​As the wonderful 2019 WAVE, The Girl with the Sun in her Face, recedes, we take a moment to acknowledge the incredible students, staff, parents, sponsors and community members who played a part. A special thank you, also, to all of the designers who entered a garment in this year's event and congratulations to the winners, below. Stay tuned for the WAVE gallery in the final newsletter of 2019...

Overall Grand Winner  (Gold Sponsor James Hardware Mitre 10)  
Children of the Sun God by Kylee Dempsey 

Directors Prize (Silver Sponsor Chincogan Real Estate)
Tears of Amphitrite by Susan Germann 
 
Most Creative Use of Materials (Bronze Sponsor Baxter & Jacobson Architects)
Van Gogh’s Sunflowers by Maggie Wreth 

Section 1 – Lost Oracle – Beneath the Waves (Rainbow Region Air Conditioning) 
The Priest of the Abyss by Jaya (Year 9 Shearwater) & Revital Lev
 
Highly Commended
Squid Girl by Llama Kendell

Special Mention
Tears of Amphitrite by Susan Germann
Atlantia – Siren of the Seven Seas by Charlotte Vockler (Cape Byron Rudolf Steiner School)
 
Section 2 – Hoodies City (Mercurius Australia) 
Gold Florais by Eloise Galea
 
Section 3 – Labyrinth of Twists and Turns (BSC Mayor’s Office and Mullumbimby Rural Co-op)
The Restore(r) of Order by Gypsy Hunter (Year 9 Shearwater)
 
Highly Commended
Ugly Truth by Arlia Keller (Cape Byron Rudolf Steiner School)
 
Special mention
Luna Moon Flower by Tiehj Kerry (Year 8 Shearwater)
Make a Wish by Eloise Galea
 
Section 4 – Video Killed the Radio Star (Westpac) 
GRRRL ZEISGEIST The by Llama Kendell
 
Highly Commended
Too Funky by Amber Richards (Year 9 Shearwater)
 
Section 5 – The Girl with the Sun in her Face  
Sun Catcher, Vibrations of a Thousand Songs by Serena Susanna-Davies
 
Highly Commended  
Fertility Sun Spirit by Llama Kendell 

Student Awards (Silver Sponsor Fuji Xerox Business Centre Northern Rivers)
Let There Be Light  by Tiehj Kerry (Year 8 Shearwater)
Atlantia – Siren of the Seven Seas by Charlotte Vockler (Year 10 Cape Byron Rudolf Steiner School)
Too Funky by Amber Richards (Year 9 Shearwater)
 
Student Encouragement Awards
Entangled by Indigo Starbright, Ella Bowen Piercy, Zemmer Arbiv, Zoe Newell (Year 7 Shearwater)
Eclipse by Olive Morris (Year 7 Shearwater)
Ray of Light by Class 4P Shearwater

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

Receive the children in reverence, educate them in love, and send them forth in freedom    - Rudolf Steiner
 
As the sun went down on Thursday evening, nearly 200 people gathered in the gorgeous gardens of Mavis’ Kitchen, to celebrate the 40 Year 12 students of the Class of 2019. Everyone looked beautiful and the air was filled with love and laughter.

These inspiring young people have all applied themselves to their own journeys, here at Shearwater, and have shone brightly in their own unique ways. As a group they are compassionate, creative and caring. They have a strong bond that will see them support each other out in the world, in the years to come, and we are confident that they all have the self-belief and dedication to excel at whatever they choose to do in the future.

Walking beside these amazing individuals over the last five years has been an absolute honour and we feel so blessed to have been their Guardians. We are full of love and gratitude.
 
Anna and Oren
Year 12 Guardians

“The preschool years (the years before formal schooling) are the most important of all in the education of the child... It is absolutely essential that before we begin to think, before we so much as begin to set our thinking in motion, we experience the condition of wonder.”   - Rudolf Steiner

In our busy lives, we need to allow time to breathe. These are the moments in which we can discover wonder.  At Playgroup, we encourage an environment where the children can play uninterrupted and unhurried for long intervals of the day. Sand and water play (below) give children many opportunities to learn to interact with each other socially, while stimulating imagination, inspiration and intuition.

PICS from top left: The children saw a pair of water dragons (one big and one very little) scurrying for safety under the house and now they are sitting and waiting patiently for them to come out. We also have two resident green tree frogs at Playgroup, which are often found in the fish tank. The children delight in finding their little hiding places; Humphry has made a fresh tea and is giving Annabella a cup to taste; the girls are taking some time out for a cuppa and a chat; Rex, River and Winter are enacting our puppet show of the day; we always welcome grandmothers for a visit, bringing their wisdom and generous sense of time.

Warmly,
Carina Halliday
Playgroup Coordinator

After so much careful and clever work, with each child finger knitting, then weaving, their own beautiful turtle shells, we are now learning to work as a team as we feed our turtles, making them full and strong. We have even had some parents come to help, and join us for a turtle game and morning circle.

We are also working together to make felt for our blossom babies’ soft, leaf beds, and carefully stitching our own little baby’s flower suit and leaf hat.

Play has been full of enthusiasm and adventure and is a joy to watch. There are cubbies filled with mice, blue tongue lizards and puppies. There are well-stocked shops with intricate alarm systems. There are boats sailing across the waves to Golden Island, and planes flying over land and sea to visit family and friends. Outside, there are complex and challenging obstacle courses, designed and built by the children. We are learning how to be kind and fair leaders, and to be happy and helpful team members.

In the weeks to come, we will begin our transition stories and songs as we get ready for the children's big journey into Class 1. There are just a few more things to learn in Kindy before then, and we are looking forward to sharing the rest of the term together.

Kat Barwick
Birdsong Kindergarten

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