The Social form and Administration of our School

We belong to the worldwide family of over 1000 Waldorf schools, each of which strives to meet the indications given to us by Rudolf Steiner for a unique way of working with one another in community.

From the first day, in the youngest of classes, the teacher already begins to lay a basis for class community. Over the years the children get to know and to love one another by working, playing and rubbing shoulders together. Every day as the children receive their lessons and daily tasks, they discover the qualities within one another when they tackle the tasks together in the classroom. Through this strong connection with one another, they develop together over the years, the art of building community.

In the administration of our school we strive to work together within the same ethos that is developed in the classroom. Our central task is the care of the children, and the responsibility for their education is carried by our College of Teachers. Of course, we do welcome parents who wish to become more involved in the life of our school. It is so important for the children to see and feel the effects of their teachers and parents working side by side in this caring.Responsibilities for our school fall within various portfolios and within these portfolios, mandate groups have formed, where teachers, Board of Trustee members and parents can work together to accomplish the tasks. In this week’s grapevine, for example, you will read news from the recycling mandate group and see an ad prepared by members of the Craft shop mandate.

A simplified list of the various portfolios has been drawn up to give you an idea of how the responsibilities of the school are shared. The name of the person listed alongside that portfolio is the present chairperson or representative for that portfolio.

Over the coming weeks we will bring you details of the various mandates where more parent involvement is needed.

This week we invite parents to become involved in our Bursary Mandate. Yumnaa Firfirey of our Board of Trustees has offered to take this mandate under her wing and to bring fresh new energy and ideas to boost the funds and encourage sponsorships for pupils. Please contact Glenda Muhl at school if you would like to join Yumnaa on the Bursary Mandate.

Our organic market held at school each Friday from 11am to 3pm needs helpers who can set up help with the cashing up on a roster basis every week. Please contact Jeanne 0822150764.

Our 2009 Parents Handbook with helpful and practical information about our school will be posted to each family together with school fee accounts at the end of this month.
In this handbook you will find more details of our school vision and mission, management, behavior codes, teachers’ telephone numbers etc.

Times are a-changing when we need traffic control on our school grounds!  Pupil numbers have increased and this - coupled with the effect of the fencing off of previous parking spots - has more drivers and their vehicles vying for the limited space at the front of the school.  

We invite you to take note of the attachment to this Grapevine which details a map of the allocated parking areas for teachers, parents and other visitors as well as some suggestions for parking management. 
Thanking you - Estate Management

Constantia Waldorf
Sandwich Drive
Dear parents, please pack an 
extra sandwich for your children on Thursdays as this will be distributed to disadvantaged children.  We hope that this seed that we are planting in our children will turn into a lifetime of giving.  Well done class 5 for bringing the most sandwiches this week – Thurs 12th Feb.

Jean-Paul and Trish had a quiet cry into the clean white recycling bin at the tuck shop, on account of a bag of tomato and onion peelings with cigarette stompies and other indelicacies. True, we did manage to salvage for recycling a torn copy of ‘Sense and Sensibility”, but we dared not reach further down into the dirt to rescue the besmirched bottles.
Is it fair to ask us to dig through your food scraps etcetera to get to your recycling? No. It is not fair, or nice, or good, or kind.  One needs to have one’s own Black Wheelie Bin at home, into which one puts one’s own dirt.  Only clean, recyclable material is brought to school, and this is delivered to Jean-Paul at the depot at the top of the driveway.
The tuck shop bins are solely for immediate use by those using the tuck shop area. The bins behind the craft shop are Designated Bins for Classroom Collection of Recycling Only. 
Remember SCARAB for simple, clean and rejuvenating.  When we have a recycling hut with flowers growing on the roof, we will be able to add ‘and beautiful” for the ‘B’. 
Thank you - Trish Lague

Please pop into the craft shop andbe delighted by the range of gifts, crafts, stationary, Bio Dynamic household cleaning products and much more.
We have new stock of Back to school items: Pencils, pens, rulers, erasers, compasses, aprons, beanbags, skipping ropes, 2009 Diaries, calendars and moon calendars.
We are also very pleased to announce that the craft shop now carries a wonderful selection of anthroposophical books – some brand new and some out of print (and often difficult to come by).  There are children’s story books, books on festivals in the home.
Fabulous 100% cotton new Kixi-D aprons + kids-wear just arrived! New stock, come and look!
The Shop is now open from Monday to Saturday 9 am to 1 pm.  On Fridays we are open until 3 pm along with the wonderful growing organic market.

FAIR News

Only 6 weeks left till our much anticipated Fair takes place.  Watch this  space for more details as well as the programme for this fun-packed day!

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
17th Feb – Cl. 2 Parents Evening
18th Feb – Cl. 12 Parents evening
21st Feb – Cl. 5 Games & sleep-over
24th Feb – Cl. 6 & Cl. 11 Parents Evening
24th Feb – Cl. 1 Parents Evening
25th Feb – Cl. 3 & Cl. 8 Parents Evening
27th Feb – Rudolf Steiner’s Birthday
2nd – 7th Mar – Cl. 11 Parzival (This is the new date)
3rd Mar - Kindergarten & Playgroup Parents Evening

Adult Eurythmy with Caroline Hurner.  Seven Wednesdays.  11 Feb—25 Mar from 18h00 to 19h00.  Anthroposophical Society, Group Room, 18 Firfield Rd, Plumstead.  R30 per session.  Phone Caroline 0769799388 or 021 7616746.

Eurythmy – the dynamic new art of movement.  Relaxing and rejuvenating evening sessions.  Mon & Wed 6.30pm at the Centre for Creative Education – 4 Victoria Rd, Plumstead.  Beginning 16th Feb 2009.  All welcome! Kairos Eurythmy Training Programme also offers a B.A. in (dance) Eurythmy.  Part & full-time courses.  Enquiries: 021 797 6802

To let: Kirstenhof/Norfolk Park.  2x Bedrooms, lounge/dining room.  Modern kitchen, oven, hob.  Secure parking.  Immediate occupation.  R4 200 or nearest offer.  Phone Lorraine Fox 0844562767 or 021 7158748.

Accommodation needed: A 2 bedroomed dream spot with privacy, required for mom and daughter (2150.  already furnished, secure  with lots of light, space and sea view or close proximity to Constantia Waldorf School.  Needed by March/1st April.  Boyes Dr, St James, Constantia, Hout Bay plus parking bay for 1 car.  Phone 021 7821104 or 0829543866.

Accommodation offered: A week at Pinelake Marina from 15th—22nd December ‘09.  Four sleeper, self-catering cottage - lots of activities available e.g. squash, paddle boats, trampoline, DSTV etc.  Cost—R6 800.  phone 082 293 3204. 

Reconnect: Directed pressure point technique is a safe, gentle and highly effective method to restore, balance and maintain the body’s natural process of self-healing.  Reconnects and balances the chemical, emotional, mental and physical body.  DPPT is beneficial for everyone from infants to elderly, greatly enhancing the body’s capacity to maintain optimum wellness (good for all those sore backs).  Shaun Blatcher is a qualified DPPT Practitioner.  Contact Shaun at 021 7883101 or 0835224767.

Au Pair Service: I am a certified au pair who studied at the Mary Poppins  Au Pair College.  I work for R45 p/hour and am available to start immediately. 
Please contact me at 084 588 0853 or email kayle26@hotmail.com

Music Teacher and Gym Teacher Required: Khanyisa is a Waldorf school for children who have learning disabilities.  We require a Music teacher and Gym Teacher for Grades 4 – 12 to start in February 2009. The applicant needs to: Be a qualified Music teacher / Be a qualified Gym Teacher / Be committed to the development of the school and the school community. 
Please fax your CV to 021-7611709 or email admin@khanyisaschool.co.za