COMING EVENTS
Monday 25 June Spiral Festival
Tuesday 26 June Lower School Parent & Teacher Interviews
Wednesday 27 June Rose Cottage Midwinter Festival
Friday 29 June Pyjama Day
Friday 29 June Movie Night
Saturday 30 June High School Ball
Tuesday 3 July Lower School Parent & Teacher Interviews
Wednesday 4 July Class 8 Play ‘Metamorphosis’
Thursday 5 July Class 8 Play ‘Metamorphosis’
5-6 July High School Dental Van
Friday 6 July Last day of Term 2
FRIDAY FLYER 22 June 2018 Newsletter 22
MID-WINTER SPIRAL FESTIVAL
Monday 25th June
The Mid-winter Spiral festival is a peaceful, meditative and inward
time for our young children. Classes from one to twelve take
part. The younger classes invite the older classes to share their
space. Parents prepare the classroom on the Sunday with
greenery, citrus fruit, flowers, animals, and crystals. It is
often understood that little gnomies may sometimes sneak in
when no-one is looking!
The children arrive on Monday and enter the darkened room. They
quietly find their chairs and when we are ready the lower school
teacher lights a candle, which is then passed around while a verse
is recited. The teacher is then the first person to walk the spiral,
where they light the main candle in the middle. They carefully
place their candle somewhere around the spiral. Music is played
and songs are sung while everyone takes their turn to light and
carefully place their candle. Slowly, but surely, the darkness of
winter is banished as the light increases. When the candles are all
lit one of our high school teachers then tells a story, the theme is
usually about overcoming obstacles. A final song is sung while the
younger children quietly leave the classrooms. The older children
are encouraged to take a moment to enjoy the light we have
created before they help to clear it away. Often, around the
school, new spirals are formed with the leftover greenery if we
don't clear it away quickly enough.
LOWER & MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
Dear Parents/Whānau
MID YEAR REPORTS
You will be receiving your child’s mid-year report via email. The
Lower and Middle school are now in synch with the High School
reporting system whereby we will now be sending out reports via
email. As you are aware we are striving to be an environmentally
aware school and we are very conscious about saving the world’s
precious resources and are looking at reducing our footprint
insofar as using paper is concerned.
We have had a number of emails bounce back after sending
reports through to all primary caregivers for each student. In most
cases this is two people. If a primary caregiver has not received
their child's report as expected, then we may not have their
correct email address. Please email Donna Bainbridge at
[email protected] if this is the case.
CLASS 3 TEACHER
We are very happy to announce that the new teacher for class 3
will be Mr. Marco Liguori.
Marco is currently employed at the school teaching our class 4
children which he will do until the end of this term.
Marco comes to Michael Park School with a wide range of skills. He
is particularly adept at art and has developed over a number of
years an innovative programme for primary children.
Before teaching, Marco was a freelance graphic designer and a
music journalist. Marco impressively brings a calm and nurturing
personality to his teaching and his strengths lie in his ability to
structure his lessons so they encompass a wide range of learning
styles.
There is no doubt that Marco has a keen interest in Steiner
philosophy and he is very much looking forward to meeting the
parents of class 3 when he begins his role.
HELP THE HOMELESS - JACKETS FOR THE HOMELESS
During the first three weeks of
Term 3 after the July Holidays
Class 7 will be having a new Main
Lesson entitled: Service to
Others. Each student will decide
individually or in groups who
they are going to be of service to and make a plan on how they can
transform other’s lives. The focus of the lesson is to develop
Character in our students. We will be visiting a factory that only
employs people with an intellectual disability. We will also have a
talk from a Special Olympics Ambassador – ahead of the Special
Olympic World Games in March 2019 in Abu Dhabi. We will focus on
our environment and study Greenpeace and World Vision initiatives.
During our lesson time we will be visiting the Auckland City Mission.
Each student is going to take along much needed items: these will
include blankets – sleeping bags, towels and flannels. Toiletries and
hair brushes are always needed. We are looking outwards to our
Steiner community to also help support the most vulnerable people
in our community. If you have any blankets (polar fleece are
especially suitable for the homeless) and large t shirts or jumpers –
preferably black size 2XL please drop them off at our reception area
(Cathy will set up a collection box). Please encourage your children
to go with you to local second hand shops in the school holidays to
purchase these items – that way we are instilling in our children the
need to not only help those in need but also to be sustainable and
reuse clothing that has already been manufactured.
If we have any skilled handicraft people another idea that has been
developed in the U.S. is a ‘homeless jacket’. This is made when
waterproof material is attached to a jacket with Velcro which then
doubles as a sleeping bag.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our Michael Park community could
engage in recycling 2nd hand winter jackets into sleeping bags? If
you think you could make a prototype of these ‘homeless jackets’
please contact Donna Bainbridge at school.
Yours truly
Donna Bainbridge, Deputy Principal Lower & Middle School
HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
Here's the latest update from Joseph Murray
for his Independent Project community
module ‘Running a Marathon for Alzheimers’:
“I successfully completed the Christchurch
Half marathon with a time of 1:30:40, I am
very proud of this result and I am so grateful
to every single one of you for donating.
Totalling to more than $800 which will be
going to a great cause which can help my
Granddad. Thank you for helping me on this
project, I appreciate the support.“
View the full update here.
GIFT OF HOPE CHARITY TEAM
Thank you to all those who have supported the
40 hour famine.
For our students who have done the challenge if
you can collect up your money and get it into the
office along with your books as soon as you can .
This week was World Refugee Day , we spoke at
Middle School Assembly and shared some stories of Refugee’
around the world .
COMING EVENTS
Pyjama Day is coming once again on Friday 29th June. We will be
fundraising for the Art Therapy Space at the Mangere Refugee
Centre. Gold Coin to wear your PJ’s , Midnight Feast Morning Tea to
purchase. See the poster on page 5.
Movie Night. Also on Friday 29 June Movie Night in the Eurythmy
Room at 6pm. The Middle School class who raised the most money
overall for the famine will be able enjoy a free movie and snacks.
Tickets are $5 and available at the office for other students to join us
at the movie. So stay in your PJs and bring your own pillow or
beanbag and remember its shoes off so bring your slippers! We will
announce the winning class and movie on Monday.
COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD
Ex Tauranga Steiner Student wanting Room / Board in the
Ellerslie, Mt Eden, Mt Roskill or Mt Albert areas from middle
July to 10th Dec. Please contact Rebekah 027 902 1758
Do you need help with personal or professional
scheduling? Planning for the week, year ahead or holidays? I
can help you with your work/leisure scheduling and teaching,
music or general appointments scheduling. Please call Sarah
021372726 (Parent of MPS)
Sari silk yarn is made from waste threads from sari looms. This
provides a cottage industry for struggling families in India. The
colours are vivacious, and the yarn is ideal for making twisties.
or for knitting up a quick scarf. Profits from the sale of these
products will be sent back to India, to support a group of
students who were unfairly deported from NZ last year, and
who are unable to work or move forward with their lives, as a
result. www.mulberrytwine.co.nz
‘Fame Junior’ by Santarelli School of Dance, first week of the
holidays in Glen Innes, featuring MPS student Estelle Hebley
in a lead role! www.eventfinda.co.nz/2018/fame-the-musical-
jr/auckland/glen-innes
Ellerslie Event Centre & Auckland Racing Club advise that
Ellerslie Racecourse’s Gate 5, located off Mitchelson Street,
will be permanently closed to vehicles from June 25, 2018.
Contact the editor [email protected]
Guideline 150 characters please. Deadline Thursday lunchtime.
CLASS 8 PLAY Our class is performing Metamorphosis for our Class 8 Play. It is a modern rendition of comic and tragic Greek myths. We have learnt our
lines, are working very hard, and are extremely excited!! Ms. Wilson has been working tirelessly on our speaking and movement, and we
are having fun being directed by some student directors for the first time.
It is a very visually stunning and abstract play, with contemporary music and stylized dance. Mr. Bernal and Ms. Wilson are designing the set
and it will be very different from anything we have seen at the school before - almost like a surrealist painting.
Another innovation this year is the integration of young directors. Six Class 11 Drama students have either written or written/directed six
mini plays within our production. The rest will of course be directed by our Drama teacher Ms. Wilson.
Presale Tickets
Presale tickets will be available at a discounted rate on the morning of Friday the 22nd. We will be selling tickets under the Rotunda from 8
to 8.30am and 3 to 3.30pm each day from tomorrow until Friday next week. Please bring your cash and get in quick. (Presales will be until
next Wednesday only).
For Bookings email [email protected]. Please email the date you are wanting tickets and the number you need. You will receive an
email requesting payment into the Class account. When that is received, we will email your confirmation and put tickets aside for you to
collect on the night.
Age Appropriateness
There is no adult or inappropriate language in this play and the first half is very suitable for a younger audience. The second half contains
some of the more dramatic of the Greek stories - The Women of Troy, Alcyone, Myra and Narcissus. These will contain the more intense
and emotional material, which although very beautiful and aesthetic could be frightening for children younger than Class 5.
If you feel strongly that you would like your Class 4 student to
attend, then please contact Ms Wilson for advice -
Some parents have approached us keen to expose their younger
children to more plays. We have therefore clustered the comic
material in the first half as a possible smaller theatre experience
(approx. 4O – 60 mins) This is an option for parents with younger
children, who can take it up if they wish and leave at Interval.
For the rest of you, you are in for a very eclectic experience, from
the heights of comedy to the beauty and drama that the Greeks
were famous for. It will be a visually very unusual show and we
are unlikely to do something like this again. Come along and see
the Auditorium transformed.
Please support the Class 8 Play and help us to recoup costs.
Thank you for your ongoing support of these plays. If the
community mobilizes behind each play, then every child coming
through the school can be assured of the experience of the thrill
of a full house in a large theatre such as ours. These plays are
memorable experiences in a child’s life and are something they
won’t forget.
A picture paints a thousand words, and it is Ms Wilson’s hope
that through exposing the student community to many different
styles and aesthetics, they will arrive at their own class play
experience with an already developed understanding of what is
possible in theatre and in themselves. Come celebrate with us -
see you at the show!
Class 8
.
Do you enjoy working with wood? Do you want to get involved in our community in a practical way?
If so, come along to the Wood Group and help us make things to sell to raise money for the school at the Summer Fair.
We meet in the woodwork room (above the tennis courts) each Monday from 6:30pm to 8:30pm
All parents are welcome (we are not allowed children, sorry) and no experience is necessary.
For more information contact Doug Cross
021 455 831
Finding a new connection to the plant
Introductory workshop on Goethean and
Phenomenological observation.
Saturday 25 August 2018
Waikato Waldorf School Hall, Hamilton
Connecting exercises with plant and
plant
forms
Experiencing forces in plants
Concepts and work methods
Painting: the plant’s lively response to
the environment
At the workshop you will get special exercises to develop your skills
in observing morphology and metamorphosis processes in plants.
You will also learn how to reflect on the way observed forms resound
in one’s human body.
The aim of Goethean and Phenomenological observation is to
gradually improve our care of plants and deepen our understanding
of the healing and nutritional qualities of plants.
Organised by the Plant Study Group -Hamilton. Tutors: Marion
Koppenol, Maree Smith, Artist- Pieter Swanepoel.
For a full programme and enrolment form please contact Maree
Smith [email protected]
Michael Park School is raising funds for a new cover
for our amazing outdoor classroom. Order from us
now and receive your NEW 2018 | 2019 Entertainment
Membership before the next School holidays!
Your 2017 | 2018 Entertainment Membership expired on 1 June 2018.
Please continue supporting our School by purchasing the 2018 | 2019
Entertainment Membership from us today. Hundreds of great value
offers are ready for your enjoyment, while also helping our fundraising!
Be quick, the new Membership is selling fast!
Click here to read more and purchase your membership
SCHOOL HOLIDAY OFFERS
Helen O’Grady Children’s Drama Academy has classes for
students aged 5 to 17 years, in your area.
We are aimed at developing ongoing confidence, self-esteem
and skills in verbal communication.
Our programme is exciting, motivational and great fun.
All our teachers have specialist training in the Helen O’Grady
Drama System.
Enrolling now for Term 3; phone Debbie Napier, on 836 0233
for further details.
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