Leaflet 34 – Michael Oak Leaflet

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WEEKLY LEAFLET 34

October 30, 2026

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Dear Michael Oak Community

It’s been a busy week around the school as everyone has been working hard to get ready for the Fair tomorrow! We’re looking forward to a wonderful day and hope to see many of you there. There is plenty to look forward to in this week’s Leaflet, including a farewell to Declan Griebelaar, our Sports Coordinator, and the release of the October issue of Ink & Oaks, the High School newsletter.

A few important notices for parents: please remember that school will be closed on Wednesday 4 November due to the Local Government Elections, and there will be no classes on this day. Our WhatsApp number for reporting student absences has also changed to 068 840 9186. Please update your contact details and use this number when notifying the school of your child’s absence.

We hope you enjoy this week’s Leaflet and look forward to seeing you at the Fair tomorrow!

Kyle Snapper
Marketing

The Fair Notice Board

Days

Hours

Minutes

Seconds

Our Family Fair Is Tomorrow!

The excitement is building as we prepare to welcome everyone to the Michael Oak Family Fair tomorrow, Saturday 31 October!

Our Class 6 parents, together with families and staff from across the school, have been working hard to bring everything together, and we’re looking forward to a wonderful day.

There will be live music, entertainment, delicious food, handmade crafts, games, a book stall, the ever-popular Ghost House, flowers, plants and plenty more to explore. We’re also delighted to have Riaad Moosa joining us as our MC.

Don’t forget our Art Wall raffle, featuring beautiful artworks generously donated by artists from our extended community – tickets are . Raffle tickets are available for R20, with the draws taking place at 15h30.

Everything You Need to Know

Date: Saturday 31 October 2026
Time: 10h30–16h00
Venue: Michael Oak Waldorf School, 4 Marlow Road, Kenilworth

Entrance fees

Adults: R25 (includes an entry into the Art Wall or Craft raffle)

Pensioners and children over 4: R15

Please note: Our Fair is cashless. Payments can be made by card or SnapScan.

Bring your family, invite your friends and come and enjoy a day at Michael Oak. Everyone is welcome!

A big thank you to our Class 6 parents, the whole school community, the organising team, volunteers, donors and everyone who has contributed towards making this year’s Fair possible.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Fair Raffle! 🎟️

Stand a chance to win one of our lovely crafting hampers! Tickets are R20 each and can be purchased at [insert location]. Winners will be drawn at 3pm. Good luck!

Food list & Entertainment Programme
(Click to enlarge)

Fair Parking

Marlow Road will be treated as a one-way.
The Drop and Go conditions will be strictly observed.
Parking on the roads around the school is permissible except Marlow Road.
Parking at St. James church is available however no parking marshal will be posted there.
No parking in front of driveways.
No parking on pavements.
No parking on corners or curbs thereby obstructing visibility.
No parking facing oncoming traffic.
No parking opposite a solid white line.
Traffic services are aware of the event and will therefore be extra vigilant.

Parking Marshals

Parking marshals will be issued with a bib and identification card.
Parking marshals are acting in the interest of the school, and we ask that fairgoers kindly follow their directions.
Parking marshals will be on duty to guide fairgoers and ensure that our neighbors are not negatively affected on the day of the Fair.

FAQs

What are Mickels?

Michael Oak’s very own currency which are earth-friendly “Ocean Tokens” made from recycled fishing nets and other marine pollution. Mickels can be purchased before and on the day of the fair for making payments.

What payment methods are accepted?

Only card payments are accepted. Cash payment is not accepted.

Can I buy Mickels at the fair?

Yes, there will be Mickels tables located in all the main areas of the fair.

The Fair Art Wall

Fancy winning a beautiful piece of art for just R20?

The Art Wall raffle is back at the fair tomorrow, featuring artworks generously donated by talented artists from our school community.

Tickets cost R20 each and can be purchased at the Fair. Choose your favourite artwork and enter the draw for a chance to take it home!

Draws take place from 15h00. You don’t need to be at the Fair to win. All winners will be contacted on Monday 2 November.

A big thank you to all the artists who have contributed their work!

Adam Carnegie

Yumna Sadan

Georgina Berens

Narique Sangster

Matthew Griffiths

Georgina Berens

Leo van Helda

Georgina Berens

Kendal Warren

Bianca de Klerk

Clip Clop

Catherine Bondesio

Viki Hoenson

Alexandra Karakashia

Tanya Theobald

Farewell to Declan Griebelaar

Dear Michael Oak Community,

We are sad to say goodbye to Declan Griebelaar, our Extramural Sports Coordinator, at the end of October, and wish to thank him for his contribution to sport at Michael Oak. We will miss his calm presence and warm smile. We wish him all the very best in his future endeavours.

Roy Davids and Caleb Gallant will ensure the sports programme continues to run smoothly for the rest of the term.

Kind regards
Beulah Tertiens-Reeler
Associate School Coordinator

The New Brick Path

By Jean Cohen

Earlier this year, Ivan Manitshana made a new brick path in the nursery garden. It is a short path, connecting each side of the V where the main path splits. One side leads eventually to my piano room and the other eventually to the kindergarten kitchen where I make tea many times a day.

The new path is significant for me because now my route to the kitchen is direct and intuitive. Using the path gives me a feeling of well-being beyond what I would have imagined! All because I no longer have to go the longer way, involving the obstacle of back tracking round the point of the V.

This feeling of relief has made me think about teaching and learning. How, ideally, a teacher recognises the intuitive learning path of each pupil and helps each one to use that path successfully, instead of a one that feels like an obstacle.

I teach piano. And because the lessons are one on one, it is comparatively easy for me to recognise the intuitive piano paths of my students. Then I work mainly with their strengths, gradually ‘poco a poco’ adding in the things they find hard.

I haven’t always taught this way. My first teaching post was at Golden Grove Primary in 1973. Piano teaching felt more straightforward then…I taught everyone in more or less the same way and continued like that for about 30 years at three more different schools and then at Michael Oak.

But the 21st century has brought amazing challenges, leading me to re-think my own playing, and most things to do with teaching piano. I love my work . . . now, more than ever! I am grateful to George Subotsky who facilitated (with a verbal agreement) my being able to teach at Michael Oak and who found me the room at the bottom of the kindergarten. Thank you to the students I teach! And to Ivan for the path.

Jean Cohen
Piano Teacher

From The School Coordinator's Desk

Dear Michael Oak Families,

Before sharing my operational updates, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredibly warm welcome I have received from our parents, teachers, and the wonderful children since I introduced myself about two weeks ago. Stepping into my role alongside such a vibrant, dedicated community has been a true joy, and your kindness makes me even more excited for the journey ahead.

As we approach the end of the academic year and look ahead to the future, I want to share an update regarding the upcoming staffing changes for 2027 within our High School faculty and outline our clear plan to ensure a seamless transition for all learners. As shared in our prior correspondence, we have a few staff changes underway for the new year, and this serves as a reminder as we finalise these transitions. Change naturally brings questions, but it also offers an opportunity to reinforce our curriculum and support structures. Our primary focus is to ensure that academic standards, pastoral care, and daily school operations continue without disruption.

To manage these 2027 transitions smoothly, school management and faculty are actively finalising our internal allocations, class guardian placements, and external recruitment for the new year. Detailed handovers are already underway to ensure all academic timelines and regulatory portfolios remain fully on track. School management is directly overseeing this process to provide complete stability and continuity, ensuring that our high standards of care and learning remain entirely uninterrupted.

Information Privacy and POPIA Compliance

As we navigate these operational and structural changes, I must remind our community of our commitment to legal and ethical data privacy. In line with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), the school is strictly required not to share the personal information of learners, staff, or parents without express authorisation. I ask that all families respect this boundary and refrain from requesting or distributing private details regarding personnel or fellow families during this transition period.

Our Stance on Bullying and Safe Community Spaces

A stable learning environment relies heavily on a safe, respectful school culture. Michael Oak Waldorf School does not tolerate or condone bullying in any form, whether online, in the classroom, or within the broader school community. To protect our learners, I strongly encourage parents to actively raise any concerns or incidents within their class forums or directly with School Leadership Team. By bringing these matters to light early through the correct channels, we can work together to nip bullying in the bud and ensure a nurturing space for every child.

Exciting Kindergarten Extended Day for 2027 (Pilot starting in November 2026)

I am delighted to share some wonderful news for our younger families. To better support our parents who are busy or working during the day, the school will be introducing the Extended Day, which will operate between 12h30 – 15h30. This means that parents have the flexibility of fetching their children between 12h30 – 15h30 at no additional charge. We are piloting the Extended Day from November. I hope this extended afternoon care offers meaningful relief and convenience to your daily schedules, providing your children with a safe, familiar, and nurturing environment for longer, should you need it.

Cultivating a Positive Spirit: Glows, Grows, and Solutions

A thriving school community relies on a partnership built on transparency, active engagement, and mutual respect. I want to encourage all parents to help us cultivate a deeply positive spirit within Michael Oak. To do this effectively, I ask that you stay closely connected by regularly reading all school correspondence so that we are always aligned.

Furthermore, I invite you to share weekly feedback with us through your parent forums platforms. We want to use these spaces to hear about:

Our Glows: The things we celebrate and what is working beautifully.
Our Grows: The aspects where we need to improve.
Our Solutions: Forward-thinking ideas on how we should move forward and how you can actively help us implement those improvements.

I am fully committed to accountability and transparent communication throughout this process. A confirmed plan detailing our new appointments, academic timelines, and class-specific support structures will be shared with parents and learners as soon as the hiring and internal allocation processes are formally concluded.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership, trust, and deep investment in the Michael Oak community. Together with our dedicated staff, we are focused on ensuring a stable, rigorous, and predictable academic year ahead for all our children.

Kind regards,
Benson Munyoro
School Coordinator

Tribute For Igor Kotzuba

Last Friday marked the end of an era – the death of Igor Kotzuba, a familiar friend and long standing former teacher at Michael Oak, who joined the staff In the early days soon after the school was founded.

He died in his little cottage in Pringle Bay at the age of 86, and will be remembered by generations of children from Class 1 to Class 7 who passed through his hands, and also by their parents and former colleagues. He also taught crafts like copper work and woodwork which he had learned from his father – who had come into close contact with the teachings of Rudolf Steiner when they lived in Holland.

His parents were both refugees during WWll, his father from Kiev in Ukraine, and his mother from Austria, so Igor was born on 14 May 1940 in a basement in Rotterdam – literally as the bombs were falling all around them. Coming from such humble yet vivid beginnings, friends will no doubt always remember Igor’s rich baritone voice singing old Russian folk songs like the Volga Boatman, and then of course his annual appearances as a homespun shepherd in the traditional Shepherd’s Play, which the teachers used to perform for their classes and the whole school community at the end of every year!

Igor’s late wife Elizabeth is also fondly remembered as a eurythmist and teacher who also taught for many years at Michael Oak. In turn their four children all attended Michael Oak and we send condolences to Anya, Galina, Oleg and Gregor.

Colleagues, friends and former pupils of Igor Kotzuba are warmly invited to a little gathering to celebrate his life. This will take place at Michael Oak on Sunday 8 November at 3pm. And if you can, please bring a plate of eats for tea!

Sandy Rivera

Playgroup and Kindergarten Extended Day

Offering until 15h30 from 2027

We have news to share with families looking for a Waldorf beginning for their children: from 2027, the Extended Day until 15h30 is included in our Playgroup and Kindergarten fees.

For parents whose working day continues beyond lunchtime, this can make choosing Michael Oak easier. Children can stay for lunch, rest and play, and parents may collect at any time between 12h30 and 15h30.

There is no additional charge for the longer afternoon and parents can fetch their children any time between 12h30 and 15h30. Care after 15h30 remains available at an additional cost.

Do you know a family who would love Michael Oak but has found the half-day difficult to manage?

Please share this news with them. We would love to show them around our Playgroup and Kindergarten and introduce them to life at our school.

To book a visit: https://forms.gle/buoj3ew2ZD5uZ4UX6

Current Job Openings

Follow Our Socials

Follow us on social media to stay connected with life at Michael Oak. Every follow, like, share, and comment helps us reach more families and grow our community. Thank you for your support.

We wish you a wonderful week ahead!

Community Notices

Up For a Student Exchange?

A Poetry Tea Party

Celebrating Keith Gottschalk

Join us for A Poetry Tea Party celebrating Keith Gottschalk and his many years of dedicated service to New Contrast, which has championed South African writing and visual art for 66 years.

The afternoon will feature readings by our Board and Editorial Team, alongside poetry and reflections from Keith himself. We also look ahead to Issue 214, exploring African Speculative Futures in collaboration with the University of Cape Town’s Ethics Lab.

Your support helps us continue bringing new voices and creative perspectives to our readers.

For more information, visit www.newcontrast.net.

Looking for an Exchange Berlin-Capetown

From Jan 2027 for 3 months

Hello Everyone,

My name is Luiza, I am 16 years old and I was born on January 5th. I attend a Waldorf school in Berlin, Germany and I am currently in 10th grade.

I come from Berlin and live quite centrally with my mother, my brother (15), my little sister (7) and my stepfather. I would describe my family as open-minded, loving, warm and welcoming.

My favourite subjects are Art and Spanish, and I also enjoy Sports. Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry are
not really my favourite subjects.

Looking For a Tutor

I am in Cape Town for a month with my 6 year old son, Jude. We have come over from Zimbabwe to have a baby here, and while we are here, I am looking for a tutor who could spend a little time with Jude a few times a week.

I would love some help with reading, handwriting and maths to keep him learning while we are away from home. I am trying my best, but I am definitely not a teacher and could use some help!

If you know of someone who might be interested, please get in touch.

Becky
073 533 3037
WhatsApp: 00263 772 234 349

High School Parent Forum

All High School parents Welcome! Be part of a dynamic group of parents who engage with the School and help shape school policies on topics such as AI use in the high school; navigating a phone-free school and issues such as bullying or vaping. Please add any items you would like to be discussed in the final meeting of the year at the High School Parent Forum by completing this quick form linked HERE. For enquiries contact the Forum Chair Cecile Blake Benadé. cecileblake@gmail.com.

The date of the final meeting is 17 November 2026