Information
The School Year - Terms and Events

Terms and Events

Term dates for 2008
Term 1 Monday 4th February  to Friday 11th April
Term 2 Monday 28th April  to Friday 27th June
Term 3 Monday 21st July  to Friday 26th September
Term 4 Monday 13th October  to Friday 12th December  (High School)
Wednesday 17th December  (Primary School)
Term dates for 2009
Term 1 Wednesday 28th January - Thursday 9th April
(Easter is 10th - 13th April)
Term 2 Tuesday 28th April - Friday 3rd July
Term 3 Tuesday 28th July- Friday 2nd October
Term 4 Monday 19th Oct - Friday 18th December
for both Primary and High School

 

The Year’s events

Bush Dance – Term 1
An evening of multi-cultural Bush Dance from around the world, performed by the Primary classes. This festive foot-stomping, toe-hopping, come along and dance together marathon is accompanied by a teachers’ band and is a fundraiser event.

Swimming Carnivals – Term 1
The Carnival, a compulsory school event for classes 4 to 10, is also an enriching and enjoyable occasion at Mullumbimby Pool. In the late afternoon and evening: swimming under the stars, sharing a meal, families cheering each other on... There are water events for every age group and something for the adults.

Winter Solstice Celebrations – Term 2
The whole School community comes together  to celebrate the rebirth of the light and life with the passing of the Winter Solstice. This is a highlight of the year, a time to witness and share in the passing of the old year into the new. The festival commences at 5.00pm and all students are expected to attend. The school day is pupil free while staff prepare for the event.

Sports Day – Term 3
Sports Day is a day of athletics and games held early in Term 3.

Pet Day – Late Term 3
A special day for the Primary School on which children bring in their pets and other animals. Displays, demonstrations, parades and award presentations are the order of a festive day.

WAVE’s Performance Event – Term 2
Held early in Term 2, WAVE – our Wearable Arts Vision in Education – is one of the School’s major cultural events involving senior students, staff and the wider community. (For more information please read the section WAVE: Our Wearable Arts Vision in Education in Other things that make our school special)

Talent Extravaganza Cabaret – Terms 2 and 4
A fundraising event for the Music Department held twice every year. This successful night provides opportunities for talent, young and old, to perform in a festive atmosphere of good cheer and sociability.

Open Day – Term 4
A comprehensive exhibition of the childrens’ work is held in Term 4. On this day the School is open to the public. Teachers and staff are available to discuss Steiner Education and the children’s’ work with existing and prospective parents.

Summer Festival of Plays – Term 4
Riding on the expansive wings of summer all Classes work towards the production of end of year plays. Written and produced by the Teachers, who draw on the content of the four terms of the Learning Program, the plays are a living culmination of the year’s work.
The play schedule is issued in Term 4. Friends and family are warmly invited to attend.

Field Excursions – all year
Day trips and Class trips take place every year. They are an integral part of the students’ education, and are NOT optional. They are an important component of the learning program, giving the students the opportunity of experiencing first hand the content of their lessons. For example the Class 1 & 2 Local Geography lessons happen during overnight camps, while Marine Biology, Coastal Geography and Australian History may be complemented by a field trip to the Great Barrier Reef.

In the High School, the trips also take on an important personal development aspect with challenging activities, e.g. white-water safety, canoeing and abseiling, and longer excursions to more distant locations.

Students are expected to take on personal and group responsibilities and are expected to work and contribute to being part of a team.

All field trips and outings are subject to the audit and review of the Field Trip Committee.

Field trip destinations sample
Kindy Overnight Camp Local Area
Class 1 Overnight Camp Local Area
Class 2 Mt Warning Area, Fingal, Woody Head
Class 3 Border Ranges Binna Burra, O Reilleys
Class 4 Fraser Island
Class 5 Skiing, Horse Riding, Canoeing
Class 6 Canberra
Class 7 North West Island (Great Barrier Reef)
Class 8 Sydney/City Experience, New Zealand
Class 9 Outback Australia
Class 10 Scuba Diving, Outdoor Education
In classes 11 and 12, the field trips are optional and relevant to that year’s field of study and/or interest. The curriculum being heavy, they may take place during the vacations.