COMING EVENTS

18-21 February Class 10 Camp

Tuesday 18 February Class 9 Parent Meeting

Wednesday 19 February Class 5 Parent Meeting

Thursday 20 February Class 3 Parent Meeting

Monday 24 February Class 7 Parent Meeting

Tuesday 25 February Class 8 Parent Meeting

Tuesday 25 February Kindy Parent Evening

Wednesday 26 February Class 1 Parent Meeting

Wednesday 26 February Class 12 Play ‘Peer Gynt’

Thursday 27 February Class 12 Play ‘Peer Gynt’

Friday 28 February C8-12 finish at 12.40pm

Tuesday 3 March Class 2 Parent Meeting

Tuesday 3 March Class 11 Parent Meeting

Tuesday 3 March Class 12 Parent Meeting

Friday 6 March Kindy Market

FRIDAY FLYER 14 February 2020

Newsletter 3

Kia ora tatou

The end of the first full week of school

and the students are settling into a

rhythm and routine and, as every year,

the school is gathering its own

momentum.

Student safety is always top of our list and this week we held

our first fire evacuation drill. While our systems worked well

some students seemed to be still transitioning from their

summer mode to the increased urgency required at these

times. We will work with students over the coming weeks with

a view to confirming everyone is accounted for in a much-

reduced time. If you are on campus during a fire evacuation

(continuous ringing bell) please support the staff by not

engaging with the students during this time.

Next week, class 10 embark on the first camp of 2020. This

camp is the culmination of the surveying main lesson. A huge

thank you to Ms Barretto for all her organisation to make this

happen so early in the term.

On Monday the Board of Trustees will meet. Amongst other

items the strategic plan will feature. As was outlined by the

Board Chair in a recent school links the strategic plan is centred

on three overarching goals: An investigation into possible

growth, wellbeing within the school and what makes MPS

special? My thanks to those who have added to the

conversation with their feedback and input.

Only two weeks now until class 12 perform the first class play of

the year and their last at our school. Having caught glimpses of

the rehearsals of Peer Gynt, this again promises to be a

fabulous evening of top-quality theatre. Performances will be

held on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 February. Note the

play is recommended for middle school and above as there is

strong language used on occasion.

On Friday 28 February the PPTA union will be holding a union

meeting for Secondary teachers only to discuss changes within

the Education Council Aotearoa. This meeting will begin at

1:00pm and, as almost all teachers are part of the union and

attendance is compulsory, the High School only (C8-12) will

close for class from the start of lunch. As there will be no

supervision available high school students must leave the

campus. If they need to wait e.g. for a younger sibling, the

library will be available. As yet there is no news from NZEI (the

primary teachers union) and so the school will be open for

lower school students. I will inform you if there is any change.

Finally, it is with fondness, warmth and sadness this week that

we have been remembering Tim Rogers on his passing. Tim was

part of the graduating class of 2013 and his legacy still echoes

strongly through the school and the staff who knew him. Our

thoughts are with his family.

Terry Storer, Principal

2020 STATEMENTS

2020 RSST and Kindergarten Statements will be posted out

today, 2020 BOT statements will be posted out next Tuesday.

If you require assistance please contact:

BOT - raewynw@michaelpark.school.nz

RSST & Kindergarten - erinw@michaelpark.school.nz

BASKETBALL UNIFORMS

Could all 2019 Basketball uniforms please be returned. A

stocktake has been done and we are short on uniforms for the

upcoming season. Could these please be returned to the Gym/

Mr Johnstone.

CLASS 12 PLAY REQUEST

“We are after a pair of aluminium adult crutches for class 12

production. If you have any sitting at home we would

appreciate them. They will come back in working order but with

a few holes here and there.”

- Class 12

ROBOTICS COMPETITION

MPS hosted a Kiwibots Vex Robotics scrimmage last weekend in

the gym. 29 teams from around Auckland and as far away as

Palmerston North came to compete.

During the qualification rounds ore MPS teams ranked 11th and

18th. They then chose each other as alliance partners for the

elimination and finals round. In the first elimination match they

faced the top ranked alliance and managed to win by 1 point.

Then they won their semifinals match and managed a 3 point

win in the finals, making the MPS teams the winning alliance of

the day!

Well done to all involved.

GOT YOUR HAT? Remember, sunhats are required

during terms 1 & 4 for break, lunch and outdoor lessons.

VACANCY AT MICHAEL PARK KINDY

Kindergarten Teacher - Full time, fixed term

Start Date: 16/03/2020, End Date: 12/03/2021 (Maternity

leave)

Our ideal applicant is creative, positive and collaborative.

Teacher registration and a commitment to working with our

philosophy is essential. The role is full time. Part time hours

are open for discussion. The position begins Mid-March

2020. Remuneration as per the ASCA http://ppta.org.nz/

collective-agreements/area-school-teachers-collective-

agreement-astca/

For further information please contact centre manager Karen

Affleck on 09 525 8996.

To apply, please complete this application form and send it

with your cover letter and CV

to admin@michaelpark.school.nz

VACANCIES AT OTHER SCHOOLS

TAIKURA KINDERGARTEN, HAWKES BAY

ECE Teacher - Full time

Taikura Kindergartens are looking for a full-time experienced

ECE teacher with a current NZ practising certificate.

We are a well-established Waldorf kindergarten affiliated

with Taikura Rudolf Steiner School in Hastings, Hawkes Bay.

Knowledge of our Special Character, and the ability to

engage in co-teaching, is essential. All enquiries and

expressions of interest to suzan.bart@taikura.school.nz.

Dear craft group supporters,

Room requirements see us moving our craft mornings to Monday. We will meet on Monday 17th (this coming Monday!) for our first session. And every 1st Monday of the month from then on. Always from 8:30am- 12pm.

We are working on Easter crafts and towards autumn themed crafts. It would be lovely to see you! Nina and Leela

Class 12 Presents

Peer Gynt A letter from Patrice

It’s Play time again, and I am writing to ask the community to come out in force to support Class 12’s last

performance at Michael Park Schools. So, pencil Peer Gynt into your diary for Wednesday or Thursday

26th/27th of February at 7pm (Food available prior).

This is a very relevant play for these times with a very

witty contemporary text, but also carries the essence

of a Steiner Mystery Play. The play walks between

worlds and is presented like a zany montage of the life

and spiritual journey of a young man growing up in the

selfie/Facebook culture of today and trying to find

himself on all the levels. Unlike the original it is not

written in verse, but retains the essence of the original

play, within a modern landscape. There is some very

sassy comic material with fun, edgy and contemporary

references, which of course Class 12 loves, that is also

peppered with some beautiful text and touching

otherworldly moments. This class has tackled some of

the great plays over the past five years -The beauty

and language of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the

outrageousness of Aristophanes famous political

comedy- Lysistrata and now they turn their capacities

to the great Norwegian classic. For a Class 12, this text

is a perfect mix of fun and depth. Like the original, this

play poses the underlying question; does a belief in

individualism help or hinder us in trying to live

purposefully in the modern day.

We have put a recommendation of Middle School and above, and I strongly encourage Class 7, 8 and 10 in

particular to come along. I notice that the more plays a student has seen the more they understand and

embrace the play process faster. If the class has a play this year, then it really is a must for them to come- a

picture does paint a thousand words. Please support us to cover our costs, and share Class 12’s work with the

community. There is nothing like the excitement of a full Auditorium, and if your family supports class plays,

the community will support your children when their time for play comes.

This is a very theatrical show which makes jumps in time and place and navigates a landscape of trolls, two

headed children, weddings, funerals, shipwrecks, golf courses, and involves meetings with spiritual figures,

giant green women, lunatics, spiritual seekers, prophets, and great loves. This show will definitely not be

boring!

On the 26th and 27th of February find us in the school auditorium at 6pm for food and drink and join us for

the play at 7pm. Contact raewynw@michaelpark.school.nz for tickets, which are priced at $15 for adults, $12

for students and $40 for a family of four.

Thanks for your ongoing support. - Ms Wilson.

Talks and Workshops with Brian Keats Stairway to Heaven

7.30pm Friday 21st February, Titirangi Rudolf Steiner School Hall, 5 Helios Place, Titirangi

The beginnings of a journey to rediscover the relationship between the earth and the stars and to sense the beings active

behind everything. Suggested donation: $20

The Human Being, the Cosmos, and the Compost Heap 9 am to 1 pm Saturday 22nd February, Titirangi Rudolf Steiner School Hall, 5 Helios Place, Titirangi

It is said that the human being is a microcosm of the whole universe. If we live into that truth then for any question we may

have of the outer world, there will be an answer inherent in the innate wisdom scribed into the human being. Can we look

at the human being to understand our farm ……. or even the compost heap? Suggested donation: $30

Pythagoras in the Light of the Times of Archangel Michael 3 – 5 pm, Saturday 22nd February, Rudolf Steiner House, 104 Michaels Ave, Ellerslie, Auckland Biographies of the great

pioneers give us an understanding of the unfolding of world evolution. Through the lives of Pythagoras and Hypatia, this talk

will give insight into the beginning and end of an extraordinary era in world history. Admission $20

Evolving Models of the Solar System: From Ptolemy to Steiner 7.30 pm Friday 28th February, Rudolf Steiner House, 104 Michaels Ave, Ellerslie, Auckland Admission $20

Weather Forecasting 9 am to 1 pm Saturday 29th February, Titirangi Rudolf Steiner School Hall, 5 Helios

Place, Titirangi Anthropocene is the new geological era we have entered and is an

appropriate name for it given that human activities have had, still have, and will have

a significant impact on the global environment. Are there any other factors we need

to consider when trying to gauge the future of the Earth and humanity? A bigger

picture can give us an empowering context to right actions. Suggested donation: $30

Brian Keats grew up in Zimbabwe and after leaving Africa travelled extensively. He

arrived in Australia in 1976 and has been compiling and producing the annual

“ANTIPODEAN ASTRO CALENDAR” since 1985. He is a founding member of Biodynamic

Agriculture Australia, has given talks and workshops around the world and taught at

Steiner/Waldorf Schools. His interests range from Pythagoras to weather forecasting

with specialist areas in naked eye astronomy and the science of the spirit.

The Celtic Aesthetic of Esoteric Christian Art An illustrated lecture and artistic workshop with Van James

7.30 pm Friday 6th and 9.00am to 1.00pm Saturday 7th March, 2020 Rudolf Steiner House, 104 Michaels Ave, Ellerslie, Auckland

Celtic Art, in the midst of the Dark Ages, radiates an incredible inner light and life force that silently weaves through the very foundations of Western culture and demonstrates echoes in art as far afield as Asia and Polynesia. From the cloistered monasteries of Ireland and the Mystery Centers of Scandinavia flowed a dynamic spiritual impulse that transformed ancient pre-Christian themes and mystery imagery that shaped the Christian culture of Europe and the wider world to this day. An illustrated Friday evening lecture will be followed by a morning wax crayon and pastel drawing workshop (no experience necessary) together with further explorations into this remarkable art that has influenced the artistic imagination behind Renaissance, Baroque, Art Nouveau, and various Modern Art styles.

Van James is a Hawai’i based teaching artist, author and educator who is a regular guest instructor at colleges and teacher training centers throughout Asia and America. He is chair of the Anthroposophical Society in Hawai’i, editor of Pacifica Journal, and an award-winning author of numerous books on art and culture including Spirit and Art: Pictures of the Transformation of Humanity, The Secret Language of Form: Visual Meaning in Art and Nature, and Drawing with Hand, Head and Heart: A Natural Approach to the Art of Drawing.

Cost: Friday Night Lecture: $20, Saturday Workshop $40 including materials

Come and visit our beautiful school shop, You will find Snapdragon in next to the whare at top left of the turning circle.

Open every Friday 8.15-9 am 1:30-2:30 pm

All proceeds go to our school. Snapdragon is a parent-run fundraising initiative.

Come and shop with us to support our school!