Once a week, Classes K to 5 have a eurythmy lesson, accompanied by Ken Naughton on piano, in our beautiful eurythmy room. Here is a summary of our recent work. I look forward to lots more lovely work in the new year.

Class 1
In Class 1 Eurythmy we have continued our exploration of movement to music and speech adding various arm gestures representing vowels and consonants. Most of these elements have been woven into stories inspired by the folktales The Turnip and Tiddilick. These have helped build on and develop the children’s spatial awareness and their relationship to the world around them.
 
Class 2
Class 2 Eurythmy has had a stronger emphasis on movement in formation. This has allowed each child the opportunity to practice adapting their own movement into a larger social group, as well as developing their own initiative and courage. Our main spring-themed lesson has been a eurythmy form called We Seek One Another,  a square form with a curbed crossing. Working with this form has helped the children to adjust quickly to a change in orientation whilst moving in time to music and a verse of Banjo Patterson’s, The Australian Way.
 
Class 3
As the children’s appreciation and understanding of music has grown this year, so has the complexity of expression in eurythmy. Class 3 commenced Term 3 by learning the C major scale, and then moved with it on the Crown Form. Later in Term 4 they moved to the music Star of Ester. Exercises with copper rods and concentration exercises have also been a major focus. 
 
Class 4
To support the Class 4 child's growing independence and the development of their feeling life, we started Term 3 experiencing major and minor chords in tone eurythmy. This term, we have worked on a choreographic form called the Harmonious Eight, in which we focused on slowing ourselves down and moving harmoniously with each other in time with the music. Rod exercises and concentration exercises continued in Class 4, with an emphasis on precision and, increasingly, calling on the individual child's initiative. 
 
Class 5
Commencing in Term 3, Class 5  has continued with dynamic fast rhythmical movement, with lots of jumping and thematic repetition. In the Hall of the Mountain King and The Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker have been favourite music pieces for this work. In conclusion to all the dynamic work this year, Class 5 are also enjoying the relative peace and calm of the Harmonious Eight. Rod exercises, such as Waterfall and Nightsong, have been a mainstay, where we either pass our rods on to our neighbours or drop and catch in rapid succession.
 
Kira Rea
Eurythmy Teacher

At the end of Term 3, Class 6C started a small sewing project. Each student sewed a square with their chosen virtue on it. As a class they decided to create a quilt and donate it to the aged care facility in Pottsville. The class presented the quilt to the residents and performed a repertoire of violin and cello pieces and songs, which were received with gratitude and joy. It was a wonderful morning getting to know one another. Both the students and elders are very keen to continue this relationship next year.

Our Primary School boys and girls basketball teams headed down to the NCIS regional carnival in Coffs Harbour recently, where 80 students from independent schools across the region (Tweed Heads to Coffs Harbour) enjoyed the perfect conditions and the friendly competition. 

It was a big day, with an early start and a long drive either end. The students played 4 matches each but their enthusiasm never flagged - losing or winning, they were having lots of fun! They were a joy to watch with a great improvement on last year’s event. Both teams have the finals within their sights for next year.

Thank you to all the staff, parents and students who supported these teams this year, especially Anthony Hack, Monica Brandolini and Taj Gough.

Our annual calendar of NCIS carnivals has now finished for the year. Well done to everyone who participated. Next year, we start early with the swimming regionals in Astonville, following the Shearwater carnival at the beginning of Term 1.

In other sports news, students from upper Primary to High School have been enjoying the extra movement activities this term, funded by the Federal Government's Sporting Schools grant, including gymnastics with Spaghetti Circus, basketball and capoeira.

Finally, the mapping of the School campus by Orienteering NSW has now been completed, ready for next year's inaugural orienteering events!

Magnum Brotto
Sports Coordinator

Adventurous at heart, a class of born leaders, Class 2M packed their trailer to the hilt and hit the road, en route to our first off-site camping trip. Excitement brimming, the weather lords shined on us and we were blessed with great blue skies, cool nights and warm days.

Working enthusiastically in groups, the children prepped, cooked, served and cleaned up for each meal, a truly noble act of selflessness that builds social renewal and deepens a sense of purpose and family.

Visiting bandicoots and coastal emu tracks were an exciting surprise, with long swims at the swimming holes and long walks exploring the caves of coffee rock, the camp flew by just as fast as a Class 2 student (or three) zooming down a sand dune on a boogie board. As fast and fun as it was, many great memories were created to be cherished. 

Michael Caterer
Class 2 Teacher

What a busy year Class 1L are having. The children returned to school for Term 4 with much joy and happy faces. It is always a pleasure to be greeted by their toothless grins, enthusiasm and growing bodies!
 
We began this term with an indigenous main lesson where the children enjoyed stories from the first peoples of this country. We had a visit from Mudjai (a Bundjalung parent from 5M), who told stories, made a fire with just sticks and taught us some special dances. The children were delighted and so engaged.
 
We have been doing lots of work on letters and sounds and writing whole sentences in our capital letters. We love our craft and making things with our hands.
 
We have been visiting the homes of all of our classmates over the past weeks. It has been a special time for the children, as they develop a deeper sense of where their friends come from and who their families are. This will likely be a point of reference in future years as they grow together. I have certainly appreciated seeing their special spaces.
 
Fridays continue to be a day of adventure at Crystal Creek where, sadly, we recently discovered no water. We desperately need Sister Rain. Always the children learn so much through play - a natural exploration of their world and relationships, that allows them to use their creativity, while developing their imaginations and their physical dexterity.
 
As we come to the end of a busy and happy year, we are all awaiting a long and well-deserved break!
 
Lindsey Gallon
Class 1 Teacher

Shearwater's tennis team headed down to the AIS regional carnival in Grafton this week, where 120 students from independent schools across the region (Tweed Heads to Coffs Harbour) enjoyed the perfect conditions and the friendly competition. 

It was a big day, with an early start and a long drive either end. The students played an average of five short matches each but their enthusiasm never flagged - losing or winning, they were having lots of fun! They were a joy to watch.

Congratulations to the whole team and a special mention to Dylan, who came in 3rd in the Open Boys, and Class 6 student Oliver Fernley, 2nd in the Primary Boys. 

Our next regional sporting event will be the Primary Basketball in Coffs Harbour at the start of November. Our basketball team is putting in lots of time on the court and we wish them luck.

Magnum Brotto
​PDHPE Teacher

 
Class 4P spent last term immersed in our Humans and Animals Main Lesson, in which we explored how the bodily form of land and marine animals is connected to movement and habitat. The limitations or specialisations expressed through the form were experienced through story, observation, poetry, drawing , painting, movement and drama. The children were fascinated to see how one aspect of the bodily form was specialised in many animals – for example the eye of the eagle or the stomach of the cow.

We saw how the balanced and harmonised body of the human being, with the adaptability of upright posture, free hands and the gifts of speech and reflective thought, allows us to adapt our environment and create tools.
 
After our classroom exploration we undertook a five-day camp to Mooloolaba and Hervey Bay, where we spent a night in an aquarium, with sharks and rays swimming overhead while we slept; experienced the great wonders of the sea, with whale watching in Hervey Bay and observed the native animals at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.

On our return, the children wrote haiku - Japanese poems of 17 syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five, traditionally evoking images of the natural world. I gladly share with you their expressive and heartfelt thoughts on the wonders of the animal world.

Penny Martin
Class 4 Teacher

If you have practiced hard for Olympia
And if you have not been lazy or done
Anything dishonourable, then
Go forward with confidence.
We will judge before the gods
with truth and honour
All those who compete before us.
Judges' verse
​

Last Friday, athletes from the mighty city-states of ancient Greece (Shearwater, Cape Byron, Aetaomah, Casuarina, Chrysalis, Tallowood and Rainbow Ridge Steiner schools) came together, in the shadow of Olympus, to prove their strength, grace and agility before the gods. Irascible Zeus opened the proceedings, imploring the athletes to lift their efforts into the realm of truth, beauty and goodness. With gifts of song, strings, verse and gymnastics, let the games begin!
 
Mixed-school groups went around the pentathlon stations where rigorous standards of sportsmanship were apparent in each and every encounter. New friends encouraged each other to greater and more graceful efforts. 

Discus events aimed at 'floating' the discus aerodynamically; Running was approached as 'graceful technique.;
the Standing Long Jump employed 'coordination and weight shift', Wrestling worked on 'balance, strength and poise.; Javelin, demonstrated by Zeus with lightning bolts, required parabolic arcing and point-perfect landings.

Throughout the day, the athlete's inner qualities of determination, effort and sportsmanship were as highly valued as strength and skill.

After suitable midday repasts, Zeus called all athletes to relive the exploits of Pheidippides, the first Marathon runner. Mighty praise was showered on all athletes and medals presented. Athletes returned in glory to their city-states fulfilled and honoured.

Accurate Historic Account rendered by
Rheumatoid Pseudo Zeus the Imposter (aka Michael Lester)
Class 5 Teacher

Class 7J has recently completed their class play, 'Trystan and Essylt'. This tale of love and sorrow, woven into Arthurian history, was taken up by the students, and over a two-and-a-half week period, they brought the story together and performed for their peers and parents. 

This was an immense challenge for the students. Key actors fell ill. The script had to be extended and edited along the way, something many of the students worked upon, ensuring a connection with their characters. Costumes were created (and often re-created) as characters were developed. The drama room had to be set up to cater for the various scenes in the play, and the final touches of lights, music and backstage activity all combined to form the final piece in a very short amount of time.

As well as writing a number of scenes, two key students, Olive and Evie, took on the tasks of costuming and directing. Their interest and dedication to those roles supported the final production, beautifully.

Julie Marx
Class 7 Teacher