This last week has given us a change in season. Djilba seems to be moving into Kambarang, giving us warmer weather and more colourful native flowers in bloom. It is a wonderful opportunity to observe the wide variety of plants and animals that are more visible at this time. A larger number of flowers can be seen around the school grounds, including the Donkey Orchid and Cowslip Orchid pictured below.

Teachers in Steiner schools work with rhythms in their classrooms. There is a rhythm to each lesson, a rhythm of the day, and a rhythm of the year. Rhythm and routine create a sense of safety for students, which improves learning outcomes. Taking time to observe the changing of the seasons is a way of acknowledging the annual rhythm of the earth. Another way of doing that as a school is to celebrate festivals.

In Term 3, the Primary School and High School students participate in the Djilba / Michael Festival. Students from multiple year groups work together as a team to complete a variety of tasks or challenges that encourage communication, courage, support and teamwork. It is a wonderful day that builds the sense of community and that the students have been looking forward to. The Primary Festival will take place on Wednesday from 12pm and the High School Festival will take place on Thursday.

Another annual opportunity our students have to practice courage and teamwork is by presenting a Class Play. This week Class 10B will be performing Jessica Swale’s ‘Blue Stockings’ on Wednesday and Thursday. Class 10’s focus on more dramatic plays that require the actors to express a wider range of emotions and nuance. This play presents a story of the first female University students and their quest for recognition. It is sure to be a wonderful production.

Last Friday, Class 5 students and families from all the WA Steiner Schools came together to compete in the annual Greek Olympics. This is a large event that requires much planning and preparation to be such a success. Thank you to all the staff, parents and students who were involved in this day. This includes the canteen for providing extra meals, and staff who created space for students from the visiting school to sleep in PWS classrooms overnight.

With much gratitude

Annabelle Kellenberger
Head of School

From deep in my heart this world I love -
The green, green hills and the mountains above,
The sea so blue and the sunlight gold,
And everthing that I behold.

And I become stronger as I grow,
For all of God's Angels are with me I know.
Angels of water, fire, earth and air,
Always stay by me. This is my prayer.

by Michael Hedley Burton / verse no. 52