Wow! Did we feel the full force of the Summer sun today! Not many days left of term, but a timely reminder to ensure that children have hats for outdoor time at school, are wearing appropriate clothes that cover their shoulders and are drinking plenty of water to keep well hydrated on hot days!

Thanks to the P&F for an awesome inaugural ice-cream day! A number of WA Steiner schools have an ice-cream day in terms 1 & 4 as a fundraiser and soup and dahl days in the winter months. Helping out is a great way to tick off some family participation hours.

Way back in 2016 the school applied for and was successful in securing a Capital Grant Funding to complete an upgrade to our administration and staff amenities areas. The upgrade will provide us with a sick bay and locate our administration staff all in one place. It will ensure a less crowded reception area and provide sufficient office and desk space for all staff. The staffroom will allow better preparation space for staff, as well as improved ablutions and lunchroom and meeting space facilities. Initial work will begin before the end of the year with completion scheduled for the end of February. We will do everything in our power to minimise disruptions during the construction process but we ask for your patience as we manage any unforeseen hiccups during our transition.

As the year draws to an end, I would like to acknowledge staff who will not be joining us in 2020:-

We have made some changes to our Playgroup structure for 2020 and would like to take this opportunity to thank Lyzette Stevens for her efforts in our Playgroup since Jade’s departure.

Jan Pickles has been teaching at Golden Hill Steiner over the last 3 years, initially as a relief teacher. She then took on Class 1 in 2018 and this year has had Class 1 / 2. She will be deeply missed by staff, students and parents alike. We wish Jan all the very best in her new endeavours.

And last, but by no means least, after many years of involvement at Golden Hill Steiner School, as a parent, staff member and member of our founding body, Cultura, Mary Lou Small will be retiring at the end of this year. She has had such an impact on the development of many students, staff and the school generally over those years. Whilst she will be greatly missed, we wish her well in her retirement. I am sure she will have no trouble in managing to fill her extra leisure hours.

We have a number of exciting developments to look forward to for 2019. The P&F are working on bringing our Kitchen Garden Classroom to fruition, we have applied for funding to upgrade our playground facilities, we welcome Kylie Collyer as our playgroup leader and there are a number of other exciting new initiatives we would like to make happen…a school shop…library…watch this space!  

In the meantime, keep cool. See you all on Friday at the Christmas Carols Concert.

Warm regards

Jacqui Hamblin

Principal

As the last weeks of term rush by, it is  lovely in the kindergarten to slowly build up our advent stories and songs.

In making the season meaningful for young children Silver Birch kindergarten has slightly adapted the more traditional advent verses.

The first light of advent is the light of stones, stones that live in crystals, seashells and bones

The second light of advent is the light of plants, plants that reach up to the sky and in the breezes dance

The third light of advent is for animals one and all, animals that we care for from the big down to the small

The forth light of advent is for people everywhere, people who know how to think and love and share

In celebrating the mineral, plant, animal and human worlds we are able to bypass the materialistic marketing  and northern hemisphere imagery that we find in the shops

Seashells, gumnuts and crystals adorn our advent candles.  Wallabies, lizards and magpies feature in our advent morning circle.

As the season of Kambarang makes way for Birak we can relate the happenings in our natural world to the coming of Christmas. 

Wishing everyone a lovely end to the school year

Please be informed that the Mt Barker Dental Van will closed from  Friday 20^th December 2019 to 3^rd February 2020. We will re-open at Mt Barker Community College on the Monday the 3^rd February2020.

In an emergency only, please phone GDC Albany between 8.15.- 4.30 0r Mt Henry Dental Therapy on 1800 098 818 . After hours emergency, please contact your private dentist in town or the nearest hospital. Have safe holiday.

Many thanks,

Regards

The Dental Team

Dental Therapy Mobile I Dental Health Services

C/- Mt Barker Community College, Woogenellup Road, MOUNT BARKER WA 6324

Ph: 0437 486 143I Fax: 08 9841 5137

mountbarkermobile@dental.health.wa.gov.au I www.health.wa.gov.au I www.dental.wa.gov.au