Weekly Leaflet 5 – Michael Oak Leaflet

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WEEKLY LEAFLET 5

February 19, 2026

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Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends

It’s been a full and vibrant week at Michael Oak, with so much happening across the school community. From the Kindergarten work party and the High School Valentine’s fundraiser, to the Class 6 Greek Olympics and our recent career evening, the halls and classrooms have been buzzing with energy and activity.

Looking ahead, Photo Day is coming up on Monday, so make sure your children are ready. All grades will also be heading out for their Founders Day outings at the end of next week – Michael Oak’s traditional way to celebrate the birthday of Rudolf Steiner.

Happening Next Week

Below is an overview of the meetings, events, and activities happening around the school next week.

February

Photo Day

8:30pm to 1:00pm

Photos of each class on the oval – be sure your child looks their best.

February

High School Discovery Day

1:00pm to 3:00pm

A chance for prospective parents to learn more about our high school, taking place in the big hall.

February

Kindergarten Parents Evening

7:30pm to 9:00pm

Meeting for Kindergarten parents and teachers, taking place in the Kindergarten.

February

Dads, Dudes & Kids Camp Planning Meeting

7:00pm to 9:00pm

Meeting, in the big hall, for Dads, Dudes & Kids Camp organizers to discuss the logistics of the camp.

February

PS & HS Founder's Day Outing

8:30am to 1:00pm

Primary and high school classes go on outings to celebrate Steiner’s birthday (145 years)

February

Market Day

12:30pm to 3:00pm

Our weekly market takes place every Friday at the school entrance.

Flame Of Togetherness

Dear Michael Oak Community,

This past weekend more than 150 Class 6 children from ten Waldorf schools across the Western Cape came together for the Greek Olympics at Constantia Waldorf School. This event is a true gift to our wider Waldorf community and was pioneered more than thirty years ago. The flame has been passed on, and for many years now Mornay Fortuin, currently a teacher at McGregor Waldorf School, has kept this tradition alive.

The camp marks the close of our Greek History Main Lesson and stands at a threshold in the life of the twelve-year-old child. It is a time when strong, well-balanced bodies awaken to a new, living capacity for thinking – much like the flowering of ancient Greek thought.

At Michael Oak Waldorf School, we are blessed to have Coach Koffi, who carefully guides each Class 6 class through the Olympic disciplines of javelin, shot put, discus, long jump, sprint, and various disciplines of wrestling. Thank you, Coach Koffi, for your dedication and steadfast commitment.

Our preparation focused not only on form, strength, and graceful movement, but also on courage, fairness, truth, order, and above all, the spirit of cooperation. It was deeply moving to witness children from ten different classes come together and, after just a day and a half, stand truly as one during the closing ceremony.

At the closing ceremony – each child receiving a medal, songs sung, and the oath to Zeus spoken once more – I felt how deeply this experience lived in the soul of each child. It is a flame of courage, calling each one to find one another as humanity and to stand as brothers and sisters, guarding the fire for the future.

In honour of Zeus be fully awake
With courage and fairness now strive
To balance within and balance without
We keep the great flame alive!
We keep the great flame alive!

Well done, Class 6 of Michael Oak 2026! Your many medals reflected great skill but above all your spirit of co-operation was noticed! You camped on the field, ran through the rain at night, slept on hard floors, guarded the fire, faced disappointment, took responsibility for your belongings, and cared for one another when it was needed. May the Olympic flame remain alive within you!

A heartfelt thank you to our sister schools for the commitment in creating this event together: Call of the Wild, Constantia Waldorf School, Gaia Waldorf School, Hermanus Waldorf School, Imhoff Waldorf School, McGregor Waldorf School, Star Seed Community School, Stellenbosch Waldorf School and Zenzeleni Waldorf School. Rafaeli Waldorf School and Khanyisa Waldorf School were with us in spirit.

Kristal Cox
Class 6 Teacher

Class 12 - Botany Main Lesson

What a wonderful opportunity to explore the plants that unfold with life around us. In this main lesson we follow the evolution of the plant world from chemosynthetic bacteria around the hot ocean vents through the first “photosynthesizers”, the cyanobacteria, which changed the earth’s atmosphere. We follow the amazing steps in evolution through the algae and the lungs of Gaia , out of the water via the lichens. Then through all the main divisions of the Plant Kingdom ending with the immense diversity of the flowering plants. The emphasis was on the increasing adaptation to a life out of water through structure and reproduction, as well as the importance of plants in their relationship with animal and humans.

Johan Wolfgang Goethe stated
“Each student was given a plant to work each morning to deepen their perception through a four step Goethean observation. This wonderful process takes the observer deeper than just surface observation, into relationship.”

A lesson on the Fynbos Biome culminated in a visit into our world-famous Kirstenbosch Gardens where they got to see the main Fynbos plant families first hand, as well as the opportunity to explore the gardens and to do some simple sensory scent, sound and texture observation.

Lee Smit-Gardner
Life Sciences Teacher

Kindergarten Work Party

This past weekend our Kindergarten was enlivened by the warm of helping hands as parents gathered for the Kindergarten work party. With willing hands and generous hearts, many came together to tend and care for the spaces that hold our youngest children each day.

A great deal was accomplished. The chicken coop was cleaned out, jungle gyms were varnished, seeds were planted in the garden, and cloths were sewn for classroom use. It was a focused and practical morning, with everyone pitching in where needed.

A heartfelt and sincere thank you to everyone who offered their time and energy. Your contributions are deeply appreciated.

High School Valentines

The High School Valentine’s Party was a lively and well supported evening, held as a fundraiser for the Class 10 camps and outings. The event was arranged by the class together with their parents and guardians, and it was clear how much thought and effort had gone into every detail.

With a 2000s throwback theme, the oval and small hall were transformed for the occasion. There was plenty on offer including pizza sticks, a chocolate fountain with strawberries and marshmallows, mocktails, and other treats. The event was very well attended, and there was a vibrant and energetic atmosphere throughout the evening.

Class 10 took the lead in making the night a success. They managed the music, created the decorations, offered henna tattoos, ran a photobooth, and set up games such as table tennis and bean bag toss. Their initiative and teamwork were evident in every aspect of the event.

Well done to Class 10 and all the parents and guardians who helped make the event such a success.

Career Evening

On Thursday, 12 February, the Class 10s to Matrics, together with their parents, had the opportunity to attend our annual Careers Evening.
A heartfelt thank you to our inspirational guest speakers who generously shared their time, insights, and experiences. Your guidance made a meaningful impact on our students.
The evening was a great success, and our students left feeling inspired, motivated, and with greater clarity about their future pathways. We truly appreciate everyone who contributed to making the event such a memorable and valuable experience.

The Library's Awakening

In Michael Oak there is a wonderful little room. You have to cross a busy play court to get there. It is tucked away in a small corner, on the edge of a magical garden. It is a higgledy-piggledy room filled with books and shelves, wooden benches and an odd assortment of chairs and desks. To the outsider, it may look like a forgotten kingdom, but for the children it is a sanctuary, a place filled with wonderful stories and a wealth of knowledge. It is our little library, loved by children over many decades.

For years, the children sat on its wooden benches with their favourite stories. Their busy hands turned pages, their eager feet pattered across its carpets, and warm hearts were touched by the stories filling the shelves. All this love left its mark: the benches worn smooth as river stones, the carpets threadbare, the books dog-eared and weary.

And now the library sleeps, dreaming of all the adventures it has held within its walls.

But every sleeping kingdom needs someone with magic in their heart to wake it. Mary Gibbs, a Michael Oak parent with a wonderful wand (and perhaps a paintbrush or two), has a big dream and a golden heart. As our Library Fairy, she can see what the library longs to become again: bright, welcoming, alive with possibility.

And already, Mary is gathering more fairies around her, mothers just as keen to help bring the library back to life. So if you see some smiling mums with baskets of books, a golden bag of fairy dust and a wand peeping out of their woven bags, then be sure to know that they are the Library Fairies, working their magic.

The refurbishment will begin with funds from the George Ellis Trust, which he generously gifted to the library. Wilfried Bohm and the Maintenance Team are already preparing the groundwork: replacing doors and window frames, and attending to electrical and other essential repairs.

Would you like to help to sprinkle some the magic dust, paint a shelf or reapir some books? Then….
Join us for a magical work party
Saturday 7th March 2026
10am – 2pm
*Bring some snacks and drinks to share. We’ll provide the tea.

Beulah Reeler
Acting School Coordinator

Bell-to-Bell Cell Phone-Free: Supporting healthy development

Since the end of January, Michael Oak Waldorf School has been implementing a bell-to-bell cell phone-free environment for all children up to and including Class 12. We are continuing to refine our approach to find the best way of managing this important initiative, and wanted to share with you the thinking behind this decision.

Why we’re taking this step
This decision is rooted in our understanding of child development and our commitment to creating an environment where children can grow, learn and connect in healthy ways.

We are increasingly aware of how mobile phones affect the developing brain, particularly in childhood and adolescence when crucial neural pathways are being formed. The constant availability of digital stimulation impacts children’s capacity for sustained attention, deep thinking and genuine presence with others. We have observed what many schools worldwide are noticing: classroom disruption, declining focus and, perhaps most concerningly, reduced face-to-face interaction among pupils.

During break times, we want to see children talking, playing, arguing, making up, imagining and simply being together. These direct human interactions are not merely pleasant additions to school life – they are essential experiences through which students learn to navigate relationships, develop empathy and build the social skills they will need throughout their lives. When they retreat into earphones and screens during these precious unstructured moments, they miss opportunities for the kind of social learning that cannot happen any other way.

How it works
In the high school, phones are collected each morning and returned at the end of the school day. Class 13 (Matric) students are not part of this initiative at present.

We strongly encourage parents to ask their children to leave mobile phones at home unless absolutely essential for commuting or transport arrangements. The simplest solution is often no phone at all during the school day. Please be aware that if phones are brought to school, they remain the responsibility of families, and we ask that students take care with their belongings.

We continue to observe and adjust our approach to ensure it works effectively for our community.

We recognise that parents may have concerns about emergencies. Please be assured that our school reception remains available throughout the day. If you need to reach your child urgently, you can phone the school office and we will ensure the message is delivered promptly. Similarly, if your child needs to contact you, staff are available to facilitate this.

Moving forward together
This decision reflects our role as educators: to create the conditions in which children can develop their full potential. International research increasingly supports what we observe in our classrooms – that removing smartphones from schools improves both academic performance and social climate.

We appreciate your support and patience as we continue to refine this approach. If you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Claire Walter: High School Secretary: cwalter@michaeloak.org.za

Beulah Reeler
Acting School Coordinator

Upcoming Craft Day Dates

Our crafting gatherings are a time for hands, hearts, and imagination to come together. Each session is an opportunity to create beautiful, handmade treasures that will find their place at our school fair. Whether you are painting, sewing, weaving, or shaping clay, your work contributes to the joy and warmth of our community.

Donation Request From Aftercare

Dear Parents

The favorite activity in the upstairs play area is house or fort building. The children love to create a corner or contained area for themselves and play inside it. If anyone should have old puppet show ‘screens’ available that they would like to donate to primary aftercare please chat to Lindy.

Contribute & Share

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 All A Wonderful Week Ahead!!

Community Notices

An Exciting Night of Drama

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.

Extramural Art Classes

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.

Stellenbosch Waldorf School is Hiring

Stellenbosch Waldorf School is seeking passionate educators to join their community in Term 3, 2026. Applications are open for a Primary School Teacher (Senior Phase) and a Primary School Teacher (FET Phase: Afrikaans FAL, English HL & History). Submit your application by 7 July 2026 to admin@waldorfschool.org.za.

Kids’ Aerial Yoga Holiday School

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

Lectures by Dr. James Dyson

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.

Please contact Julia O’Leary for queries and bookings.

0769047632
juliaoleary021@gmail.com
or Liz Smith (liz@quella.co.za).

Au Pair Available

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.

Beautiful Cottage to let in Plumstead

Available from 10th August to 12th October. Fully furnished and serviced.
Oak Cottage

At Timourhall Cottages on the grounds of Christian Community Church.
R19000 per month or R600 per day
Includes Rental, electricity, water and service.

Contact Julia O’Leary 076 904 7632 / juliaoleary021@gmail.com

Christian Community Family Fair

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.

How to Love - in Afrikaans

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 Practitioner's Circle

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.