Bulletin

Dear Parents and Community Members,

Now that our new school year is underway and we have all begun to settle in, Teera and I as your new Co-Heads of School welcome and wish you all a Happy 2021.

Like all the staff, we were incredibly excited to welcome our students back.  It has been so energising to see the enthusiasm with which they are settling back into our rhythms. Listening to the holiday stories, hearing the sounds of singing and play, and of music and happy chatter has been wonderful.

Some of the many special moments of this first fortnight have included our Class 1 Rainbow Bridge Crossing, our new Kindergarten children beginning and morning teas with the parents of Kindergarten and Class 1.

We also loved the sheer joy and enthusiasm shared by students and teachers at our High School Swimming Carnival, and also hearing the news of last year’s Class 12’s and their amazing achievements has been a highlight – we feel incredibly proud of them!

But for me, the biggest highlight has been getting to know the students, the staff and the community.

I have long known that Steiner Education provides a particularly rich environment for whole-person flourishing.  In fact, throughout my career I have been inspired by Steiner’s beliefs that

“Our highest endeavour must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves, to impart purpose and direction to their lives.” and that “The need for imagination, a sense of truth, and a feeling of responsibility … are the very nerve of education.”

It is so wonderful getting to know this, my new school, and to see Steiner’s aspirations being lived out in this beautiful community.

Joining this school is a real honour, and I look forward to meeting all of you and making CBRSS my new ‘home.’ My thanks to everyone who has welcomed me so warmly.

Paddy Innes-Hill
Co-Head of School

Seasons Greetings to Parents and Friends

In early Term 4, many events that had been on-hold or postponed were now able to take place. Miraculously, now we were able to compress most of the year’s calendar events into Term 4 and it was a pleasure to be able to finally invite parents to attend some of these events in person too. It has been lovely in recent weeks to receive so many messages from parents expressing gratitude and appreciation for these opportunities; on behalf of staff, we thank you!

Our Term 4 events included: 7 Class Camps, Year 10 Special Program, 5 Class Plays, String concerts, HS Parent Meetings, K-7 Class Parent Meetings at which Melanie Deefholts presented, Year 12 Graduation, Year 12 Formal, Year 8 Tobias, Class 6 Primary Farewell, Class 6 Celebration Evening, Christmas Giving Festival, HS Elective Showcase, Class 1-6 Swimming, HS Beach day, Class 1-6 Swim fun Day and K-10 Classroom moving too!

Understandably, this sudden ‘event quickening’ caused an atmosphere of intensity to arise for our teachers, administration and support staff. I invite parents and friends to join me in sending thoughts of appreciation and thanks to our incredible, dedicated CBRSS staff; each has risen to work with collaborative purpose, strength and persistence with all that has come towards our school this year.

Perhaps like me, when taking time to reflect on this enormous 2020 year, you may find that with all of the complex and challenging events we have faced, it feels as if time has somehow been strangely stretched and compressed and massaged into a rhythm that feels not so familiar, nor so comfortable. Even so, I am feeling grateful and very relieved that together as a school community, we have successfully navigated the challenges, (growing plenty of flexibility, resilience and goodwill along the way), and we are all relatively healthy and well as we close the year.

Now, thankfully, the time has come for all to rest and rejuvenate.

May your Summer holidays and festive time with family and loved ones be filled with unscheduled time, simple pleasures, fine food, sweet music, good reads and long lazy days in nature.

I look forward to welcoming Paddy Innes-Hill, my Co Head of School and seeing all your smiling faces next year!

Best and warm wishes

Teera