WEEKLY LEAFLET 14
Share This Leaflet:
The Big Walk is taking place this weekend and we are very excited to gather as a community for this much loved Michael Oak tradition! Looking ahead to the week ahead, there are many opportunities to connect and participate, from the Introductory Talk and Community Engagement Sessions to our weekly Market Day and a creative Craft Day in the small hall. We look forward to another vibrant week together.
Kyle Snapper
Marketing
On Thursday 7th May we held our first Community Engagement Session, from 16h00 – 18h00, with 32 parents and staff. Our facilitator, Judith Haupt, who has lived inside the Waldorf world across three generations, guided us through the afternoon with care and a light but steady hand.
There were lovely introductory exercises warming us up and helping us the see each other better.
We then worked through a World Café process: small, animated groups followed by quiet individual reflection on what had emerged. There was lots of laughter, questions, sharing and engagement. It was a good beginning.
These sessions grew out of last term’s community survey and are part of the school’s broader Renewal process.
Two sessions remain. Choose one and join us.
Tuesday 12 May, 18h00 to 20h00
Saturday 16 May, 10h00 to 12h00
Below is an overview of the meetings, events, and activities happening around the school next week.
12
May
HS Parent Forum Meeting
6:00pm to 7:30pm
Parents and faculty meet in the meeting room to share ideas and support the smooth running of the High School.
12
May
Community Engagement Session
6:00pm to 8:00pm
an opportunity for the community to share input on the Renewal Process.
12
May
Class 7 Parents Evening
6:00pm to 8:00pm
Meeting with the Class 7 parents and teacher in the class 7 classrooms.
13
May
Trustee Meeting
6:30pm to 8:00pm
A meeting of the Trustees, taking place in the upstairs meeting room.
15
May
Market Day
11:30pm to 2:00pm
16
May
Introductory Talk
8:45am to 10:00am
An opportunity to learn about Michael Oak Waldorf School and its holistic, values-based approach to education.
16
May
Community Engagement Session
10:00am to 12:00pm
an opportunity for the community to share input on the Renewal Process.
16
May
Craft Day
10:00am to 2:00pm
An opportunity to connect, get creative, and build a sense of community in the small hall.
Mark your calendars and keep an eye out for what’s coming up at Michael Oak.
Upcoming Crafting Days
See poster for dates
Introductory Talk
16 May
Family Fair
31 October
Safety and Security: A Progress Report
One of the quiet but important threads running through this year’s work has been the
steady improvement of our safety and security infrastructure across all three
campuses. As part of our school maintenance programme, we have been working with
Rubics Solutions to repair and replace outdated and dysfunctional camera
equipment.
We now have 22 cameras installed across the Primary School, the Kindergarten, and
the High School. Three cameras at the Kindergarten still need to be reinstated, and we
are investigating the circumstances of their disconnection with the estate
management team. The remaining Kindergarten cameras, positioned along Gibson
Road, are active and monitored by both Princeton Security and the Kenilworth
Improvement District security centre.
Footage from all three systems is stored electronically, and a limited number of staff are authorised to access these records. For obvious reasons, we are not in a position to publish a full technical description of our systems in an open letter.
Rob Howe, our Maintenace Supervisor and one of our Safety Officers, holds direct responsibility for day-to-day on-site safety during this interim period and checks each
of the three camera systems twice a week.
Jo Mostert from Waterstone Governance has been our Safety and Security consultant for more than nine years. She works with us on compliance, conducts safety checks and evacuation drills, and meets with the committee each term to review health and safety matters.
All incidents reported by parents, staff, visitors and learners are included in these meetings, recorded by position rather than by name.
Every day our team goes through what is needed to keep our children and our
school safe. We take this task seriously. We value your input and support in helping to keep us accountable and supporting us in our endeavours.
Warmly,
Beulah Reeler
Acting School Coordinator
As part of their South African History Main Lesson, Class 7 recently explored the history of slavery at the Cape through a creative project. Each student was tasked to present their findings in a form of their own choosing, whether as a poster, a diary entry, or a letter written from a historical perspective. This allowed the students not only to engage with the facts of history, but also to enter imaginatively into the lives and experiences of those who lived through it. To bring their work to life, the students carefully stained their papers with tea and coffee, giving them the appearance of aged documents from another time.
Last Thursday, Class 11 travelled by train into Cape Town for a day of artistic exploration and observation. Walking through the streets of the city together, the students visited the Iziko Old Town House, where they encountered beautiful works from the Dutch Baroque period juxtaposed next to contemporary South African artworks. The experience offered a rich opportunity to reflect on how landscapes, histories and identities are expressed through art across different times and cultures.
From there, the class continued to the Company’s Garden, where they spent time outdoors making their own charcoal. The outing forms part of the Iziko “My Landscape” project, in which students are invited to respond artistically to their own landscape through drawing. Through observing the city, engaging with artworks, and working directly with natural materials, the day offered inspiration for the creative process while deepening each student’s relationship to place.
By Keith Klaasen
At Michael Oak Waldorf School, our days are filled and accompanied by jubilant love and joy. Here, our educators embrace every opportunity to share that love and joy as they strive for excellence in each learner’s education. The love we share overflows into the lives of our parents, learners and wider community.
The educators are positive and lead with humility, advancing unity and strength. This love for education creates a profound sense of harmony. We proudly lift the banner of love and joy to build bridges and give hope to the generations to come.
Years from now, the memories of real joy will remain in the hearts of the learners as they grow. Here, learners are given the opportunity to think clearly and to discover purpose for their lives, exploring the world with love and joy.
The festivals made a real impact on my life. Seeing learners and educators working hand in hand, united in love, reminds us that everyone belongs and can rejoice in the outcome of these events. Learners are constantly involved sharing this love, lighting a candle of hope for those in need.
I am proud to see how learners take part in music, playing instruments and participate in cheerful singing. This is shared from their hearts with pure love and joy.
Let us continue to nurture love and joy and move forward with great courage into the future.
Keith Klaasen
Afrikaans Teacher
We would like to congratulate Juliet, Jamie, Julian and Fynn who have qualified for the second round of the South African Mathematics Olympiad which will be taking place on the 14th of May 2026. This is an excellent achievement, and we are proud of your hard work and dedication.
Leo Azuma in Class 11 has launched a market initiative at Michael Oak, to raise funds for the MDB Foundation and support projects assisting those in need.
Clothing donations are now being collected for the upcoming Derby Day market at Constantia Waldorf School next Saturday. Lightly worn clothing in good condition would be greatly appreciated, with all proceeds going towards the MDB Foundation. Donations can be given directly to Leo Azuma in Class 11.
For questions or donations, Leo can be contacted on WhatsApp at 079 291 7255.
Together, we are creating change, one step at a time.
Dear Parents, Guardians and Caregivers
A behavioural/developmental visual screening will be done at Michael Oak on 25 – 26 May by optometrist Wayne Hodgkinson. Behavioural optometrists are regular optometrists who specialised in testing how the eyes function in all classroom-related activities and make recommendations for visual therapy to correct any problems. Visual screening is a highly specialised area and the teacher, academic support teacher or therapist may not necessarily be aware that there is a problem. The screening is mandatory for Kindergarten children entering Class 1 in 2027, Classes 2,5 and 8 and optional for all other classes.
The functioning of the visual system is constantly changing, affected by shocks, traumas, stress and illness. Children who have been tested “clear” by a regular optometrist as not requiring glasses may nevertheless be struggling with visual systems that are hampering them. Some of the symptoms that can alert us to a visual system under strain are: tiring easily with tasks, frequent blinking and rubbing of eyes, headaches and stomach aches while reading, visual memory problems, poor speed in copying from the board, and not holding the picture of words learned for spelling. All school work is greatly strengthened if the visual system is functioning well.
For this reason, we highly encourage any parents of Primary or High School children experiencing difficulties with their schoolwork, challenges with reading or copying from the board, slow work pace, lack of motivation, or behavioural issues to consider arranging a visual screening.
The cost for this screening is R100.00 and will be added to your school fees account. To complete the permission form, please click on or copy and paste the following link into your browser. (Permission forms must be completed by Wednesday 15 May)
KG Older Children: https://forms.gle/
Class 2: https://forms.gle/
Class 5: https://forms.gle/
Class 8: https://forms.gle/
OTHER Classes: https://forms.gle/
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to your child’s Class Teacher/Guardian, the Academic Support Teacher Ann Kantey, or Eurythmy Therapist Julia O’Leary.
Best wishes,
The College of Teachers
The word hidden in last weeks maze was ADVENTURE.
Congratulations to Elia Ziya Malan (Class 2), Alan Hartnack (Class 4), and Tahrir Jeenah (Class 2) for successfully finding last week’s hidden word.
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!!
The Masque is excited to present an evening of murder mystery with two live-stage audio drama murder mysteries, ‘To Kill a Hadeda’ and ‘Crows’.
You’ll witness two 40-minute audio dramas as voice actors and a foley artist conjure up a radio play before your very eyes.
Get ready for a hilariously dark, razor-sharp reflection of modern South Africa where the only thing louder than the gossip is the local birdlife. TO KILL A HADEDA strips away the pristine, manicured veneer of luxury estate living to expose the chaotic underbelly of elite suburban dread. When a tyrannical body corporate chairperson is found dead, a high-strung security estate goes into lockdown, forcing the eccentric community to root out the killer before the police arrive. This murder mystery comedy is written by Matthew Kalil and stars Brett Fish Anderson, Charles Tertiens, Jana Coetzee and Shirley Johnston.
Prepare for a tense, moving and unexpectedly sharp look into grief and survival on the fringes of Cape Town. CROWS strips away the quiet, meditative peace of a wetland sanctuary to expose the raw, colliding worlds of two strangers trapped in their own personal storms. When a grieving widow’s quest for solace is shattered by a desperate young man’s arrival, a secluded bird hide becomes a pressure cooker of dark secrets and shared trauma. As their confessions intertwine, a dark omen gathers across the water, heralded by crows. This darkly comic murder mystery is written by Ian-Malcolm Rijsdijk and stars Shirley Johnston and Charles Tertiens.
The Makery is offering a series of Winter Holiday Craft Workshops filled with creativity, and hands on making. Children can enjoy a variety of morning workshops, from biscuit decorating and origami mobiles to wooden wind spinners and string pictures, all in a warm and creative atmosphere.
This session will focus on children’s anxiety and mental health from the parent’s perspective. The workshop will cover:
Step into the magic of The Fisherman and the Magic Fish, a delightful 30-minute puppet show designed for children aged 4 and up. Perfect for a family outing, this heartwarming tale comes to life with charm and wonder.
Tickets sold at the entrance on the day: R30 per adult, R20 per child
Venue: Novalis Ubuntu, 39 Rosmead Avenue, Wynberg 7800
Join Dr James Dyson for a thought provoking two part talk exploring the spiritual dimensions of human relationships through the lens of Anthroposophy. Drawing on his extensive experience in medicine, psychology, and Rudolf Steiner’s teachings, Dr Dyson offers a holistic perspective on human encounter as a path of inner development and meaningful connection. Donations at the door will support the Southern Cross Eurythmy Therapy Training.
These lectures are all open to the public.
0769047632
juliaoleary021@gmail.com
or Liz Smith (liz@quella.co.za).
A young, trained Waldorf Kindergarten teacher is looking for an au pair position in the Southern Suburbs. With classroom experience, a passion for working with children, and a love for creativity, nature, cooking, crafts, and nurturing meaningful connections, Layla offers a caring and thoughtful approach to childcare.
Join a day of community, connection, and family fun at the Christian Community Family Fair. Enjoy a welcoming atmosphere with activities, entertainment, food, and opportunities to gather with friends and neighbours. All are welcome.
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
Listening to yourself and into the finer nuances of a question or challenge, holding space in deep listening for others, and listening to what is emerging from the future – these are the core practices of the 7-week Listening Practitioner’s Circle that starts on the 1st of July.
Why does it take pirates a long time to learn the alphabet?
Because they can spend years at C!
