WEEKLY LEAFLET 13
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The week has been a short and quiet one, offering space to settle before the weekend arrives. There is a sense of anticipation in the air as the Big Walk draws near, and we are very excited for what promises to be a joyful day in Newlands Forest. Families can look forward to three trail options, a gentle 2.5km route for our Kindergarten and Playgroup children, as well as 5km and 10km trails for those eager to take on a longer journey through the forest.
In this week’s leaflet, Lester Scharnick reflects on Freedom Day with a thoughtful editorial asking whether we are truly free, exploring the contrast between political freedom and the deeper work that still lies before us as a society. Christine Blankers also shares more about the upcoming Big Walk, offering insight into the spirit and intention behind this special community event.
Wishing you a good Workers Day & weekend,
Kyle Snapper
Marketing
Below is an overview of the meetings, events, and activities happening around the school next week.
6
May
Class 1 Parents Evening
6:30pm to 8:00pm
7
May
Community Engagement Session
4:00pm to 6:00pm
an opportunity for the community to share input on the Renewal Process.
7
May
Class 3 Parents Evening
6:30pm to 8:00pm
Meeting with the Class 3 parents and teacher in the class 3 classrooms.
8
May
Market Day
11:30pm to 2:00pm
9
May
Big Walk
8:00am to 11:00am
Mark your calendars and keep an eye out for what’s coming up at Michael Oak.
Upcoming Crafting Days
See poster for dates
Big Walk
9 May
Family Fair
31 October
By Christine Blankers
Waldorf education strives to welcome children into the world and help them feel at home on earth. Observing the child’s pathway from heaven to earth is our curriculum. In Waldorf education, this pathway is signposted by indications of the child’s developmental needs in body, soul, and spirit. Becoming a human being, conscious of one’s own unique and individual purpose on earth, is a long journey of growth; growth happens over time.
In the early years, being at home on earth means creating and growing into a body that is comfortable and enables freedom in movement. Through endless free play, the laws of living in space are experienced, forming the basis of formal learning. The child experiences spatiality as the embrace of the earth, as Mother Earth’s touch, and grows in his trust of life on earth as he builds his body, his home.
The school-going child is comfortable in his own home, thus the ability to form pictures of the world awakens in his interior space. Visual imagination develops into the capacity for learning. The ability to create inner pictures expands his experience of the world, and the earth comes alive.
The class five year is a pivotal point in the primary school child’s experience of feeling at home on earth. Children’s feelings flow easily to animals; they feel close to the animal kingdom, which is studied in class four. In class five, the child is welcomed into the mysteries of the plant kingdom. The life of the plant stirs aspects of the ten-and eleven-year-old child’s being that need confirmation and strengthening. Studying plants connects her to the creative forces of the natural world as they relate to processes of expansion and contraction, of breathing in its cycles of birth, life, and death. Significantly, the harmonious synchronising of breath and heartbeat settles only around ten and eleven. The themes of birth, life, and death are echoed in the history lessons with presentations of ancient civilizations. The great epics of the Ramayana, Gilgamesh, Isis and Osiris, and Odysseus reassure the child in story and imaginative picture that the big existential questions about life and death are part of life on earth.
The plant world connects the child to the elements. In the plant, the weaving of sun, air, water, and earth comes to rest in a life form. The growth of the seed into a plant reveals the dance of the elements as it finds its place between sun and earth and ripens through air and water. Watching the seed grow and ripen into fruit and flower offers an experience of the flow of time other than clock time, as the child experiences time as a carrier of change and transformation. The mystery of growth on earth as a metamorphosis of form engenders a sense of future. And this just before the chaos of puberty and adolescence sets in!
Subtly, the plant stirs experiences of our life forces, those forces that helped form our bodies and in which our sense of aliveness and buoyancy reside. In class five, as we explore the beauty of the plant world, our life forces are strengthened. Think of how refreshed one feels after a walk in nature!
As the child wonders at the richness of the plant kingdom, the seed of gratitude is born, not as a moral injunction and abstraction but as a living response to beauty and the harmonious creation of the elements. This seed ripens over the course of life on earth if it was planted in nourishing soil, had enough sunshine and water, and could expand into the air around it. What a task is Waldorf education, what a gift!
Christine Blankers
Class 5 Teacher
Paintings from the Class 5 Botany main lesson.
By Lester Scharnick
After returning from Freedom Day celebrations, the question of whether the nation is “really free” remains deeply complex, often split between the achievements of political rights and the ongoing struggle of economic and social liberation. As we mark this important holiday, as much as we should experience them as a welcome break from work and school, we should also use the time to focus on our democracy and the state of our country.
Are we free? If we measure in terms of the years under apartheid, colonialism and slavery, we are definitely free. But freedom does not only mean freedom to vote every 5 years. It entails the right to freedom of speech, to campaign, to march, to strike and to picket. Even by this measure, we are a country that can be proud of our achievements. Many others do not have our freedom. In terms of the government changing people’s lives in material terms, we have also seen tremendous progress, Water, sewerage, electricity, housing, education, healthcare and social welfare grants now provide most citizens with a buffer against abject poverty. Yet, the gap between rich and poor has widened, unemployment has either stayed the same or risen, depending on your view of the figures. Corruption seems to be the national past time of politicians. So in terms of our constitution, it is clear that a lot more needs to be done to change the lives of the majority of South Africans so that we can call ourselves non-racial, non-sexist, peaceful and prosperous. For instance, most South Africans still do not own their own home or even land on which to build one.
Are workers free? Again, if we compare the lot of workers who were not allowed to join unions, not allowed to strike, who experienced discrimination and job reservation (where certain jobs were reserved for “White”, “Coloured” and “Indian” people, our constitution and our laws make us a beacon of good labour practices. The international day of workers, 1 May, can be proudly celebrated by workers in this country who have won most of the rights that people have fought for over centuries and that many still don’t have. But with 40% unemployment, the casualization of labour (where worker’s rights to pension, medical aid and job security are removed), we have to admit that we have a long way to go before we can say workers here are free from insecurity, want and where our society is fair to all.
What do we need to do to defend and deepen our freedom? Clearly, there is much for the next generation of citizens to fight for. Housing, infrastructure and industrial development is needed to create jobs. If we spend our money on building an expensive nuclear infrastructure, clearly that will not happen. If we do not ensure access to land, the frustrations of the majority may well reach breaking point. To ensure that we do defend our democratic gains and that we ensure that life is given to the constitution, we must all be active citizens. That means being aware of and understanding political issues. It also means being ready to take action, both as in marching, but also, as in doing something to change the country for the better. Freedom means that the future lies in our hands. We need to keep the conversation going every day not just on one specific day. Real freedom is not just celebrating a moment in history, it’s about creating a future where all can live in harmony and without fear. Freedom isn’t freedom unless its freedom for all.
Let us make sure the fight for freedom never stops and make sure that it starts with us.
Aluta Continua!
Lester Scharnick
Matric Gaurdian
Everyone is welcome to attend one Community Engagement Session, please choose a single session as all sessions cover the same content.
These sessions provide an opportunity for the community to share input on how the Renewal Programme can be practically implemented across its four workstreams: Leadership, Operational Maturity, Pedagogical Leadership, and Culture.
Session 1:
Thursday 7 May 2026 | 16:00 to 18:00 | Big Hall
Session 2:
Tuesday 12 May 2026 | 18:00 to 20:00 | Big Hall
Session 3:
Saturday 16 May 2026 | 10:00 to 12:00 | Big Hall
Pick 1 Session
Please register for your preferred date using the registration link to assist with planning and logistics.
These sessions will focus on priorities within each workstream, identifying initial initiatives, defining what success looks like, and exploring the capacity, skills, and roles needed to support effective implementation, while inviting input from the community where appropriate.
As the first autumn leaves begin to colour, the Big Walk 2026 draws near — 9 May 2026 in Newlands Forest. This annual event calls upon the Michael Oak Waldorf community to wander beneath the trees, breathe in the crisp morning air, and walk in harmony with friends and family. Organized by the Class 5s, this cherished tradition is not just a journey through nature but a chance to raise essential funds for our school. And who knows which forest folk await to greet and guide us.
💚 Start and end: Newlands Forest Picnic Grounds. Please note, parking is very limited, so please lift share where possible.
💚 Time: 08h00 arrival and registration, 8h30am start of programme to 12h00
💚 Routes: A 2.5km walk (for PG and KG), a 5km walk, and a 10km walk for the adventurous souls who would like to challenge themselves
🧁Class 5 will provide cupcakes and fruit for all the adventurers at the end of the walk
Teachers are off child-care duty for the day, requiring parents to watch over their own little wanderers.
🌳 Marshals: Class 5 parents will marshal the route and ensure all the adventurers stay on the right path.
🦺 Registration: It is essential that you check in on arrival – please register at the registration tables at the start of the walk. You will also need to check out at the end of the walk. We need to ensure that everyone has returned safely!
All Playgroup, Kindergarten, and Primary School children are expected to participate as this is an official school day. But the forest welcomes all: parents, siblings, grandparents, and friends are encouraged to join the adventure!
⛑️First Aid: There will be a first aid station at the base for any scrapes or bruises that need attention and First Aiders stationed along the route.
Each child receives a Sponsorship Form to collect donations for our school’s vital projects. Sponsorship Forms have been shared with all classes, and all funds raised and donations, along with their completed forms, are due by Friday, 29 May 2026.
📜 Completed Forms should be handed to the front office.
💰 Michael Oak is a cash-free zone, so payments can be made via SnapScan or EFT.
🌿 All funds raised will help grow and enrich our school community
We would love for everyone to take part, but we understand that some sporting commitments cannot be changed. If your child cannot attend, please send an email to your class teacher with your apology.
Absolutely! Many families still send a donation, as the funds raised support our school’s growth.
If you have any challenges with transport, please contact another parent. We encourage lift sharing to reduce parking requirements.
No dogs are allowed during the Big Walk, so please leave your furry friends at home.
A decision regarding the weather will be made ahead of the event. If the walk is cancelled, an SMS will be sent to all parents or whatsapp from the Class Link (on the morning).
Please come prepared for light rain if needed — the forest is generally well sheltered, but a jacket is recommended.
Reach out to Natheema in the office or enrolment@michaeloak.org.za
We can’t wait to walk with you on the path through the trees! 🌳💚
From The Class 5 Big Walk Committee
The Class 3s spent time in the vegetable garden this week harvesting a selection of vegetables they have helped to grow. This forms part of their practical work, where they take part in planting, caring for, and gathering food.
It leaves the children with a deeper connection to, and understanding of, the foods they eat each day.
To conclude their Africa main lesson, the Class 6 students each selected an African country to research and present as a project. They explored key aspects such as the history, cuisine, geography, and culture of their chosen country. Some students also took the opportunity to interview people who are from these countries in order to gain further insight and personal perspective. They then compiled their findings into a display, which will be put up in the foyer for the school community to view.
The word hidden in last weeks maze was FOREST.
We received three successful submissions from those who found the word: Tahrir Jeenah (Class 2), Safia Malan (Class 6), and Israel Williams (Class 6). Well done to each of them for their careful observation and perseverance.
This week’s maze offers a slightly greater challenge. You can download it using the link below and see if you can discover the hidden word. Once you have found it, be sure to let us know your answer.
Submit your entry:
We are constantly striving to make the Leaflet a more vibrant and meaningful way for our community to connect, share, and celebrate the life of our school. Your thoughts, stories, and contributions help us shape each edition, ensuring it reflects the creativity, warmth, and spirit of everyone involved. Whether you have feedback to share or an article to submit, your voice is an important part of making the Leaflet a true reflection of our community.
We Wish You A Wonderful Week Ahead!!
Extramural art classes continue at Michael Oak this term, offering a space for children to explore a wide range of creative projects, from drawing and painting to clay and mixed media. Classes take place on Friday afternoons at the school, with additional sessions available in Constantia. Open to various age groups, the programme encourages creativity, confidence and enjoyment of art. Contact Sue for more information or to enrol.
Join The Makery for a fun opportunity to dive into hands-on crafts this term. These weekly hour-long lessons are perfect for ages 6 and up, hosted at Michael Oak Waldorf School. Come make, create, and explore.
Hosted by Constantia Waldorf School, this vibrant community event celebrates books, storytelling, and a love of reading for all ages.
When: Saturday, 23 May 2026, 11am to 7pm
Entry: R100 Adults, R50 Students, Free for children under 5 (cashless event)
Activities include: Author talks, workshops, panel discussions, book sales, food vendors, and an open mic for sharing your own writing
Join Dr. Leah Murray and Coach Diane Schallert for Healing in Motion, a transformative event hosted by Stronger Together Cape Town.
🗓️ Date: 10 May
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM
💰 price: R400
The How to Love course developed by Dr Tessabella Lovemore is now available in Afrikaans for the first time. It is an online course of 12 lessons over 12 months. “These 12 lessons have made a significant change in the way I relate to people, loved ones, colleagues, and strangers.”
Cobie Roelvert
A series of 6 eurythmy sessions covering the child’s development from three to thirteen as a musical journey. Understand the child (or look back on your own childhood) through dance and song and experience how children’s needs change.
Our trusted household helper has been part of our family for over 20 years and helped raise my two daughters, both of whom attended Michael Oak. She is a wonderful childminder, familiar with the Waldorf ethos, and prepares delicious meals, including vegetarian options.
With the children now grown, she is looking for one additional day of work. As we have lived across the road from the school for many years, she is well known within the community.
For more information, please contact Dudu – 083 595 3242, or Catherine – 076 932 9957 for a reference.
SCETT will host a lecture on Eurythmy Therapy with therapists Norman Kingeter and Rob Schapink. The talk explores the origins of this healing movement practice developed at the Ita Wegman Clinic in Switzerland. For workshop enquiries or registration contact:
Julia O’Leary ( juliaoleary021@gmail.com)
or Liz Smith (liz@quella.co.za).
For more than 20 years the Young Men & Women in Michael Oak’s Class 10 have stepped out of their usual world and into a week of adventure. A time where they can look back to see where they’ve come from (roots), inside to see who they are (heart) and ahead to imagine possibilities (wings).
This experience comes at a point in the curriculum where they have already started looking for answers which many of us are still searching for. The Roots, Hearts & Wings Adventure (RHWA) is an opportunity to take a courageous step into an understanding of ourselves and those around us.
Through all these years a constantly refreshed and trained team of volunteers from the school community (parents, teachers and alumni) has welcomed them into this safe space for growth and friendship. The magic lies in that the answers do not sit in any one of us, rather they are assembled out of all of our stories.
If you are interested in contributing to or being part of the RHWA team, then please contact the Class 10 Guardians (Caleb Gallant & Victoria Sigalas), or Roy Davids, to find out more and put yourself forward.
Caleb – cgallant@michaeloak.org.za
Victoria – vsigalas@michaeloak.org.za
Roy – rdavids@michaeloak.org.za
Safe, supportive morning vocal sessions for women. No singing experience needed. Build confidence, express yourself freely, and feel truly heard. See attached poster for details and contact Cindy at 072 210 9269.
A workshop for parents, educators, and anyone working with teens.
Presented by Professor Jackie Hoare (Neuropsychiatrist, UCT Neuroscience Institute).
Hosted by Helen Malgas, Counselling Psychologist and former Michael Oak parent.
🗓️ Tuesday 28 April | 19h00 – 20h30
📍 St George’s Grammar School
💰 Free to attend (donations welcome for Better Together Youth Programme)
Questions? Contact Helen on 073 250 3416 or helen@helenmalgas.co.za.
Imhoff Waldorf School is seeking a passionate, creative Afrikaans teacher for Grades 1–7. If you’re SACE registered, have teaching experience, and are interested in Waldorf education, we’d love to hear from you.
📅 Closing date: 15 May 2026
📧 Send your CV and cover letter to: cot@imhoffwaldorf.org
Dharma is Michael Warldorf Alumni and studied at Centre for Creative Education, graduating as an Early Childhood Development teacher.
She offers music theory lessons to compliment the students that are already learning an instrument at MO.
Call: 071 776 0612
Thomas Yohane (nephew of Chatama, a former Michael Oak gardener), a Malawian gardener, is fit, hardworking and available for work on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
For a reference, please speak with Jean Cohen, piano teacher at Michael Oak, or WhatsApp her on 072 348 1860.
A gentle yet powerful retreat for anyone willing to explore life’s big questions around meaning, mortality, and healing. Through creative processes, meditation, and group work, you’ll be supported to turn toward what we often avoid – and discover unexpected depth, spaciousness, and aliveness.
Dates: 30 & 31 May 2026, 9am–5.30pm
Location: Castle Rock, Simon’s Town
Cost: R2500 (early bird extended to 13 April)
Payment options: subsidised spaces, exchanges, or payment plan (R1000/month for March–May)
Contact to book or request support: groups@presenceinaction.co.za
What do you call a bee that can't make up its mind?
A Maybe.
