Filter Content
| March | |
| Fri 31st | PSC Class 7 Swimming |
| Fri 31st | PSC Class 8 Kayaking |
| April | |
| Tue 4th |
Class 9A Play "The Servant of Two Masters" 9am & 6:30pm - Bibra Lake Campus |
| Wed 5th | Class 9A Play "The Servant of Two Masters" 10:40am & 6:30pm - Bibra Lake Campus |
| Thur 6th | PSC Djeran Festival |
| Fri 7th | Public Holiday - Good Friday |
| Mon 10th | Public Holiday - Easter Monday |
| Tue 11th - Mon 24th | School Holidays |
| Tue 25th | Public Holiday - Anzac Day |
| Wed 26th | Pupil Free Day - Staff PD |
| Thur 27th | First Day of Term 2 |
Exciting News!
We are please to announce that Parkerville Steiner College now has its own website: www.parkervillesteiner.wa.edu.au
This is the first edition of The Parky Pabulum. We have created a newsletter that combines items from Parkerville Steiner College with relevant items from Perth Waldorf School. Innovation overdrive! We hope you enjoy it and urge you to subscribe via the link above.
This week we hear about everything from Medieval costumes and battles to Physics experiments. Enjoy hearing the stories and looking at the photos. It is brain stimulating to read about the Class 12 Projects from individual students - and this week we hear from Katie’s daughter, Charlotte Southall.
Gathering and Defining
Twice a year, delegates from Steiner schools across the country gather to work together under the umbrella of Steiner Education Australia. This year it was held at the lovely Samford Valley Steiner School. Until recently it was the only Steiner school in Brisbane and has a history similar to our own.
A theme of the meeting was how to articulate what are defining differences of Steiner schools when so much of the language about being 'holistic', 'creative', 'child centered' and 'meeting the needs of individual children' is used at all schools, as catch phrases and marketing spin.
For some people a defining difference is the feel of the school, there is often a softness and ease. For others it may be the environment of beauty and a mood of reverence that imbues the school and defines its difference.
One particular aspect of difference was highlighted at the gathering. It is the depth of understanding and interest a teacher takes in the children they are working with. Via the study of anthroposophy which underpins a Steiner School's ethos, there is a depth of curiosity by teachers in "what is needed of me for this child at this stage of development". At their best, the teacher is able to hold their own ego in check and let go of attachments to opinions and observe the child before them deeply. There is, in essence, a love for the spiritual development and unfolding of the child. The actions by the teacher stem from that. The actions required may include boundary setting, consequences and firm authority or they may be to provide inspiring stories, offer access to creative arts and provide nurturing care.
Central to the teacher's work which defines a point of difference is an understanding of the 7 year stages of development and what children need in each of these. The kindergarten, primary school and high school experiences of children at a Steiner school are the result of a deep and ongoing understanding of those 7 year stages.
The verse that was used for this particular meeting was a focus of meditation over the few days everyone gathered.
Further, we will learn to see the meaning in the community to which we belong.
We will comprehend our own community's relation to other communities,
. . . how it stands towards them;
And thus the several spirits of all these communities will piece themselves together
Into a purposeful spiritual design,
A picture of the single, united mission
. . . of the whole of humanity.
Rudolf Steiner
With Gratitude
Bruce Lee
School Administrator
O nature, you are as a mother to me,
Giving me strength and nourishing me.
I feel you near me and nearer still.
You fill me with fire - how strong is my will!
To be doing what's good is what I desire,
And I shall, for I'm filled with God's heavenly fire.
by Michael Hedley Burton / verse no. 26
Blank
bla
Class 8 Physics
The Physics of Air and Water
The PSC Class 8's have just finished the Physics of Air and Water Main Lesson, which is a continuation of the physics Main Lesson from Class 6.
During the Main lesson, students learnt about many aspects of air and water including buoyancy and density, Archimede’s principle, and the reasons why boats don’t sink, but submarines can both sink and float!
Much time was spent outside, carrying out interactive experiments. Students learnt about Torricelli’s Law, demonstrating how different streams of water ejected out from the holes of a giant pipe due to different amounts of pressure. The Laminar Flow was demonstrated by blowing up balloons and barometers were made with simple materials, observing and noting how the balloon behaved differently when it came into contact with heat and cold as a result of pressure.
Timothy Guo
Science Teacher
Water Sports
Parkerville Steiner College’s Term One Physical Education program takes advantage of the warm, sunny days by focusing on water sports.
Following on from their Camp at Woodman Point at the beginning of term, where the students learned to sail, flew at great heights on the flying fox, tested their limbs and courage on a vertical challenge and spent time swimming at the beautiful beach, Class 7 have spent this term’s PE lessons at Bilgoman Swimming Pool. How fortunate we are to have an Olympic sized pool in the hills. Each week the students rotated through three activities at the pool; in one activity they swam laps to build their fitness, endurance and stamina, in another activity they were taught swimming and survival skills by a qualified swimming teacher provided by the Bilgoman Pool, and in the third (and possibly favourite) activity there were fun games involving diving to the bottom of the pool to retrieve toys, floating balls, jumping and plenty of splashing!
Class 8 students began the term with a unit of Volleyball, where each week they learned the skills for ball handling, including accurate serving, digging and setting. They mastered the art of rotating their court positions and very quickly learned the importance of clear communication and teamwork. The second half of the term has seen the Class 8’s head off in the bus each week to Ascot Kayak Club for lessons with Paddle WA. Each week the talented instructors guide the students to build on the skills involved in paddling forwards, backwards, sideways, in circles, in and out of obstacles, and recovering from a capsize. It has been wonderful to hear the students laughing, encouraging their friends, and to see the students who struggle to manoeuvre their kayak in a straight line to keep going, persisting despite the challenge.
Donna Bieundurry
Physical Education Teacher
High School Beach Day
Last week PWS and PSC joined in on the annual High School Beach Day at John Graham Reserve- Coogee Beach. The sun was shining on us as the students were able to enjoy a range of activities in a social and fun atmosphere.
I was so proud of how accepting and inclusive our students were in their teams and especially how our senior Class 11 and 12 students stepped up as leaders of their groups.
Physical Education Coordinator/Teacher
High School News - Bibra Lake Campus
Class 9 Play
The Servant of Two Masters
The Class 9A students have been working tirelessly on their Drama Main Lesson play The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni, adapted by Nick Enright and Ron Blair. It has been an absolute pleasure to be working with a talented, caring and enthusiastic group of young people on a comedy, exploring comical movement and quick repartee of dialogue. The play was written in 1746 with large sections of the play structured to accommodate improvisation however Goldoni revised the play in 1789 and is the version that stands today.
The play is a comedy featuring some of the classic stock characters from the Italian form of comedy, Commedia Dell ‘Arte, it is a wonderful example of physical buffoonery, mistaken identity and love interests that too easily go awry. Set in Venice in the mid 1700’s the ever-hungry Truffaldino gets himself into a pickle when he decides to serve two masters at the same time in the hope that he can double his income and food intake!
Williams Hall, Perth Waldorf School.
Ticket prices: Adults $5.00 and Students $2.00
Performances: Tuesday 4 April 9.00am, cast 1 and 6.30pm Cast 2
Wednesday 5 April 10.40 am Cast 2 and 6.30pm Cast 1.
Class 10 Physics
Class 10 Science Teacher
Class 12 Projects
blank
Charlotte Southall
Hi, my name is Charlotte, and this year, I will be exploring the question:
Are choice and control the determining factors in ensuring women have a healthy and fulfilling birth experience?
I've always been fascinated by the idea of birth and the fact that you can grow another human inside you- it has always amazed me. I've also always loved babies and wanted lots of children. This is why when we were asked to think of a topic for our project, my mind went straight to birth. Until recently, however, I hadn't thought about how every birth experience is different and how each can have a tremendous impact on the mother and her baby. I thought more about this when I went to a university open day and stumbled across the midwifery course. My now mentor Emma Ritchie was running a program on midwifery which deeply interested me and sparked my project idea.
For a while, I explored the ideas behind natural childbirth and highly medicalised births and how the birth experience has drastically changed over history. Until the late 18th century, birth was an exclusively female event, managed only by midwives and close female relatives. This change became complete when, in the 1920s, the medical model of birth began to emerge, as the heavy use of obstetrics became increasingly popular. This research led me to the idea of choice and control playing a significant role in the birthing experience and the outcome.
Something I find particularly interesting is the rising caesarean rates over the past two decades. In 2020, 37 out of 100 births in Australia were by caesarean section, which is higher than the global average of 28 per 100 births in developed countries. Even more interesting is that the cause of this steep rise is virtually unknown. Compared to homebirth statistics in the same year, the numbers are very different. In 2020 only 0.5 percent of births in Australia took place at home. My aim with this project is not to judge or criticise people's choices but to understand why women might make certain decisions and explore how being given space to make these choices can provide benefits.
In terms of my practical, I am still working on an idea that relates directly to my question, but seeing as I haven't ever given birth myself, I feel it is really important for me to connect with people who have.
It is, for this reason I would welcome anyone who has given birth or who is expecting a baby and may be interested in connecting with me to make contact. I am curious about prospective mothers' thoughts and stories, and it would be an incredible honour to hear them and also to experience first-hand diverse perspectives. Feel free to contact me at charlotte.southall@iinet.net.au.
It is a whole new experience this year, having the opportunity to dive deeply into one specific topic. Although it is sometimes difficult to research so much into one thing and often easy to get lost down a rabbit hole of ideas, I think my extreme fascination with this subject will help keep me invested and on track. Hopefully, over the course of this year, I will gain new ideas and perspectives that will help me out in the world when I have left school.
BLANK
Tahlia Crawford
Hi, my name is Tahlia Crawford, and I am a Class 12 Student. This year I am asking the question:
How can the composition of the gut microbiome influence mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety?
I have always been fascinated with the human body and how it is impacted by our actions. Towards the end of last year, I decided that I wanted my Year 12 Project to reflect this idea. Midway through 2022, due to health conditions, I was put on a nutritional treatment plan and an Antimicrobial Diet to reduce symptoms of Gastrointestinal Discomfort and support my microbiome. During this time, I started looking at how environmental and pharmaceutical factors influence our body (especially the gut microbiome) and how gut dysbiosis can affect our brain's function, development, and behavior. The term dysbiosis refers to when the gut becomes imbalanced due to either a loss of beneficial bacteria, an overgrowth of bacteria, or incorrectly situated bacteria. This idea sparked my interest, and as I began to research it more, it became evident just how important the gut is and how significant it can be in mental health. I was shocked when I read an academic article stating that gut microbiome dysbiosis had been identified in many neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism, schizophrenia, and depression. This made me decide to encompass mental health in my question as well.
Devastatingly, approximately 280 million people suffer from a form of depression, and 290 million people suffer from a form of anxiety (pre-COVID-19 statistic). These statistics saddened me, but they also made me question how it is that the gut is still so overlooked, even by medical professionals, considering the undeniable link between it and the brain. My project examines how gut microbiome dysbiosis can be caused and how it can influence mental health.
For my practical, I plan to run a series of lessons with students in the high school community, where I will bring awareness to the external factors that influence our body, for example, food, and why it impacts our body the way it does. I also hope to publish a small article in a newspaper or online column to reach the broader community and help spread awareness.
So far, the project process has been smooth, and I feel I have good foundations to work off for the upcoming terms. Something interesting I have found with my project is that people are either extremely familiar or unfamiliar with it. No matter which one, I always learn something from these conversations. Whether it is how to better explain a concept or idea or expanding my own way of thinking to better understand someone else's thought processes. I believe the gut is not given anywhere near enough recognition, and I look forward to bringing more awareness to it as the year progresses.
Parkerville Steiner College Djeran Feast
In order to celebrate the beginning of Djeran and the end of Term One, Class Seven and Eight Parkerville Steiner College students will be gathering for a shared Djeran Feast on Thursday 6th of April. Djeran is the Noongar season of adulthood, which brings welcome respite from the searing summer heat in the form of cooler nights, light breezes and the presence of dew on the plants in the early mornings. Traditionally this was the time of year to nourish and prepare the body for the cold of Makuru.
Aligning with this time of nourishing we will be asking Class Seven and Eight families to provide some homemade and if possible seasonal food that we can share as part of the celebration. On the day, students will also take part in landscape planning and the planting native plants on the school grounds as we further beautify our wonderful new campus.
Ethna Brave
Secondary Assistance Scheme
The State Government through the Western Australian Department of Education provides an allowance to assist eligible families with secondary schooling costs.
Parents/guardians must apply for the Secondary Assistance Scheme each school year (annually) - applications do not carry forward to future years.
To be eligible for the allowance the parent/guardian must hold a Department of Human Services (Centrelink) or Veterans' Affairs card that represents a statement of income for the family.
The allowance consists of two components:
- $115 Clothing Allowance paid directly to the parent/guardian.
- $235 Educational Program Allowance paid directly to the school.
Application is made by the parent or guardian for student/s enrolled in Years 7-12 studying a full-time secondary course at a Western Australian non government (private) school.
School Attendance
Regular attendance at school creates continuity for your child’s social integration and learning journey.
Parents/Caregivers may contact the school at any time to inform us of an absence by using the following options:
By email: parkerville@pws.wa.edu.au
By text: 0492 921 763
Please indicate your child's name, reason for absence, date of absence and anticipated duration of absence.
Email Communication
The classification of the email as legitimate or spam is determined by the recipient's email provider. Each provider has its own unique system for deciding this, which can include the use of specific keywords, among other factors. As senders, we have no control over these systems and how they classify our emails.
Payments of School Fees in 2023
An Invoice for Fees and Charges is issued each term. Your Term 2 Invoice will be issued in the second week of the school holidays. Kindly email account@pws.wa.edu.au or see reception if you have not received your Invoice by Thursday 27th April. Payment in full is due by Friday 5th May, as per your Fee Agreement.
blank
