This term, we bid a formal farewell to our Class of 2020 as their high school journey drew to a close. Despite COVID restrictions limiting numbers, the Year 12 Farewell Assembly and Formal were joyous celebrations of this wonderful group of young people. 

The Year 12 Formal was a huge success with students, staff and the families of our Year 12 students enjoying the picturesque Mavis’ Kitchen at the foot of Mt Warning. Thanks to Allegra for organising our tables and creating our beautiful name tags; to Sharon and Peter for the beautiful food we all enjoyed; and to James for assisting in the formalities of our celebrations.

As a community, we are proud of the achievements of the graduating class of 2020: their various successes in a wide range of pursuits; the manner in which they embraced the challenges encountered; their positive attitudes; willingness to give things a go; flexibility, resilience and courage. Their growth throughout their journey at Shearwater and the manner in which they have risen above the significant challenges of 2020, are to be commended. 

As they finish their formal years of education and their time at Shearwater, we know this class of young poeple will go on to live extraordinary lives, making a positive difference to those around them and the world in which they live. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours. In the words of Rudolf Steiner, Our greatest endeavour must be to develop free human beings, who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives.

Congratulations to the Class of 2020!
​
Praba Manning & Luke Wigmore 
Year 12 Guardians
 

This year, our Class 3 farmers milled a record 21kg of finest biodynamic flour from their wheat harvest, to be baked into bread next week.

The wheat seed, received from the Class 4 students at the Primary School's Autumn Festival, was planted and tended as part of the Class 3 farming curriculum. This season marks the third in which the crop has been sown from Shearwater's own seed bank.

Special thanks to Sally Davison who donated the stone mill (pictured above).

There are many things growing and changing Here at Birdsong Kindy. 

We have been lucky enough to have had many caterpillars weave their green and gold cocoons and have seen the Monarch butterflies as they emerge and take their first flight.

Merrily Magpie's babies have been growing bigger and more confident, singing loudly in our garden and and beginning to search for their own food, while Merrily watches on.

Our Blossom Babies have been sewn with care; our turtle shells have been finger knitted and woven; and of course our turtles have grown and changed as we have fed them into plump young hatchlings ready for their own adventures in Mother Ocean.

And of course the Kindy children are growing and changing too, as we prepare them for their summer festival and ceremony and transition into Class 1.

What a wonderful year it has been. I look forward to hearing stories of the many adventures of Class 1 and beyond.

Kat Barwick
Birdsong Kindergarten Teacher

Class 7 recently went on their final Primary School camp. It was with jubilation that restrictions were lifted and we had the opportunity to continue with the tradition of fantastic camps at Shearwater. Although shorter and closer to home than past Class 7 camps, this was no exception.

The two classes came together with the intention of fostering new friendships and getting to know their future Class Guardians. We had a wonderful campsite at Lake Arragan and, after setting up our tents, we got on with the business of weathering storms, facing physical challenges, eating lots of wonderful food and reapplying sunscreen.

Shearwater has many aspects that make it unique but one of the standouts certainly has to be the camps, creating fond memories for our students and graduates.

The benefits of the situated learning that forms this aspect of an outdoor, hands-on curriculum are so valuable and can be readily measured by the social health of the group and smiles of the participants.  

Watching students immersed in nature while learning together is a tremendous highlight for a teacher and now, standing at the end of our seven-year journey, I give thanks not only for the wonderful students of Class 7 but also for Shearwater, for placing an emphasis on a living curriculum. I also acknowledge my wonderful fellow teachers and a further note of appreciation goes to the planners, shoppers and parents who provided lovely food, as well as to Nick Thorne and Venessa Skye who went above and beyond to help this camp run smoothly.