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
WEEKLY LEAFLET 32
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As we move through another week at Michael Oak, we take a moment to share some of the recent highlights from the Class 10 camp, that they have been fundraising for this whole year, the Class 5 language sharing, and much more . We hope you enjoy this week’s leaflet!
Next week features the Class 1 parents evening, our key Annual General Meeting, the lively Friday Market, and a special Eurythmy showcase by Class 11.
24
November
Class 1 Parents Evening
7:00pm to 8:30pm
Meeting among Class 1 parents and teacher, taking place in the Class 1 classroom.
26
November
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
6:30pm to 8:30pm
General meeting in the big hall open to all staff and parents.
28
November
Market Day
12:30pm to 3:00pm
Our weekly market takes place every Friday at the school entrance.
28
November
Eurythmy Performance
7:30pm to 9:00pm
Performance by class 11 taking place in the big hall.
- Nikhita is a Class 6 parent, who took on the role of fair coordinator for 2025.
Over the years, the Michael Oak family fair has become a time to celebrate our wonderful school and community. It is not just another fundraising event, but it is the only annual event where our entire school community has the opportunity to work together, socialise, and celebrate as a whole school (high school, primary school, and kindergarten as one). Parents and staff members alike should feel proud, honoured, and enthusiastic about bringing such a wonderful event together. It is truly the only time of the year that we have a whole school experience at one event, with many parents appreciating the opportunity to mingle and celebrate together.
Crafting through the year to sell products at the fair has become a firm tradition at Michael Oak, allowing all parents to learn and master new skills, with many often not knowing their hidden talents. You will never know until you try. The monthly craft days are so special, as they give parents the opportunity to get to know each other better and strengthen the bonds within classes, whilst allowing children to play in a safe space, enjoying the morning with their friends.
The crafting lovingly undertaken by parents culminates in some of the most wondrous and beautiful craft items, sought after by many loyal fairgoers for Christmas or holiday gifts.
This year’s craft was no exception, and a massive thanks must go to all who participated in crafting this year, with special mention of Kindergarten 2 (Craft Link Sara Muhl), a young class whose class parents produced exquisite craft for the fair. Thanks and appreciation to the High School craft group, who also contributed beautiful craft, and to Adele for the gorgeous Waldorf dolls this year.
Huge thanks must also go to everyone who contributed to the baking and preparing of delicious homemade items for the Tea Garden and other food contributions, as well as shift duties done by parents at various stations.
These contributions, from Kindergarten to High School, have also become deep rooted traditions of our family fair, having started within our community many years ago. The sharing demonstrates the willingness of parents to help and assist, and also shows the dedication that parents have for the school. Thank you once again, dear parents, for all your heartfelt efforts, and to those who provided other donations. This is such a beautiful way to thank the school for teaching and nurturing our happy children throughout the year.
The family fair is planned throughout the year, with the month before the fair being the busiest period, yet with enthusiasm and positivity, it ultimately delivers an exciting day enjoyed and appreciated by many families. Once the Bedouin tent is raised on the Oval, the children feel that the fair has begun, and their excitement is palpable on the premises. The fair that they have been waiting for throughout the year has arrived.
It is this excitement and the smiles of the children that make all our fair planning efforts worthwhile, knowing that the children and their families create unforgettable memories at each family fair.
Without knowing it, the best and lasting memories of our children’s childhood are being made, and the fair will always be a connection to a past full of happy memories. While the memory of this year’s fair is still fresh in our minds, Class 6 of 2025 would like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to the entire Michael Oak community for the hard work, dedication, and willingness to help that made this year’s fair a success.
With special thanks to staff members Natheema Jacobs, Kyle Snapper, Rob Howe, and Chris Mathimba. Your help was invaluable. Last but not least, thank you to my dream team… Michelle Oliver (our incredible food lead for undertaking this huge portfolio), Mohamed Abbas (our super efficient finance lead), and Natasha Kemp (our amazingly sharp witted quotes and procurement lead).
I also need to mention the hard work and dedication throughout the year by Lesley Palmer (our themes lead) on her fantastic spirit and creativity, Sean Walsh (our games lead) who built new and exciting games from scratch for the fair, and Brent Palmer for his amazing ability to host the event and entertain the audience.
The Class 10s spent the week of 3 to 8 November at Bushwhacked on the Orange River, finally enjoying the adventure they had worked toward all year through their fundraising efforts. After a ten hour bus ride that felt like a small journey of its own, they settled into days of paddling, swapping partners and discovering the many unique approaches to keeping a canoe steady. One evening they built an impressively large bonfire that became a quiet highlight of the trip. And in the end, the students agreed on one thing with absolute certainty: the food was the undisputed favourite.
Our Class 5 children made their way to Constantia Waldorf School for the annual language sharing, a gathering where Class 5 children from Waldorf schools across the city come together in a spirit of celebration to share how beautifully their secondary languages have blossomed. The morning was filled with short plays, heartfelt songs, and thoughtful poems.
Our Class 3s recently embarked on a wonderful learning journey at the Bloublommetjies Biodynamic Farm. They rolled up their sleeves and immersed themselves in the rhythms of farm life, taking on real jobs like milking the cows and turning compost.
We can confidently say it was a hands-on experience. In fact, most of their tasks seemed to revolve around one very fundamental farm ingredient: poop! They handled it with great enthusiasm (and plenty of handwashing).
Of course, all that hard work was fuelled by the farm’s delicious, wholesome food, which was a highlight for everyone. It was a truly memorable trip that connected our children to the earth in the most grounded way possible
A group of Class 5 boys discovered a collection of forgotten woodwork offcuts as well as other scrap parts and immediately set their imaginations in motion. What began as a pile of spare parts quickly grew into a proudly handcrafted go-cart complete with working brakes, a turning system and even a personalised license plate.
As the year gently draws to a close, we warmly invite our high school families to a festive soiree filled with entertainment, laughter, and a bring-and-share feast.
As part of our commitment to ensuring a solid handover of the Fair to the organisers for 2026, the Class 6 of 2025 put together a survey requesting feedback on our Medieval Fair 2026. We received 87 responses, 9 of which were from members of staff and 78 from parents. Thank you so much to those who provided feedback. The responses were rich and provided a good sense of where we did well with the Fair this year and where we can still improve. A full report has been provided to the school and is ready to be made available for the Fair organisers in 2026. A brief summary is provided here.
The average responses to some key questions in the survey are shown in the figure below. Responses were scored 1 to 5 with 1 being poor and 5 being excellent.
Overall, feedback was very positive. Respondents loved the atmosphere at the Fair, as well as the food, entertainment and theme. This was not universal. Six respondents gave low scores for overall satisfaction, one of whom was very unhappy indeed, but a significant majority of scores were positive.
Respondents felt that the Fair achieved its goals of marketing and community building, although there were suggestions for more extensive marketing next year, aimed at reaching people outside of the direct Michael Oak community.
On the whole, respondents felt that the Fair was worth the effort that they put into it, but there were a lot of mentions of the unbalanced nature of the effort and calls to try and reduce effort or spread it more evenly.
The change in layout was received largely positively, with the banquet hall getting a lot of positive mentions, but the location of the games needs improvement as respondents felt that they were a little lost. The Dragon’s Lair did not receive substantial comments but there were some suggestions that the execution can be improved.
Feedback on the inclusion of KG was not extensive but what comment was received was mixed. There were several mentions appreciating the fact that KG was once again part of the main fair, but also several indicating that the Fair was long and noisy for KG children.
The main area for improvement next year is the entry and payment processes. Queues were long and this should be resolved. Other major areas for review are the approach to organising the Fair and the role that Class 6 plays, cost of food and craft, quantity of baked goods produced, and information and communication.
If anyone would like to see the full report, please feel free to reach out to Kim Walsh in Class 6 on 082 570 4565.
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.
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
A series of Eurythmy classes exploring the timeless emotional themes found in Shakespeare’s works, including sorrow, grief, loss, and friendship. Through movement and expression, participants will engage with Shakespeare’s poetry in a reflective and artistic way while developing greater awareness, connection, and creativity in a supportive group setting.
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.
Join our nurturing Waldorf kindergarten community part-time! We’re looking for a warm, reliable Assistant Teacher to work alongside our lead teacher on Thursdays and Fridays. If you bring a genuine love for young children, a rhythmic, calm presence, and flexibility for occasional relief and school events, you’ll feel right at home. Become part of a supportive, nature-inspired team at Imhoff Waldorf School.
Parenting in the Digital Age
The DSK looks forward to hosting another public talk with The Digital Law Company and Emma Sadleir on 21 April 2026 at 18h00:
Parenting in the Digital Age – advice, guidance and education in all aspects of social media and the law.
Everything you need to know to survive about raising children in an online world – the laws, the apps, the issues.
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.
An intensive course over 7 weeks where participants immerse themselves in the Theory U Four Levels of Listening. Learn to hold space for empathic and generative listening through awareness-based practices, conversation, embodying, and journaling to enhance the quality of relationship in life and work.
Learn the art of unconditional love – for yourself and others. Join Brian Grimley in a year-long journey of heart, healing, and connection. Blossom begins 14 April 2026.
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.
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).
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
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
What's the difference between spring rolls and summer rolls?
Their seasoning.
