“May wisdom shine through me, may love grow within me, may strength penetrate me, that in me may arise a helper of humankind, a servant of sacred things selfless and true.”
While we all can celebrate the end of COVID regulations, we must not forget that schools are notorious for being a continuous “super-spreader” event when it comes to all sorts of common illnesses. It also seems as if now that we are not using masks and sanitiser, many in our community are catching colds, bugs and other unwelcome visitors. We therefore ask you, our parents, to please keep your children at home if they are not feeling well.
One sport is compulsory for all primary and high school students. We also encourage your children to participate in multiple activities.Lastly, we are also implementing a new procedure for checking attendance, which will include calls to parents when children are not in sport but had been in school earlier in the day. You can still register via these links: Primary School / High School
We have received numerous complaints about cars being parked in the Drop & Go zone during pick and drop-off times. This is both inconsiderate and potentially dangerous. If you need a longer stop, please find a spot in one of the neighbouring side streets. At the same time, please make sure that our neighbours' driveways are never blocked. Thank you for your cooperation.
This is a last call for applications for siblings who may need a place in the Playgroup or Kindergarten next year. Forms are available to download from the website, from the office or we will be happy to email them to you – email us at enrolment@michaeloak.org.za. We would be so sad to have filled all the places and then discover that there are siblings for whom we do not have space.
A warm welcome to Haanim Noordien, our new Class 4 Teacher; Matthew Dowling, our woodwork teacher / Primary School assistant; and Caroline Marquardt, our temporary Maths Lit teacher. We wish you all a fulfilling journey at Michael Oak.
Welcome back Anne-Marié! The kindergarten children are so excited to hear the stories of your adventures.
Returning from maternity leave this term are Tasneem Jacobs, our school counsellor, who had her first day back today, and Nicola Wong, our High School English teacher, who will be back at the end of August.
Vincent Message, our woodwork teacher, is recovering from a knee operation and if all goes well will return in September; many wishes for healing Vincent.
Leigh Moore, our Class 5 teacher, will soon be off on a 7-week adventure to be with her long-distance partner in Canada. We wish her fruitful travels and a safe return! Sarah Brassington, an ex-pupil and trained Waldorf teacher, will fill in for Leigh while she is away. A warm welcome to Sarah!
At the end of last term, we said farewell to Andre van Blerk, who after a heart-warming journey with his class, Class 4 at present, has decided to move to Sudan with his fiancee, where they have together accepted teaching positions at a school in Khartoum. We wish them both all the very best. Thank you Andre, for caring for your children with so much dedication, uprightness, enlivening movement and love.
And finally, last week we said goodbye to Sihle Mbodlela, our Primary School Assistant. Thank you Sihle, for your loyal dedication to the children and the invaluable support you have given to the Primary School Class teachers. All of the very best to him as he starts his own Class 1 in Hong Kong!
After being at Michael Oak for 12 years and teaching in total for 23 years, Michael Oak afforded me the privilege of a term’s sabbatical. Initially it was very strange being at home knowing that school had reopened, especially as I can also hear the children playing during breaktime from my house.
This all changed at the end of April when I set off on a month-long safari with my son, his wife and my grandson Jayden, who is in the Playgroup with Alison and Lynette. We flew to Windhoek to pick up a 4x4 car with two roof-top tents. We had the most incredible time travelling through Namibia, the Caprivi strip and Botswana. We also hopped across to Zimbabwe for an afternoon as we had been told that Vic Falls were the fullest they had been in 15 years – absolutely spectacular and true to their name which means ‘The smoke that thunders’. They were thundering!
In total, we did 5,500 km in 26 days. We experienced all weather conditions – from so windy that we feared the car and tents would blow over, to quiet, windless, starry evenings; from 35 degrees to 1 degree. We experienced diverse cultures as the small homesteads in each region had their own unique traditions of house building and fencing.
The landscapes were amazing – from the Namibian salt pans, vast open spaces, to rocky terrains, then very soft, sandy roads and the thick bush. One day the road was so bad it took us 11 hours to do 240 km and, not reaching a campsite, we free-camped in the middle of nowhere on the top of a mountain under bright starry skies.
We saw huge herds of animals in Etosha, but in Botswana the animals were scarce. It had been a very wet summer which meant the animals didn’t have to trek for water. As we left Kazangula which is quite a big town, 1 km down the road a herd of elephants were crossing the main road. The campsite was 5 km outside town and in the unfenced campsite there was a lion kill only 100 meters from us. At Vic Falls the warthogs were running around town. Vigilance of a different kind is needed there!
Jayden travelled so well. We had lots of fun playing games in the car and fortunately there was always sand for him to play in. Despite being just under 4 years old, he was a keen game spotter. He also entertained us by singing many songs he had learnt in the Playgroup. He and I shared a tent and it was a wonderful time of bonding and early morning giggles and laughter.
I returned enriched and rejuvenated and I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to experience the beautiful people and landscapes of southern Africa. I am left with a heart full of wonderful memories and many stories to tell.
Thank you Michael Oak for granting me this time off and to Namhla for her willingness to hold the class in my absence. Namhla and the children travelled with me in heart.
It has been my true privilege to work as the Primary School Assistant at Michael Oak for the past seven months. I can genuinely say that my time here has been full of blessings. I have grown immensely, finding my teacher presence, voice and the confidence to hold Class One to Six. Over the past while I have built deep relationships with the children and I will miss the children dearly.
I have accepted the position of Class One teacher at the Garden House Waldorf School in Hong Kong. It is a position that aligns deeply with what I believe in and a great step forward in a career that is built on a love for teaching, learning and seeking new adventures.
Saying goodbye is never easy and I have been humbled by how the Michael Oak community has embraced me as one of your own, and I am so grateful to the children you entrusted to my care.
Michael Oak is a wonderful school, with impeccable people and dedicated teachers and staff. I was reassured of this by witnessing the collective effort in wanting to improve our school for the better. I am optimistic that the school will rise above its current challenges and come out stronger.
My time at Michael Oak will forever be engraved in my heart because it was a genuinely good one. As I journey to the East, I take with me all the lessons and gifts this community taught me. The most appropriate response from me is gratitude.
EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO FOOD AND THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION
Dear Michael Oak community,
We are pleased to announce that the High School Outreach Team has a new project that we would love you all to get involved in. A school has started on the pavement in the community of Parkwood. They call themselves the "I CAN ACADEMY." It started out as a small group, and now is responsible for feeding 150 kids a day, as well as adults who come for adult learning. The students sit either inside a small shack, or on the pavement outside, and the eating is done in shifts as the school does not have enough pots and gas cookers to make enough food to feed everyone at the same time. They are in desperate need of help.
Our Outreach Team has put together a plan which the Michael Oak community is invited to support and donate to.
There are 3 ways your family can get involved:
We will have a weeklySANDWICH DRIVE, asking every Michael Oak student (Primary and High School) to please bring an extra sandwich or a bag of sandwiches to school. This will happen EVERY WEDNESDAY.
Members of the Outreach Team will fetch these from all the classes, and one of the teachers will drop the sandwiches off each week on their way home. Please, as parents, support your child to remember to bring an extra sandwich or two. While all sandwiches will be welcome, we encourage simple peanut butter/jam sandwiches because the Muslim students won't be able to eat ham sandwiches.
In addition, we will have crates for other donations which will be stationed at the main gate from Wednesday, 10 August. You can bring items to donate and the stand will have helpful instructions about where to place your specific items.
Items that are needed:
• Pots (Big if possible, but all sizes welcome), gas cookers and any cooking utensils
• Non-perishable food items, such as beans, canned tomatoes, lentils etc.
• Potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, butternut and other vegetables for soup
• Other food donations
• Stationery
Updates about what is needed will also go out regularly.
We will soon set up an official fundraiser for financial donations, and you will be able to donate money either via the Karri App, SnapScan or by debit/credit card at the office. These donations will go towards the school's location, ie. Creating a proper building for the school as it is currently half on the pavement and half in the 'garden' of one of the school organisers/teachers. We will use this money to buy building materials, and all funds spent will be transparent.
We will be sending regular updates to the Leaflet and the school's social media platforms to encourage people to support us.
With your help and the enthusiastic team we have on our side, we can make a big difference for these young people and the adults in their community.
The Polar Bear Challenge was conceived as a fun and exciting way for High School students and teachers to celebrate Michael Oak Waldorf School’s 60th birthday.
All high school students from Class 8 to Class 12 were required to walk, or run, roughly 12km along the coast from Surfer’s Corner, Muizenberg to Long Beach, Simon’s Town. Students had 3 hours within which to complete the journey and surprise challenges along the way added excitement and ensured a fun event for participants and spectators alike. The Polar Bear Challenge combined the festive spirit of a community event with the focussed attention and commitment required from participants of an endurance race. To become a fully-fledged Polar Bear there was the challenge of a 60-second dip in the cold ocean at Simon’s Town. Congratulations to the adventurous participants, both teachers and pupils, who took up this brave challenge.
Each high school class decided on their own secret dress-up theme and teachers and parents were encouraged to wear fun and colourful outfits. Family and friends were asked to support participants where there were many comfortable stops along the route with breathtaking views.
Participants were also expected to raise money for the High School Development Fund and Bursary Fund by collecting at least 20 pledges or R250 sponsorship from family and friends.
Upon completion of the route participants received a unique Polar Bear Challenge medal. Prizes were awarded to the first, second and third place finishers in each high school class and to students who raised the most funds. Prizes were sponsored by businesses situated along the route or close to Michael Oak Waldorf School.
The Polar Bear Challenge was coordinated and facilitated by Class 8 parents with support from the school. The event offered new parents the opportunity to get to know one another while working side-by-side to ensure a safe and enjoyable event.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Class 8 parents for their incredible efforts in organising and helping with the route marking, marshalling, prize collecting and coordinating this unique event. A special thanks to Gideon, the class coordinator, Jan Verboom for his stunning photo album and Nick Desmond-Smith for adding a special touch of anchoring his yacht off the beach in Simon’s Town.
Thank you to our sponsors: SKA Clothing, Surf Emporium, Milk Beach Ice Cream, The Café Deli, Yoffi Falafel, Mark Adrian Hair Design, Wild Fig, Ilse Menck Clothing and Sixty Six Treats for their generous donations and support.
Thank you to all who came out to support the Class 11 book sale we ran as our Mandela Day Outreach project. We were able to donate R3410 to Help the Rural Child, a wonderful organisation that raises funds to support rural children and their families in the Western Cape. Warm regards, Class 11s and their Guardians
Due to the school holiday on Monday, 8 August, and the long weekend, there will no longer be a school garden work party this weekend. So mark your calendars now and come join us on the morning of Saturday, 3 September as we beautify the school environment our children learn and play in everyday. More info to come.
With so much going on at school, we wish to capture these special moments in order to create short video clips that we can share on our website and social media channels. To support this effort, we are looking for any parents with skills in Videography, Photography & Editing. If you are able to help us, please contact Claire on cwalter@michaeloak.org.za.
Are you a member of the Michael Oak community who might be interested in joining the womens’ facilitation team for the Class 10 Roots, Hearts and Wings Camp, which will take place from Thursday, 25 to Sunday, 28 August 2022. Facilitation skills are desirable, but training is also available. If you have any questions or might be interested, please email Claire on cwalter@michaeloak.org.za
Well done to Class 7 for collecting the most prizes in June. We hope you enjoyed the cupcakes! The class which won the July prize will be announced next week.
Time for an early spring cleaning? The school Fair committee is looking for prizes. Please use this as an opportunity to clean out your cupboards, toy boxes and garage. Donate your gently used, non-plastic items. (see instructions below) Fill your class box in reception (Primary School) or classroom (High School) and your class could win the prize for August!
If found or mistakenly taken home please return to Claire at the office and receive a reward of R100 (the ball was a gift and is very special to the owner).
Room to Rent
This lovely fully furnished light room in my Rosmead Avenue apartment is up for rent immediately for one person. The price, including wifi, water, electricity, shared kitchen and bathroom use, is R3800. Contact Anthea Haupt on this email or on 079 7840233.
House Wanted to Rent
Local Medical Practice seeks new premises in Kenilworth. A collection of Psychologists, Social Workers, an Arts Therapist, Psychiatrist, Physio and Chiropractor are looking for a house to rent in the area. Please contact Lesley on 082 828 5917.
Accommodation Wanted
Michael Oak 18 year old student, Blessing Chatama, who's finishing off school, is looking for a room close to school due to a challenging studying environment which includes almost no network where she lives and difficulties travelling to school at times. She is willing to house sit, walk dogs, babysit, and take on other small au pair duties in exchange for a room. Please contact Maurita Weissenberg on 0834426967 or mauritaw@gmail.com for more information and for a reference.
Gardener seeks work
Lot, our Malawian gardener - son of Chatama - is looking for extra days. Reliable, hardworking and experienced. Contact Ilana on 0763967977 for details.
Domestic worker available
Patricia - wife of our long-term gardener of 20 years - is looking for domestic work. Contact Ilana 0763967977.
We are looking for Matric Examination Invigilators
Are you looking for a part-time job with flexible hours? Come be a part of a team of invigilators (exam supervisor) at Michael Oak who will ensure exams are carried out according to the WCED regulations. The Matric end of year examinations take place in the November-December period. You will need to be available during the exam period and attend an annual training session.
Duties include:
1) Assisting in the setting up of the examination room.
2) Helping in the opening and distribution of question papers and other authorised materials to students.
3) Supervising the orderly entry of students into the exam room and ensuring that they are correctly seated according to the seating plan.
4) Dealing with late-comers.
5) Starting examinations according to the regulations and ensuring that the examination regulations are observed throughout the exam.
6) Maintaining active invigilation throughout the examination to ensure that no cheating occurs.
7) Taking responsibility for a group of students when in the exam room.
8) Ending exams in accordance with the regulations.
9) Collecting exam scripts.
10) Returning all exam scripts, unused papers, registers and other materials to the Matric Office immediately after the end of the exam.
11) Maintaining security and confidentiality.
12) Assisting in other activities as may be required by the school from time to time.
Skills required:
Organisation, reliability, punctuality, responsibility, use of initiative and strong communication skills.
After a 6-month Sabbatical, we are returning to give extramural art at Michael Oak, this term every second Friday plus the 16th September. A new idea not communicated is that instead of coming for an hour, pupils from Class 1 up (and kindergarten if it works for that child) can come for 1.5hrs for the five lessons (R930), which is the same in terms of actual art time as eight lessons of one hour. From next term, the classes will be weekly on Friday for all the different age groups as they have been before, with a Saturday morning class as well.
We are using the Class 11 room, a downstairs room a short hop away from the Primary School (especially classes 1,2 and 3). It is also opposite the matric art room and the garden passage leading to the High School garden where there are tables we can work in good weather. Children can come to the classroom for art straight after school, and wait under guidance (eat their lunch, read or draw), or join the art class.
Projects on a variety of themes for the 3rd term will a choice from:
painting our fired clay sculptural pottery/any unfinished canvasses, with new pupils painting artworks on the same themes;
top-down view drawings from nature (as seen in the MO garden or elsewhere, supported by photos);
artworks based on suitable current exhibitions at Norval Foundation Art Museum (including an interesting experimental one);
chalk pastel techniques;
mixed media collaged pictures;
canvas drawings;
artworks on personal themes (see accompanying photos).
Some projects will be carried over to the 4th term. There will be depth in the introductions for the projects, and artworks shown. Projects are age appropriate with differentiation as to what the younger and older pupils do. The emphasis is on fostering creativity, self-esteem and enjoyment of art, while learning techniques and a sense of aesthetics. On offer are a variety of media, themes and 2-D as well as 3-D projects, including those about the natural environment, and inspired by South African, African and other artists, as well as current exhibitions. Do remember you can put in requests.
Days, times and dates, 3rd term's art classes (1 session every second week to start, 5 weeks, Class 11 room)
Fridays: 29th July, 12th August, 26th August, 9th September, 16th September. Children may join in the second lesson, or later (pro-rata fees), and catch up missed lessons. Children may come to the classroom straight after school.
Friday 1pm – 1.55pm or 1pm to 2.30pm (Kindergarten, Classes 1 and 2)
Friday 2pm – 3pm or 3.30pm (Classes 3 and 4 mainly; Kindergarten, Classes 1 and 2)
Friday 2.30pm - 3.30pm or 4pm (Classes 5, 6 and 7 mainly or higher; Classes 3 and 4)
Friday 3.00pm – 4.00pm (Classes as above)
Also in Constantia (off Brommersvlei Road) for all age groups on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (8-week programme).
Fees are R620 for 1-hour lessons or R930 for 1.5 hour lessons this term, including materials and firing. Pro rata fees for late joiners. Visitors or ‘try-out’ pupils are welcome at R130 a lesson. Detailed newsletters and flyers can be emailed on request. For more information, contact Sue [MPhil in Education (Teaching) UCT and trained Waldorf teacher], art and environmental educationalist.
In this 8-part course you will be inspired by different artists, nurtured through the senses, music , nature and poetry. It will awaken your own sense of exploration, discovery and creativity.
Join us on this journey which will surprise and enliven you. A variety of mediums will include charcoal, watercolours, pastels and acrylic. Art experience is not necessary.
“Art is a space where freedom tests its wings" M. Rubin
INSTRUCTIONS
Adverts will be published a maximum of 3 times per school term.
Posters should be 560px wide with text large enough to read on a mobile device.
Please send community notices and display adverts to: leaflet@michaeloak.org.za
COST
All advertisers are expected to make a contribution to our Bursary Fund.
Minimum donation of R50 for community notices and R100 for display adverts.
Please use these bank details for EFT transfers:
Standard Bank / Branch: 02510900 / Acc. No.: 071885382
Acc Name: Michael Oak School Fundraising / Ref: ‘Leaflet-Ad’
In total, we did 5,500 km in 26 days. We experienced all weather conditions – from so windy that we feared the car and tents would blow over, to quiet, windless, starry evenings; from 35 degrees to 1 degree. We experienced diverse cultures as the small homesteads in each region had their own unique traditions of house building and fencing.
It has been my true privilege to work as the Primary School Assistant at Michael Oak for the past seven months. I can genuinely say that my time here has been full of blessings. I have grown immensely, finding my teacher presence, voice and the confidence to hold Class One to Six. Over the past while I have built deep relationships with the children and I will miss the children dearly. 
All high school students from Class 8 to Class 12 were required to walk, or run, roughly 12km along the coast from Surfer’s Corner, Muizenberg to Long Beach, Simon’s Town. Students had 3 hours within which to complete the journey and surprise challenges along the way added excitement and ensured a fun event for participants and spectators alike. The Polar Bear Challenge combined the festive spirit of a community event with the focussed attention and commitment required from participants of an endurance race. To become a fully-fledged Polar Bear there was the challenge of a 60-second dip in the cold ocean at Simon’s Town. Congratulations to the adventurous participants, both teachers and pupils, who took up this brave challenge.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Class 8 parents for their incredible efforts in organising and helping with the route marking, marshalling, prize collecting and coordinating this unique event. A special thanks to Gideon, the class coordinator, Jan Verboom for his stunning photo album and Nick Desmond-Smith for adding a special touch of anchoring his yacht off the beach in Simon’s Town.
From next term, the classes will be weekly on Friday for all the different age groups as they have been before, with a Saturday morning class as well.
Some projects will be carried over to the 4th term. There will be depth in the introductions for the projects, and artworks shown. Projects are age appropriate with differentiation as to what the younger and older pupils do. The emphasis is on fostering creativity, self-esteem and enjoyment of art, while learning techniques and a sense of aesthetics. On offer are a variety of media, themes and 2-D as well as 3-D projects, including those about the natural environment, and inspired by South African, African and other artists, as well as current exhibitions. Do remember you can put in requests.
Fridays: 29th July, 12th August, 26th August, 9th September, 16th September. Children may join in the second lesson, or later (pro-rata fees), and catch up missed lessons. Children may come to the classroom straight after school.
Also in Constantia (off Brommersvlei Road) for all age groups on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (8-week programme).
