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No: 12 4 May 2018
THE Friday FLIER
KOTAHITANGA
Waikato Waldorf School, Kindergartens and Playcircle
Dear Waikato Waldorf Community
I hope you all had a restful break and are enjoying this wonderful autumn weather! Last Saturday saw a dedi-
cated group of parent volunteers turn out to help with our working bee. A big thank you to everyone for helping
to prepare the school grounds for the start of term, this contributed to a welcoming environment for all our fami-
lies and staff on the first day back. You may have also seen that we are now preparing for the new office
building to arrive in a few weeks’ time. We will give you good notice of when this takes place as we may well
have to close the car park for the day and put special barriers in place to keep everyone safe.
We have lots of events happening this term which appear in the school calendar later in the flier. This includes
our Parent Interviews in Week 7. Please note we have changed the format slightly so that we do not have to
close the school for an afternoon to release teachers. Four of the classes will run interviews 1.30 – 3.00pm on
the Wednesday of that week and three on the Thursday. The after school periods will be for the whole school
as usual.
I would just like to take you back to last term when we held some well attended meetings around the forthcom-
ing developments on site and the formation of the Junior High and Senior High School. As well as presenting
plans and information to the community we also had an opportunity to consult on two important issues. We
would now like to widen out this consultation process so that the whole community can have an opportunity to
feedback. You can respond to the questions raised below through Survey Monkey or obtain a hard copy from
the office. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MDJS6CH
As you may be aware the running costs of a Junior High School are higher than those of a Primary School due
to increased curriculum demands/specialisation. In order to finance this we are looking at two options and so
would like to know your preferences.
Would you wish for an increased expectation in donations for students staying on in Classes 8 &
9? (We estimate at this stage that we would be looking at an increase of around $1200 per student
per year in Class 8 & 9.)
Would you wish for an increased expectation in donations across all the students in the school?
(We estimate this would be around $150 extra per year.)
Twenty one years ago a dedicated community group and brave Class 1 parents established our first Waldorf
class. It was founded with the belief that one day Waikato Waldorf School would be able to provide a Steiner
education through to high school. Over the years groups of parents have worked hard at generating funds and
the capacity to build the school into what it is today. Many did not benefit directly from this work but have left a
wonderful legacy which we now enjoy and wish to develop further.
UPCOMING EVENTS TERM 2
29 May Parent Enrichment Evening 7pm – “The 12 Senses”
4 June Queen’s Birthday
5 June Arbor Day
13 June 1.30pm - 3.00pm Parent Interviews in hall - Class 1, Class 2, Class 5, Class 6
3.10pm - 5.00pm Parent Interviews in classrooms - Classes 1- 7
14 June 1.30pm - 3.00pm Parent Interviews in hall - Class 3, Class 4, Class 7
3.10pm - 7.00pm Parent Interviews in classrooms - Classes 1 - 7
Mel will hold Class 8 interviews in Week 6 by mutually agreed appointments.
18 June Matariki Celebration 11.55am and Winter Festival 5.30pm
5 July Class 7 Play 1.40pm & 6.30pm
6 July Last day of Term – school finishes 2pm
We are looking at how we can build the capacity for a Senior High School, knowing that it would cost several
million to build the facilities we need. We like to know how keen the community is to see the formation of a
Senior High and to fundraise for such a venture. We would like to consider the best way forward.
1. Would you like to see Waikato Waldorf School with a Senior High School?
2. If yes, would you be prepared to fund raise towards establishing a Senior High School?
3. What suggestions do you have for fund raising for a Senior High School?
We would like as many parents as possible to take part in the survey so that all your views are represented
and we will feed back the results.
Please also note we are looking for volunteers to take part in our Marketing Survey (see below) and you will
also receive notice of this through the class teacher emails.
Nga mihi
Sue
MARKETING SURVEY “We are currently reviewing our marketing and promotional activities for the Waikato Waldorf School.
Tania Jones, a member of our community and Marketing Specialist, is currently leading this process on our behalf. Tania would like to meet with parents/guardians to gain feedback on what attracted you to our commu-nity.
Participation includes a face to face conversation in a casual setting with a hot cup of tea! There will be a series of questions used to gain your feedback. If you have a child attending the school, or Miro House, and would be available for a 30-35 minute discussion within the next week, please register your interest with Tania. For more details please contact Tania directly on [email protected] or 021 417 062.
Recent article from Waldorf today
Welcome to the Most Amazing Gap Year You Can Imagine
From Camphill Village Copake At Camphill Village, Copake, NY, we welcome dozens of volunteers, age 19 and over from around the world to enjoy their Gap Year or Service Year or to become a Biodynamic Apprentice. Many volunteers find it to be the richest and most vibrant experience of their lives. SaraMae Kline from Seattle, WA, put it this way: “There’s so much of a focus of education and a career and moving for-ward that this part of life - of serving other people - can be lost sometimes…I think that’s really important to go out into your community and help others and commit to that for a while… you’re young, there’s a lot of time, there is no rush. There’s a lot of people who need help, you have the energy and the time to do that.”
Volunteers at Camphill Village Make Friends for Life
Only 2 hours north of New York City, in Copake, NY, Camphill Village is an intentional community where you share daily life with other young people from around the world, with adults and families, and with individuals with developmental differ-ences. At Camphill Village you learn to be responsible and yet independent. We grow and cook healthy organic food, enjoy music and laughter, share in spiritual practice and connect with our resi-dents as friends. Volunteers come to Camphill Village to explore nature, human nature, and to learn about themselves. At the same time they will form lifelong memories. Antonia Goevert, a Camphill volunteer from Germany, describes her experience: “All of the volunteers are from different countries. I’ve got some friends from Korea, some from France…it’s really interesting to meet them, to get to know them and their culture, and what they bring to the Village.” Many overseas volunteers, like Antonia, find their English is much improved after a year immersed in the language. A high-light for many is the activities which include: Biodynamic agriculture, farming (crops, animals, artisanal goods), baking, can-dle making, book-binding, stained glass crafting, woodcraft and growing and using herbs. Dan Hayden from New Jersey sums up his time at Camphill Village, “This place has so many opportunities in so many dif-ferent areas - just let yourself go! This is an amazing place for growth and change.” Interested in volunteering at Camphill Village, Copake, NY?
https://camphillvillage.org/in-the-usa/
I came across this article by Sanya Pelini a mother and writer of the site Motherly. It has been adapted for our newslet-
ter – Sanya is a wise woman!
1 | Childhood isn’t meant to be a race
Steiner once said “Where is the book in which the teacher can read about what teaching is? The children themselves are
this book. We should not learn to teach out of any book other than the one lying open before us and consisting of the
children themselves”.
Children do not all develop in the same way, nor do they develop at the same rhythm. Waldorf education teaches us to
be attentive to the needs of each individual child and to stop expecting our kids to be what they’re not.
2 | Become a storyteller
It is said that Einstein once said “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be
more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” Waldorf education shares this view.
Rudolf Steiner believed that storytelling was a gift, and storytelling has remained a central feature of Waldorf education.
Stories help children to connect, they teach them new words, and they take them to places they’ve never been. Waldorf
education emphasizes the importance of telling stories rather than reading stories. Storytelling builds a child’s imagina-
tion.
Making up stories can be difficult but it gets easier with time. You can also tell simple stories you remember from your
childhood. Going through the story before you tell it will make the storytelling experience more fulfilling for both you and
your child. Young children like to listen to the same story several times so they’ll be happy with the same story repeated
for a while.
3 | Connect with nature every day
Children thrive on physical activity. Playing outside also spurs their creativity. Connecting with nature means teaching our
children to be more attentive to the world around them. It means teaching them to take the time to smell the flowers and
observe the different things and people in their environment. Nature also has a calming effect on children.
Opportunities to connect with nature abound: smell flowers, pick flowers, collect pebbles, take pictures of insects, pick
leaves, paint or draw still life objects, play with sticks, build forts, dig, play with sand, scavenger hunts, etc.
4 | Teach your kids to play
Waldorf education is based on the principle that the simplest toys foster the greatest creativity. Steiner emphasized the
need for the most natural toys and argued that toys should provide children with sensory experiences. He believed that
when toys are simple and open-ended, they spark children’s creativity because children can then use their imagination to
create other objects.
Waldorf education favours simple and eco-friendly toys to which everyone has access: pinecones, shells, acorns, yarn,
silk rags and handkerchiefs, sticks and branches, wooden blocks, acorns, stones, cardboard etc.
6 key principles of Waldorf education every family can adopt:
85 Barrington Drive, Huntington, Hamilton Ph: 07 855 8710 email: [email protected] website: www.waikatowaldorf.school.nz www.facebook.com/WaikatoWaldorf School
Anthroposophical Reading Group now on Monday Evenings
Dear school community,
The anthroposophical reading group recommences in just over a week on Monday 14th May at 7pm in the School Hall. Please come and join us if the change of day makes this possible for you. Our first reading of the
term will be The Senses and their relation to imagination, inspiration and intuition, from a lecture given in 1920.
We are going to trial dedicating the first half an hour to some Eurythmy and/or an anthroposophical discussion on a topic offered by a group member. This could be a question that someone is grappling with, a current issue around home or work, or current event, etc. We will begin reading the lecture at 7.30pm.
We look forward to hearing from anyone interested to join us on Monday evenings, 2nd and 4th weeks of the month during term time.
Sarah Oliver 027 805 0850
5 | Establish routines
In Waldorf education, each morning begins with “circle time”. Circle time is a special moment during which children
come together to sing, recite verses, do movement exercises, and do finger plays based on specific themes (for exam-
ple seasons).
There are many benefits to establishing routines. The authors of the book “Simplicity Parenting” (incidentally, one of the
authors is a Waldorf educator) are convinced that rituals and routines give children a sense of security and provide them
with roots. They believe that establishing routines can simplify parenting and make parenting a more fulfilling experi-
ence.
6 | Make room for art
Art is an important aspect of Waldorf education.
Making room for art means providing our children with unstructured moments in which they can practice creative play. It
is in these moments that they develop their creativity.
Steiner believed that fewer and simpler toys helped children develop greater creativity. He also believed that organized
spaces (toys arranged tidily in baskets or shelves rather than in piles) played an important role in child development.
The importance of organized spaces is an aspect shared by Montessori schools.
This quote by Rudolf Steiner pretty well sums up his philosophy: “Our highest endeavour must be to develop free hu-
man beings who are able, of themselves, to impart purpose and direction to their lives. The need for imagination, a
sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility – these three forces are the very nerve of education.”
Maree Smith RN
Anthroposophical RN 021 150 9433
New Therapy Centre
Dear school families and wider community
A new Anthroposophical and Integrated Therapies Centre has recently been established at Rimu Cottage, adjacent to Waikato Waldorf School. We welcome enquiries as we develop our service for families and the broader community.
Our therapies are intended to be a collaborative effort in offering families holistic healing and growth, and include:
Anthroposophical Nursing, Maree Smith m. 021 150 9433
Eurythmy Therapy, Susanne Zipperlen m.027 365 6515
Counselling therapies, Sarah Oliver m. 027 805 0850
Extra Lesson, Laurene Merritt m. 021 733 282
Naturopathy, Jane Geoghegan e. [email protected]
Parent Education, Counselling and Healing, Maria Adlam m. 021 022 88883
Herbal Medicine, Nutrition and Healing, Janine Stark m. 0274599906
email. [email protected]
We will let you know more about the therapies in future Fliers. Each therapist brings their own offering to the centre, however you can contact Sarah or Maree if you are interested in an initial discussion to find out what might be a good entry point for you or your family.
Asian-style watermelon salad WITH SPICY SOY DRESSING
“Watermelon is just so refreshing, and the crisp radishes, fresh mint and chilli hum from the
dressing make this incredible. It really reminds me of the food in Los Angeles. ”
SERVES 6 TO 8 AS A STARTER OR SIDE
COOKS IN 15 MINUTES DIFFICULTY NOT TOO TRICKY
Ingredients 20 g sesame seeds ½ a watermelon 1 bunch of breakfast radishes ½ a bunch of fresh mint , (15g) 1 lime , optional SPICY DRESSING ½ a clove of garlic 5cm piece of ginger 1-2 fresh red chillies 2 limes 1 tablespoon low-salt soy sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Method Toast the sesame seeds in a hot dry pan over a medium-high heat for a couple of minutes until
golden and smelling fantastic. Set aside. For the dressing, peel the garlic and ginger, deseed the chilli, then finely grate it all into a clean
jam jar. Squeeze in the lime juice, add the soy and oil, put the lid on and shake well to combine. Scoop out and cut the watermelon flesh into 1cm chunks. Finely slice the radishes, leaving alone
any nice tops, then pick and finely slice the mint leaves (reserve any baby leaves to one side). Combine the watermelon and radishes in a bowl, pour over the dressing, scatter over the sliced
mint and toss to combine. Finish with a scattering of toasted sesame seeds and the baby mint leaves, then serve with lime
wedges for squeezing over, if you like. www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/asian-style-watermelon-salad/
Clothing Freecycle Underneath the Vines, school grounds, 2:30 – 3:45pm, Tuesday 15
th May
Unburden yourself of any outgrown or unwanted clothing and grab yourself and your children some new-to-you clothing at our community clothing freecycle event.
Men’s, women’s and children’s clothing that you wish to donate can be brought to Monika in the school office before the event Then come along on the day and take any clothing you would like. No money exchanges hands. Please ensure clothing is of good quality.
Clothing remaining at the end is gratefully received by the Hamilton Women’s Refuge.
Lynda Hall
THE WOOLLY SLIPPER PROJECT My mum is an avid knitter; she has just finished knitting 30 hats for school and kindergarten as a donation and has now
moved on to slippers to keep little feet warm over winter and her knitting nee-
dles clacking along . She is looking for 100% wool—no ball too small! If you
have any leftover wool please drop it into the school office. Thank you.
If you would like a woollen hat for those cold winter mornings please come to
the office to pick one up for a small koha.
Maree Smith
On this course you will learn how to confidently and practically support your children at home during com-
mon illnesses. Parents will learn to recognise and support the child’s development and individual needs
when sick. You will get many opportunities to practise the use of compresses, oiling’s, inhalations, herbal
teas and trusted homeopathic remedies as each session will have a knowledge sharing and highly practi-
cal component.
Date: Saturday mornings on May 19th, June 2nd & 16th 2018
Time: 9.30 am until 12 noon
Place: Parents Place, 87 Boundary Rd, Hamilton (opposite Migrant Centre)
Cost: $30. Coffee, tea, hand-outs included.
Maree Smith will be tutoring the course. Maree is a Registered Nurse utilising integrative therapies. She has been a registered
nurse for 30 years and divides her time between providing nursing care in a hospital setting in Hamilton and Encompass Health
Integrative Therapies.
The course is organised by Marion Koppenol from the Patients Rights Advocacy Waikato group.
We have 20 places available. Last day for enrolment and payment is 5 May 2018. Sorry, we unable to offer babysitting services.
For further information and enrolment form contact: Maree at [email protected] or phone Marion ph. 07 884 4108.
19th
May
Caring for flu, colds, and coughs, sore ears and throats.
How to support the immune system.
2nd
June
Fever- What is it all about? How do we confidently work with
fever as parents?
16th
June
Pictures of childhood illnesses-rhythm in children.
Anxiety and poor sleep.
Caring for the Sick Child at Home- Naturally
