Weekly Leaflet 32 – Michael Oak Leaflet

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WEEKLY LEAFLET 32

October 16, 2026

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Dear Michael Oak Community

Welcome back to Term 4!

Our final term of the year is underway, and there is plenty happening across the school. In this week’s Leaflet, we welcome our new School Coordinator, Benson Munyoro, and look back at the Matric Valedictory, a memorable farewell to our Matric students. We also share Class 3’s housing projects and some of the work showcased at the Matric Art Exhibition.

With our Family Fair just around the corner and a busy term ahead, we look forward to all that these final weeks of the school year will bring.

Kyle Snapper
Marketing

A Warm Welcome From Your New School Coordinator

Dear Waldorf Community, Parents, Guardians, and Students,

I am thrilled to introduce myself as your new School Coordinator and to embark on this beautiful journey with you. Joining a community that breathes life into learning is an honour, and I am incredibly excited to partner with you to support our children’s growth, well-being, and academic success. To put the icing on the cake, I am privileged to step into this role right here in the breathtaking city of Cape Town.

educational and environmental law, and staff training. I am fully committed to bringing this experience to bear in refining and strengthening the daily management of Michael Oak, keeping our unique Waldorf heart strong while building the rock-solid structure our community deserves.

To ensure our learning environment remains at the cutting edge of educational excellence, I am also currently completing my PhD in Education, focusing specifically on the retention, understanding, and real-world application of mathematics.

What especially drew me to Waldorf education is its alignment with everything I believe teaching should be. I admire the deep community involvement, the holistic nature of the approach, and the profound investment of Waldorf teachers. You don’t just teach concepts here; you make learning visible, nurturing the head, heart, and hands of every child.

On a personal note, education truly is a family affair for me. I am happily married to Ivy, who is also a dedicated teacher. Together, we are the proud parents of two young men who have walked the path of higher education: our eldest, Takudzwa Hope, is a BSc Computer Science graduate, and our youngest, Joseph Benson, is currently a fourth-year Civil Engineering student at University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

I firmly believe that a school thrives when the community, parents, and educators work hand-in-hand. My door is always open to your feedback, ideas, and conversations. I look forward to meeting each of you in the coming weeks and working together to keep our school a nurturing, vibrant space where every student can thrive.

Kind regards,

Benson Munyoro
School Coordinator
Michael Oak Waldorf School

Dear Waldorf Community, Parents, Guardians, and Students,

I join you with a deep career foundation as a former teacher, principal, and director of education, having spent years leading institutions to perform at their absolute best. My approach is backed by robust expertise across pedagogy, school administration, marketing, operations, educational and environmental law, and staff training. I am fully committed to bringing this experience to bear in refining and strengthening the daily management of Michael Oak, keeping our unique Waldorf heart strong while building the rock-solid structure our community deserves.

Kind regards,

Benson Munyoro
School Coordinator
Michael Oak Waldorf School

The Fair Notice Board

Pre-Sales of Mickels, Game Stamps and Entrance Fee Tickets

It’s that time of year again when you can pre-purchase Mickels, game stamps, and entrance fee tickets for the Fair.

The following items are being offered:

Entrance Tickets: R25 Adults, R15 Pensioners and R15 Children (free entry for 0 to 4 years old)
Mickels: R10 per Mickel. R100 per bag of 10 Mickels.
Game Stamps: R10 per stamp. R100 per booklet of 10 game stamps

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.

How does the pre-sale work?

You can pre-purchase Mickels, game stamps, and pay for the entrance fee ticket and this will be captured on our database. Collection of these Mickels will take place during the week before the fair.

Where do I purchase these items?

You can purchase through the Karri app. An email was sent to all parents with a link to the Karri app if you don’t have it installed. You can also make purchases at the fair table at the weekly Friday market.

What payment methods are accepted?

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

How many times can I purchase via the Karri app or on the school premises

You can purchase as many times as you like. However, the Karri app closes for sales on 26 October.

Why pre-purchase items

Pre-purchases assist with queues on fair day.

When can I collect my pre-purchased Mickels, game stamps, and entrance tickets?

Mickels, game stamps, and entrance fee tickets will be available for collection during the week of the fair (27-30 October).

Can I buy Mickels at the fair?

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

Please Note: Mickels are not refundable BUT may be retained for future events.
For any queries, please contact glangenhoven@michaeloak.org.za or pop into the office.

We would love any donations of semi-precious stones, beads, broken necklaces or jewellery for our scratch patch and treasure hunt. Please drop off donations at Genevieve’s office.

Calling All Bakers, Makers & Deli Contributors!

Our School Fair is coming up, and we would love your help in filling the Deli with delicious homemade and family favourites.

We are looking for contributions of cakes, biscuits, rusks, jams, preserves, treats and other goodies to sell on the day. Whether you have a tried-and-tested family recipe or simply enjoy making something delicious, every contribution will help make our Deli table a wonderful part of the Fair.

Please click here to add your name and contribution to the Deli sign-up list.

Thank you for helping us make the Fair a true community effort!

Matric Valedictory

On Tuesday 13 October, the Michael Oak community came together to celebrate our Matrics of 2026 at their Valedictory Assembly, marking the end of an important chapter in their school journey.

The ceremony began with the Class 4 children accompanying their Matric buddies into the hall, each carrying a beautifully decorated candle they had made, set in a candle holder engraved with the Michael Oak name. Once the Matrics had taken their places on the stage, the Class 4 children sang a beautiful song for them – a lovely moment shared between the younger and older students.

The morning continued with memories, reflections and heartfelt farewells. Anne-Marie from Kindergarten, Tine Böhm, their Primary School class teacher, and their High School guardians looked back on the students’ journeys, sharing memories of the children they had known and the young adults they have become. There were speeches from Lee Smit-Gardner, Lester Scharnick, Class Link Shireen Hans, Valedictorian and Dux Nikhil Gates and Salutatorian Zadie Prince, along with a photographic journey through their school years.

One of the most meaningful moments was the presentation of a heart name to each student – a personal acknowledgement of the individual they have become and the qualities they carry with them as they prepare to leave Michael Oak.

For some, this journey began in Kindergarten, while others joined along the way. Each has contributed something of themselves to their class and to the wider school community. The Valedictory was an opportunity to celebrate their achievements, remember the years shared together and wish them well as they prepare for what lies ahead.

As the ceremony came to an end, the Primary and High School students and teachers lined the school path, raising their arms to form a long archway. Singing Make New Friends, they created a passage for the Matrics to walk through as they made their way out of the school grounds. It was a moving farewell, with the whole school coming together to send them on their way.

Our Matrics began their final examinations on Thursday 15 October. We wish each of them courage, confidence and calm as they approach these final weeks, and hope they carry with them the friendships, experiences and memories of their time at Michael Oak.

Class 3 - House Building Project

The Class 3 children have been busy designing and building their own mini houses, with each student free to choose the type of home they wanted to create. Treehouses proved to be a popular choice, while others built more traditional houses. Some students even added working lights to their creations, bringing their designs to life.

The projects show the students’ creativity, imagination and attention to detail. Their finished houses are now on display in the school foyer, where the school community can admire their hard work. Be sure to stop by and have a look!

Matric Art Exhibition

The Matric Art Exhibition celebrated the creativity, hard work and individuality of our Matric art students. Working with themes such as Ritual, Fragility and Animal Is, the students explored personal ideas, experimented with different materials and developed their own artistic styles. The exhibition offered a glimpse into how each student sees and interprets the world, with works ranging from expressive mark making to intricate, realistic detail.

Below is the speech given by Victoria Sigalas, the high school art teacher, on the evening, reflecting on the students’ artistic journeys and the work they have created:

Matric Art Exhibition Speech

It is such a privilege to celebrate the culmination of our Matric students’ artistic journeys. What we see here tonight is so much more than a collection of finished artworks. Each piece represents a journey of exploration, questioning, experimentation, and self-discovery.

In Matric Art, students are given briefs or themes that challenge them to move beyond simply making something beautiful. They are asked to take an idea, sit with it, question it, and discover what it means to them personally.

This journey begins in their sourcebooks, which become a visual diary of their thinking. Ideas are explored, images collected, drawings made, and materials tested. There are unexpected discoveries, changes of direction, and moments when an idea begins to take shape. Through this process, the students learn that art is not just about the final product, but about the thinking and exploration that happens along the way.

This year, the students explored themes such as Ritual, Fragility, and the rather challenging brief, Animal Is.

Ritual invited them to consider the habits, traditions, and repeated actions that give meaning to our lives. Fragility asked them to explore vulnerability, impermanence, and the delicate nature of things. And Animal Is challenged them to think beyond simply depicting an animal. What is an animal? What connects us to the animal world, and what separates us from it? These themes opened up opportunities to explore identity, nature, humanity, and our place in the world.

What is so beautiful about this conceptual process is that there is no single correct answer. Each student brings their own experiences, interests, and ways of seeing the world to the brief.

As you look around the exhibition, you will see this individuality expressed in so many different ways. From Gabriel’s expressive mark-making to Isabella’s realistic precision, each student has developed their own visual language. Some communicate through bold gestures and energetic marks, while others use careful observation and intricate detail.

There is no single way to be an artist, just as there is no single way to see the world. What makes this exhibition so special is that each student’s unique voice shines through. Every artwork offers us a glimpse into how its maker thinks, feels, questions, and makes sense of the world.

To our Matric students, congratulations on your achievements. You should be incredibly proud of yourselves. The work displayed here reflects not only your artistic abilities, but also your perseverance, curiosity, and willingness to engage with ideas that do not always offer easy answers. You have learnt to take risks, trust your instincts, and sometimes let go of an idea in order to discover something unexpected.

As you move on from this chapter of your lives, my hope is that your creativity doesn’t stop here. I hope it becomes woven into the fabric of your everyday lives.

Creativity is not reserved for artists, nor does it only happen when we pick up a paintbrush. It is a way of approaching the world: remaining curious, asking questions, finding new perspectives, and imagining possibilities where others might see limitations. It is noticing beauty in ordinary things, finding unexpected connections, and having the courage to try something differently.

Whether you go on to study art or follow entirely different paths, I hope you continue to look closely, think deeply, question what is given to you, and find ways to bring your unique perspective into the world.

Finally, as you approach your final examinations, I wish you all the very best of luck. May you carry the patience, resilience, and trust in yourselves that you have developed through this artistic process into the weeks ahead.

Thank you for allowing me to be part of your artistic journeys. It has been a privilege to watch your ideas develop and your individual voices emerge.

Congratulations, Matrics. You have created something truly worth celebrating. I wish you every success in your finals and all the very best for the exciting journeys that lie ahead.

Susan Major

Gabriel Lemoine

Susan Major

Aisha Richards

Gabriel Lemoine

Aisha Richards

Logan Sass

Dayle Gibbs

Logan Sass

Chuma Mekuto

Jaidev Patel

Chuma Mekuto

Dayle Gibbs

Yusuf Moos

Isabella Cowley

Chuma Mekuto

Yusuf Moos

Isabella Cowley

Congradulations Indiya-Rose

Congratulations to Indiya Rose Essa, who has been awarded her Western Cape Provincial Colours for hip hop dancing! This is a wonderful achievement and recognition of her talent, hard work and dedication. We wish her all the best as she continues to grow as a dancer!

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