Dear GHSS Families,

A warm welcome to the 2021 school year and to our new and returning families! 

Since our final newsletter last year, we farewelled our Graduating Class 6's in a moving Graduation Ceremony on the last day of school which was followed up by an Indian-themed evening organised by the parents and enjoyd by the staff, graduating students and their families.  Thank you and well done to the parents for their organisation of such a memorable event.

The end of the year also saw the announcement of our successful application to plan extension of our year levels to include a middle school, beginning with Class 7 for 2022!  We have already begun working on this and are intending to hold an information session for parents early next term.

The Australia Day event run by the Denmark Shire saw a dedicated band of staff and parents sizzling sausages and selling kombucha on behalf of Denmark Shire to raise funds for our Kitchen Garden Classroom.  Many thanks to Theresa Stockdale, Lesley Wybenga, Rangi Schwartz, Bill Hollingworth, Neal Collins, Oona Mansour and Robyn Miller who joined me for the afternoon and assisted in raising $1250.  Many thanks also to the shire for this wonderful opportunity.

The school was also abuzz in mid-January with staff from Golden Hill, West Coast and Yallingup Steiner schools who spent a week engaging in professional learning around the curriculum content for their classes for 2021.  It was a fabulous and soul-nourishing week for all involved. 

The Saturday before school began was also a wonderful celebration of the sense of community that exists at Golden Hill Steiner School, when over 50 family members - parents, grandparents and children - from our school joined together at our Busy Bee to make our school shine for the first day of 2021!  Many thanks to organiser extraordinaire, Katja Lamb, for drawing that all together. 

The Rose Ceremony on the first day of school saw us welcome ten Class 1 students and their class teacher, Melanie Trenow, to begin their school journey through the primary years.  Melanie is new to the school, joining us from Spirit of Play and we welcome her to our school.  We also have two staff members from last year taking on new classroom roles this year.  Renee Schipp will be in Class 3 two days a week and Kate Woodward will  continuing with the Learning Support role and will also be in Class 4/5 for one day a week.

A new school year brings a new opportunity to play a part in your child's class by fulfilling the role of Class Carer.  Many thanks to those parents who have filled this role in the past.  Your assistance is always gratefully received by the staff.  For those wondering what the role of a Class Carer entails, a copy of the Class Carer Handbook can be found on our website.

We have two staff members in the school who had to travel to Perth over the weekend and as such are complying with the COVID-19 Phase 4a recommendations for the wearing of masks as a precautionary measure.  They complied with all measures whilst in Perth and had limited contact with others whilst there, so there is no reason to suspect that they pose any risk to the health and safety of the staff and students at Golden Hill Steiner School.  Both staff are able to teach in the class without a mask for the purposes of clear enunciation.  Should you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to be in contact with me.

Thank you to everyone for their efforts in ensuring a smooth start to the school year!

Warm regards,

Jacqui Hamblin

Principal

OHH MY!!  Wasn’t it good??!  The back-to-school Busy Bee was, once again, an absolute joy-filled cracker.  Not only did we tick a pile of things off the ‘To Do’ list, we connected and re-connected, nattered and laughed, shared, smiled and settled our selves back into our Glorious School.  My heart-squeezing thanks to every pair of hands that came along.  I'm gonna take a risk and name you all BUT if you see a name missing, PLEASE do let me know as the mortification would just be too horrible.  Plus I sent along an attendees list to the office for Parenting Hours…

So here we go..

Thanks to Shannon for the fence building for Karri Kindy (again…!), David S and Mike M for their chippie work, Carl for his many hats and Jacq and Via for the window cleaning and sausage turning, Lisa and Lesley for their Class 6 busyness and Dianne H for her weeding wisdoms, Ryan and Jane are such incredible stalwarts with countless barrows to their names and now to a trench to keep the kyk at bay.  Brad was a bloomin’ marvelous machine and Mark kept him company in sanding, fluffing and de-cluttering, Kirsten I thank you for your puzzle-making of the tables and Kylie and Solana, hooray for your wheelbarrowing endurance!  Leif not only sorted some long needed safety issues with some paving, he kept a merry bunch of kid-lets busy doing and helping (and smiling xx).  Legend!  Erin and Rangi blessed Neal with their company and came away utterly filthy (truly, you should have seen their knees!). Kylie also got stuck in and Bugs worked on the orchard doors. Ana was a pocket rocket once again and now the four square area looks as pretty as a button.  Laura and Mat with Nada and Olly brought their generous energy to Karri (and many truly delicious children) and I'm sure I can hear the laughter still echoing under the Peppi trees.  Emma and Dan joined them and oh my I reckon the Karri Kinder family is now fit-to-bursting with their bright smiling energy.  Jewels worked through a magic mountain of books in the library and dear Therasa made sure we all ate something scrumptious at the barbie.

And then there were all the many little people helpers who jumped in when asked.  A particular thanks from me to Mana who, from his own thoughtfulness, offered his help, in many ways, throughout the day… you are a fine, fine fellow.  So thank you children.  You are why we do what we do.

Lastly, a mighty High 5 to the teachers who were able to come along and help direct traffic.  Neal, Lisa, Ellen and Jacq… hooBloomin’ray! for you all.=)

If I’ve missed you, (gently) kick me … and let me know pretty please.  I'm good with apologies and cake.

That’s me for now …. Kat

A reminder to all families that children are required to wear a hat outside in Term 1 and Term 4 - please make sure your child has a hat with them every day.

Thank you!

We have got off to a wet and muddy start at Bush Babies Playgroup.  We meet at the Earth Station on Tuesday mornings, 9.00am till 12.00pm. Our play is Earth centred and our work is sharing heart space for a more connected world, weaving a new story.

We welcome you to come along and bring some fruit to share, spare clothes and a towel.

Class 4-5 Parent Meeting this coming Friday 12^th of February, 3pm in

Class 4-5.

Hope to see you there!

It was lovely to welcome back the children and begin our journey in a new space.  The room feels great and the children and I are very happy to be there.  Both classes have begun a grounding and creative main lesson of Form Drawing.  It feels like the perfect start to the school year.  Form drawing has long been associated with Steiner Education, not only for its beauty but what it brings to each individual child and the class as a whole.  Form drawing is the freehand drawing of lines, patterns and structures.  The lines and curves with which the forms are built up are recognizable within each form.  The many geometric forms of flowers, honeycombs, spirals and shells are recognizable as we make our way through the main lesson and into freehand geometry.

Form drawing for children has the capacity to develop an integrated sense for spatial orientation – upwards, downwards, left, right, centre, periphery and symmetry.

Form drawing and geometry is part of our numeracy main lesson in both Class 4 and 5.

For those who are new to the school or existing parents who haven't already done so, we would love for you to download the Schoolzine App to your phone.  It's a one stop shop where you can access the school calendar, newsletters, send absentee notes, access forms and documents and more!

The instructions to install the Schoolzine app can be found here - 

In order for a community to stay healthy and grow, each member plays a part.  By meeting each other gently, offering support, friendship, respect and care for each other and our physical environment, we are building a sense of belonging.  We are leading our children by example as we interact with each other, form friendship bonds and care for the buildings and grounds they spend their school days in.  To ensure our community stays healthy it is important that parents and carers offer assistance and support through the Family Participation Hours (FPS) scheme.

There are many ways to make a contribution –

• Joining committees or the School Board
• Attending Busy Bees
• Being a Class Carer
• Attendance at school events
• Offering cakes for special events
• Gardening & woodwork
• Taking home a little laundry for a class teacher
• Participating in various craft
• Making a costume
• Offering child minding
• Helping with office work
• Offering help with fundraising…

Our school is nurtured and maintained by parent participation and effort.  To maintain a lively, healthy school we need ongoing interest and participation for the social and financial wellbeing of the school, and in fact, the very existence of the school.

To spread the help needed equally through the school community we have created the following compulsory time contribution: 10 hours per family per semester.  Each family situation is different and some parents can and like to offer more than 20 hours a year.  For others who either can’t or prefer not to participant we have created the following alternative contribution: $10 per hour which will be invoiced towards the end of each semester.  Family Participation Hours can be recorded by notifying office staff or completing the FPS Form and handing it in to the office.

Every Wednesday morning from 9 till 11 we gather to gift our energy to the school grounds in Garden Group.  We also get to tick off some parenting hours and natter and chatter our way to morning tea.  You don’t need to have green thumbs, not a bit.  Just a willingness to join in, share and learn.  Little ones are especially welcome.  It’s a darn fine way for them to spend time getting to know the school whilst in your company and meet other little’ns that they may go on to be classmates with.  Double win!  Sometimes we weed, sometimes we create and sometimes we earn our cuppa through some wheelbarrow oomph-ing.  The gardening successes are so sweet, the company and conversation even finer.

Give me a hoy, or meet at the office Wednesday's after drop off.

Kat in the Hat