging social responsibility: Families living in apartments can have a worm farm and create healthy soil. It can then be used in pots, or taken to a favourite tree at the park, or given to friends. The act of creating an environment for the production of soil is empowering. “What can I do to help the climate crisis caused by food waste?” - make more healthy soil!
Want to know how to set up your worm farm at home? “Show more” below!
See you in the Garden!
Sandra Frain…..and Parent Volunteers
Gardening Teacher
S.Frain@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
Glenaeon Garden Culture - Volunteers: Nature's Gifts
18 Jan 2024
Volunteer plants are beneficial plants that sprout and thrive independently instead of being intentionally planted and nurtured. They are a gift to gardens! Similarly, we welcome volunteer humans who ‘sprout, grow and flourish’ in our gardens.
Clair’s story
Glenaeon Teacher and parent Clair Cisterne sprouted in the garden last term by caring for citrus trees: weeding, protecting, pruning and fertilising them, while learning and growing herself! This section of the garden will become a memorial garden for Clair’s botanist grandmother, Judith Eastman.
“Volunteering in the garden suits me more than anyone! I pick Sandra’s and the other gardeners’ brains as much as I can get away with, and they hold my hand as I put it to practice. I take home compost, worm castings and all sorts of cuttings, so my own garden becomes an extension of our shared one. What a deal! Then, there’s nothing better than just roaming around and marvelling at the beauty – hovering in the light, tranquil feeling of a glorious garden. I’m filled with enthusiasm and ideas for my own favourite space, and overjoyed at the huge, new world of knowledge that awaits me.
I bravely approached Sandra with my new desire to learn about gardening and wasn’t at all made to feel silly for not knowing the simplest of things. Now my neighbours on both sides have popped their head over our fence, wanting to know what I’m up to, and if they can do it too. My husband has even made them some garden beds. It really does feel like a little seed…and the magic of mother nature.”
Chrissie's story
Inspired by a social media post featuring a Glenaeon Garden Culture article, Glenaeon alumni and former parent, Chrissie Ivanchenko, started volunteering in the garden in 2024. Chrissie was heartily welcomed together with her ideas, stories and cheerful disposition. Garden beds have been weeded and mulched, and a project of creating a raised garden bed is underway.
“I love that I learn something every time I come. I love being part of something that is so nurturing for the people that work here. I think that gardening is a vital part of educating children. If they know how to care for the Earth, they will also protect it.”
We were delighted to learn that Chrissie’s father David Lawes helped start the Glenaeon newsletter in the 1980s!
Just like seedlings, human volunteers take root and thrive in our Glenaeon gardens. This is what Waldorf Education is about: a place to appreciate learning, to come together where everyone feels welcome, where dreams come true.
See you in the Garden!
Sandra Frain…..and Parent Volunteers
Gardening Teacher
S.Frain@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
Kindergarten Advent Festival
30 Nov 2023
Parents, siblings and grandparents eagerly gathered on the last Wednesday of term to witness the beauty and wonder of the Kindergarten Advent Festival. With gesture and song, the children lovingly shared their Advent Circle which tells the the story of the humble birth of the heavenly child who is born on earth and adored by all creation.
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Spring Festival at Preschool
23 Nov 2023
At the end of last term we gathered as a whole preschool community - children, families and teachers - to celebrate Spring together. Our wonderful parents made flower garlands and felt butterflies for the children. The teachers shared a puppet story and songs and we had a picnic at the park together. It was a very Happy Spring celebration.
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Washing Up Fun at Playgroup
22 Nov 2023
Natalie Choo's lovely Monday playgroup at our Willoughby Campus enjoy the preschool playground and a bush kitchen. This is an activity for all ages where little ones imitate the fun and care of washing up together after a nourishing morning tea.
Glenaeon’s family-style Playgroups are joyful and supportive of you and your child’s development. Our highly skilled Steiner Playgroup Educators create imaginative activities to ensure families enjoy an enriching, uplifting time together. We welcome all families with children from birth to five years of age.
You are warmly invited to join our ‘Welcome Home’ Playgroup for Term 1, 2024
For details on registration, please click 'Show more'.
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Kindergarten Recreate the 'Dunk Tank'
22 Nov 2023
Last week in outside play, the Kindergarten children had a wonderful time recreating their own very intricate version of the dunk tank they had seen at the Fair. Some elaborate rules that were created amongst the children, determined that each child was required to ‘walk a plank’ balanced on a log in the bottom pond of the Kindy Creek. As they toppled towards the water they each leapt onto dry land to avoid landing in the pond. Mind you, some landed in the pond with a splash, much to the glee of the other children watching.
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Kindergarten Games
09 Nov 2023
Kindergarten children enjoy outside games for fun, fitness and to develop coordination. Beanbag games, skipping and the giant swing are great places to play! Kindergarten have learnt to finger knit on all 5 fingers, which makes a beautiful rope – perfect for your homemade skipping ropes!
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Celebrating Japanese Girls' Day at Playgroup
07 Nov 2023
One of the pleasures of our Glenaeon playgroups is the discussions we adults have while the children are playing near by to us.
Last week, some of the conversations in each of our seven playgroups have been about how gender is celebrated in our different cultures and in different eras of our lives. How wonderful it is to learn from each other, to practice expressing ourselves in a safe space with others wishing to hear our words, to hear of our thoughts on particular subjects!
Hinamatsuri is an annual festival in Japan which takes place on March 3rd. It is also known as 'Girls' Day' and holds festivities and well wishes for girls aged 10 and under. This celebration was discussed in Playgroup and a lovely celebration table was created with dolls.
At this halfway point in Term 1 2024 there are limited spaces available, to register your family (ages birth to 5 years), please contact Sandra Frain at playgroups@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
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Kindergarten Spring Festival
11 Oct 2023
Kindergarten children and teachers Melanie, Sarah, Junko and Catherine and assistants Ming-Yu and Elizabeth shared their joyful celebration with parents in a festival on the last day of Term 3. Coming together in a circle in the lower playground, first Little Kindergarten and then Big Kindergarten sang their Spring songs. They had prepared lemonade and fruit sticks and parents brought beautiful food to share as they enjoyed a picnic before heading home for the holidays. The weather was perfect and we all basked in the beautiful sunshine.
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Rosh Hashanah in Little Kindy
26 Sep 2023
Glenaeon Garden Culture
13 Sep 2023
Eco Literacy, Friends & Pests In Our Gardens: Part 2
Indigenous heart intelligence and biodynamic regenerative agriculture
From Indigenous culture we learn that when the wattles flower, the mullet fish run. In the Time of Murrai’yunggoray (September - October), as the weather warms and the Miwa Gawaian (Waratah) buds swell, the D’harawal people began their major ceremonies in celebration of the new life promised by this season.
In Glenaeon’s gardens we invite everyone to practise active observation before deciding on our actions of care. We sing to the garden “what story, what story do you tell? What story do you tell?” and then we articulate:
- The bees are saying “thank you for planting the zinnia seeds and caring for them”; the zinnias are saying “thank you to the bees for helping to pollinate us so we can make seeds for new flowers”.
- Our Mother Earth is saying “I am so thirsty without rain - will you please water me today? If my soil gets too dry the insects will be thirsty and eat the plants to find water.”
- The bush turkeys parading and scratching in the garden bed inform us that the lettuces need some protection.
Setting boundaries
While newly planted flowers and seeds are getting established in the soil we protect them with nets or fences built by the students. As plants grow bigger and stronger we uncover the plants so that humans and animals can harvest what they need. This is a principle of both biodynamic and Indigenous agriculture: we must ensure that the birds and animals have enough to eat too.
In Glenaeon's gardens:
● We practise principles that Indigenous and wise farmers share around the world: never pick the first or the last of the crop for the future of life itself. (For example, when we harvest our lettuce or silverbeet we always leave 3 leaves so the plant keeps growing new leaves).
● We have fish in the water garden to help keep mosquitoes away. Some plants are particularly helpful in deterring certain insects, and are carefully planted around gathering and play areas: tansy, with a camphor-like scent that repels ants and flies, while citronella and lemongrass' smells deter mosquitoes.
● We scatter crushed eggshells around particular plants to discourage snails and slugs that might be nibbling too much of our food. When Preschool and Castlecrag students find snails and slugs they carefully move them to non (human) edible bushes (or even build homes for them with leaves and sticks), and when students find inch grubs they feed them to our grateful chickens.
● We use tree paste to cover pruned branches or damaged trees to protect them from ants and other insects while they heal. Biodynamic tree paste is made with 3 equal parts of clay, cow manure and sand, mixed with water to make a spreadable paste.
Indigenous peoples have totems and special animal images to help keep unwanted visitors away. We have scarecrows, representing a human presence in the garden. While the kookaburras may laugh at our scarecrows, we like to think of them as friends: ever so helpful at catching native rodents.
Want to join our holiday chicken care team? Got a question, story or idea to share? The Glenaeon Garden Team would love to hear from you! s.frain@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
Sandra Frain (and Parent Garden Volunteers)
Gardening Teacher
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Little Kindy Wet Felted Coasters for Father's Day
13 Sep 2023
Our Little Kindy children made wet felted coasters for their Father’s Day gifts. We had many helpers in the room for every step. We prepared the fleece, rubbed it with warm soapy water and rolled and rolled it until it was felted well. The children then cut the felt into a coaster shape and felted some more before hanging it out to dry and ironing it. The perfect friend for a hot or cold beverage.
Junko Nicholas
Kindergarten & Japanese Teacher
Father’s Day Food Lovers Unite
13 Sep 2023
Glenaeon’s playgroup to high school sourdough bread enthusiasts shook cream until it became butter, dripped yoghurt until it made cream cheese, and kneaded dough until it was ‘soft as an ear lobe’ on 2023’s sunny Father’s Day.
The kneaded creations were embellished with garden edibles and transformed in the Castlecrag Kitchen ovens for take-homes, along with rye flour sourdough ‘starter’ jars and recipe booklets.
Learning of the alchemy of fermentation to make sourdough bread was exciting for adults and youth alike, as children played outside the Marion Mahony Griffin Hall kitchen on the fresh grass and inviting sandpit.
A ‘morning tea’ of freshly made sourdough bread, cream cheese, butter (and Junko’s miso!) washed down with our Castlecrag garden herbal tea vanished in no time. Thank you to all the participants who came and created a social alchemy on Father’s Day. Love was in the air!
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Glenaeon Garden Culture
13 Sep 2023
Breathing in and breathing out in times of joy and sorrow
With emphasis in 2023 on ‘Well Being’ in our lives, our Glenaeon gardens on all three campuses have been responsive for visitors of all ages to feel nurtured as they contemplate the mysteries of life within. The students find health actively and passively by digging soil, harvesting flowers, planting seeds, caring for plants and animals and in serving each other garden herb tea and fresh wholesome food in a sociable manner.
Angst and sorrow was ours with the loss of the beloved teacher Jonas Stoebe in the last weeks of Term 3. We countered the confusion of grief by celebrating the joy his life gifted us, honouring the elements of earth, water, air and fire within the home base of our gardens.
We dug a pit for making a ton of new soil from compostables,
We made contained fires and burned sticks for ‘doughies’;
We stirred waters of biodynamic preparations for strengthening our atmosphere and soil and We sprayed each other with water hoses;
We harvested flowers and vegetables;
We sang, shared stories, laughed and cried;
We wrote poetry and letters too.
We swung on the hammock and the big swing,
We planted seeds for glorious gardens of the future while remembering Jonas, an inspiration to us all.
Our Middle Cove garden hosted many classes of students and groups of teachers day after day of this time. Science students tagged birds, English students wrote prose, art students sketched, Math students measured time, Earth stewardship students rejuvenated their camp experience. Every break time the stumps in the garden and surrounding rocks were covered with students convening. As we shared this communal season of grief, the garden responded by making a ‘welcome home’ for us. Together, we accepted, we grew, and we healed: wiser and stronger in our openness and resilience to the mysteries of life.
How grateful we are that Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School honours the importance of cultivated gardens as a place to be, and as a place to be motivated to help. How fortunate we are to have a place to embrace the elements all and to be nourished by their powerful ways too. Like all living organisms, the gardens flourish with human activity and interest. Please contact S.Frain@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au if you would like to visit the gardens or volunteer with the Glenaeon gardens and animal care teams.
Celtic Blessing honouring the elements as sung by Year 8 ‘in the garden’.
Deep Peace
Deep peace of the running waves to you
Deep peace of the flowing air to you
Deep peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
https://youtu.be/oEmvQqg_EpQ?si=E7dFQRZLIyWiMiST
Sandra Frain (and Parent Garden Volunteers)
Gardening Teacher
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Glenaeon Garden Culture
13 Sep 2023
Chickens, the cycle of life and volunteers
Our business as agriculturalists is to work with transformation and metamorphosis or energies and matter. Life and death. This week we had a profound example of accepting the conditions that come with taking responsibility to care for animals for the sake of learning and the sake of soul warmth.
Even though we have a devoted community of families and staff who care for the chickens, we could not escape nature's way. After almost a year of absence a fox made its way into our coop, and now six of our seven Glenaeon chickens have become a part of our nourishing garden soil.
Like every farming community, the Glenaeon community has responded with the sorrow that comes with the loss of animals that so many of us have become attached to. With our loss our hearts have opened.
The garden space is so quiet without the chickens clucking and scratching and the sounds of the students' joy as they visit the chickens before school, in the classes and in the breaks. The Garden team has invited Glenaeon students to tie a chicken feather to a card with some words or pictures they may make and place it in the chicken coop. Many families are also making tributes to the chickens in different ways.
Adults are connecting via group chat and in person, the Garden team is welcoming families to visit and meet in the garden. Already this is resulting in tangible ideas ensuring the pedagogical health of our Glenaeon community. For parents and carers who are looking for a way to join and be a part of this community, a rare opportunity in Middle Cove, please feel free to email Sandra: s.frain@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au Let’s garden and make social change together: all ages welcome.
Sandra Frain (and Parent Garden Volunteers)
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Glenaeon Garden Culture - From You I Receive, To You I Give
13 Sep 2023
“An atmosphere of gratitude should grow naturally in children through merely witnessing the gratitude that their elders feel as they receive what is freely given by their fellow human beings, and in how they express their gratitude. The cultivation of this universal gratitude toward the world is of paramount importance.” - Rudolf Steiner*
As a Glenaeon Garden culture, we practise this form of grace in many ways including active observation and appropriate response. We give thanks for the animals, the flowers, the produce, the minerals, the space where we meet and of course for each other!
On the last weekend of November, the Glenaeon Middle Cove Garden was a hive of activity thanks to industrious families meeting to deconstruct the chicken coop and then to celebrate our annual gifting of loving labour to the garden program.
On the rainy Saturday, 25th November we hosted a working bee to dismantle the chicken coop which completed the recent work begun by the students of garden Class 3 to 6. We enjoyed de-constructing by cutting sharp wires and then driving wheelbarrows (up through the bush) full of awkward loads of sharp metals and plastics to the awaiting truck. The clean concrete slab now gives us the start we need to re-construct a more secure home for the chickens.
On the next day, November 26th, (the 4th anniversary of an Angophera tree crashing on the previous garden shed), we gave an honouring “Thank You” to all the families that support Glenaeon’s gardening classes and the essential weekend/holiday chicken care. On this sparkling sunny Sunday, our work was socialising. “What’s your Glenaeon garden story?” created the alchemy of interest in each other.
We celebrated the presence of our elder Ruth Pervis, the former Glenaeon Class Teacher, who retired to start the Glenaeon gardens in 2010. How exciting it was to hear her stories of transforming a previously desolate part of the Middle Cove campus for dedicated garden classes.
The mood was festive as we dined on popcorn, breads, pestos, garden produce and cakes, and guzzled fresh garden herbal tea! Children joyously scampered around the garden beds under refreshing sprinklers; lounged in the hammock under the green-grape laden pergola and discovered many skittish fish in the oasis’ garden pond. This is our garden!
For anyone interested in participating, learning, helping and supporting the building of a new chicken coop, please email Sandra: s.frain@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
* Rudolf Steiner “THE CHILD'S CHANGING CONSCIOUSNESS AND WALDORF EDUCATION”. GA 306. Lecture VI
Sandra Frain (and Parent Garden Volunteers),
Gardening Teacher
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Tanabata Festival - Wishes to the Sky
30 Aug 2023
The children in Playgroups and Classes 1 & 2 have all participated in writing wishes and hanging them on Bamboo trees for the Japanese Tanabata Festival. On Mondays, our Japanese Immersion Playgroup has Naoko Murphy as their Playgroup leader, and Junko Nicholas and Naoko have taken Classes 1 & 2 for Japanese language lessons. It is tradition that these wishes must be burnt in order to send them to the heavens, and this was performed with Naoko in the playground around the fire. They sang and spoke the Japanese blessings as the ashes flew to the sky, taking their wishes with them. Thank you Naoko for leading this most exquisite ceremony.
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Working Together in Kindergarten
16 Aug 2023
Each Wednesday morning in the Kindergarten we come together for a working bee in the garden. We sweep, we rake, we scrub and we clean. We tidy the rocks, sticks and cubby building material. We harvest herbs to make herb tea and we cut fruit to share at our picnic morning tea. We care for each other, we care for our garden and we engage in purposeful healthy human activity together. It is always heart warming to see the children's enthusiasm and joy as they work together to complete their tasks.
Catherine Pilko
Senior Teacher Castlecrag Campus and Kindergarten Teacher
Preschool Gets a New Mudbrick Hut
14 Aug 2023
The children have been fascinated with observing the real-world work deconstruction of our old mudbrick hut and the beautiful building and creative craftmanship of our new mud-brick hut. Our deep gratitude goes to Kenney and his partner from MUDTEC.
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Eco Literacy Starts With Babies!
14 Aug 2023
In our Glenaeon playgroups we practice ongoing eco-literacy. We observe the trees and plants and rocks, explore by stroking trees, patting, and tickling flowers and multi-shaped leaves too.
We carry the rocks, roll them and grind them to make potent rock dust for the Glenaeon garden soil health. 'Iron' and 'basalt' are the words we learn to identify the colours of red and blue-black stone. We sing to the plants and give thanks for their magnificence as we play beneath and around them.
Nature is welcomed into the playgroup rooms to form the basis of our stories and enhance our baking table too. (Elizabeth Cooper our Glenaeon Little Kindy Assistant picks up wind scattered flowers, leaves, branches and banksia cones on her long walk to school.)
One Nona gave thanks to the pumpkin in the story our playgroup leader Natalie Choo told, her twin grandsons are now asking to eat pumpkin which they had rejected before, ‘making friends with pumpkin’!
Our Playgroup families (and educators) are most grateful for the beautiful campuses that Glenaeon Playgroup is held on, Preschool and Castlecrag with their abundance of flowers, shrubs and trees that make a child friendly haven for nature exploration and learning.
For playgroup enquiries, please contact Sandra Frain at playgroups@glenaeon.nsw.edu.au
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