WEEKLY LEAFLET 21
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Term Two is behind us, and what a term it has been. Many moments come back to me: celebrating our school’s 64th birthday with songs, stories and lots of cake; Craft Days and Fairy Tea Gardens filled with a special kind of wonder; the Polar Bear Challenge and its particular cold-water joy; the Big Walk forest adventure; and the library, quietly filling up with golden hours.
Running alongside all of this, and rarely visible from the outside, were the many parallel processes that keep our school functioning and moving forward: meetings held, leadership structures refined, budgets crafted, lessons planned, assignments marked, and renovation plans taking shape. None of it is glamorous work, but without it, none of the rest would be possible.
The Renewal process continued to give us direction this term. What began as a community survey has grown into something more sustained: a real attempt to understand how we govern ourselves, how we make decisions, and how we work together. The Governance Dispatches have tried to put language to structures that often go unnamed. It is slow, careful work, and it is beginning to open possibilities we could not have seen at the start.
At the start of this week, the High School filled the grounds with their Interhouse Sports Tournament and Quiz Day and then to end the week we all celebrated the St. John’s Lantern Festival. The Playgroup children in their quiet classroom festival, proudly wearing their leaf crowns and carrying their lanterns with tender care. In Keurboom Park, the Kindergarten children walked with their lanterns through the winter dark, over stone bridges and past the rain-filled ponds, songs rising in the cold air, hot chocolate and cookies waiting afterwards. In the big hall, the Primary classes brought songs in rounds and rhythm, beautiful recorder music, poems and verses, while the story of Themba and the shining spear carried us all on a magical journey of kindness, goodness and courage. The lantern walk onto the Oval was a dazzling display of lanterns in every shape and colour, made with care and attention over weeks. As the children wove into a spiral, the lanterns sparkled against the dark night, and later, Class 7 marched boldly with their bright flaming torches to light the bonfire, as we sang in unison, Rise up oh Flame, and the sparks floated up into the night sky.
When we end a term this way, in celebration of nature and of one another, we are not simply marking time. We are building something that cannot be assembled from a list of events. Community comes out of the striving, yes, and it comes out of the celebrating too.
This has not been an easy term. There are things that have tested us, that have made us rock, and at moments stumble. We will not pretend otherwise. But we keep coming back to the same understanding: we are here to do our best, for ourselves and for the children. They look to us. They watch how we carry difficulty, how we find our way back, how we hold the light even when it is hard. The St John’s Festival, with its fires lit against the mid-winter dark, reminds us of exactly that. The light we carry is not decoration. It is what we bring to one another when it is needed most.
And finally, at our final assembly, we planted a tree in honour of Casey Jacobs, our Aftercare Assistant, who died suddenly at the start of this term. It felt like the right way to mark what we have carried and to honour what we have lost.
We wish all our children, families and staff a much deserved rest.
Warmly,
Beulah Tertiens-Reeler
Acting School Coordinator
by Zelda Clarke
As I step into the quiet Playgroup space on a crisp Autumn morning while Father Sun is still waking up from his sleep and I open up the windows and doors, I’m usually very lucky to spot a little squirrel, “whisky-frisky”, (as every squirrel is called by the children) scampering through our garden in search of nuts or a tiny bird perched on the birdbath, having a drink of cool water. Sometimes we’ll have a Chameleon or three, and once a lost tortoise came visit our garden too.
As I prepare the classroom by first lighting a candle and adding Silent Moments essential oil to the burner, and then setting-up the tables with playdough and puzzles, I realize that those will be my only “silent moments” for the morning. Soon there will be the pitter patter of little feet and the excited “good morning” or “look at the big leaf I found” or “I made this for you” or an out-of-breath, “I was first”, followed by the putting on capes and crowns for the knights or the making playdough spaghetti for breakfast or the building towers and train tracks on the mat. The room fills up with free creative play in every corner.
As the mornings, days and weeks flow by, the magic and wonder of the Playgroup unfolds. In our Playgroup space we do not rush development and especially not early academics but instead we create a rhythmic, secure and creative space where children learn through play and imitation. Through the gentle repetition of rhythm and routine, movement and connection to nature, children shed their anxieties and blossom at their own pace.
In Waldorf, we believe that play is a child’s “work” and therefore play is the biggest part of our day…unstructured, free creative play! A child who enters the space too anxious to join in a game, often feels overwhelmed by the unknown. Allowing them to be, to sit and watch, helps them to feel enveloped in a predictable rhythm and the routine of the morning. From the familiar rhythm of Circle Time, drawing and painting, to the teacher quietly modelling purposeful work of sewing, helping them shape buns or watering the garden, the child watches quietly and is comforted. They watch and absorb it all until they feel safe.
Through free creative play children begin to test their physical boundaries and they learn to trust their bodies. So much so, that one day, driven by the pure joy of the outdoors, the once hesitant child finds themselves sliding down the Fireman’s pole or pulling up to the monkey bars and squealing: “I did all the monkey bars by myself, did you see?”. Children who were too anxious to get on the swing, suddenly feel strong enough to stand on the swing and swing by themselves.
The wonder: They are not thinking about being scared, they are simply experiencing the magic of what their little body can do.
As children connect with the space and their teachers, they experience warmth and safety and it helps them feel grounded and secure. Through our storytelling, puppet plays and rhythmic daily Circle Times, the children internalise its language and the rhythm. They learn through imitating. One day you’ll hear them naturally singing a song heard months before or they’ll put on their own puppet play. The shy child suddenly takes the cloth to cover the puppets or offers up gnomes to be a part of the game, all without being coerced.
The wonder: They have found a bridge to connect with their friends.
As we approach the end of the Second Term, I am amazed at how the little ones have grown – not just physically, but emotionally and socially too. They are confident enough to ask if they may join a friend’s game, and they can show empathy when a friend has fallen, or when two little clouds have bumped their heads and both begin to cry. There’s usually a, “What happened?” followed by, “Do you need a plaster?
The wonder: There’s no curriculum needed for children to develop emotionally or socially.
And there’s always a friend nearby to offer a hug, fetch a tissue or blow you a kiss when you are sick.
Allowing their curiosity to guide their growth helps children develop at their natural pace.
We’re on the lookout for jewellery, trinkets, and semi-precious stones to bring our KG scratch patch to life at the Fair. Please take a peek around your home during the holidays for any of these items that you don’t want anymore and drop any finds at Genevieve’s office next term. Donations are welcome right through to the end of Term 3. Your little treasures will make a big difference.
Thank you for your support!
The Mid-Winter Festival is a time in the Waldorf Kindergarten year to honour the special feeling of winter and the return of the light. It reminds children that even in the darkest season, warmth, kindness, and inner light can be found within ourselves and our community.
Our Kindergarten children celebrated by making stokbrood over the fire in the morning, kneading dough, cooking the bread, and enjoying the warmth of the fire together. As evening arrived, they carried their lanterns through Keurboom Park, bringing their own little lights into the winter darkness.
At this time of year, Waldorf schools around the world mark the turning of the season with a quiet gathering, pausing to reflect and to carry light into the darker days of winter.
In the weeks leading up to the Mid-Winter St John’s Festival, each Primary School child carefully crafted their own lantern, bringing together natural materials, colour and imagination. Each lantern became a reflection of the care and creativity woven into its making, a small light created by each child’s own hands.
On the evening of the festival, the Primary School community gathered in the hall to listen to a story woven together with musical performances from each class. After the story, each class returned to their classrooms to light their lanterns, before carrying them out into the night.
Together, the children walked quietly through the school grounds, their lanterns glowing softly, before forming a spiral on the oval. The Class 7 students then lit the bonfire, bringing a spark of warmth to the winter night.
Afterwards, soup was shared around the fire as we celebrated the simple gifts of community, connection and the changing seasons.
Our High School students put their knowledge to the test during the annual Interhouse General Knowledge Quiz, representing Steve Biko (Blue), Victoria Mxenge (Yellow) and Robert Sobukwe (Red).
Across nine teams, students tackled 100 questions covering topics from mathematics and science to current affairs, music and film. After a closely contested competition, Victoria Mxenge House emerged as the overall winners thanks to consistently strong performances from all three of their teams.
A special mention goes to three Class 12 students who, despite being in the middle of exams, volunteered to participate and achieved the second highest score of the day.
Think you could have helped your team? Try a few questions from this year’s quiz:
Congratulations to all our students for their enthusiasm, teamwork and love of learning.
Students enjoyed a day of friendly competition at this year’s Interhouse Mini Sports Tournament, competing in volleyball, basketball and rounders.
Representing Steve Biko (Blue), Victoria Mxenge (Yellow) and Robert Sobukwe (Red), students earned points for their houses throughout the day. While Victoria Mxenge excelled in rounders, Steve Biko’s strong performances in volleyball and basketball secured them the overall Interhouse Championship Trophy.
Well done to all students for their teamwork, sportsmanship and house spirit, and thank you to Mr Caleb Gallant and Mr Bridges for organising such a successful event.
At Michael Oak, soccer is first and foremost a celebration of childhood.
It is a place where children can run freely, discover their strengths, make friends, and experience the joy of movement. Before there are tactics and trophies, before victories and defeats, there is play – and it is through play that a child learns courage, creativity, resilience and confidence. Over the years, our soccer programme has grown beautifully. What started as simple afternoons of healthy play soon grew into matches and tournaments against neighbouring schools. Our students embraced these experiences wholeheartedly and, for many, competition became an exciting and meaningful part of their journey.
Yet Waldorf education asks us to return again and again to a deeper question: What is best for the child at this moment?
Competition can be a wonderful teacher. It can inspire perseverance, focus and teamwork. But competition is not our destination; it is only one possible expression of something greater. The heart of our programme is the development of the whole child.
We believe that children flourish when they are given the freedom to love the game before they are asked to prove themselves within it. They thrive when they feel safe to make mistakes, to experiment, to discover their own style of play and to experience football not as pressure, but as joy.
For this reason, we introduce competition thoughtfully and organically. When a group is ready – emotionally, socially and physically – we embrace the challenge together. Until then, our task is simpler and perhaps more important: to nurture a vibrant footballing community where every child feels they belong.
Soccer at Michael Oak is therefore not merely about producing stronger players, although that certainly happens. It is about cultivating confident young people who trust themselves, who support one another, and who carry the spirit of fair play into all areas of life.
Whether a child dreams of playing at the highest level or simply wishes to share the joy of the game with friends, they have a place here.
We play to grow.
We play to connect.
And above all, we play because there is something profoundly human – and wonderfully joyful – in chasing a ball together across an open field.
Mr Caleb Gallant
Soccer Coach & Teacher
The classroom has been buzzing with creativity as learners immersed themselves in the fascinating world of Platonic Solids. With rulers, compasses, and a great deal of patience, they carefully constructed geometric forms, transforming flat nets into beautiful three-dimensional shapes. The excitement continued as the learners designed and assembled striking mobile displays, allowing their solids to dance and turn in the air. The finished mobiles now hang proudly, showcasing not only the elegance of geometry but also the dedication and craftsmanship of each learner.
Prudence Mathebula
Mathematics Teacher
On Friday 19 June, our High School students enjoyed a special visit from a group of emerging actors, most of whom recently graduated from the CTDPS programme at UCT. They presented a teaser of their new production, Two Rifles, Two Revolvers and a Maiden.
Set in 1852 during the Frontier Wars, the play explores themes of love, friendship and human connection across cultures. Written by Pierre Parrott, a 2025 graduate, the production also features Michael Oak alumnus, Judha Davids.
Following the performance, students had the opportunity to engage with the cast, asking questions about the play, their journey into theatre, and what it is like to pursue a career in the performing arts. It was an inspiring opportunity to experience live theatre up close and gain insight into the creative process.
At Michael Oak, we believe that education is enriched through meaningful encounters with artists, thinkers and practitioners. Experiences like these encourage students to engage deeply with ideas, develop empathy, and see how creativity can become a lifelong vocation.
Two Rifles, Two Revolvers and a Maiden will be performed at the Nassau Theatre at Groote Schuur High School on 31 July and 1–2 August.
The final Craft Day of the term was a truly joyful occasion. With the sun shining, coffee brewing and delicious treats to enjoy, parents from the Primary School gathered in their class groups to work together on their beautiful crafts for the fair.
It was a lovely morning spent outdoors, filled with conversation, creativity and a wonderful sense of community.
A heartfelt thank you to all the parents who attended, and to the many busy hands that have stitched and created such beautiful pieces for the fair. Your time, care and contribution are deeply appreciated.
With many thanks,
The Class 6 Fair Committee
Congratulations to Ella Ackerman and Jamie McKinney, in Class 9, who have both achieved gold in gymnastics outside of school. We are so proud of their dedication, discipline, and the commitment they show both in and beyond the classroom. Well done, Jamie and Ella!
Experience Michael Oak Waldorf School
Our community has always been one of Michael Oak’s greatest strengths. Many of the families who join our school do so because a friend, colleague or family member encouraged them to come and experience Michael Oak for themselves.
If you know someone who is looking for a school for their child, we would be grateful if you would share this invitation with them.
Our Open Day is also a wonderful opportunity for current parents to explore the next stage of their child’s journey. Whether your child is preparing to move into Kindergarten, Primary or High School, we warmly invite you to come along, meet the teachers and experience what lies ahead.
Could Michael Oak be the right school for your child?
The best way to answer that question is to experience it for yourself.
We invite you to spend the morning with us and experience Waldorf education in practice.
Our Open Day begins with an introduction to our Kindergarten, Primary and High School, followed by the opportunity to experience a practical lesson, explore our campus and classrooms, and spend time talking with our teachers.
Whether you’re considering Michael Oak for Kindergarten, Primary or High School, our Open Day offers the opportunity to ask questions, experience our approach to learning and get a real feeling for life at our school.
Open Day
Saturday 1 August 2026
09h00 – 11h00
Booking is essential.
Childminding is available for children aged 3 years and older during the Open Day.
There are several ways to experience Michael Oak
We look forward to welcoming you and your family.
Reserve your place today!
For more information or to book:
info@michaeloak.org.za | 021 797 9728
Wilfried Bohm from our Estate Team is drawing up a list of larger maintenance and development projects for the whole school for the years ahead. This list will be reviewed and prioritised to form part of the school’s budget.
To assist with this process, we would like to invite any parent with building-related skills or experience (such as a builder, architect or engineer) to consider joining a small task team for a few hours during the year. The team will provide feedback to Wilfried and offer advice to the Board.
If you are interested, please contact Wilfried via WhatsApp on 078 006 4765 or by email at estatemanager@michaeloak.org.za.
He hopes to bring together a small team of parents and friends of the school. Your contribution would be greatly appreciated!
Dear Michael Oak Community
Thank you.
Over the past months you gave us your time, your honesty, and your care for this school through the community survey, the listening sessions, and the many conversations in between. 193 individual contributions across three sessions. Feedback that was direct, specific, and reflective of how much you care about this school.
We are grateful for all of it.
You told us clearly what is working and what is not. You stay because of the community, the values, and the quality of the Waldorf education your children receive. You are frustrated by unclear leadership, decisions that are hard to understand, issues that don’t get resolved, and systems that don’t yet match the school’s values. That picture is now well understood, and it is shaping everything we are doing.
The Board is currently working through the full picture of what needs to happen and in what order. That structured plan, covering leadership, operations, pedagogy, and culture, will be shared with you once finalised.
We want to give you something real, not a list of intentions.
What we can tell you now is that we have not been waiting. The most critical things, aligned with the feedback you gave us, are already in motion.
Authority and Decision-Making
We have clarified how authority and decision-making works across the Board of Trustees, the College of Teachers, and Operational Leadership. The confusion about who decides what (which many of you named directly) is being resolved thoughtfully and structurally, with clear boundaries between governance, pedagogy, and operations. This is not a cosmetic change. It determines who is accountable for what and ensures that decisions can be made and followed through rather than deferred or lost.
Organisational Design
We have redesigned the organisation to be fit for the needs of a school of this size and its regulatory complexity requirements. The new structure introduces two types of roles that didn’t previously exist in a clear form.
Integration roles – the School Coordinator and Associate School Coordinator – exist to connect the different parts of the school and ensure that decisions get made, followed through, and communicated. These are the roles that mean concerns raised get resolved, and that the right hand knows what the left hand is doing.
Specialist focus roles – covering areas such as enrolment and marketing, risk and compliance, HR, and facilities – mean that critical functions which previously fell across too many people, or on no-one, now have a dedicated owner. This directly addresses the inconsistency and the sense that things fall through the gaps that so many of you described.
The College of Teachers continues to hold pedagogical authority. The Pedagogical Coordinator sits within this structure as the bridge between educational leadership and the school’s operational life.
Appointments Already Underway
We have clarified the School Coordinator role as an executive integrator with the right level of delegated authority – someone who can make decisions, drive accountability, and ensure the school functions reliably day to day, supported by the expanded leadership structure. Recruitment for this role is underway.
We have brought in an Interim Enrolments and Marketing Lead to give immediate focus to an area that directly affects the school’s financial stability and its ability to tell its story compellingly to prospective families.
We have also had an Interim Facilities and Campus Manager in place to ensure the physical environment, the spaces where children learn and the community gathers, has dedicated, consistent oversight.
Policy and Governance
We are working through a policy framework that will create clarity and consistency in how the school approaches everything from governance and financial management to safeguarding, HR, and community engagement. Foundational policies have been approved, and that program of work continues.
These are not small things. They are structural changes that address the root causes of what you described, not patches on the surface, but changes to how the school is led, organised, and run.
We also want to be honest with you about pace. Structural changes of this kind take time to fully take root. New roles need to be filled and bedded in. New ways of working need to become habits. The changes we are making now will not resolve everything immediately, but they create the conditions for things to work consistently rather than depending on individual goodwill or circumstance. We ask for your patience as this unfolds, and your continued willingness to engage constructively as the school finds its footing in a new way of operating.
There is more to come, and we will keep you informed as it takes shape. What we want you to know right now is that we heard you, we are acting on it, and we are committed to showing you the movement – not just describing it.
With gratitude for your continued trust and engagement.
The Board of Trustees
The College of Teachers
Operations Leadership
Michael Oak Waldorf School is seeking an Afrikaans Teacher for Grades 6 to 9 to join our small and vibrant school community from 20 July 2026.
This part time position is suited to a passionate, caring, and dedicated educator who enjoys working with young adolescents and is interested in supporting their growth and development within a Waldorf educational setting.
The successful candidate will be responsible for teaching Afrikaans at additional language level to learners between the ages of 12 and 15, while adapting their teaching approach to the Waldorf methodology and the developmental needs of each child.
Key requirements include:
• Formal teaching qualification at Intermediate and/or Senior Phase level, with Afrikaans as a speciality
• SACE registration
• Passion for teaching and a commitment to nurturing the whole child
• Interest in and willingness to learn about Waldorf pedagogy
• Ability to adapt teaching methods to support children at different stages of development
• Caring, enthusiastic, and self motivated approach to education
• Ability to work independently and take initiative
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively within a dynamic school community
• Willingness to actively contribute to the collective management and life of the school
Preferred: Previous experience teaching in a Waldorf school, Afrikaans as a home language, and a high level of English proficiency.
Closing date: 13 July 2026
The swing raffle from the fair is still underway, with entries at R50 each. You can secure your number with Zelda in Playgroup, either with cash or via SnapScan or with the link below. A winner will be drawn as soon as all 100 numbers have been taken, so don’t miss your chance to be the lucky recipient of this wonderful prize!
The swing was generously donated by a family, but it’s too big to fit in the Kindergarten, so we’re raffling it off to raise funds for a smaller swing that will be just right for the children to enjoy safely.
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 holiday and look forward to seeing you again in the new term!
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.
Join our beloved weekly art classes in a peaceful garden-facing studio (opposite the library). Pupils can arrive straight after school or other activities and settle in under supervision before class. We nurture creativity, self-esteem, and skill through diverse projects—from clay and paper mâché to pastels, ink, collage, and canvas prep—inspired by nature, South African artists, and current exhibitions.
3rd Term starts 31 July.
Fridays: 12:50–1:45 (KG–Gr 2), 1:45–2:45 (KG–Gr 4), 2:45–3:45 (Gr 5+)
Also Thursdays & Saturdays in Constantia.
Fees: R1 290/term (materials included). Try-out R170/lesson. Pro-rata for late joiners.
Contact Sue: 021‑794‑6609 | WhatsApp 083‑237‑7242 | sue.nepgen@gmail.com.
Ananda Sanctuary invites children aged 5 to 12 years to explore the magic of movement, creativity, and mindfulness during their Kids Aerial Yoga Holiday School. Through aerial yoga, singing bowls, meditation, and creative expression, children will discover gentle practices that nurture balance, imagination, and inner calm.
Email to book: info@anandasanctuary.co.za
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.
I decided to sell my vacuum cleaner...
Because it was just gathering dust!
