Post on 24-Mar-2022
4 Marlow Road Kenilworth 7708 Cape Town Tel. 021 797 9728 Fax 021 797 1207 info@michaeloak.org.za www.michaeloak.org.za
Michael Oak Waldorf School
WEEKLY NEWSLETTERNo. 17 28 May 2021
The Big Beach Walk and Clean UpTo our great delight on Saturday morning, the rain stopped and the sky cleared just in time for our beach walk and clean up at Sunrise Beach in Muizenberg.
We had a good turn out and after registration at 8.30am we headed off down the beach at 9am, plastic bags in hand.
Apart from enjoying a lovely walk in the morning sun with friends, all the children really took the rubbish collection challenge to heart.
Collectively we managed to take a huge amount of plastic and other rubbish off the beach. The walk back was slower for some who were dragging huge bags behind them.
Thank you to everybody who braved the weather and joined us on Saturday.
And a huge pat on the back to all the children who did such a great job of keeping our beautiful beach clean.
The Class 5 Big Walk committee will be deciding on the allocation of prizes early next week.
Thank you to all the parents who volunteered to be marshals and registrars and who helped to organise such a successful event.
The Class 5 Big Walk Committee
See
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LOST and FOUNDStill Unclaimed!
If you have lost anything valuable at school please check with Faiza in case someone has handed it in.
Latest list of valuables:
• A Huawei cellphone was found last week -- the battery is now flat.
• Two pairs of spectacles.
• One wristwatch
• Some cash was found on the Sidefield.
Please claim any of the above from Faiza at Reception.
ElementalHappenings
Something exciting is brewing… what you have been longing for… the opportunity to celebrate live community. Yes! We will have a live fair!
Some may call us crazy, but we are forging ahead, with COVID team and College, hand in hand we step.
How it will work: We will divide the day into separate and distinct time slots. Participation in each time slot will be managed via advance ticket purchase. Between each time slot all attendees of the fair will leave. Everything will be cleaned down and the next festive group will arrive.
Many of our favourite activities will be there, Tea gardens, face-painting, candle dipping and treasure hunts, storytelling and physical games that allow for social distance will create spaces of joy for our children. Deli foods and books and plants will be on sale. How will this work for later slots and craft sales, you may be worrying. Well, fear not! For we shall sell our fair Waldorf fare fairly using an advance online system. As far as possible, we will have the same activities throughout both/all events. The spaces will stretch from KG to High school. We will keep this fair exclusive to our Michael Oak Community. It will be special and intimate, a whole new fair feel.
Thank you to all crafters and to the school for working with us in this adventurous Elemental venture!
Class 6 Parents
There is still time to
book for Saturday's
event
LOST on the Big Walk!
If anyone found this
precious toy on Saturday
please contact Claire Walter in
the office.
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CastDoktor Mathilde von Zahnd (psychiatrist) – Meghan Miehe (Wednesday, Friday); Ella Heyns (Thursday, Saturday)
Marta Boll (head nurse) – Gemma Rattue (Wednesday, Friday); Roxanne Silberbauer (Thursday, Saturday)
Irene Straub (nurse) – Leah Vogel
Monika Stettler (nurse) – Tiana Faber
Newton (patient) – Kate Alberts (Wednesday, Friday); Rachael Wells (Thursday, Saturday)
Einstein (patient) – Kai Bayley
Mobius (patient) – Thomas Wood
Richard Voss (inspector) – Andru van Breda
Blocker (detective) – Ethan Williams
Guhl (police doctor) – Noah Kerchhoff
Oskar Rose (preacher) – Aadam Dennis
Lina Rose (wife, mother) – Mbali Tindlini (Wednesday, Friday); Holly Boltman (Thursday, Saturday)
Adam-Frederick (son) – Amir Dollie
Uwe Sievers (Head Attendant) – Amir Dollie
MC Arthur (Attendant) – Aadam Dennis
Murillo (Attendant) – Mateo du Plessis
Additional Patients – Samuel Green
Class 12 Play Festival
Huge Thanks To:Nicola Elliott – for steering the whole show
Diane Scannell – for assisting
Graham Scannell – for assisting
Tami Randles – for production assistance, costuming, sewing, running around and countless other things
Sebastian Miehe – for set building
Chris Mathimba, Ivan Manitshana & Class 12 – set building/painting assistance
Tiang Tsai – for lights and sound
Sam Bell – for lights
Mascha Rutherford – for costume assistance
Marcel du Plessis – for garden painting
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PLEASE SUPPORT US AND ZIPZAP SOCIAL CIRCUS
With all fundraising activities somewhat thwarted during 2020, the Class 11’s are seeking to visit Petervale instead of the usual Class 10 Orange River Trip. To help them with their Fundraising efforts (remember that Valentine’s Day Dance 2020?!), they have collaborated with ZIPZAP Circus for 2 shows during the SA School Holidays (which are different to MOAK’s).
Please support our Class 11’s by selecting the Michael Oak Supporter’s Ticket option when booking on QUICKET : for each sold ticket, ZipZap will donate R20 to MOAK Class 11 Camp Fund.
The Shows are limited to 200 tickets only, are CV19 compliant with CoCT, and as PICNIC STYLE shows (with clearly demarcated areas) you are invited to bring along a blanket and cushions to sit on. Refreshments will be on sale by ZipZap and pre-ordered Picnic Boxes will also be on sale via Quicket (please note : no personal refreshments to be taken into the show). NO Tickets will be on sale at the door, and must be bought in advance through QUICKET. Should the show be cancelled due to CV19, ZipZap will contact all QUICKET purchasers and will handle the necessary refund arrangements, with the completion of a Show Cancellation Form.
It promises to be a great show and a chance for our MOAK community to get together, in a win:win support for both MOAK Class 11’s and ZIPZAP : INSPIRING KIDS FOR LIFE
Thank you!
FUNDRAISER for Class 11s
For more info go to https://www.zip-zap.co.za/
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The Class 9 EMS (Economic Management Sciences) main lesson culminated on Friday with each child being part of a group running their own mini business. The creativity and business ideas were put on display for the rest of the school and they really did very well.
Each group put forward a proposal and then either got donations or put up their own capital for their group. Loans from parents were paid back, with interest and some parents donated ingredients for the wares that were sold.
The groups then paid rent and utilities to the school for the right to sell on the property and then had to calculate the tax on their profits. This is also being paid back to the school as well as a donated amount to a charity. They chose DARG (Domestic Animal Rescue Group).
Despite the rain, everyone made a profit, learnt some important business lessons and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. A big thank you to the Michael Oak Community for their support.
Roy Davids
Class 9 Main LessonEconomic Management Services
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Stellenbosch is amazing, it's beautiful, feels like I'm a tourist in my own country!
Jewelry design has been really fun, learning new techniques and skills, and the lecturers aren't as scary as I thought they would be.
Without Waldorf I definitely wouldn't be where I am today.
Luisa Faber (Matric 2020)
News from our Alumni
A quick update ...
I'm studying a bachelors of social science, majoring in Psychology and Organisational Psychology. I hope to major in Clinical Psychology.
Regards,
Ben Weissenberg (Matric 2019)
Pure Matric Joy!
2020 student Songo Tshele was filmed as he received his matric results this week.
Thanks to Zach Weissenberg for the delightful video clip.
Watch the video clip HERE
Maren Paschke
I'm busy studying biology at UCT. I took a gap year last year so I'm in first year now, doing bio and ocean and atmosphere sciences. And I'll hopefully narrow that down into something environmental related later on.
All online at the moment, which is not the best but I'm enjoying the work, even if not the quantity of it — I feel like I'm in the right place in the bio department. Online learning is quite an adjustment!
Holly Kellett (Matric 2019)
Zach Weissenberg and Songo Tshele, at Songo's Valedictory (2020)
Here is a little summary of where I am now and what I have been doing since matriculating. I am in my second year of study at UCT, majoring in English, History and Xhosa communications. I will be taking a PGCE after my bachelors, as I continue to be inspired by my teachers both in university and from my journey at Michael Oak. Mari [Maren Paschke, ed.] and I, since meeting in high school, have just had our five-year anniversary.
As you know, my first year at university was enriched by the arrival of Songo Tshele, who came to stay with us during the initial lockdown for the supportive environment necessary for distanced learning. Songo and I spent countless hours studying together, going over material in preparation for his finals and building a relationship that has changed my life in ways that I could not have foreseen, as well as bolstering my dedication to a life in education. Songo’s determination and capacity to transform his mindset toward his education earned him a bachelor’s certificate and my total admiration; our time together with all its victories, fond memories and nervous interludes is one of my proudest achievements. Aside from this and the influences of distanced learning, my studies went very well and I found myself validated and excited by my courses (history in particular); I scored a distinction average over my first year and am looking to maintain this going forward.
When I am not studying, I am either involved in au pair work, spending time with Mari, or rock-climbing with friends. After university, however long I study for, I want to be involved in education, either through teaching, lecturing, or (a pipe dream of mine) to bring in a new education system that understands the dichotomy presented by the current one – that to educate and to categorise are oppositional goals, yet both are performed by the same institution. I look forward to writing more children’s books in the same multi-lingual format as those in my grade twelve project, although that will probably have to wait until I graduate.
As a last note, I want to emphasise just how important the teachers at Michael Oak have been to me, from kindergarten to matric. For the sake of avoiding a staff-room brawl, I won’t be playing favourites here, but I hope that you all know how much you mean to me and the kind of influence that our time shared has had on the path that I am on. Love to you all.
All the best,
Zach Weissenberg (Matric 2019)
We look forward to sharing more updates from our Alumni! Contact Lee Smit-Gardner at lasmit-gardner@michaeloak.org.za with your news.
Flashback to Matric Results earlier this year:
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Class 5 GeographyTable Mountain outingOn Monday the 24th, Class 5, our teacher Mrs Dingle and a group of parents, hiked up Platteklip Gorge for the Geography outing.
There was much excitement as we all met at the Platteklip Gorge starting point, backpacks filled with water bottles, snacks and warm jackets.
The weather could not have been better as there was some light cloud cover and no wind. As the children wound their way up the gorge, the group naturally split into the klipspringers at the front and a few tortoises enjoying the view at the back of the group. Michael Cherry kept the pace at the front and Mrs Dingle helped to inspire those at the back to keep on moving, one ‘platte klip’ at a time.
It took our happy, noisy troop about 2.5 hours to get to the top where we met for a well deserved snack.
After a lunch break the whole group headed off to Maclear’s Beacon which is a structure consisting of rocks packed into a cairn and is 1086m above sea level.
We reached the cable car station at about 1.45pm and all managed to pile into the same cable car which took us down the beautiful slopes of the mountain, back to our own cars. The views were spectacular as always.
Thank you Mrs Dingle, for being such an adventurous teacher and for knowing just when to challenge your students to push themselves to greater heights. We would also like to thank the parents who volunteered to be a part of this happy expedition.
Gabby Raaff
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CLASS 4 Farming Main LessonBloublommetjieskloof Farm, Wellington
The Farming main lesson is normally part of our Class 3 curriculum but due to the Covid lockdown last year the farm experience was cancelled. Luckily an opportunity arose this week so our current Class 4's headed off to Bloublommetjieskloof to get hands-on experience of milking cows, turning compost, preparing food to share, among many other tasks. Much enjoyed by all!
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Raise funds for Michael Oak every time you swipe your
MySchool card
Apply for your card online at
www.myschool.co.za
or speak to Lynn Kerchhoff
in the Office
CLASS 3 Measurement Main Lesson Continued
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Community NoticesPlease send all adverts to leaflet@michaeloak.org.za
COTTAGE TO RENTBlackheath Road (200m from school). Fully furnished & equipped cottage. R10,000pm on long lease. Fully separate from main house, own entrance, 1 bedroom en suite, parking bay, bics etc. Contact agent HERE
LOOKING FOR WORKGentle, kind, patient, hard working, thorough, and PHENOMENAL domestic helper/childminder looking for full time position. We are emigrating and looking to find new work for our incredible, light-of-a-woman domestic helper, Merelyn. She has been working for our family for 10 years and we are so sad to be leaving her. Merelyn is multitalented, being amazing with children, an excellent domestic helper, and a wonderful baker! Please contact Alec on 0741424142 or CJ on 0842067136 for more info. We couldn’t recommend Merelyn more highly!
HS PUPIL LOOKING FOR BOARDING & LODGINGWe are looking for boarding & lodging during the school week for our 17 year old daughter, Zintle, who is currently in class 10 at Michael Oak. We will relocate to Kenilworth before the end of year, having just purchased a house close to school. We currently reside in Stellenbosch, while Zintle stays with a Waldorf family during the week. However, as their son is returning home in August we need to secure alternative accommodation for the 3rd and, possibly, 4th term. Zintle is a quiet and conscientious teenager who is self-reliant. If you would like to discuss the possibility of providing boarding and lodging, including a light breakfast, lunch snack for school and one cooked meal per day, from Monday to Friday, at a maximum of R5,500 p/m please contact: Gideon 0828539368 or Elizabeth 0828397044
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REIKI TREATMENTS OFFERED
Reiki Treatments and Chakra Balance offered - Beautiful portable bed available for, at home treatments. All COVID protocols followed.Reiki works on Chakra s which are energy centers on the body. It is a gentle non invasive complimentary energetic or life force healing system. Release stress, trauma and heal your own body through insightful connected personal growth journey... To book or find out more contact Suzanne on 082530838 Reiki Master Dr Usui method
Opinions in the Leaflet belong to the contributors, and are not necessarily those of the school.
ALL advertisements must be sent to leaflet@michaeloak.org.za. Editor: Charles Abbott
To receive the email edition of the Leaflet please email cabbott@michaeloak.org.za
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ADVERTISING IN THE LEAFLET: Donations for Display Adverts and Community NoticesPlease note that all advertisers are expected to offer a contribution to our
Bursary Fund. Minimum donation R30. Please use these bank details for EFT transfers:
Standard Bank, Branch: 02510900, Acc. No.: 071885382 Acc Name: Michael Oak School Fundraising.
Ref: ‘Leaflet-Ad’Adverts will only be published a maximum of 3 times per school term.
DEADLINE for all adverts is Thursday 12 noon