From The Principal
Welcome home to Kamaroi for Term 4!
Well how extraordinary it has been to have our community reconnect! Teachers, staff, chickens, worms, the sunshine, the bees and the blossoms have all been able to share in the cacophony of smiling happy children resuming school. The resilience of the human spirit is certainly evident in the level of adaptability I have witnessed this week! Thank you for all the smiling eyes over masks and the warm communications that I have received from so many of you.
On behalf of all the teachers we also thank the ever thoughtful parent body and the grace of the children’s love that was imbued into a special welcome back song prepared and sent for us all on our first day back. ‘Can You Hear the Children Sing’, rang out themes of freedom, hearts beating, lights shining, sun rising and new beginnings that resounded deeply for us.
The current climate is a delicate one in which trust in how we work together has been needed more than ever. We have had to say goodbye at the gate, adjust to different routines and anticipate being part of a bigger collective in which we all bear influence on each other again - after such a long time of having the security of your dear children so close. Thank you for the faith that’s been enacted as you’ve released them back to our care. The ‘love in action’ from the teachers this week has been such a privilege to watch as they worked tirelessly to assure, soothe, encourage and re-establish the rhythms. The children's education truly is in their bones - I saw them able to so securely rest back into what they all know.
We welcome some new friends and families that join us this term and those who bravely joined class groups last term amidst lockdown. We also reunite with others past who are returning - all of whom are seeking some of the benefits the level of enrichment our curriculum offers and to be part of our vibrant community as we look forward to rebuilding our shared experiences together.
There are wonderful new beginnings as spring flourishes with its forces of renewal. Our library has had an incredible transformation with culling, shedding and reforming in ‘the Barn’ at the entrance of the school. Robert has once again been shoulder to the grind with a determined heart to have everything just right for the children! Library hit the ground running with lessons the first week back onsite, thank you Lisa and Bernie!
The building for Lilly Pilly is through its planning stages and we can expect some activity very soon. Please be assured the tradesmen will have their own entrance and exit points from the top with a new opening created on the northern side of the front gate. This will be screened off from the rest of the school for smooth days and uninterrupted running.
We enjoyed wonderful practical Parent Education from Lisa Devine last week on the temperaments and the children navigating the transition back to school. The slides from this are on the Wellbeing GLO tile that you can access. As well as Sandra's biodynamic gardening intro for families. Lila continues to bring a weekly playgroup as a way to connect whilst at home with little ones.
On a practical note:
We will resume our normal end of day routines with all children being released at the same time from Monday. The bell will ring slightly earlier to assist a natural dispersion of arrivals from 2.50pm. The alternative staggered pick-up hasn’t seemed to have made a significant change to the congestion. We will maintain the same pick-up areas.
Warmest,
Vanessa Snaith
.
In the Classroom and the Playground
Kamaroi Love In Action
In Term 2 Valentino from Class 3 began a project to make blankets for the homeless. Since then children and teachers have been busy knitting and crocheting and the pile of coloured squares is growing steadily. Valentino has begun edging squares at home and is ready to begin joining them for the first blanket, so watch this space… I’m sure we’ll have a photo of Vali with the first blanket in the next Bush Tele.
There is a selection of knit or crochet squares cast on in various colours in the craft room for anyone who feels inspired? Perhaps, like Selma, you’ll get hooked and make a pile of squares!
“Thank you to any families and individuals for your wonderful efforts towards the Class 3 knitted blanket project for the homeless. If you have any completed squares at home, please hand them in ……….. If you are willing and able to help assist in crocheting the squares together please contact
Katherine Balbi on 0425 201368”
Parent Association
Next PA Meeting
PA Meeting: Tues 26 October, 7.30pm
Join Zoom Meeting
Please join us on Zoom for the next Parents' Association Meeting. All Kamaroi parents are automatically members of the PA, and your attendance at the meetings is always welcome and encouraged. The agenda will include discussing ways of staying connected as a community during this time. We’ll also hear a short update from Vanessa and Michael. We look forward to ‘seeing’ you!
PA Committee: Katie, Mark, Dave, Cris, Dana, Natalie
Parent Education
Finding the Why of our lives - With Andrew Hill
Seven reasons why a meaningful education suits a post-COVID world - Pre-Recorded Zoom
This talk was given last year after the initial Covid lockdowns by Andrew Hill (Head Of School our sister school at Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School). He speaks to the relevance of what the children receive in our Steiner curriculum, which is a reassuring balm to some of the concerns we carry as parents and educators. We certainly know we are positioning our children in the right place.
Rudolf Steiner said a hundred years ago that ‘Our highest endeavour is to develop young men and women who out of themselves are able to impart meaning and direction to their own lives.” This message resonates deeply with us today. The current challenges of our times have shone a spotlight on the great need for young people today to be able to find direction, meaning and purpose in life out of themselves.
Hearth of the Heart - With Lisa Devine
You are invited to join these online gatherings to hold and nourish the fire and light of our hearts during the ongoing challenge of our time . All the questions of our lives may be gathered here and each meeting is open to all.
Mondays 2pm and Wednesdays 8pm
Join Zoom Meeting
Parent Study Group
Dear Kamaroi Community,
We are trying to organise a Group Study for parents from Term 4.
The Purpose
- Increase the knowledge about Anthroposophy in our community.
- Give insights about the spiritual nature of the human being.
- Learning how to meditate.
- Any other need that us parents would like to cover.
The Structure
- Once per month.
- It will be in the evenings, no longer than 2 hours.
- You can participate/ stop anytime you would like. However, if possible, we would prefer to maintain a consistent group.
- Initially will be by zoom but intending to be at school from next year.
- Lisa Devine will be our main teacher although there will be a couple of other teachers (from Sydney Rudolf Steiner College) willing to contribute to a few sessions, depending on the subject.
Subjects
We will have a general idea at first and some sessions will have a specific subject. Super open for parents’ inputs.
Background:
Together we become stronger!
A few years ago (before Vanessa was committed with soooo much) we used to have a group of parents meeting at school for some art/ craft and meditation. Doing as a group is more powerful than individually and we always loved to meet and have this experience together.
So we would like to rebuild this opportunity for our beautiful school’s community!
Please contact me if you are interested to know more about it or to participate!
Thank you
Cris
0410 140 990
Temperaments and Transitions with Lisa Devine - Pre recorded Zoom
For anyone who missed the last session with Lisa Devine on Temperaments and Transitions you can find the Zoom recoding here on GLO along with other past Parent Education Zooms.
We have also uploaded more materials to the wellbeing tile in GLO for the community.
Community Notices
Carpooling
Dear Kamaroi parents,
My name is Chiara (I was born in Italy) and my son Phoenix is starting in Year 2 today and we are both really excited to be joining the Kamaroi community!
Once I learnt more about the school, I had to enrol Phoenix, even though I’m going to be very stretched with work driving him to school and picking him up everyday.
We live in Avalon so I’m reaching out to some of you in Avalon, Bilgola, Newport, Palm Beach or Mona Vale to see if you’d like to connect perhaps for a coffee and see if we could help each other in the future with the commute to school? I will be working from home so I leave from and come back to Avalon every day.
My number is 0401 744 849 and my email is chiara.pazzano@gmail.com.
Thank you,
Chiara and Phoenix
Grass Roots Eco Store
Opal Cards for 2022
2022 school travel applications are now open
Students who need a School Opal card or travel pass for 2022 can apply now. A new application will need to be submitted if they are applying for a school travel pass for the first time, or if they are requesting an additional travel entitlement as a result of a new shared parental responsibility situation (e.g. joint custody).
Students who change address, school, campus location, or who have repeated a year or received an expiry notification from Transport for NSW for their school travel entitlement should renew or update their details before the end of term 4. This will ensure that schools can endorse applications and current entitlements are updated and remain valid. School Opal card holders will have the changes applied to their existing card
French Club
French Club - online learning for Term 4
What is the French Club about ?
One hour a week to learn the basics of French in a relaxed environment. By singing, playing, and interacting with other children, our students can delve into the language in a playful and effortless way. I am experienced in online teaching, keeping each class fun and engaging.
When
The French Club will run from Tuesday 19 October to Tuesday 14 December, from 4pm to 5pm.
As extracurricular activities are still not considered as essential, we will resume our classes online at least for the first part of the term. We hope to resume our regular face-to-face classes as soon as possible (from 8am on Tuesdays)!
Register now!
$180 for the term (9 weeks).
We can organise a free trial for your child, fees will be adjusted accordingly for late registrations.
Contact Marie
marie.rauturier@gmail.com / 0412 601 807
Simplicity Parent Course
Kamaroi Events
Kamaroi School Photos
Kamaroi school photos will on Tuesday 16th November.
You can order your photos here: https://www.jotform.com/form/212790275017858
Kamaroi Playgroup for Term 4
Term 4 - Zoom Playgroup for babies - 5 year olds!
The Kamaroi PA is delighted to be able to join forces with the wonderful Lila Garcia to bring our community a weekly Zoom playgroup.
When: Fridays in Term 4
Time: 10:30am - 11:30am
Where: Zoom
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84783955999?pwd=UFdFVXR4OStudmRVNk1zSWk4Wk5JUT09
Meeting ID: 847 8395 5999
Passcode: 975752 Sunshine Garden Playgroup
Lila Garcia is a Steiner trained educator who has been working with parents and their young ones for 20 years. She has been successfully running Sunshine Garden, a Steiner playgroup for over 10 years, both in Sydney and in America. Lila is also a trained Forest Kindergarten Teacher and a proud mother of four children.
Lila’s mission is to build community and support parents with young children in a nurturing environment where love, diversity, sense of wonder and reverence for nature are key elements.
Please register your interest HERE
Craft Helpers for Lilly pilly
It has been announced that we will have a new Lilly Pilly classroom next year for children in the year before Kindergarten. Plans are afoot to create a warm and welcoming classroom in the library with a new garden that will link to the Kindergarten garden. This is such exciting news and fills me with great joy and enthusiasm.
In normal times I would have loved to have a few working bees over this term order to create and make resources for our new classroom. Unfortunately it may be that we cannot meet together for most of this term.
So, I have another plan!
I would like to get expressions of interest from our current parents and families in the Kamaroi community. Would you like to help us with various tasks? The things I have in mind are making felt and knitted toys; dyeing material to make play cloths, cushion covers, bedding; making timber toys; gathering natural resources for the room such as seed pods, timber rounds, shells and rocks. Perhaps you have some good quality timber toys you would like to donate or some wicker baskets you no longer use?
Please contact me by email with your thoughts and offers and I will create a plan of action. I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Rose McCathie
Kindergarten Teacher
Kamaroi Key Dates
Term 4, 2021
Wednesday 15 December - Last Day, Term 4
Term 1, 2022
Wednesday 2 February - First Day, Term 1
Thursday 7 April - Last Day, Term 1
Term 2, 2022
Wednesday 27 April - First Day, Term 2
Friday 1 July - Last Day, Term 2
Term 3, 2022
Wednesday 20 July - Frist Day, Term 3
Friday 23 September - Last Day, Term 3
Term 4, 2022
Wednesday 12 October - First Day, Term 4
Wednesday 14 December - Last Day, Term 4
Kamaroi Kitchen
Tuesday October 26
Morning Tea
Bliss Balls GF/DF $1
Inari DF $1.5
Cheesy Sticks $1.5
Dark choc chips sultana chia seeds oat biscuits $2
Tomato cheese spelt scrolls $3
Apple blueberry turnovers $3 GF available upon request
Banana Mango lassi $3
Fruits cup $3
Lunch
Assorted sushi GF $3.5
Inari DF $1.5
Honey soy chicken vegetable donburi (rice bowl) GF/DF $5 Tofu version available
Wednesday 27 October
Morning Tea
Cheesy pizza slice $3
Olive and basil pizza $3
Gluten free pizza $4
Banana berry smoothie bowl GF DF $4
Watermelon Frappe $3
Lunch
Sausage roll Gf option $4
Spinach and feta triangle Gf option $4
Brown rice ball $3
Side of salad $3
Thursday October 28
Morning Tea
Bliss Balls GF/DF $1
Inari DF $1.5
Cheesy Sticks $1.5
Dark choc chips sultana chia seeds oat biscuits $2
Apple blueberry turnovers $3 GF available upon request
Tomato basil bocconcini bruschetta with wholemeal sourdough $3 GF available upon request
Banana cinnamon loaf GF/DF $3
Banana strawberry smoothie $3
Lunch
Assorted sushi GF $3.5
Inari DF $1.5
Vegan massaman curry with Tofu GF/DF $5
Tuesday November 2
Morning Tea
Bliss Balls GF/DF $1
Inari DF $1.5
Cheesy Sticks $1.5
Tomato basil bocconcini bruschetta with multigrain sourdough $3 GF available upon request
Dark choc chips sultana chia seeds oat biscuits $2
Apple blueberry turnovers $3 GF available upon request
Mango banana lassi $3
Fruits cup $3
Lunch
Assorted sushi GF $3.5
Inari DF $1.5
Lentil vegetable pie $4
Chickpea curry GF/DF $5
Fresh fruits based icy poles are available after lunch when warm/hot $2
Wednesday 3 November
Morning Tea
Cheesy pizza slice $3
Olive and basil pizza $3
Gluten free pizza $4
Banana berry smoothie bowl GF DF $4
Watermelon Frappe $3
Lunch
Sausage roll Gf option $4
Spinach and feta triangle Gf option $4
Brown rice ball $3
Side of salad $3
Thursday November 4
Morning Tea
Bliss Balls GF/DF $1
Inari DF $1.5
Cheesy Sticks $1.5
Anzac biscuits $2
Apple blueberry turnovers $3 GF available upon request
Banana mix berry smoothie $3
Cheese spinach gozleme $3 GF available upon request
Fruits cup $3
Lunch
Golden chicken curry GF/DF $5
Yellow dhal GF/DF $5
Inari DF $1.5
Assorted sushi GF $3.5
Fresh fruits based icy poles are available after lunch when warm/hot $2