This Week 

The Pabulum is filled with articles and news and activities galore. What a vibrant community! Thanks to all the contributors. 

Here’s a taster:

• Ride to School is coming up on Friday. Take the challenge to walk, ride or scoot. It’s fun!
• Beach Day is this Thursday, Class 8 and 9 PSC students will join PWS for fun and games on the beach near Coogee.
• Next term there is the Annual Clothing Market - start prepping to let things go and pick up beautiful new clothing.  
• The Djeran/Easter Festival next week holds themes of renewal, striving, connection and giving. This will be held during the school day for high school students.
• Sport News and opportunities to get involved - thanks Siobhan!

High School Information Evenings  Wednesday 27th March 6:30pm

Recently we have been presenting talks on the High School Journey from Class 7 to 12. These are informative ways to understand the whole journey.  It is is filled with valuable information, both for parents of primary aged children, and for those who already have students enrolled at Parkerville Steiner College. Please remember to register your attendance via the following link:

Book Now for the High School Journey Evening

Experience that Counts

At the PWS High School Information Evening, former student Arianwen spoke with passion and appreciation for the unexpected direction her life has taken which she links back to her experiences at school. 

Arianwen is currently at WAAPA studying music despite imagining earlier she would be studying dance.

Next year she is off to UWA to study Archaeology. She links her interest in Archaeology to her Main Lesson experiences - especially history & science. She explained that the holistic curriculum has been invaluable to her because it leads each individual to pursue and also value their own life’s meaning. She spoke eloquently and with passion from a grounded and wise perspective. Thank you Arianwen.

High School Buildings

We are excited to announce the next stage of building at Parkerville Steiner College. 

The recently published parent update can be found via the following link: Parkerville Steiner College Update

If you have specific questions and queries, please feel to contact us.

With gratitude

Bruce Lee
School Administrator

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In misty, moisty autumn air,
Summer lingers still through mellow days,
And light which glimmers gold and fair
Is dimmed and dulled by gentle veils of haze.

I myself can clearly see
How autumn, soft and slow, is creeping.
Summer gave herself to me
And now departs for winter-sleeping.

by Michael Hedley Burton / verse no. 23

la

Class 7

Ngoolyark (Class 7) News

I sit here on the back veranda; the setting sun sends a golden goodnight kiss to the tea tree while bathing her in warming ruby hues. The Coolgardie sings away to me excitedly, sharing all about the day that has just been.  And my heart fills with awe and wonder for purity of presence.

A similar feeling arose in me last week, when I looked out from the classroom windows, and much to my surprise saw the rain tumbling down upon the parched land. It felt mystical and magical, almost other worldly. We all let out a great whop of excitement, “The rain, the rain”, we all declared. I couldn’t believe how much gratitude I felt for this simple, common place event.

It is quite profound when simple moments present themselves to us, taking us off guard, bypassing all our weary predictable ways of doing and thinking, to gift us the preciousness of right here, right now. This simple moment.

Enough of my musings, onto the workings of Class 7!

This week we commenced The Healthy Human Being Main Lesson. Have you ever thought to consider how the elements of earth, water, fire and air are reflected in our bodies? It’s humbling to see how interconnected the human body and earth really are. Imagine the circulatory system pumping blood throughout our bodies much like the rivers and streams as they carry water throughout the planet, playing a vital role in sustaining life. Another example can be found in the life-giving warmth of the sun upon the planet and the way our own bodies generate warmth through our body temperature.

Over the course of the past few days, we have been exploring the amazing feat of the digestive system. Truly the more you discover the more you are amazed.

I will leave you with some very interesting facts about the digestive system.

• The salivary glands can produce up to 6 cups of saliva per day.
• The stomach is the size of a tennis ball when empty but expands to the size of a football when full!
• The acid in the stomach is so strong it could dissolve a nail.
• Our intestines total over 8 metres, we measured it with a rope, which we then tried to squeeze into a very tiny space - that’s a lot of intestine!
• The liver is the largest internal organ with over 500 jobs.
• We only need one kidney to stay healthy, but two is much better.

So next time you pop a little something in your mouth, give a little bow to the wonder of digestion!

In Gratitude,
Anne-Marie McShannon
Ngoolyark (Class 7) Teacher

_________________________________________________________________

Class 8

Class 8 Poetry and Art History

Following the first four weeks of Term 1 preparing for the Class 8 drama performance, the students took an inward breath as we explored the Art of Poetry. We took a walk down memory lane, reminiscing about childhood rhymes and clapping and skipping rhythms, linking these fond memories to the poetry that we hear, and read and of course also in the songs that we listen to. Students had the opportunity to play with words and images through writing a range of different short poems, some with set rules, and others which were more free flowing. Students composed a number of original poems including: Haiku’s, Limerick’s, rhyming tercets and quatrains, as well as a free verse simile poem, all of which were beautifully illustrated. Class 8 students were also introduced to poetic and literary devices during this Main Lesson, allowing them to begin to identify these techniques in other poems and also to begin to use them more consciously in their own writing.

From poetry, Class 8 are ending the term with a deep dive back in time to the pre-historic period and then on into Ancient Egypt, examining he fascinating and wonderful world of Art History. Last week the students explored the incredible art found in caves around the world over. We discussed the different pigments they used, the range of animals and figures portrayed, and some of the reasons they may have painted. Through examining paintings from caves in France, Spain, Australia, Indonesia, Africa and South America, students were shown a rich tapestry of pre-historic art and a range of images from coloured bison, etchings of felines and charcoal outlines of what appear to be rhinoceros in a French cave, to human figures, and caves with hundreds of handprints. Like humans the world over today, the pre-historic people wanted to document their stories, their lives and rituals, and leave their mark through art.

The final week and a half of the Main Lesson will find Class 8 exploring the artworks from Ancient Egypt, which they are very much looking forward to. There is a real leap in artistic prowess from the pre-historic time to Ancient Egypt in subject matter, their use of colour, and the materials they used to create art from and paint on. The Art History Main Lessons are such a wonderful opportunity for students to be exposed to many different artistic movements and cultures and to see how art has changed over time and what it tells us about these times and people. Class 8 got a glimpse of this diversity in our first lesson when they had work together to try and construct a visual timeline of the different art movements using a range of images of art from pre-historic works to contemporary paintings.

English & Humanities Teacher
Ethna Brave

Before School Activities

We are very excited to announce that we will be starting… Running Club! We will welcome students, staff, siblings, and parents to walk, run or jog with us on Friday mornings between 8am – 8:25am.

Running Club is all about having ago and moving our bodies, enjoying the company of friends and being proud of your own efforts. Meet us on the oval and be sure to bring your drink bottle.

Running Club will commence Friday week 1, Term 2.

If you would like more information or would like to register your interest, please email Siobhan on sjones@pws.wa.edu.au.

After School Soccer Club

Many of our students have a BALL playing soccer and we think it would be fantastic to give them an opportunity to engage in this sport together after school. We have not locked in a day for this yet, so if you have a soccer-loving student and you have some input on a day that would suit your family then please email me at sjones@pws.wa.edu.au

We will lock a date in by the end of the term and get some more details out to you ASAP, watch this space!

Equipment Donations

Recently we have had some wonderful community members and groups donate equipment to our schools sport program. We want to warmly thank Parkerville Netball Club and Fiona Malloch for their donation of Netball equipment and Panthers Basketball, Raiders Basketball and Anne Batten for the donation of Basketball Equipment.

Celebrating Sport

As some of the sporting seasons wrap up, we would love to celebrate the achievements of our students. If you have any news you would like us to share in the newsletter (e.g. Making finals, achieving a personal best..) please email them to sjones@pws.wa.edu.au.

Community Sport Opportunities:

Basketball

Registrations for the upcoming winter season for 2024 are now OPEN! Parkerville Basketball Club are looking for all players from U10s, U12s, U14s, U16s, U18s, U20s, and Seniors. Follow the link for registrations or email for more information. Registrations close April 5th 2024.

President.parkybasketballclub@gmail.com

https://www.playhq.com/basketball-wa/register/d91978

Soccer:

Perth hills United Football Club are excited to announce that registrations for the 2024 season are now open. ‘We have a wide range of teams and options from 4yo to Masters, so there is no excuse not to join. Whether you’ve been inspired by the performance of the Matilda’s, want to keep fit, or just want to enjoy a team sport, then we have something to offer. We’re also looking for Coaches for a number of teams’.

Running:

https://www.parkrun.com.au/register/

Parkrun is a free, community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer, or spectate. Parkrun is 5km and takes place every Saturday morning. Parkrun is positive, welcoming, and inclusive, there is no time limit, and no one finishes last. Everyone is welcome to come along.

Our local Parkrun:

• Mount Helena
• 8am Saturday Mornings

If you would like any further information on any of the activities listed above, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Siobhan Jones
Physical Education Coordinator

The last day of Term 1 will bring our Djeran Festival to mark the transition of the seasons as well as the arrival of Easter. As we embrace the spirit of change and growth, our students will participate in a day filled with learning, creativity, and unity.

Djeran, one of the six Noongar seasons, symbolises the time of adulthood in the lifecycle, a period of cooling weather, and an opportunity to prepare for the colder, darker months ahead. It's a time when the Noongar people focused on fishing and building shelters to prepare for the coming cold time, embodying human striving and the connection with nature's transitions. 

This festival will bring together our students across different year levels to learn from each other and create a sense of community. Class 7 will also contribute by planting a tree, representing growth and the nurturing environment of our school.  Following Main Lesson, our students will engage in various workshops designed to reflect the themes of nature's transitions, human striving, and preparation for the changing seasons. These hands-on activities will allow students to create items that are not only artistic but also meaningful.  One of their workshop creations will be gifted to a mystery friend in another class.

In the spirit of togetherness, we will end our celebration with a shared lunch. To add to the community spirit, we ask that Class 7 students bring hot cross buns (four per student to share) embodying the theme of Easter and its message of renewal. Class 8 are asked to bring savory finger food, and Class 9 are asked to contribute fruit and sweet finger food. A reminder email will be sent home in the lead up to the festival.

Meet our Design and Technology teacher Simon Griffiths.

Simon brings a diverse background to this role having spent time as a a farmer, an automotive mechanic, two decades as an educator, and as a father to three school-aged children.

Transitioning into the Steiner system, he's been struck by the school's profound dedication to nurturing each student's unique qualities, fostering an environment where every child can thrive and grow into their best selves.

He loves to spend time in the great outdoors camping and hiking with his family and his aim is to infuse our students with a love for learning and a sense of achievement, drawing from a rich tapestry of experiences.

Fun fact: at his previous school he had a colleague who said he was the first woodwork teacher she'd worked with that still had all his fingers!

Class 12 Projects

Class 12 Projects are an integral part of our students’ final year at Perth Waldorf School. The Project pedagogy is designed to help students explore soul-searching questions about who they are and how they fit in the world. By integrating all they have learned through a Waldorf curriculum, we aim to develop a diverse range of attributes, knowledge, and skills in our graduating students to support their future education, work, and life.

The Project is an immense undertaking, consisting of four key components: the Written, the Practical, the Oral Presentation, and the Journal. Students are well supported in their pursuits, and we are grateful to have dedicated staff at PWS who volunteer and show genuine interest in supervising individual students. Students are also required to seek external support from mentors who provide expertise in their chosen topic.

We have shared a list of some of the topic areas students are pursuing this year. If there is a topic that you feel you may be able to offer perspective on, please email us directly so we can put you in touch with students where appropriate. We value our school community and welcome your interest and possible investment in the Projects.

Our Class 12 students are engaging in research and developing a question to which they will spend the year striving to find an answer. We are excited to see their ongoing progress and look forward to sharing their insights and progress with you throughout the year.

Sharon Symes & Natalie Wheeler
Class 12 Project Coordinators